BMW S 1000 R, the naked with sporty looks that will now be even lighter and more technological

Launched in 2014, the BMW S 1000 R is the lighter fully-faired version of the explosive S 1000 RR from the Germans and, after its last update in 2017, it has remained unchanged. Competition is pressing hard in the segment of the most powerful naked bikes, so it is very important to keep up to date in order not to lose ground in a segment that is very popular today. The S 1000 R now comes with a new look accompanied by power and technology in abundance.

Always keeping the S 1000 RR as its base, the designers at BMW Motorrad place greater emphasis on the design style they call “tail up – nose down” to convey a even more striking and modern look. At the front we now see a new headlight design which, in my opinion, is undoubtedly much more attractive and elegant than the previous one, and includes LED technology with optimised dipped and high beams, while LED technology also reaches the rear light and the indicators. Optionally, to improve safety when riding at night, you can fit adaptive cornering light, with additional LED modules added to the front headlight itself.

From the riding position you will also find new features focused on the instrumentation, inherited from the S 1000 RR. The new S 1000 R adopts a 6.5-inch TFT display that guarantees improved legibility and visibility, especially in those moments when the sun can reflect and make it harder to read the various parameters shown. Precisely, you can customise the display among the different options available, with the usual indicators for normal road riding, or you can choose a more “racing” one, which will show parameters such as lean angle, deceleration or traction control. It also features an interface for connecting your smartphone via Bluetooth, and will even allow navigation directions to be displayed. Optionally, by fitting the M pack, a third screen is added that includes a shift light bar and a stopwatch for laps on track.

Mechanically the BMW S 1000 R remains a direct derivation of the S 1000 RR, which ensures sportiness and fun on any road or circuit. It uses the same inline four-cylinder engine, though slightly toned down to 165 CV, together with a torque figure of 114 Nm. For this evolution, emphasis has been placed on improving the rev range to provide a much more linear torque curve and to reduce noise and consumption, so that at cruising speeds on roads with wide bends you will have 4th, 5th and 6th gears with longer ratios. In addition, the slipper clutch with self-reinforcement has been refined to be smoother and, equipped for the first time on this bike, dynamic engine brake control is included as an extra, which prevents the rear wheel from spinning during sudden acceleration or downshifting.

You can rest assured that all this power from the BMW S 1000 R remains under control thanks to the technology it incorporates. Even as standard, you get Dynamic Traction Control DTC, ABS Pro with lean angle optimisation and three riding modes, “Rain”, “Road” and “Dynamic”, plus a “Dynamic Pro” mode that lets you configure a wide range of the bike’s settings. With the Riding Modes Pro function you get the engine brake function with dynamic engine brake control and the “Wheelie” function, as well as Dynamic Brake Control, which helps keep the bike under control in the event of an emergency stop.

Once again the S 1000 RR remains the main reference for the S 1000 R, and its dynamic behaviour is improved not only by a weight reduction of 5 kg for this new model, partly thanks to the chassis, which has been made lighter, but also by the completely new frame called Flex Frame, which is also lighter and has a narrower design that reduces the width of the bike especially at the knee area, resulting in a more relaxed ride with greater freedom of movement. This is also supported by the option to adjust the handlebars in two positions. The swingarm follows the same design line as the S 1000 RR, together with a monoshock with linkage system Full Floater Pro, which is positioned further away from the pivot axis and the engine, thereby increasing grip and allowing more suitable tyre wear.