2024 BMW M1000XR Deep dive | Is the M1000XR the perfect mile-destroying sportsbike?

Three years ago BMW expanded their M-Series into the two-wheeled world with the M1000RR sportsbike. It was the first complete M-branded motorcycle and was joined a year later by the naked M1000R. This year the range has grown again with the introduction of the M1000XR – or M XR for short.

Aiming to combine the best bits of the M RR and M R, the M XR is a crossover bike based around the S1000XR. Boasting the all-singing M motor with its headline-grabbing close to 200bhp, as well as an upgraded electronics package and sportier attitude, the M XR is targeting riders who want the thrill of a top-end sportsbike but with practicality. It is, BMW claim, the ultimate long-distance sportsbike. Does the reality back up this claim? Time to find out on a deep dive.

Dive into the detail:

BMW M1000XR

£27,897 (including £5100 for the M Competition package)

• Engine 999cc 16v ShiftCam DOHC inline four
• Power 190.2 bhp
• Torque 84.6 lb.ft
• Fuel Capacity 20 litres
• Frame Aluminium composite bridge
• Suspension F: 45mm inverted forks, fully-adjustable DDC. R: Monoshock, fully-adjustable DDC
• Front brake 2 x 320mm discs with four-piston M radial calipers. Cornering ABS
• Rear Brake 1 x 265mm disc with one-piston caliper. Cornering ABS
• Seat Height 850mm
• Kerb Weight 227.4kg (kerb)
• Servicing Costs £166 at 6000-mile minor or £253 annual. £663 valve clearances every 18,000miles

Performance Data:

• Top Speed: 172.7mph
• 0-60: 3.15 sec in 40.77m
• 0-100: 5.93 sec in 133.95m
• Roll on in top gear 40-80mph: 4.83 sec in 127.89m
• Standing quarter: 10.23 sec @ 147.01mph
• Braking 70-0mph: 3.54 sec in 52.22m

Is there just one M1000XR?

Sort of. The stock M XR costs £22,580, which is £5790 more than a stock S XR, but for £5100 extra you can add the M Competition package, which is on the bike we are testing. Comprising M Carbon wheels, the M Billet pack, Black Storm M Motorsport paint, M GPS Laptrigger activation and the Carbon package, it reduces the weight by 3kg.

Aside from the paint, all the add-ons can be ordered individually. Effectively, it is bolt-on bling as the engine, chassis and electronics (aside from the datalogger activation, which is £100 separately) are identical and the stock M XR comes with lightweight forged aluminium wheels.

Is the engine that much better than the S XR’s 167.6bhp motor?

Yes, it most certainly is. Obviously you don’t ‘need’ the M’s extra 30bhp but that’s only half the story. The M motor packs an incredible amount of presence and from start-up to when it hits its limiter it sounds and feels so evocative – especially at 6000rpm when the induction growl begins.

Ridden back-to-back, the S XR’s engine feels far less engaging and lacks the M’s sheer drama. But as well as brimming with character, it also has staggering performance.

The ShiftCam engine delivers much more midrange drive than the S XR’s and the M’s altered gearing makes it wonderfully responsive in every gear. Top-gear roll-on overtakes are dispatched with ease but despite being blisteringly fast, it is impressively refined.

‘The quickshifter is the slickest on any production bike’

The throttle response is beautiful, the quickshifter arguably the slickest on any production bike, and the electronics faultless. It’s not perfect – at 70mph (5000rpm in top) there is quite a buzz from the motor (rendering the mirrors next to useless) as the bike feels desperate to be let off its leash, but that’s to be expected from what is effectively a superbike engine. If you are stepping off a litre sportsbike, the new M XR won’t disappoint where the S XR can feel like it’s a performance downgrade.

Can I tour on it?

Yes, but probably only solo. The M XR’s rear has been designed for a sporty look and this, alongside the higher-placed exhaust, means there are no hard pannier options. BMW sell soft luggage kits but only a tail pack or tank bag, which limits the two-up touring potential.

Stick the larger tail pack on and a solo rider could certainly tour on the M XR. You get heated grips and cruise control as standard, helping the miles pass with ease, while the seat is comfortable and the upright bars nice and relaxed.

Even on its highest of two settings, the standard screen is a bit too short to provide much in the way of weather protection, so a taller item would be a welcome addition, but in terms of comfort and practicality, aside from a slightly buzzy and thirsty engine (more on this later), there are no barriers to a trip into Europe.

Can it mix with sportsbikes on track?

Oh yes. At an MSV track evening at Donington we set the M XR in Race Pro riding mode, which firms up the suspension and allows the DTC to be altered on the fly, dropped the pressure in the Bridgestone RS11 tyres (25psi front, 30psi rear, cold) and got stuck in. Even though it sits absurdly tall next to race bikes (picture that scene in Herbie when it overtakes Ferraris on track), a few dry laps before the heavens opened were enough to confirm that on a hot, dry, track the M XR will be something very special indeed. We can’t wait to go back.

• Related: Could the BMW M1000XR topple 2023’s best sports tourers to reign champ for 2024?

Does that mean it’s too focused for the road?

No, and that’s mainly down to its incredible electronics package; without it, the M XR would certainly be quite a handful. The DTC (Dynamic Traction Control), ABS Pro and especially anti-wheelie (it will lift in top gear at over 100mph without it) are so refined that you never feel intimidated by the bike’s astounding performance.

Accelerate hard and the traction control gently tames the wheelie, meaning you can keep on the power and enjoy the sensation of speed, while the M brakes provide loads of feel and power – and the ABS Pro is excellent.

Swapping rider modes noticeably knocks the edge off the throttle response (Race is way too brutal for the road, stick to Dynamic) and the semi-active suspension is set just the right side of sporty.

Although undeniably firm, the DDC (that’s Dynamic Damping Control) responds quickly enough to ensure the ride isn’t bone-jarring (high bars also help preserve your wrists compared to clip-ons) and in bends the combination of lightweight wheels and agile geometry means the M XR is more than a match for a sportsbike.

Due to its tall nature there is a bit of a tendency for the M XR to flop into bends rather than track towards an apex like a sportsbike, and it can shimmy a bit through faster bumpy sweepers, but it’s never worrying and instead just makes your grin wider. It’s definitely focused, but isn’t overly aggressive.

Are the headlights any good?

Headlight Pro (that’s adaptive cornering lights to you and me) come as standard and are fairly effective. The main beam is excellent, illuminating a huge distance ahead, and on dip the fact the M XR has quite firm suspension stops it diving too much under braking. The cornering function adds a helpful extra bit of light to the inside of a bend, it could be brighter but it’s a noticeable benefit over the illumination provided by normal fixed-only lights.

• Get the look: Check our long term test review of Arai’s touring helmet.

It’s not cheap to run…

Aside from the £27,897 asking price (if you tick the £5100 M Competition package option), the M XR has a few slightly wallet-shocking running costs. A fully comprehensive insurance quote on MCN Compare was an eye-watering £2133.78 for the M XR where an S XR was £634.84 using the same criteria, which is a huge chunk for the M-badge and 30bhp extra.

Also, the best fuel economy we recorded was just 43mpg with between 34mpg and 39mpg more common, which is quite a thirst when you can reasonably expect to average about 45mpg on the S XR. Pleasingly, servicing costs are comparable between the S and M.

Should I just buy an S1000XR and save my money?

Aside from fuel and insurance, buying an S XR over an M XR could save you cash. If you go for a standard M XR it costs £22,797 where a S XR TE (which is roughly comparable in spec) is £18,340. You can add an M Package to the S but at £3060 it’s not really worth it as that eats up much of the £4457 difference in price. Is it a sacrifice worth making?

‘Thrills the S XR could never deliver’

If you are buying the bike with a genuine intention to go touring (especially two-up), the S XR is the sensible choice as it is softer on its suspension, has hard luggage options and records better economy figures. But if you want a bike to thrill you, the M XR delivers far more thrills and drama than the S XR can ever match and solo tourers will still be able to explore Europe on it in relative comfort. Should I sell my sportsbike and buy an M XR?

Honestly, yes.

Verdict:

‘You’ll have so much fun’

The M1000XR is a ‘long-way-home bike’ – a machine where you pick a route with stacks of corners and a few straights to allow it off its leash. It may take you longer to get back, but you’ll be having so much fun. And that’s key to the M1000XR.

Treat the M1000XR as a superbike with a much more comfortable riding position and you won’t be disappointed. In fact, you will be absolutely delighted. Few machines can deliver the same kind of thrills as a litre sportsbike but with the M XR you get all these good points in a bike with a comfortable riding position. Price aside, what’s not to love?

But is it, as BMW claim, a long-distance machine? If you tour solo then the M XR would be a lot of fun. It would merrily (vibes aside…) soak up motorway miles and then destroy a twisty pass or two. More interestingly, the M XR proves a crossover bike with full-on sportsbike performance and handling can still be a blast on the road, where a 200bhp sportsbike simply isn’t anymore. And that’s real food for thought.

Likes:

• Staggering engine
• Attention to detail
• That 6000rpm growl

Dislikes:

• Fuel economy figures
• Insurance quote was eye-wateringly pricey

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Pillion Opinion:

‘They will love it – as long as they hold on!’

– Alison Silcox, MCN Office Manager, 5ft 10in

“The M XR is one of the most fun and engaging motorcycles I have ever been on the back of. And it is comfortable too!”

“The M XR has better pillion provision than many so-called touring bikes I’ve tried. The pillion pegs have a lovely grippy rubber insert (M Passenger pegs, £206 or included with the M billet pack) that really helps when you are getting on and off the bike and the seat itself is well padded. While the pillion grabrail is a bit small, I’d probably not use the rail and instead get the rider to wear something like a pillion grab handle belt. As the M XR’s acceleration is so brutal, I’d want to be connected to the rider with something substantial rather than clutching a grabrail.”

• Be prepared: See our latest Bargain Hunter finds for underseat tool puncture repair kits.

“When the M XR accelerates it takes your breath away but it accelerates with so much control it never feels intimidating and the bike always feels totally planted. Also as you aren’t perched up high on a separate sportsbike-style seat, you can easily hold onto the rider. And this position also makes a difference under braking because there is no tendency for the pillion to ‘climb’ over the back of the rider under hard deceleration.”

“Would I want to tour on one? I’ve toured Europe on a sportsbike with throw-over panniers before and the M1000XR is so much more comfortable, so why not?”.

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Options and Extras:

Get the M XR touring ready:

As there are no hard pannier options (or racks to mount them to), you are limited to a tail pack that attaches with bungees. BMW sell three styles of expandable tail pack (Urban, Black, or Adventure) which cost £184 (35-42 litres) or £217 (50-60 litres).

• Related: Additional to BMW’s offering view MCN’s round up of best tail packs here.

You’ll need the £263 stand kit:

You can’t fit a centre stand to the MXR (the S XR has it as a £125 option) and there are no screw in bobbin threads, so you will need BMW’s CNC-milled M Chain tensioner with stand mounting kit, which is £263, to easily lube the chain.

Need a bit more wind protection:

• Read our review: of best waterproofs for when you need that extra bit of protection from the elements.

BMW’s optional high screen for the M XR is the same height as the S XR’s standard screen. It costs £150 bur should significantly boost the bikes weather protection levels on both of its levels, so is a useful investment if you are planning long trips.

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While you’re here: How MCN tests bikes

Our highly experienced team of road testers grind out hundreds of miles, come rain or snow, on the UK’s pothole-ridden roads to decide which bike is best in a particular category.

Using years of riding and racing experience (on and off-road), our expert journalists are able to assess the capabilities of a machine and translate that into understandable language to help MCN’s readers make an informed buying decision. Pitching bikes against their main rivals, we aim to give a conclusive verdict on which bike is best for your needs and your budget.

Using their considerable knowledge of the motorcycling market and audience, they can put a motorcycle into context and deliver a verdict that means something to anyone considering buying a particular machine, whether it be a cutting-edge, 200bhp sportsbike, a tall adventure weapon or a low-capacity 125cc machine.

When we ride the bikes in the UK we tend to do at least one full day of riding on various different types of road and in varying conditions. Our testers will then spend another day riding the bike – with rivals – to get images and video footage for our print and online reviews.

We will also, often, weigh the bikes, speed and dyno test them to see just how accurately the manufacturer claims are in these areas to give a more empirical assessment.

Find out more about how we test bikes right here.