S1000xr 2016

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FreudianSlip

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I took a panniered up S1000XR (66 reg) out for an hour on Saturday afternoon, courtesy of Pidcock BMW, Nottingham.

First impressions - wow, how comfortable is that bike. Taller than the RR with an increased seat height. I'm 6' tall and could only just get my feet on the floor - not exactly on tip-toe, but not a flat foot. The wider bars made it feel like I was riding a chopper or something - seemed weird after getting off my bike and straight on to this.

Quickshifter - an absolute bitch going from 1st to 2nd, but then was fine from there. It was very annoying whilst going round right handers, not to be able to just knock it up into 2nd but this was later explained as 'a feature' and the quickshifter only works from 2nd onwards .. Not sure about that - if thats the case, I much prefer the RR 'box.

Blipper - worked fine with only 1 slip into neutral from 2nd rather than 1st.

Brakes - good enough, but considering the bike had only 360 miles on the clock, I expected them to be keener - seemed almost old-tech but I'm farily sure they're standard across the range (hp4 exempt of course). The levers seemed a little loose - not sure if this is common to the XR or just this 1 bike.

Wind protection - with the adjustable screen is ok although I did expect a higher degree of calm & quiet - both of which were missing. My schuberth helmet is quieter on the RR even at speed.

Power - as this XR hadn't been run-in, the gear shift light was strobing at me from 8k but it seemed urgent enough on the way up to that level. Again, not sure if it's just me, but it did seem muted compared to the RR. I'm sure I've read that the XR is quicker mid-range but it just didnt *feel* as quick. Could be the seating position or the wind protection that cloaks its real performance.

Comfort - wonderful .. up to a point. Foot position is lower meaning you're not perched on the bike like I seem to be on the RR. You sit lower in the bike with the bars much higher and feet lower. After about an hour my arse started to go numb because I think that I was sat on a different part of it. It was numb further back, towards my spine, due to - I think - the more upright seating position.

Handling - probably the wrong man to ask here, but it did seem a _LOT_ easier to manoeuvre tilting left/right with just the slightest of pressure on the bars. Made slicing through Saturday shopping traffic through Derby not only a breeze, but enjoyable too! The ease it changes direction (for me anyway) gave me confidence to carry a bit more speed into roundabouts and the riding position meant that when I braked, I wasn't putting much more weight on my wrists in a downward direction, and instead I just pushed the bars.

Sound - not great - the bike I had, had the standard OE can on it, which made it sound more like a GS than a RR. Again, I thought I'd read that the 2017 Sport SE models come with an Akrapovic can,so maybe the 2017 one will sound better.

Practicality - brilliant compared to the RR - probably a long way off a GS. Full luggage was fitted to the XR I borrowed (although I didnt use it) but it certainly didnt seem to hamper my experience and with the wider, comfier seat for both rider and pillion, I can see this being a very welcome change to perching on the postage sized stamp that the RR calls a pillion seat.

The biggest single problem I encountered was the high frequency vibrations through the bars and footpegs at about 5k revs. This vanishes at about 6/6.5k but in top gear at those revs you'll be getting your collar felt. I'm assured the 2017 bike has this problem overcome with some vibe damping in critical areas.

In summary, a brilliant bike - and one that you'll probably fire up 90% of the time when the suns not quite bright enough.

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Pls note - the scratches were not my doing - their ex-salesman dropped it :E
 
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Good write up, thanks for posting :).

I have never fancied the XR. Seems a bit of an unnecessary compromise between an rr and a GS. I think BMW hoped it would replace the sports tourer segment left by the k series but it misses the mark imo. The vibes are notorious, in the '17 model literature BMW mention they have reduced the vibes, so it must be a problem.

Interesting comment about your backside being numb. I've got a suspicion that my bad back issues are down to the upright position on the GSA. Upright doesn't necessarily mean comfort in my experience.
 
I borrowed a 16 plate XR last year for a day whilst mine was in for its first service. I did around 200 miles on it in the afternoon, both 1 up and 2 up. I found it to be a cracking bike, to the point where I thought about a swap from the RR to the XR. My pillion passenger is a fast road rider and he was quite impressed how agile it was and the way it covered ground. I thought it would be a lot more light at the front end, but it was a good experience. I do think once my sport bike days are over an XR will be the next choice.
Only downside is the fuel it gobbles through. It was almost the same as the RR. My cousin borrowed a GS and did the same route, he didn't need to fill up. I filled up after about 110 miles.
 
i was due to pick one up new on 1st march, unfortunately it was not as a brand new bike should be so i declined to accept it and had my money back.

i now have the option of a 2017 rr or order another xr???


what would you do?
 
i was due to pick one up new on 1st march, unfortunately it was not as a brand new bike should be so i declined to accept it and had my money back.

i now have the option of a 2017 rr or order another xr???


what would you do?
What was the issue with the new XR?

I ask this because I am considering an XR as my next bike. I had the pleasure of taking out a 2017 demo XR yesterday from Coopers Motorad Tunbridge Wells. I really like it, not sure about the ESA though as in road setting the suspension felt laboured (slow reacting) and in Dynamic mode it was good for fast pace but not great.
 
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What was the issue with the new XR?

I ask this because I am considering an XR as my next bike. I had the pleasure of taking out a 2017 demo XR yesterday from Coopers Motorad Tunbridge Wells. I really like it, not sure about the ESA though as in road setting the suspension felt laboured (slow reacting) and in Dynamic mode it was good for fast pace but not great.


The problem was the condition of the bike, it was a new bike but had rust on the discs and corrosion on the brake line fittings.

I now have a Xr
 
Good write up, thanks for posting :).

I have never fancied the XR. Seems a bit of an unnecessary compromise between an rr and a GS. I think BMW hoped it would replace the sports tourer segment left by the k series but it misses the mark imo. The vibes are notorious, in the '17 model literature BMW mention they have reduced the vibes, so it must be a problem.

Interesting comment about your backside being numb. I've got a suspicion that my bad back issues are down to the upright position on the GSA. Upright doesn't necessarily mean comfort in my experience.

Agree with all of this, I actually find my gen3 more comfortable over distance than my GSA hence why its probably going hit the eBay classifieds shortly
 
Agree with all of this, I actually find my gen3 more comfortable over distance than my GSA hence why its probably going hit the eBay classifieds shortly

How long have you owned your GSA? I had the same issues when I bought my 1st upright bike, I thought I would give it 3 months (3K miles) and if the back didnt get used to it I would sell. Gladly my back got used to it.
 
How long have you owned your GSA? I had the same issues when I bought my 1st upright bike, I thought I would give it 3 months (3K miles) and if the back didnt get used to it I would sell. Gladly my back got used to it.

I'm on my second GSA
 
Yep once I've got a warranty claim sorted on a rusty shock spring, not using it at all now, brilliant for loading up and going off on an all weather long trip - took my previous one to the Alps a couple if years ago and was fantastic but no chance of repeating that any time soon plus the missus prefers going pillion on the Sthou!
 
I bought a 17 plate s1000xr se last month and it's the best bike I've owned it's an awesome bike that I love to ride all the time I've done 2200 miles on it in less than a month
 
I bought a 17 plate s1000xr se last month and it's the best bike I've owned it's an awesome bike that I love to ride all the time I've done 2200 miles on it in less than a month
Did you px your S1000RR?
On my XR test ride the bike was hunting in 2nd gear at 25-30mph, I tried 3rd but was still the same. Does yours do this?
I didnt notice any vibes that some have mentioned, even the dealer said it would be vibey before I took it out. They also saud not to use the shifter from 1st to 2nd.

I was well pleased with the attitude of the staff at Coopers Tunbridge, they said take the bike for a couple of hours, when I got back I was offered another test ride for half a day. My local dealer Cannons Braintree usually only say 45 minutes.
 
My bike does not hunt, I think all bikes have some vibes even the s1000rr, I don't notice anything above the RR's that I have owned. I sold my RR, I would have it back though as I do like a race bike. I have to say though I went out in the week for 3 hours with a friend on a GSXR he came back complaining of sore wrists and neck pain, When i left him I went for another run for 2 hours.

I use the quick shifter and blipper between all gears as i did not the RR.
 

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