BMW S 1000 R 2021 — Specifications

Imagine that a Garching engineer received the following mission: take the engine from the S 1000 RR, strip the fairing, rebuild a bare chassis around it, and deliver something that sticks to the road without ending up in the scenery at the first twist of the wrist. That’s exactly what BMW did to build the BMW S 1000 R, and this 2021 generation takes that exercise even further. The result is a roadster with 165 horsepower at 11,000 rpm, 114 Nm of torque at 9,250 rpm, and 205 kg all fueled up. Those figures clearly place the machine in the league of the greats, facing the Ducati Streetfighter V4 or the supercharged Kawasaki Z H2.

What first strikes you in this 2021 BMW S 1000 R test is the face. And not necessarily in a good way. BMW has abandoned its signature asymmetrical headlights for a symmetrical headlight cluster that places the bike in the R family, alongside the F 900 R and R 1250 R. Brand consistency is good from a marketing perspective; in terms of character, something is lost. The face is clean, modern, but it lacks that something that made the old S 1000 R a machine recognizable at first glance. However, the side fairings play fair with their protruding appendages around the massive radiator, and the slim tail draws the eye towards the rear before the engine block inexorably draws it back to the center.

Under this muscular hood, the 999 cc inline four-cylinder engine borrowed from the RR has been thoroughly revised. It loses 5 kg compared to the previous version, gains filling at intermediate revs, compresses at 12.1:1, and consumes 6.7 liters per 100 km according to readings. What it didn’t inherit from the RR is Shiftcam, that variable distribution system that would have brought even more suppleness at the bottom of the rev range. It’s a regret, especially since the MT-09 or the Monster 937 come standard with their quickshifter while BMW keeps the shifter as an option. Bavarian stinginess or assumed pricing strategy, the debate is open on the BMW S 1000 R forum. Regardless, the 165 horsepower remains fully sufficient for those who don’t seek to imitate superbike hyperfighters: reaching 200 km/h in less than 8 seconds from standstill is an argument that few drivers fully exploit on the open road.

The Flex Frame aluminum composite chassis, inherited from the 2018 S 1000 RR, does a serious job. It gains 1.3 kg over the previous structure, clamps the rider’s knees from 13 to 30 mm depending on build, slightly straightens the rake angle to 24° for more agility, and lengthens the swingarm to stabilize the whole on a wheelbase of 1,439 mm. The wheels lighten the unsprung masses by 1.8 kg, with forged or carbon versions available as an option for perfectionists. The 46 mm inverted fork and the single rear shock accept the optional DDC semi-active damping, with a response time announced at 10 ms. A high seat at 814 mm clearly orients the machine towards medium to tall drivers, all displayed from €14,980.

In terms of electronics, the 2021 BMW S 1000 R is catching up. ABS Pro now comes standard, the traction control DTC replaces the old ASC and benefits from a 6-axis inertial unit for more precise intervention in corners. Three basic riding modes, a 6.5-inch TFT screen loaded with information, navigation via the Motorrad app, and an optional Pro pack that unlocks Dynamic Pro mode, the MSR engine braking control, launch control, and DBC which cuts the throttle during hard braking. The latter point, combined with the standard slipper clutch, turns emergency braking into an almost clean exercise. Almost. For those considering a used BMW S 1000 R in a few years, these Pro versions will clearly represent the best equipment/price ratio. For others, the €3,000 Pro pack transforms the bike, but also pushes the bill well beyond the base price.