So I rode the BMW S1000R today.
I've had my heart set on the S1000R since it was announced. I'd previously ridden the S1000RR (about two years ago), but found it too focussed for my likes and needs. Make no bones about it, the S1000RR is a fantastic piece of German engineering, but not a practical option for somebody of my skills (non existent) and fitness levels (bordering on comatose).
In the right hands, it has proven itself to be the standard against which modern super bikes are measured, but then I'm telling you all something you already know.
I have a yearning to own a four cylinder, in-line, super bike, but my body shape (round) demands a more upright riding stance. The S1000R, on the face of it, ticks all the boxes. Hence my decision to take one for a ride, well understanding the risk that I may not be able to give it back, once having ridden it.
The bike is comfortable, much more so than a super bike, with very little weight on your wrists. In fact the riding stance is not far removed from that of my R1200R, although the seat is firmer and the foot pegs are higher, no doubt to allow for more lean angle in the corners.
The suspension is very taught (by my standards, and measured against the bikes I have ridden in recent years), but very confidence-inspiring. I swear, if you rode over a R5 coin, you'd be able to tell whether heads or tails were right side up.
The motor pulls like a tractor; even in 6th gear from low revs, and there is little need to drop down through the gears when riding through traffic. The engine is still very willing at over 200km/hr (or so I'm told, under controlled track conditions, etc.), although at these speeds the wind blast is trying to rip your helmet off your head. The bike is a naked bike after all, but why they bothered with a 'wind screen' at all (other than for aesthetic reasons) is beyond me - the postage stamp sized screen is genuinely smaller than my helmet visor and couldn't provide wind protection for a midget, let alone a rider standing more than 6 feet tall (in imperial units - 183cm to you metricated types).
With the claimed power, and particularly, the torque, I was worried that the bike would be on it's back wheel pulling away from every robot (not in a controlled manner, you see, at least not with my riding skills) and I was concerned that the bike would be a handful.
Couldn't have been more wrong. The bike is really easy to ride and within a few minutes was I really enjoying the experience without worrying about killing myself. I can only assume that this was due to the rider aids (traction control), but if it was intervening to stop me making a very painful and expensive fool of myself, I wasn't aware of it, so unobtrusive was the intervention.
Riding the bike was just a mind-blowing experience.
One thing for sure, the S1000R will be an expensive bike to own - running costs will be higher (not because of any mechanical or quality problems with the bike, but tyres won't last with the engine and brakes the bike has). The engine sound when accelerating is just addictive and keeping the bike at legal speeds, whether between robots or on the freeway, is just about impossible - budget to keep AARTO in business.
So would I buy one?
In a heartbeat if I had the spare cash, but given the realities of life, it will cost me about R90k to upgrade from my current R1200R (which is what I use for my daily commute). Frankly I just can't justify the spend to upgrade.
The extras that the S1000R offers (more power, more torque, better handling, better top speed, etc) I just won't use (other than maybe at an occasional track day and even then my limited skills won't let me really explore them).
My current BMW R1200R remains an awesome commuter, is more comfortable (albeit not by much) and, no doubt, more economical.
So it becomes a heart vs brain decision. The heart says get the S1000R, you know you want to, but the brain says that the R1200R is a more sensible option for an old fart that can't ride for sh!t.
The S1000R remains a fantastic bit of kit though.
Maybe one day when I'm big.......
I've had my heart set on the S1000R since it was announced. I'd previously ridden the S1000RR (about two years ago), but found it too focussed for my likes and needs. Make no bones about it, the S1000RR is a fantastic piece of German engineering, but not a practical option for somebody of my skills (non existent) and fitness levels (bordering on comatose).
In the right hands, it has proven itself to be the standard against which modern super bikes are measured, but then I'm telling you all something you already know.
I have a yearning to own a four cylinder, in-line, super bike, but my body shape (round) demands a more upright riding stance. The S1000R, on the face of it, ticks all the boxes. Hence my decision to take one for a ride, well understanding the risk that I may not be able to give it back, once having ridden it.
The bike is comfortable, much more so than a super bike, with very little weight on your wrists. In fact the riding stance is not far removed from that of my R1200R, although the seat is firmer and the foot pegs are higher, no doubt to allow for more lean angle in the corners.
The suspension is very taught (by my standards, and measured against the bikes I have ridden in recent years), but very confidence-inspiring. I swear, if you rode over a R5 coin, you'd be able to tell whether heads or tails were right side up.
The motor pulls like a tractor; even in 6th gear from low revs, and there is little need to drop down through the gears when riding through traffic. The engine is still very willing at over 200km/hr (or so I'm told, under controlled track conditions, etc.), although at these speeds the wind blast is trying to rip your helmet off your head. The bike is a naked bike after all, but why they bothered with a 'wind screen' at all (other than for aesthetic reasons) is beyond me - the postage stamp sized screen is genuinely smaller than my helmet visor and couldn't provide wind protection for a midget, let alone a rider standing more than 6 feet tall (in imperial units - 183cm to you metricated types).
With the claimed power, and particularly, the torque, I was worried that the bike would be on it's back wheel pulling away from every robot (not in a controlled manner, you see, at least not with my riding skills) and I was concerned that the bike would be a handful.
Couldn't have been more wrong. The bike is really easy to ride and within a few minutes was I really enjoying the experience without worrying about killing myself. I can only assume that this was due to the rider aids (traction control), but if it was intervening to stop me making a very painful and expensive fool of myself, I wasn't aware of it, so unobtrusive was the intervention.
Riding the bike was just a mind-blowing experience.
One thing for sure, the S1000R will be an expensive bike to own - running costs will be higher (not because of any mechanical or quality problems with the bike, but tyres won't last with the engine and brakes the bike has). The engine sound when accelerating is just addictive and keeping the bike at legal speeds, whether between robots or on the freeway, is just about impossible - budget to keep AARTO in business.
So would I buy one?
In a heartbeat if I had the spare cash, but given the realities of life, it will cost me about R90k to upgrade from my current R1200R (which is what I use for my daily commute). Frankly I just can't justify the spend to upgrade.
The extras that the S1000R offers (more power, more torque, better handling, better top speed, etc) I just won't use (other than maybe at an occasional track day and even then my limited skills won't let me really explore them).
My current BMW R1200R remains an awesome commuter, is more comfortable (albeit not by much) and, no doubt, more economical.
So it becomes a heart vs brain decision. The heart says get the S1000R, you know you want to, but the brain says that the R1200R is a more sensible option for an old fart that can't ride for sh!t.
The S1000R remains a fantastic bit of kit though.
Maybe one day when I'm big.......
