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We tested the BMW S 1000 XR: a 100% asphalt trail bike with 165 hp, more aggressive and more versatile
We tested the BMW S 1000 XR: a 100% asphalt trail bike with 165 hp, more aggressive and more versatile

Video: We tested the BMW S 1000 XR: a 100% asphalt trail bike with 165 hp, more aggressive and more versatile

Video: We tested the BMW S 1000 XR: a 100% asphalt trail bike with 165 hp, more aggressive and more versatile
Video: 2023 BMW S1000XR REVIEW RIDE | THE DAILY RACE BIKE 2024, March
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Some of us look to the past with a certain longing. A past in which brands struggled to offer a kind of sports motorcycles adapted to travel at high speed: the sport-tourism. Now that segment has been replaced by a very different one, but which aims to occupy the same space, that of the asphalt maxitrails.

The fight of this type of motorcycle has spread and the BMW S 1000 XR She is one of the most representative members. The second generation of this model has arrived with a renewed aesthetic, new chassis, suspension improvements and the same 165 hp from an engine that is now Euro5. We have tested it thoroughly, because after the downpour at the Almería presentation it was a motorcycle that we really wanted.

BMW S 1000 XR: same recipe, but more complete

Bmw S 1000 Xr 2020 Test 027
Bmw S 1000 Xr 2020 Test 027

BMW's range of four-cylinder motorcycles is undergoing a full renovation. At the moment we had in 2019 the arrival of the BMW S 1000 RR as the spearhead and, just before the pandemic broke out in Spain, the BMW S 1000 XR arrived.

The Munich high-performance maxitrail was completely revamped by adopting the new design language of the supersports bike, and thus shedding that 'cross-eyed motorcycle' sanmbenito. The S 1000 XR has adopted a more aggressive look with a tapered front end and the same symmetrical headlights with LED technology that reduce both weight and size.

Bmw S 1000 Xr 2020 Test 018
Bmw S 1000 Xr 2020 Test 018

The transition between the front and the middle part is better integrated, it has more painted plastic pieces instead of being finished in black and the sides go down towards the bottom with more presence. It is well finished although the touch of the upper parts of the tank is somewhat plastic.

If we continue traveling towards the rear the S 1000 XR the seat and subframe link better with the tank. Now, the aggressiveness that we have gained in the front we lose it in the rear with a tail that now integrates the luggage racks and the passenger handles, and it lacks the aggressiveness of the previous model.

Bmw S 1000 Xr 2020 Test 009
Bmw S 1000 Xr 2020 Test 009

The taillights are grouped with the position and brake lights sharing space with the indicators, and have been relegated to the end of the license plate holder leaving a not very showy behind and with a disjointed design with the rest of the bike.

Polishing the segment of the asphalt maxitrails

Bmw S 1000 Xr 2020 Test 013
Bmw S 1000 Xr 2020 Test 013

Once seated in the driving position we can notice some changes with respect to the previous model. The seat height is maintained at 840 mm and the width remains the same. We do not reach the ground quite well with a height of 170 cm, but enough to lift the bike and keep it vertical by supporting one of the feet well.

Ahead, the tank lets us hug it more naturally with our legs, but the big change is in a handlebar that has been shortened in width by 30mm. The handlebars of the previous model were extremely wide and this one is still wide, but not so over the top. Its position is slightly low, forcing some weight to be loaded on the front wheel.

Bmw S 1000 Xr 2020 Test 030
Bmw S 1000 Xr 2020 Test 030

The resulting posture is comfortable, but it is not that of a typical trail in which we carry our back completely upright, here we go gently lying on the tank. It is not a position that loads our arms with the passage of the kilometers, but it does favor a more sporty pose when the sections of curves in which we apply ourselves arrive.

Another of the great changes of this second generation arises in front of us. The dashboard has gone completely digital by embracing the standard 6.5 inch TFT screen which has been extended to practically the entire range of large motorcycles of the German brand.

Bmw S 1000 Xr 2020 Test 006
Bmw S 1000 Xr 2020 Test 006

Its appearance is superb in any light condition, its operation is fluid and operation via the rotary knob on the left hand cone is simple and fast. It allows us the smartphone integration to display navigation instructions or manage music and calls.

Its menus offer us a huge amount of information from multiple partials to autonomy, tire pressure, degrees of inclination, traction control performance or force with which we brake. The information is always good if it is useful and we see these last parameters more a potential distraction. The screen is also sensitive to scratches or watermarks.

Comfort and adrenaline on the same motorcycle

Bmw S 1000 Xr 2020 Test 002
Bmw S 1000 Xr 2020 Test 002

We get going with the BMW S 1000 XR and hit the road with it to see in practice how this liter trail-sport-tourer has changed. The truth is that it is a motorcycle that deceives, because when stopped it looks like a motorcycle of contained dimensions, but running feels big. There's plenty of room in the seat, the tank is large, and the handlebars keep your hands wide open.

During the first few meters it is confirmed as a product of the propeller brand, with a fine operation, nice and precise controls and a semi-automatic transmission. bidirectional that has a correct operation even in the city, at low speeds and with partial throttle openings.

Bmw S 1000 Xr 2020 Test 016
Bmw S 1000 Xr 2020 Test 016

It is the middle of summer, the thermometers do not drop and we quickly realize one of the characteristics of the engine that it equips. It is a hot motorcycle, no hot cloths. During the first contact in January it was even appreciated, but in summer the temperature that the chassis reaches is exaggerated, although not as uncomfortable as the jet of hot air that is directed directly to the ankles. Something perfect in the heat of the heat wave.

With our feet searching for any glimmer of fresh air, we set off for the curvy roads. On the way, some good sections of motorway help us to check how well the new S 1000 XR suit protects.

Bmw S 1000 Xr 2020 Test 031
Bmw S 1000 Xr 2020 Test 031

Although the front looks more compact thanks to the new optical groups, the narrower air intake and that kind of insect jaw in the lower part, the truth is that the front part is more voluminous in pursuit of a better aerodynamic protection. The middle of the bike is much wider at the junction with the tank and the sides of the radiator better cover the legs. This, together with the height-adjustable screen in two positions and the handguards, leaves us with a motorcycle that protects quite well from the air.

At cruising speed, the S 1000 XR is a comfortable motorcycle, with a cozy stance and a long gear ratio that makes it turn at a fairly calm medium speed in sixth gear. It is true that at constant speed and although work has been done on this aspect, vibrations still feel both on the handlebars and on the footpegs.

Bmw S 1000 Xr 2020 Test 032
Bmw S 1000 Xr 2020 Test 032

The suspensions It was also another point in which BMW has put resources to offer a more versatile behavior of the inverted front fork and the rear monoshock. The system Dynamic ESA Pro It adjusts as before the suspension setting according to Road or Sport modes and the preload setting (rider, rider with panniers, rider and passenger or rider with passenger and panniers), but also covers a wider adjustment range.

On the highway and in the city, they are progressive and quite smooth, while when we accelerate the pace in twisted sections, they show a more robust behavior, although it is not that of a sports bike. It works well adapting to broken asphalt, but in intense driving there is still certain transfers of pesos under braking.

Bmw S 1000 Xr 2020 Test 022
Bmw S 1000 Xr 2020 Test 022

Some of this friendlier behavior also has a lot to do with the new set of Aluminum Double Beam Flex Frame chassis with a motor as a structural part and a swingarm, which have been completely revised to offer a neutral and predictable behavior, somewhat further away than before from the R motorcycle nuances. But beware, this motorcycle is still an airplane.

Once on one of our favorite roads and with good asphalt, the BMW S 1000 XR shows us all its hidden arsenal. The engine is the same as before, or at least it is on paper if you don't look deeply. It is the same four-cylinder engine as before, that is, not a variant of the Shiftcam with variable timing used in the new S 1000 RR.

Bmw S 1000 Xr 2020 Test 040
Bmw S 1000 Xr 2020 Test 040

Why haven't they used the new engine? According to those responsible for the brand, the variable valve timing engine was conceived with the best performance at high revs in mind, something unnecessary for a trail bike.

So they have taken the existing engine and evolved it. The internal dimensions have been maintained (80 x 49.7 mm) but the camshaft is now driven from the crankshaft, the oil pump and the starter are new, as well as the steel connecting rods or the entire outer casing. The valve opening has also been recalculated by adjusting the cams and the response has been modified with a new air intake and recalibrating electronic throttle response.

Bmw S 1000 Xr 2020 Test 014
Bmw S 1000 Xr 2020 Test 014

The result is figures traced with 165 hp and 114 Nm of torque but in which the pothole that had around 6,500 revolutions has now been eliminated. The S 1000 XR pushes hard, especially as we approach the red line, where wrapped in a powerful howl it is able to pick up speed very, very fast.

The demands under the orders of the right fist are reactively translated into accelerations that remind us of the sports bike of the German house, but with greater linearity and without the fury of that one. For the first time the MSC reculation of the engine brake, thanks to the electronics derived from the S 1000 RR.

Bmw S 1000 Xr 2020 Test 042
Bmw S 1000 Xr 2020 Test 042

It is true that the adaptation of this engine to the Euro5 standard it has to take its toll, such as the inclusion of a completely redesigned exhaust, more compact and with double catalyst. We understand that the internal adjustments it has suffered are responsible for losing some of the character of the previous model in the lower and middle zone.

Rolling below 6,000 rpm there is a response, but it has given us the impression that not as much as before to become something sweeter. Also if we drop the engine speed below 3,000 rpm we will find a certain harshness in the response. These two factors will lead us to play with change more than expected, a change that by the way, in this engine works wonderfully with short, precise strokes and without using the clutch.

Bmw S 1000 Xr 2020 Test 011
Bmw S 1000 Xr 2020 Test 011

When exiting the curves, this smooth running translates into a good traction capacity that will not make the worker work. traction control beyond what is necessary, allowing us to pick up the pace with a good sense of control.

At the entrance of the curves we also have power, but braking. The braking equipment used on the S 1000 XR has also been slightly changed to equip a 320mm disc set with Hayes signed four-piston radial-mount calipers. Next to the powerful master cylinder, the S 1000 XR has a fairly direct first touch, surprising even. Braking with a finger, the first contact is dry and requires a small adaptation process to avoid pulling the anchor.

Bmw S 1000 Xr 2020 Test 035
Bmw S 1000 Xr 2020 Test 035

Although good, it is also something that is appreciated seeing how fast you can get to the next corner. At the point of getting the bike into the next turn, we also appreciate the neutrality of the chassis and the suspensions. Being a motorcycle of this caliber, it is not a mount that shines for its agility, but it does for its precision when entering and maintaining the trajectory with solvency.

It is necessary to apply hard on the tips of the handlebar, and is that although it has been subjected to a weight loss diet, the BMW S 1000 XR is still a motorcycle that does not feel light, with 226 kg on the scale. Many elements have been changed so that the increase in equipment did not negatively affect the weight: the headlights are lighter, the wheels, the chassis or the engine, which is 5 kg lighter.

From 18,800 euros, directly against your competition

Bmw S 1000 Xr 2020 Test 012
Bmw S 1000 Xr 2020 Test 012

After almost 1,000 km aboard the S 1000 XR, it seemed to us a worthy heir to those sport-tourism of the late 90s and early 2000s. A lot of power, sporty but versatile behavior and a lot, a lot of technology available.

We have also been able to draw conclusions about its consumption, since it has given us an average of 5.9 liters per 100 km in a use of all kinds, with a lot of highway, sections of sporty driving and some route with a passenger. A somewhat high but reasonable consumption, although the 20 liters of tank could give more of itself.

Bmw S 1000 Xr 2020 Test 034
Bmw S 1000 Xr 2020 Test 034

The starting price for the BMW S 1000 XR is 18,800 euros, a price that puts it in a theoretically advantageous position with respect to the competition, but to which we must add a lot of equipment if we want it well equipped: starting with the red paint and ending with the Dynamic ESA Pro suspension, daytime running light, the Heated handguards or grips among some of the optional equipment of the unit that we have tested whose final price amounted to 21,947 euros.

As for its direct rivals, motorcycles of 1,000 cc or more around 160 hp and asphalt cut we have the Ducati Multistrada 1260 that starts at 17,890 euros for the basic model and 21,450 euros for the Multistrada 1260 S, less powerful but better equipped and lighter. The KTM 1290 Super Duke GT would be another similar option, with a price of 19,549 euros.

Bmw S 1000 Xr 2020 Test 015
Bmw S 1000 Xr 2020 Test 015

2020 BMW S 1000 XR - Assessment

7.2

Motor 7 Vibrations 6 Change 9 Stability 8 Agility 7 Front suspension 8 Rear suspension 7 Front brake 8 Back brake 6 Pilot comfort 8 Passenger comfort 7 Consumption 6 Finishes 8 Esthetic 7

In favor

  • Mid / high engine delivery
  • Improved ergonomics
  • Aerodynamic protection
  • Successful aesthetics

Against

  • Low / mid engine delivery
  • Handlebar vibrations
  • Very hot engine
  • High price (counting options)
  • BMW S 1000 XR 2020 - Technical sheet

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    Topics

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    • Testing area
    • Bmw
    • BMW S 1000 XR

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