2024 BMW M1000XR review | It looks like a sports tourer but think of it simply as a comfy superbike

Highlights

  • 199bhp Shiftcam superbike engine
  • Fully loaded with performance and touring goodies
  • Stacked wings to keep the front wheel down

At a glance

Owners' reliability rating: 5 out of 5 (5/5)
Annual servicing cost: £340
Power: 199 bhp
Seat height: Tall (33.5 in / 850 mm)
Weight: Medium (492 lbs / 223 kg)

Prices

New £22,580
Used N/A

Overall rating

Next up: Ride & brakes
5 out of 5 (5/5)

BMW are giving their customers the chance to enjoy the thrill of full-blooded superbike with the comfort of a sports tourer with the new M1000XR.

That will be mana from heaven for those forced to leave their cramped race reps behind, but still feel the need for speed. The only downside is you’ll need deep pockets. It costs a whopping £22,580 and the ‘M XR’ we’re testing, here at its world launch in southern Spain, is fitted with a £5100 ‘M Competition Package’, complete with lashings of carbon fibre (including wheels) and billet aluminium parts. That’s serious cash, but then it’s a serious bike.

It looks like a sports tourer but think of the M XR simply as a comfy superbike. It delivers full-blooded, foaming at the mouth performance, from the way it scrambles your brain on the throttle to the crispness of the steering and the savage brake bite. With so much power it demands to be ridden like a superbike in the corners, where it responds sensationally to the ‘point and squirt’, rather than long, leant over sweeping lines where it can’t use its 200bhp superpowers.

2024 BMW M1000XR static on the road side

All this performance is neatly wrapped in a machine that’s easy to ride, thanks to friendly engine mapping, rider aids and it’s so spacious and comfortable you could spend all day in the saddle without noticing, although wind noise is high at speed. Add in all its standard bells and whistles and the M1000XR is a hell of a lot of bike, albeit for a lot of cash.

Ride quality & brakes

Next up: Engine
5 out of 5 (5/5)

Despite its height the M XR is never wayward or top heavy. Sure, there’s more suspension travel than an S1000RR superbike, but there’s less than the S1000XR sports tourer. That keeps it feeling tight with no excessive adventure bike-like weight transfer on and off the throttle.

The way the M XR dances from corner to corner is mesmerising and feels so much like a crisp-handling superbike it asks to be ridden like one. It comes alive when you brake and accelerate hard in and out of corners without too much speed in the middle and it’s so easy with such deliciously powerful Nissin ‘M’ brakes (first seen on the 2021 M1000RR), pin-sharp steering and feel through the chassis.

With so much space to move around the BMW it’s far less effort to pilot than a race rep. There’s lots of legroom for taller riders, the seat is comfy on long trips and while the wide bars place you more over the front than the S XR, your wrists are never battered. Electronic suspension is plush and the ride is smoother than the filling-shaking M1000R super naked and RR superbike.

2024 BMW M1000XR right side action shot

Engine

Next up: Reliability
5 out of 5 (5/5)

Based on the sports touring S1000XR, it’s fitted with the full-fat 999cc, inline four-cylinder ‘ShiftCam’ engine taken from the current S1000RR superbike. BMW had to slice 10bhp off the S1000RR’s top end (with mapping) for the M XR to pass Euro noise regs, but 199bhp (up 31bhp on the ‘S XR’) is still way more than you need for the road.

It displays all the hallmarks of an angry, race derived motor when you pin the throttle. Acceleration so brutal it’s hard for your brain to keep up and the aural drama is every bit as intoxicating, from its shrill exhaust note, twisted airbox roar, the pop and bang of its sublime up/down quick shifter and crackling overrun off the throttle.

Such speed is surreal on a machine with a lofty, BMW GS-like riding position and at first you feel detached sat so far away from the tarmac, but it quickly feels natural. Despite its searing performance there’s lots of sub 9000rpm grunt, where the ShiftCam system runs on its milder inlet cams.

2024 BMW M1000XR engine

Power delivery is smooth, safe and predictable thanks to an engine that’s perfectly mapped in all its riding modes. The extra weight the 223kg M XR carries over its superbike and super naked sisters takes some of the viscousness out of the power, too and its smooth anti-wheelie and traction control systems serve to tame the beast even more. 200bhp has never been easier.

With so much power the inline four has an industrial feel and slightly buzzy at motorway speeds, but never an irritation. BMW claims 43mpg, which isn’t great for a ‘tourer’, but that gives a theoretical 191-mile range from its 20-litre tank.

Reliability & build quality

Next up: Value
5 out of 5 (5/5)

MCN Owners’ reviews of latest generation S1000XR and S1000RR, which more or less makes up the M XR, are mostly excellent, but there are some reports of poor dealer back-up in some.

2024 BMW M1000XR left side static

Value vs rivals

Next up: Equipment
4 out of 5 (4/5)

Few machines are as quick and comfy as the M XR. A super naked gives you the same superbike thrills and similarly relaxed riding position, but there’s little concession to wind protection or comfort.

Only Ducati come close with not one, but two rivals: the 168bhp, 239kg, £26,595 Ducati Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak and the 178bhp, 225kg, £31,995 Ducati Multistrada V4 RS. The Italians have more character, but their performance, on paper at least, can’t match the M XR’s.

2024 BMW M1000XR handling action shot

Equipment

5 out of 5 (5/5)

It’s loaded with standard-issue performance and touring goodies. On the one hand you’ve got lap time-busting launch control, forged aluminium wheels, a lithium battery and wings and on the other, there’s heated grips, cruise control, keyless ignition, cornering lights and a low, two-way adjustable tinted screen.

It’s noisy at speed, but a taller one is available as an accessory. As well as a slimmer back end, M XR-specific stacked wings produce the same 11.4kg downforce as the S1000RR at 136mph. You can’t fit hard panniers and a top box, so fully-laden, two-up touring is probably out, but BMW offer soft luggage options. You could take or leave the M Competition Pack, as it’s mostly for show.

2024 BMW M1000XR carbon wheel

Specs

Engine size 999cc
Engine type Liquid cooled 16v inline four
Frame type Cast aluminium twin spar
Fuel capacity 20 litres
Seat height 850mm
Bike weight 223kg
Front suspension 45mm USD forks. Semi-active damping, mechanical preload adjustment.
Rear suspension Single shock. Semi-active damping, mechanical preload adj.
Front brake 320mm discs with four piston radial calipers. Cornering ABS
Rear brake 265mm disc with single-piston caliper. Cornering ABS
Front tyre size 120/70 x 17
Rear tyre size 200/55 x 17

Mpg, costs & insurance

Average fuel consumption 43 mpg
Annual road tax £117
Annual service cost £340
New price £22,580
Used price -
Insurance group -
How much to insure?
Warranty term Two years

Top speed & performance

Max power 199 bhp
Max torque 83 ft-lb
Top speed 175 mph
1/4 mile acceleration -
Tank range 191 miles

Model history & versions

Model history

2024: BMW M1000XR launched. Based on S1000XR with S1000RR superbike engine, chassis upgrades and wings. Fully loaded.

Other versions

None, although a full range of official accessories are available including a £5100 M Competition Pack.

 

Owners' reviews for the BMW M1000XR (2024 - on)

2 owners have reviewed their BMW M1000XR (2024 - on) and rated it in a number of areas. Read what they have to say and what they like and dislike about the bike below.

Review your BMW M1000XR (2024 - on)

Summary of owners' reviews

Overall rating: 5 out of 5 (5/5)
Ride quality & brakes: 5 out of 5 (5/5)
Engine: 5 out of 5 (5/5)
Reliability & build quality: 5 out of 5 (5/5)
Value vs rivals: 4 out of 5 (4/5)
Equipment: 5 out of 5 (5/5)
Annual servicing cost: £340
5 out of 5 Mad Max my M1000XR
13 May 2024 by Kirtesh Lad

Version: Competition Pack

Year: 2024

Annual servicing cost: £340

Best features: The brakes, the engine, the chassis, the suspension, the excellent BMW TFT screen, The seat, the lack of engine vibes compared to the 1st Gen S1000R/RR/XR, the MENTAL speed. This thing will make you recalibrate your brain for the speeds it can get to SO fast. Worst features: The exhaust note is muted compared to my old S1000R! No pops and bangs unless I'm really on the gas hard which I can rarely do as that gets you WAAYYY above the legal speed limit really fast. The seat height until the suspension "gave" a little after the first 1500km of riding. Taking a passenger has helped bed in the spring a bit. My iniside leg is 31" and with the standard seat I've had to have one buttock off the saddle to get a stable full foot down or it's both feet tippy toeing. The bike is extremely stable and light compared to my old GS (which is a pig) so moving it around isn't too hard.I would highly recommend this bike to anyone who likes speed and has a few years of experience under their belt.

Ride quality & brakes 5 out of 5

The ///M brakes are sublime, not even my old race bike with AP Racing 6 pot calipers braked so hard and so effectively. I don't think I have ridden any road bike that brakes as well as the new ///M bikes.The ride quality is firm yet leaning over to "just plush enough". The DDC damping control is linked to the riding modes so you cannot say choose a softer ride setting with an aggressive engine map or vice versa. If you choose Rain, Road or Dynamic you get a increasingly stiffer setup. The shock valving is spot on for road riding, I've only one small complaint over very choppy tarmac over the mountain passes with roots creeping under the surface in the western Madrid mountain range (central Spain) where being able to open the valving for rebound would have been a god-send especially when riding at speed. It's just that, a niggle. Nothing serious. Did I mention how mental those brakes are?

Engine 5 out of 5

I love the BMW S1000RR engine in the current S1000RR ///M pack bike and this engine is 95% as naughty across the range. Second gear seems restrained and you can tell there is an engine map restraining the hooligan inside via electronics. You don't get the KTM 1290SD R instant torque hit in 2nd gear which is a shame! Once the bike is outside it's manufacturer's warranty period I will have the ECU flashed to have the bike running as the BMW engineers intended it to.. probably a Bren Tune or equivalent along with Akra race headers because this engine wants to breathe!The power is more than enough, one does not need more.

Reliability & build quality 5 out of 5

Build quality is something one expects when purchasing a BMW motorcycle and my new M XR does not disappoint! Gone are the days of the first gen S1000RR that I bought in 2009 where you could see where BMW had cut corners on the finish and some plastic panels. I'm not talking about reliability, I am referring to build quality here. Every nook and cranny of my new bike that I've gone over with a fine toothed comb is spectacular. I look after my bikes and I'm sure this one will give me many years of riding pleasure.The bike's still too new to evaluate reliability however, from previous BMW ownership of 9 new BMWs in a row without any problems with any of them. I'm sure the experience with my M XR should be just as delightful.

Value vs rivals 5 out of 5

I've included the Service Inclusive pack for 3 years so no worries or additional costs to worry about, I may expand this to 5 years service inclusive to give me more peace of mind.From other BMW S1000 series bikes I've owned in the past the maintenance and running costs are not expensive compared to running other European branded bikes.. this is from personal experience!

Equipment 5 out of 5

For the €37.462 that this bike costs with everything that I wanted on the bike yeah, it comes with a load of kit. Honestly I was expecting something like those small saddlebags as a complimentary gift as they want €450 for 2 x 8litre saddle bags and yeah, that's not happening. I was initially after a Multistrada V4RS but that's another €4000 on top of what my M XR costs and you do get panniers but, no top box option.If you buy this bike you can add the Shad luggage rack for the S1000XR that costs €50 or spend €250 and buy the original S1000XR luggage rack. The S1000XR panniers will not fit due to the Akra silencer angle and position.I bought the Competition pack version as that's the only one available in Spain at the moment however, if the base model with the white paintjob would have been available I would have avoided the Competition pack. It's mainly for show.

Buying experience: Excellent! This is the second BMW dealer where I've purchased my bikes from and the service is top notch.

5 out of 5 Best bike for 2024
22 April 2024 by Bob l

Version: Competition

Year: 2024

AWESOME

Ride quality & brakes 5 out of 5
Engine 5 out of 5

Smooth as silk

Reliability & build quality 5 out of 5
Value vs rivals 3 out of 5

Only getting 145miles per usable tank full

Equipment 5 out of 5

Buying experience: £27800

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