2014 BMW S1000R – FIRST LOOK

2014 BMW S1000R – FIRST LOOK

      

Ever since last December, when Cycle World interviewed Hans Blesse, the man in charge at BMW Motorrad USA, we had a strong suspicion that a big naked bike from the Munich maker was in the works, possibly a K1600 sans bodywork. But, as we just learned at the EICMA motorcycle show in Milan, that BMW turned out to be a naked S1000R, the new machine ridden onto the stage by Edgar Heinrich, BMW’s head of design.

While it’s fair to say the potent 160-hp bike received a lot of attention with its edgy, multi-angled looks, low nose and high tail, the 2014 S1000R is not really a naked. Rather, thanks to two large body panels flanking the powerplant, plus a pair of lower coverings, it’s more of a “scantily clad” bike in our book. Directly derived from the S1000RR with its aluminum perimeter frame, the claimed-456-lb.-wet 2014 S1000R has been designed to offer good everyday comfort while still being able to tear up the tarmac like few other sporty bikes. The formula begins with BMW’s familiar 999cc inline-4, retuned to deliver improved low- and midrange power and torque for better real-world performance and acceleration, aided by a programmable quickshifter.

According to BMW, the S1000R engine puts out 160 hp at 11,000 rpm, and 83 pound-feet of torque at 9,250. More intriguing, BMW says the “ride-by-wire” E-gas engine puts out 7 more pound-feet of torque than the S100RR’s engine below 7,500 rpm. Much of the improvement in low-end response, says BMW, can be attributed to redesigned cylinder head ports, modified cam profiles and revised engine management.

Race ABS, along with Automatic Stability Control and two riding modes (Road and Rain), is standard on the 2014 S1000R. As on other BMWs such as the new R1200RT, these riding modes alter power and torque curves, as well as the levels of ABS and ASC stability control, to different conditions and rider requirements. Of note, Dynamic Traction Control (DTC), with Dynamic and Dynamic Pro riding modes, is available on the S1000R only as a dealer option. Aided by a lean-angle sensor, DTC is said to allow riders to fully exploit the bike’s acceleration, which BMW describes as “currently state-of-the-art for a production motorcycle.”

Fortunately, the brakes are up to the task, with a pair of four-piston fixed calipers at the front and a single-disc rear, aided by Race ABS. The S1000R has an adjustable inverted fork like that of the S1000RR; in back, a dual-sided swingarm works with an adjustable central shock. BMW’s Dynamic Damping Control (DDC) is another dealer option, enhancing safety and performance by dynamically adapting the damping to the immediate riding situation. A racing theme extends into the cockpit of the new 2014 BMW S1000R, which is fitted with a liquid-crystal multifunction instrument cluster, an analog tachometer, and indicators for gear, riding mode, and lap time. Lap time? You bet, underscoring the point that this new BMW, although a bit more everyday comfortable than the S1000RR, is still a super-serious machine. As of this writing, price was not available, but look for those characteristic asymmetrical headlights to begin showing up in your mirrors in early 2014.

Source: Cycleworld