Having been the previous owner of both a Gen 1 and Gen 3 RR, I recently did a deal on my 17 plate RR and rode out with a shiny new, 2019 Black Storm Metallic S1000R ? so here?s a few thoughts on the transition from double to single R?
First Impressions
The main difference with the RR is the riding position ? pretty obvious really ? moving from clip-ons to raised flat bars ? but what I wasn?t prepared for was how much more in control I felt over the bike on the road ? that I could easily boss it around and throw it into corners almost with abandon - on the same roads with the RR I may have been slightly faster (if at all) but would require more concentration and effort to do so ? and I think this is where the feeling of having more fun comes from ? mixed in with the greater torque at lower RPM making it seem more ferocious at road speeds than the RR - it?s an intoxicating combination. Don?t get an R if you think you will ride slower on the road ? you won?t!
Windblast
I think this is a main concern for most sportsbike riders given that we tend to fit double bubble screens to reduce windblast even further than the standard fairing and screen provide.
With the standard mini-screen on the R windblast is not an issue, for me at least, up to about 80-90 ? thereafter it?s pretty intense and you really have to want to be going that fast to keep it up. This does have the effect of both making it pretty obvious that you are travelling at a rate of knots likely to be frowned upon by officialdom, but also provides tactile feedback missing on the RR, and modern sportsbikes in general, of just how fast you are going. This may be a good or a bad thing depending on your viewpoint.
I?ve since fitted a taller screen ? for looks more than anything - and easily saw 120-130 on track without much of an issue with windblast. With this screen fitted I have no issues whatsoever with windblast in daily riding, including fast but sane speeds on motorways.
Handling
Handling is great, up to the point where you are really going for it, then the benefits the RR brings in having your weight further over and lower on the front of the bike bring greater front end feel and stability. Ride accordingly on the road and you won?t have any issues.
Handling on the track ? the bike is flighty at speed and coupled with the relative lack of feedback from the front end when pushing it ? you won?t be breaking your lap times. It is still great fun and I rode around the outside of many a slower rider on sportsbikes but just as many rode around me too ? make of that what you will ? it?s the rider as much as the bike.
DDC
There is a cut down version of the RR settings and these have changed since 2017 too I believe ? my 2019 has only 2 DDC modes ? Road and Dynamic, previous models had Soft/Medium/Hard. There is no option to tinker with compression or rebound ? front or rear ? you?re stuck with choosing a mode, physically setting preload as per the RR or you can also choose solo or pillion setting (1 or 2 helmets) to stiffen things up for carrying luggage or a pillion.
I can?t really comment much further as I am way too heavy for the springs and therefore the suspension will not be working as it should. As per the RR it is setup for an 85KG rider ? I am a 6?1?, 110KG pie eating athlete and have the preload maxxed front and rear ? for me the Road setting is too soft, and the Dynamic is too hard. Hopefully a visit to MCT in the future will sort that out.
Brakes
The rear brake actually works unlike my RR so that is a bonus for road riding, the front brake however feels way too grabby on initial bite ? way more so than my RR ? to the point that I only use 1 finger braking now otherwise, coupled with the soft front end, you end up head banging the dash. I?m going to add a Brembo 19x18 MC to see if that will aid feel at the lever?s initial bite. Power and modulation once applied is immense it?s just the initial grab that sucks.
In Summary
I love this bike. More so than I ever did either of my RR?s ? that?s because it is more suited to the actual riding I do day in day out ? 99% road biased with an occasional foray onto track.
On a more philosophical note it actually takes me back to my early biker days (been riding nearly 35 years - I used to lust after Kawasaki Z650?s and the like J) before things took a more track biased focus of late ? more about being a Biker than about going fast on track.
If I had the time and money to do more track days then the RR is the way to go but if those things come about in the near future then I would look at a dedicated track bike and keep a more road focussed bike as my daily. For now..
I, like many of us I believe, am a fickle bastard - so god help me when they bring out the Gen 4 RR in Black?
First Impressions
The main difference with the RR is the riding position ? pretty obvious really ? moving from clip-ons to raised flat bars ? but what I wasn?t prepared for was how much more in control I felt over the bike on the road ? that I could easily boss it around and throw it into corners almost with abandon - on the same roads with the RR I may have been slightly faster (if at all) but would require more concentration and effort to do so ? and I think this is where the feeling of having more fun comes from ? mixed in with the greater torque at lower RPM making it seem more ferocious at road speeds than the RR - it?s an intoxicating combination. Don?t get an R if you think you will ride slower on the road ? you won?t!
Windblast
I think this is a main concern for most sportsbike riders given that we tend to fit double bubble screens to reduce windblast even further than the standard fairing and screen provide.
With the standard mini-screen on the R windblast is not an issue, for me at least, up to about 80-90 ? thereafter it?s pretty intense and you really have to want to be going that fast to keep it up. This does have the effect of both making it pretty obvious that you are travelling at a rate of knots likely to be frowned upon by officialdom, but also provides tactile feedback missing on the RR, and modern sportsbikes in general, of just how fast you are going. This may be a good or a bad thing depending on your viewpoint.
I?ve since fitted a taller screen ? for looks more than anything - and easily saw 120-130 on track without much of an issue with windblast. With this screen fitted I have no issues whatsoever with windblast in daily riding, including fast but sane speeds on motorways.
Handling
Handling is great, up to the point where you are really going for it, then the benefits the RR brings in having your weight further over and lower on the front of the bike bring greater front end feel and stability. Ride accordingly on the road and you won?t have any issues.
Handling on the track ? the bike is flighty at speed and coupled with the relative lack of feedback from the front end when pushing it ? you won?t be breaking your lap times. It is still great fun and I rode around the outside of many a slower rider on sportsbikes but just as many rode around me too ? make of that what you will ? it?s the rider as much as the bike.
DDC
There is a cut down version of the RR settings and these have changed since 2017 too I believe ? my 2019 has only 2 DDC modes ? Road and Dynamic, previous models had Soft/Medium/Hard. There is no option to tinker with compression or rebound ? front or rear ? you?re stuck with choosing a mode, physically setting preload as per the RR or you can also choose solo or pillion setting (1 or 2 helmets) to stiffen things up for carrying luggage or a pillion.
I can?t really comment much further as I am way too heavy for the springs and therefore the suspension will not be working as it should. As per the RR it is setup for an 85KG rider ? I am a 6?1?, 110KG pie eating athlete and have the preload maxxed front and rear ? for me the Road setting is too soft, and the Dynamic is too hard. Hopefully a visit to MCT in the future will sort that out.
Brakes
The rear brake actually works unlike my RR so that is a bonus for road riding, the front brake however feels way too grabby on initial bite ? way more so than my RR ? to the point that I only use 1 finger braking now otherwise, coupled with the soft front end, you end up head banging the dash. I?m going to add a Brembo 19x18 MC to see if that will aid feel at the lever?s initial bite. Power and modulation once applied is immense it?s just the initial grab that sucks.
In Summary
I love this bike. More so than I ever did either of my RR?s ? that?s because it is more suited to the actual riding I do day in day out ? 99% road biased with an occasional foray onto track.
On a more philosophical note it actually takes me back to my early biker days (been riding nearly 35 years - I used to lust after Kawasaki Z650?s and the like J) before things took a more track biased focus of late ? more about being a Biker than about going fast on track.
If I had the time and money to do more track days then the RR is the way to go but if those things come about in the near future then I would look at a dedicated track bike and keep a more road focussed bike as my daily. For now..
I, like many of us I believe, am a fickle bastard - so god help me when they bring out the Gen 4 RR in Black?
