RIDE REVIEW OF BMW S1000RR

The Annual BMW Motorcycle Dealer Meeting was held in West Palm Beach, Florida this week. While there were the usual, rote, business meetings, anticipation was thick at the prospect of riding BMW’s new sportbike, the S1000RR. Palm Beach International Raceway was selected to host the track festivities, and approximately 120 dealers from around the country took the opportunity to experience the latest in BMW technology. Better weather couldn’t have been imagined, and we all anxiously waded through the hours of classroom presentations, workshops, and discussion, until our time to leave for the track arrived. As mandated by our closely monitored course schedule, our group arrived promptly at 1pm for the bus ride to the track, geared-up and ready. We were ushered into our chariot and sent on our way.

Like Florida itself, Palm Beach International Raceway is, of course, flat. Nevertheless, the track was perfect for the chosen purpose, and consisted of tight technical turns, nice sweepers, and one ridiculously long 6/10 of a mile backstraight.

Clearly, BMW chose the perfect track for a comprehensive riding tutorial, on the practical (and not so practical) points of riding BMW Motorrad’s, history-making machine. The 30-minute shuttle ride from the hotel to the track was heavy with anticipation, as well as more than just a little ‘bench-racing’ from the other participant dealers. As we exited the bus, a stunning array of approximately thirty S1000RR’s, in every color combination, greeted our barely contained enthusiasm.

By the time that we arrived at the track on Wednesday afternoon, “Dealer Group 8” had already spent several hours learning about the S 1000 RR, including its’ endless technical innovations, justifying BMW’s claim that it is the best supersport motorcycle in the world. Taking into account the fully adjustable suspension, the awesome motor, and the mind-blowing electronics that keep everything in check, expectations for my first ride were pretty high.

We could not have asked for better weather, and after exiting the bus, our small sub-group of 3 (myself, Shawn Thomas, and Dave Swezey, from Ride West BMW in Seattle) was led to matching tricolor S1000RR’s (so beautiful, and so worth the additional $690!), that were patiently waiting for us. Keith Code’s California Superbike School instructor, Cody, gave us only one instruction, ‘whatever we do, don’t pass him.’ We reluctantly complied.

The bikes fired up immediately, and settled into an easy idle. The instructors wanted us to experience all four of the available “electronic modes”, and the first 15-minute session was supposed to be spent in “rain mode”, getting used to both the feel and ergonomics of the motorcycle. While I have no doubt that “rain mode” would be perfect for our road conditions after this latest round of storms, it was immediately apparent to me, that “rain mode” was somewhat inappropriate in the dry, fast conditions of the track. Therefore, I quickly toggled up to “sport mode”, which, after experimenting with both “race” and “slick” modes, is where I felt most comfortable.

All four “modes” provide a distinct riding experience, and give the rider ever increasing levels of controlled power and fury. Each setting allows the rider to build trust and understanding of the electronics. “Race” and “Slick” mode provided power and acceleration in a more intense rush, and while some riders found that to their liking, I felt that “sport mode” was ideal for providing the S1000RR’s 193 hp in a more linear and predictable fashion.

Upon climbing aboard the S1000RR, I was immediately struck by its’ diminutive size – which more closely resembled a Yamaha R6 than a typical literbike. That impression was immediately confirmed at the first corner, where the bike turned in effortlessly, and felt substantially lighter than my 2009 Yamaha R1. Most of Palm Beach International Raceway is ridden in 2nd and 3rd gear, with the exception being the endless 6/10’s of a mile backstraight. My first opportunity to test the handling prowess of the S1000RR came immediately after exiting the pits, into the sharp, 2nd gear lefthander of “Turn 4”, and then seamlessly transitioning into the 2nd gear right-handed “Turn 5”. The bike inspires immediate confidence, and the OEM “Metzler Race Tec” tires give excellent grip, with plenty of feedback coming through the bars from the fully adjustable 46mm, inverted front forks.

The S1000RR can only be described as a backrub wrapped in an orgasm, and as the digital speedometer rushed past 170 mph along the backstraight, the corresponding ‘rip’ from the beautifully crafted stock exhaust made two things abundantly clear. First, BMW is serious about competing head-to-head with the best sportbikes in the world, and second, BMW has done their collective homework, and delivered on their promise to build the best sportbike on the market today. While I’ve ridden many track days, several of them on my old 2007 Yamaha R1, this was the fastest that I had ever ridden a motorcycle. With all of BMW’s state-of-the-art electronic wizardry (despite hours of technical briefings explaining the electronics, the end result still felt like pure magic) operating seamlessly in the background, the bike’s awe-inspiring performance is always controlled and expertly managed in a way that I never before thought possible.

After my first lap, I was immediately comfortable on this bike, and began to significantly pick up the pace. Even with 193 horsepower on tap, the bike always remained composed, inspiring endless confidence through every corner. Even coming out of the final 2nd gear corner before the long backstraight, there was not a hint of the expected literbike headshake. And that is what the S1000RR is all about – power, rideability, and control. While the electronics on the S1000RR are brilliant, the rider must realize that the bike is devastatingly fast and powerful, and must always be respected. The bike’s electronics cannot overcome the laws of physics, though they will make you a better rider than you ever dreamed.

By the time that I entered the last, second-gear right-hander that leads onto the endless back straight, the S1000RR felt like an old friend, and I was more comfortable than I could have ever thought possible in such a short time aboard this motorcycle. Blazing down the backstraight, I had to remind myself that there was no need to use the clutch, and I allowed the BMW OEM quick-shifter to upshift flawlessly. Let me say it right here, and without any hesitation or qualification, this is the fastest motorcycle that I have ever ridden. To put this statement in perspective, we were told that World Super Bike (WSBK) Racer, Troy Corser, circled the Portimao, Portugal Circuit only 3.2 seconds off his World Superbike qualifying time, on a bone stock S1000RR.

Despite the neck-straining acceleration, the BMW’s Dynamic Traction Control (DTC) kept everything under wraps, and when it came time to slow things down, the Brembo radial mounted, anti-lock brakes, made late breaking a non-issue. In fact, early on in the session, it became apparent that despite the additional speed that I was carrying down the backstraight, the S1000RR’s awesome brakes allowed my usual braking markers to be deeper and deeper, without the fear of the rear wheel arriving at the corner before I did. Combined with the standard, flawless slipper clutch, there was never an ‘oh-shit moment’ at any point during the day.

The bus ride back from the track was as enlightening as any of BMW’s pre-ride presentations. The usual malais that inevitably falls upon our cynical dealer body was nonexistent. Everyone was abuzz with excitement, anticipation, and overall giddiness that I’ve never seen with this group of people. They were certainly impressed, and many of them were already on the phone, spouting accolades, and telling their respective dealerships of their on-track escapades.

I believe that the new BMW S1000RR is the best supersport motorcycle for sale today, and I have no doubt that it has the other manufacturers scratching their “Borg-like” heads, asking themselves how BMW can sell the S1000RR for less than $14,000. Clearly, there are a lot of great motorcycles for sale today, and the consumer has many choices. However, I don’t believe that any motorcycle can make you feel so confident, so easily, as the S1000RR. The S1000RR is so confidence inspiring that you will no longer hesitate in riding many of our area’s “goat-trails’, that rarely lend themselves to a liter-class sportbike. Can the S1000RR make you a better rider? Yes, I believe it can.

Stuart Fishman

Owner, BMW of Santa Cruz County