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bmw m 1000 r

Low-flying roadster: BMW M 1000 R

BMW's decision to build a roadster around a full-house S 1000 RR powerplant produced a spectacularly good toy

(July 2024, Guy 'Guido' Allen)

Wings or aero on a naked bike...really?! What on earth were they thinking?

To say the styling for BMW’s M 1000 R – launched early 2023 – is bold is a sweeping understatement.

You start to wonder whether the whole idea is delusional, or perhaps you should don a disguise before stepping aboard the thing. Maybe something along the lines a Mexican wrestling mask. And perhaps a cape. In any case, it’s a clear declaration of the monster’s intent: to go very, very fast – on a racetrack, of course.

BMW cheerfully points out the winglets on the front of this thing have a practical element, which is to provide measurable downforce at the front end. Apparently it’s 11kg at 220km/h, well below its top speed of 280km/h.

Essentially the bike is running a variant of the premium inline four sports engine, with Shiftcam, out of the S 1000 RR. Shiftcam is something we also saw in the R 1250 GS (and now the 1300) and means each valve runs two available cam profiles – shorter duration for low-speed running, longer for max performance. The whole variable valve performance idea has been tried by various makers over a long time, though this variation is relatively recent.

It claims an attention-getting 210 horses at 13,750 rpm, which is said to slingshot the 199kg package to 100km/h from zero in 3.1 seconds. In reality, any transition between cam profiles isn’t noticeable from the saddle – you’re presented with slick throttle response across the range and an awe-inspiring top end.

The transmission is a six-speed manual, with a powershifter operating in both directions. It’s smooth and unobtrusive.

Essentially what you have a full-house sports package in a naked bike with marginally shorter gearing.

The wide tapered handlebars actually make this feel more versatile than the RR sports model, without losing any meaningful performance, unless you were comparing lap times at Phillip Island.

The list of electronic wizardry is extensive:

DDC – dynamic damping control for the suspension

Dynamic traction control

Dynamic brake control

Race ABS/ABS pro

MSR – engine drag torque control

That’s in addition to the range of engine performance modes.

On the road, it’s a more practical proposition than an S 1000 RR, wings and all, that has a real Jekyll and Hyde dual nature to it.

Cut the thing loose and it is a formidable sports machine, with exceptional handling and just about every electronic safety net you can imagine.

The main ride modes make a strong distinction between track and road, with the latter performing admirably. To get the most out of the race versions, you really do need a racetrack and probably a change of tyres.

Take it easy and you’ll find that it has touring niceties such as cruise control and heated handgrips.

The machine’s light weight (199kg wet) and wide handlebars make it a very easy thing to flick around. It’s an unusual ride position, with a fair bit of lean-forward to it, and suits the intended purpose.

Brakes are shared with the S 1000 RR sports bike and work well – plenty of power, a light lever with good feel.

Fuel consumption is around 17km/lt, depending on how throttle-happy you are. With a 16.5lt fuel tank, it means you have a workable if not huge range of around 250km.

The bike runs dynamic suspension at both ends, which performs very well, and the whole set-up has lots of opportunity for tuning or customisation by the rider. That’s generally accessed by the controls on the left handlebar, via the large TFT screen that doubles as your instrument cluster.

bmw m 1000
r

Like a lot of its contemporaries, getting the most out of the bike requires some time spent with the owner manual (available online) so you can get your head around what’s available.

We’ll stick our neck out on this one and rate it as arguably the best road-friendly sports bike available today. It really is that good. Long-term, it’s easy to imagine them attaining collectible status. While not a limited edition, it’s unlikely to reach huge production numbers, and it is a premium performance model.

How much? BMW is flogging them for Au$34,715 (US$23,500, GB£18,500 on the road. That’s a lot of money, but we reckon it stacks up as decent bang for your buck.

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M line-up

BMW’s car division celebrated 50 years of M or Motorsport production back in 2022, and it took decades for the branding to make its way across to motorcycles.