2019 BMW S 1000 RR FIRST REVIEW
FIRST REVIEW
P64
there doesn't feel to be as much
weight on your wrists and shoul-
ders as I remember from the old
bike, so this new one will presum-
ably be a better ride for the lon-
ger haul, and the riding position
is seemingly more spacious, too.
Plus the extra flex, which BMW
engineers have dialed into the
new frame design, is presumably
one reason it feels more respon-
inches of wheel travel is set at a
23.1º rake with 3.7 inches of trail.
Despite that quite aggressive
geometry, it proved really stable
at speeds up to the 171 mph I
saw on the new 6.5-inch TFT
dash's digital speedo. (It has a
choice of four different screens).
After clicking down through the
gears from top to second without
touching the clutch lever thanks
with the new-generation DDC/
Dynamic Damping Control. The
Continental ABS did kick in nice
and predictably in the rain, too.
Made me feel like a hero—even
if I wasn't riding like one, just
content to take full advantage in
the drenched conditions of the
fabulous array of electronic rider
aids which the new BMW brings
to the party. And the quite high
sive and gives improved feedback
from the front end, especially.
This greater sense of being
at one with the bike definitely
made it more confidence inspir-
ing out on the track, and in that
sense, the wet conditions I had
to grapple with were a good test
of the new BMW's handling. The
fully adjustable electronically
damped closed-cartridge 45mm
Marzocchi USD fork offering 4.7
to BMW's really well-set-up Shift
Assistant Pro power shifter sys-
tem that's included as standard
complete with an auto-blipper for
clutchless downshifts, I got good
feedback from the front Bridge-
stone as I leaned into the Turn
1 right-hander. Initially gingerly,
then with growing confidence
as I realized how grippy the
front rain tire was, and how well
damped the Marzocchi fork is
level of engine braking left dialed
into the Rain riding mode, and
slipper clutch settings helped
support the Hayes/Brembo/Nis-
sin front brake cocktail in slowing
the bike from high speed.
But the qualities of that won-
derful new engine shined through
in the downpour, especially in
the first session before it started
raining hard again when I found a
few sections that I knew were dry
