Sachs suspension doesn’t yet have the kudos of Ohlins, WP and Showa, but the massive 46mm front units and single rear shock are excellent.
BMW have also made suspension adjustment very easy by numbering the suspension adjustment range and colour coding it, and all it takes is the owner’s handbook to cross reference a suspension set up to suit the rider and conditions.
You can also use the key as a screwdriver to make adjustments to the damping adjusters.
On track the bike turns, stops and gives the rider so much confidence they will push harder and harder – and the BMW will take it in its stride.
Top marks are not just for the high bhp output alone, but also for the clever electronics.
One part of which is the performance mode selection switch where four choices are manually selectable.
‘Rain’ mode caps power to 150bhp and reduces the torque output, it also smoothes the throttle response.
‘Sport’ is for dry road use; ‘Race’ mode is used in conjunction with treaded race tyres at a track day; and ‘Slick’ mode is for use with slick racing tyres.
These final three modes all deliver the full 190bhp and torque output, but throttle response becomes more and more direct.
As you’d expect with a claimed 190bhp at the crankshaft, the S1000RR is a serious powerhouse.
But with rider aids like power mode selection and the optional ABS and DTC traction control, it is also a very safe bike to ride fast.
BMW has recently admitted quality control on its bikes hasn’t exactly been top notch over the past five years.
With this in mind BMW, have gone overboard with mileage testing – 300 pre-production S1000RR have been used for testing, which includes track testing on circuits worldwide.
Every new component has been tested for every possible scenario, from wet weather to vibration destruction.
The one problem to come from the S1000RR’s launch was some front brake discs warped. The problem was traced to the discs not being the correct thickness.
The standard S1000RR has a 2009 list price of £10,950, which neatly places the BMW midway of the Japanese competition eg Yamaha’s R1 has an official price of £11,120, and the GSX-R1000 £9921. The S1000RR Sport version comes with quickshifter, DTC traction control and race ABS as standard for £12,235. Find a BMW S1000RR for sale.
Insurance group: 17 of 17 – compare motorcycle insurance quotes now.
Easy to adjust suspension, Brembo radial front brake calipers, Bosch electronics all come together in a sorted package.
The dash system doubles up as a lap timer. Optional extras make the S1000RR complete, like the Racing ABS and DTC traction control and BMW’s own quick shifter system.
You can buy the ABS system for £785 and the quick shift unit separately, but DTC has to used in conjunction with Race ABS for it to work (£1199 for the two).