Not sure if its been put out there already but how about a "Road Test Review" page by members NOT from the press? Anyway what leads me to this are a couple of test rides I have just done. First off I thought I would venture into unknown territory as I search for a new bike. BMW are making some very good bikes regardless of any stigma attached to the badge. I plumbed for a S1000r, admittedly not the prettiest of naked bikes but not a complete eye sore. I took the sport version that has every conceivable tech button possible, including cruise control (on a naked bike?), an option and heated grips (actually like that idea), standard. The dash is clear and functional, modes are easy to switch through. Bars are high and very straight and the dash is set so far forward of the bars I personally found it a bit odd...like having a car dashboard effect! I also felt the looking at the bike from the cockpit gave it the appearance of an unfinished bike. Almost like the fairing clipped off and this is what would be left. Engine note was good even with standard exhaust, started in rain mode which cuts the power and throttle response while pushing up the TC and ABS levels. It was the hottest day of the year so I soon switched to road followed by sport. Power delivery is almost perfect, smooth and instant, so instant in fact that it is genuinely stunning. 160bhp delivered like a sports bike in naked form, incredible, the standard quick shifter was impressively smooth making rapid gear changes and silly speed in seconds. All the trickery worked well, non of it intrusive at all. It felt stable, suspension can be altered Soft, Normal, Hard, I kept it in Normal thanks to our quality british roads. I did find even in normal it could be a little hard over some pretty poor surfaces. Wind protection is minimal with the standard screen but again it wasn't a chore cutting along the M53 to get a feel for the ride on motorways. It wasn't uncomfortable either, arms, wrists, knees, back all good during an 3 hour test. The down side, and I was surprised by this, vibrations through the bars and pegs. Shockingly bad, I found it to be a deal killer for me, it was that bad. After market rear sets may help, or maybe it needed running in? I have heard people say things like this settle down once ran in but at over £11k I don't want to risk that. I also found the clutch lever was set at an downward angle and this was uncomfortable on my admittedly girly size handle, wasn't the reach but the the awkward angle. Overall it's an incredible bike, stunningly fast with brilliant power delivery. Finish was not as high as I expected. + outright super bike power in a naked ~ vibrations and finish I have never seen a brand new bike with a crappy, rusty chain before and for a dealer to allow a demo bike out like that makes me wonder what else they miss in the workshop!! I have removed this from my list of of replacement bike, but it is still an impressive beast for smashing sports bikes on B roads or on the track. I personally need something a little more flexible.
JustJust found this....I test rode one a few months back before I bought my zed.....on selling the hyper... My list was in order... 1. Streetfighter 2. BMW s1000r 10. Zed1000 I'd read all the reviews and while I wanted a streetfighter....everything pointed toward the s1000r....so, for the first time in my life I booked a test drive.... First off the bat I didn't get a good vibe from dick Lovett. ..nothing wrong with the people...salesman was nice, very pleasant and not pushy...The shop was too clean, too nice and all the bikes had "do not sit on this" on them....not the best advert in a bike shop... Anyway....test drive....I didn't feel any vibrations from the pegs in mine....not that I remember anyway....It had smooth handling, I felt the power delivery while strong, felt soft in a way... The heated grips even on hot, 2 settings.....didn't get anywhere near hot enough...In april....so for me totally useless in the winter. The handling was smooth but I didn't feel anything back from the bike which is what I didn't like...almost as if something buffering the road from me....something I decided I needed to feel...If the bottom is going to go underneath from me I want to know....by feeling it....that's personal preference though... After about 30 mins my shoulders were aching so the comfort factor wasn't there for me plus it was very long in the leg, as high as my rsv4 which I wasn't keen on either. I'm 5'10" and I was on the balls of my feet. I was hung up on the looks...50/50 some ways I would look at it and think....yeah it looks ok....and others think no....Rode it home....pulled up outside the house, got my son out and said....Whadaya think then....He took one look, said...looks rubbish dad, and went back in the house. ...that was the clincher for me. Rode it back, got off and felt nothing handing the keys back..... The zed was way at the end of my list...almost like...If I can't find anything I'll have that...the main reason being it was the slowest and the heaviest. I went in the Kwak shop, sat on it and instantly thought....This is for me!...seating...sat on it flat footed and bent legged. Comfortable, position was just right to the bars. And looks....clearly imo the best looking of the lot, and at that point I thought I can put up with the weight and the power.... Picked mine up from the other side of Kent and rode it back to Bristol. 4 1/2 hours drive with approximately a 10 minute stop. The most comfortable bike I've ever ridden. 4 months on its lighter than the s1000r, thanks to chris at cjs performance is on a par with it and I'll be sorting the handling/rear shock out next.....oh and the heated grips burn my hands! I really couldn't be happier. I think it shows that you shouldn't just read reviews, had I had not had the test drive I would have just gone and bought one, money wasn't the issue as I had one lined up but the zed 1.5k cheaper. Even with all the mods and the dyno time I didn't spend as much. I think the s1000r was great, just not for me. I think if you want the "all in one package" the beemer is great but for me too much is integrated. I like to personalise mine a lot and the analogueness of the zed.
I'm just back from a test ride of an S1000R. I'd looked forward to: Smooth fuelling(my Multistrada is very erratic at a steady throttle) Lighter weight (to person-handle into its garage) Cruise control and quickshifter I was concerned about: Lack of wind protection Vibrations (compared to a big twin!) I found that it's a nice bike, light and handled well with a beautiful front end. It was an epiphany to have an effective rear brake! The wind protection was surprisingly good, I only felt blown about at 70-ish, where it made my jacket flap. BUT It was too buzzy, making the mirrors blur at speed, and the bars tingly. Moving the revs away from that area meant running at higher revs than I was comfortable with in traffic. I missed the MTS grunt, which got me out of many bad situations. I've obviously been away from an inline four too long (last bike was a 2010 Fireblade) and I found I disliked having to use higher revs than I'm used to. I also didn't like being pitched forward onto the straightish bars. Not for me, I'm afraid. A shame, as I'd coveted the fancy electronics, and there are some good secondhand bargains about up here. Having tried out the quickshifter, I can do happily without it, and cruise control isn't worth bothering with on my rides. If I can get my Multi's fuelling smoothed out, fix the switch-like throttle response when opening it, I'll happily wait until I can afford a trade-up to a twin spark model, or even a DVT once all the bugs have been ironed out.
A lot of people who try the S1000R and find they're turned off by the in-line 4 engine might do better with the water-cooled R1200R or R1200RS boxer twin (Or a 1200GS). It hasn't got the BHP of the 4 but its got substantially more torque and its got it all the way from its boot straps. Up to 100mph the twin feels punchier, more responsive and more tractable (unless you knocK the 4 down a gear or two and really get it wailing). Above triple figure speeds the S1000R will take off but for point and squirt thrust without revs at "normal" road speeds the boxer is more satisfying and doesn't feel any slower. That's it you're trying BMWs out of curiosity. If your contemplating getting rid of an MTS because of poor fuelling, I agree with CS, get it remapped before you pass judgement. Its an easy fix.
Yep.... It'll feel like riding a new bike.... Everything I own now.... Goes to Chris.... Rsv4 is next...
Yes-can't see a reason to get a GS when I've a prettier twin already! But CHS is the other end of the country for me!
People have been known to travel from Scotland and put up in a pub over night to get their bikes remapped at CJS.. Just makes sure (unlike me..) that you have all other planned changes or upgrades in place first - different pipes, engine work etc - so you only have to do it once.
Yep.... I made that mistake and had to get the hyper done twice.... I didnt think the race headers and stacks would make a difference but they did....!
I had a S1000R last year when I was debating my next bike from my SF 1098. I've posted my views on the S1000R elsewhere, summary was; Very quick Didn't stir my soul ... and as such knew I wouldn't enjoy owning it Boiled down to the mystery of personal preference and character. S1000R had none of the latter for me. I bought a new Tuono. It was a mistake. Aprilia are a pain in the arse.
It looks like "yer average ducati owner" generally feels the same way about the s1kr...nice bike but missing something...
Sticking up the for the beemer even now when i look at the youtube video of the royal jordanian gassing it through some tunnels abroad somewhere it does still make me want one a bit... Search for s1000r tunnels and youll see what i mean.... They do sound nice with a full system on them....
If I couldn't have my Streetfighter and I couldn't bring myself to trust Aprilia's spares back-up I'd have a KTM 1290 SDR over an S1000R. Its less practical but comfortable with no tingly vibes, has bags more charisma and will paste the BM off the throttle if you can manage to keep enough weight on the front wheel.
Who was the dealer? Just surprised that the fit and finish is on the list of what you don't like as mine is nigh on perfect. Comparing the bolts and corrosion resistance vs any of the Ducati I've had being honest it's absolutely miles ahead on the beemer, my multistrada was at the point where I had to replace every bolt with a full stainless kit and constantly scrub the chain to remove rust. Even the discs on the multistrada went rusty every time it was washed Sounds like the dealer you used doesn't really make much effort to look after them but it's impossible to tell. Obviously it's going to sound like I'm defending the bike because I own one but I feel I'm fairly neutral in terms of ownership, the 'vibrations' are there but not in any way enough to even make me think about it so maybe that's due to the heavier bar ends mine has or I'm just not as prone to them. The engine is buzzy but it's going to be vs a twin. For a lad that's 6ft 3 I quite easily rode from here to Germany and back with the shorter rizoma screen without issue of wind blast or vibrations, in fact the pace we kept on the motorways was easily as fast, if not faster than previous bikes. Suspension does need setting up to work correctly as I felt the same following the first test I had, if the sag etc isn't set correctly then the DDS system doesn't work that well, if it is set up then it's magical. The owners manual clearly states that but I can see why a demo bike won't get fiddled with each time Anyway its horses for courses and not everybody likes the same bike's, I regularly change mine so you'll find no brand loyalty from me I've owned a Sf1098s and the Tuono v4 Aprc which are similar bikes and my preference is the beemer, no its not as loud which I miss but that doesn't equate to 'soul' and all that jazz owners always mention. The beemer has a lovely pop and crackle on the overrun especially with the akrapovic, ok it's not as blissful as the v4 Tuono but it's a Damn site comfier and less harsh /thirsty as well I find it's just all round easier, more comfortable for somebody my size and feels much faster at pace, I'm sure others would say otherwise but I know when I'm lapping fast or not and on the beemer it's beautifully composed IF suspension and tyres are set properly.
Hi damo....i was waiting for you to chime in.... That's why I said "yer average ducati owner" as I can see your reasoning totally.... I do agree on the "soul" thing however I will say that the ducati motor has a certain "feel" to it...like v4's do.... Can you answer me a question? How much do s1r's acutally put out....? I've read everything from 148 right up to 185!
Bike magazine publish a dyno tested rear wheel figure of 159 bhp. The engine wasn't the stand-out feature for me when I rode the S1000r (excellent though it is) it was the brakes and the suspension. At the time I was riding a Speed Triple. I picked the SF because I love the aggressive power delivery. I think it suits this style of bike and no other naked comes close in that department, not even the 1290 SDR. I didn't trust Aprilia's back-up (at the time this was my only bike) so I didn't ride the V4 Tuono because I knew I'd want one. That's even more true of the new 1100. But the SF is safe now. Its feet are under the table so when it goes up to Louigi for its 15,000 mile service I might have a test ride day in Bristol while I'm waiting. I fancy a go on a 1100 Tuono and a 1299 Pani.. :Hungry:
I honestly don't know, from a standing start i think they're geared fairly long in 1st so it doesn't feel as immediate but to soon comes on if you're not nancy with the throttle, twins deliver more instantly but give an L4 a handful of grip twist and by the time i hook up 3rd i can easily be doing silly 3 figures if I'm getting a move on.....at which point i shit myself and back off. They do like to be thrashed though, or kept occupied as i like to think I might get mine dynode actually, in fact theres a fella who ecu tunes the s1000rr's so he might be worth visiting to see what can be done although I'm fairly reluctant to do that whilst she's in warranty...just in case. Definitely happy to whack her on a dyno as stock (bar the aura slip on)
Hmmm... Think the warranty is history on the zed not that im worried.... It goes like a rocket. Strangley the zed is just the opposite.... 1st is gone straight away... Mine can pull from about 25mph in top... If youve ridden an r6 thats what it's like....a very short gearbox which is good round town.
Yep you're bang on with that, the SF is aggressive off the bottom no question, kinda punches out there. I love the Tuono's, in fact i love them all, Sd1290, SF....ill have each and every one of them. Aprilias arent hassle free, but then again nothing is, just look at the latest recall on the 1290sd and every uk bike being called in due to a fuel tank issue and likely 'explosion' sometimes its best to stick with what you know, i'd like an 1100 V4 Tuono but i wouldn't buy one of the first at that money, no point as the arse will drop out of them and Wheels etc will be kicking them out the door to shift stock at circa £10k, everybody knows it. The Sd1290 i'd like but they're also too pricey for something I'm not absolutely besotted by, perhaps a new SF based on the 1299 lump and ill be craving for it
