VOL. 52 ISSUE 27 JULY 7, 2015 P59
not seen on a BMW. The S 1000 XR
feels unlike a GS or an RT, it's com-
pletely its own machine, although the
superbike roots can be felt within the
engine. There's that same gruffness
in the induction note and barking mad
acceleration from the S 1000 RR when
you hammer the ride-by-wire throttle –
acceleration at almost any rev speed
and engine mode is impressive – how-
ever the XR's S 1000 R-derived engine
makes flexible and plentiful low-down
torque more suited to this style of riding
than its superbike brethren.
To this end I let the engine down to
a touch over 2000rpm in fifth gear and
the XR just pulled along, no snatch
from the transmission and no coughing
from the fuel injection. This translates
well for riders out there who like to pick
a gear and stick to it. These riders are
not punished with the XR as the spread
of torque is large and thick – you don't
have to have the motor buzzing its head
off to receive strong acceleration at
the tire, although it's much more fun to
have the thing in the upper rev ranges
to hear that cracking exhaust noise, if
nothing else.
Head north of 8000rpm and things
start happening very quickly. The ac-
celeration of the XR will match most
superbikes at this speed but do it in
a comfort they could only dream of.
You can head further north, towards
11,000rpm if you like, but there's hon-
estly no point. By that stage you're go-
ing warp speed and you may as well be
riding a superbike. Surfing that chunky
wad of torque between 6000rpm and
10,000rpm is where it's at with an
XR. That flexibility and ease of use is
Multistrada-ish (no surprises there),
and once you get used to using the
THREE IN THE FAMILY
Keen on an S 1000 XR but not sure which one you want? BMW
Motorrad are bringing three different packages for the U.S.
consumer, all with varying levels of performance and add-ons.
Bear in mind, however, that you can still get a ton of stuff via the
accessories catalogue that is not standard fitment.
S 1000 XR base model ($16,350 MSRP)
• Switchable ABS
• Automatic Stability Control (basic traction control)
• Two riding modes (Rain and Road)
• Two-position adjustable windscreen
• Digital instrument cluster
• Upside down forks
• Radial-mounted Brembo brakes
• Rear shock with adjustable preload and rebound damping
• 12V accessory socket
S 1000 XR Standard Package will set you back
$17,295 and comes with the following:
• GPS preparation (but no GPS unit)
• Heated hand grips
• Cruise control
• Saddle bag mounts
S 1000 XR Premium Package costs $18,750 and
goes a step further with everything from the
Standard Package plus:
• Dynamic Traction Control (DTC)
• ABS Pro
• Ride Modes Pro
• Gear Shift Assist Pro
• Cruise Control
S 1000 XR Touring Package is the same price as the
Premium Package ($18,750) but comes with these
extras instead:
• Dynamic Electronic Suspension Adjustment (ESA)
• GPS Preparation
• Heated Grips
• Cruise Control
• Center Stand
• Luggage rack
• Saddle bag mounts
You can also buy things like the Ride Modes Pro, Dynamic
ESA and Gear Shift Assist Pro as added extras individually, if
any of these above options don't fill all your gaps.
