BMW S1000XR review | 2020 honest pillion opinion

[@shaneelson]

Great review and so refreshing to have a pillion opinion. For those of us who two up quite a bit, getting an 3rd opinion is really helpful.

[@bennettsbikesocial]

Thanks! John

[@tomg8636]

You two are cute! I really enjoyed your good lady’s contribution and it’s made me grin from ear to ear. The review was good as well.

[@bennettsbikesocial]

Thank you! All the best, John

[@bitzannbobz]

this should have been named 'honest opillion'

[@bennettsbikesocial]

Groan!

[@colincoleman2536]

First review I have watched involving the input from a passenger wow very impressed with the video from start to finish well done could you do some more of these 2 up reviews.

[@bennettsbikesocial]

Thank you so much! I'm editing the Interceptor 650 one at the moment, but we've done the previous S1000XR and the Versys 1000, both of which are linked in the description. Cheers, John

[@mandygoddard6403]

Really enjoy watching your vlog as you are one of the few who review bikes with a pillion review Once again very much appreciated as my partner looks at bikes and I can’t find a review on pillion comfort We are considering the Yamaha Tracer

[@dahi1602]

Good to see both of you again, lovely review, wonderful bike. New softer version seems ideal for me..

[@bennettsbikesocial]

Thanks very much!

[@markc6030]

Great info there and would make a good series. Think you should do more. H2 sx se+ next on the list 😉

[@bennettsbikesocial]

Thanks! We have done a couple, which are linked, and I'm editing the Interceptor 650 one right now. John

[@graeme9911]

That hand-held footage on the bike is FREAKING ME OUT! I need another pill to calm me down.

[@panpeteski5925]

My Wife and I (She's 5,3 and I am 6,3), we tested the very first XR. We rode in on our 2009 GSA, and went on the test ride. My Wife "rushed" me to finish the ride - She did not like it at all, and at the time, the XR didn't win me over either. We left the dealership on the 2015 GSA. A month later we circled the USA, and we probably would not enjoy it as much on the XR... A sweet bike, no less. Cheers

[@johnharvey5338]

Had the bike remapped recently as I put arrow headers on as the exhaust valve had seized, from 160 to 170 on the day, the throttle closes to 85% after 9000 rpm, and turned off the exhaust servo and took the restrictions off in the lower gears, in dynamic mode the throttle is now 1 to 1, pills like a train, was done in Bristol. Not bad for a bike with my mileage.

[@fire3500]

Get the Cymarc lowering kit for your existing XR, its ace.

[@MikeB-fp2nw]

Had mine done also . Dropped rear by 25 mm & front by 17mm , no effects on handling

[@allenglishknives6823]

Excellent review 👍🏻

[@iancharlton5530]

I’ve got a 1150gsa and that leans a lot on the side stand. I put opposite lock on when getting on or of and it’s easier to get upright.

[@ForgotToMentionThat]

Subscribed!!! Nice enjoyable presentations.

[@fabzrustrider9838]

Awesome review, and another great motorcycle from BMW, thank you Bennett’s bike.

[@ad78]

The popping and banging and rumble will be there as soon as you disconnect the flap wires. No dash warning on mine 2022 US model and its damn louder! More growl

[@MikeB-fp2nw]

Great review and nice to get the pillions point of view . We both love our 2019XR but I can't honestly decide whether to go for the 2020 next or a GS as I carry pillion 90% of the time . And i'm thinking the GS might calm me down a bit

[@bennettsbikesocial]

I honestly don't know what we'll go for next. I'm not keen on the current new version of the XR, but I do like the HP colours GS... Having said that, we're not in any rush to change this. John

[@awesomeagnihotrisvlog]

Get the GS Mike....you won’t regret it ever🙌

[@davidhardstaff8110]

You are a lucky man. Happy pillion.

[@PreethamRameshNaik]

Hey, I am planning to get one this week… 2016 are selling for $11k and 2020 is for $15k…. I had s1kRR for last 4 years… is it worth paying extra 4 grand for newer model ?

[@terenceokeeffesmotorcyclestuff]

Great real world content. 🥂

[@bennettsbikesocial]

Thanks Terry! Interceptor 650 coming next...

[@johnharvey5338]

After 45,000 mile the down shifter works best on a closing throttle, doesn’t like to change down on a fully closed throttle.

[@bennettsbikesocial]

This one was a lot more reluctant than mine, and both have a similar mileage. John

[@PhantomMark]

B1190 Bardney / Horncastle is the perfect road to test these bikes in their natural habitat I reckon, my XR Gen1 feels perfect on that road :D

[@TheOutdoorFun]

I did a test ride couple of days ago and came to the following conclusions: 1. Prefer the old XR's angry engine 2. Prefer the old XR's exhaust note. The new one needs an after market exhaust 3. Prefer the old XR's smaller screen 4. Prefer the old XR's seat 5. Prefer the new XR's soft suspension on the bumpy roads 6. Prefer the new XR's gearbox 7. The new XR has no noticeable vibration. Uploaded the video this morning.

[@bennettsbikesocial]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/bKLFoWx5jL1kkJo

[@TheOutdoorFun]

@@bennettsbikesocial Agree 100%. The new bike also not easy to take it off the side stand compared to my GSA

[@andyhorton1472]

In short we need more Mrs M. 😁

[@bennettsbikesocial]

Don't tell her that!

[@johnharvey5338]

Mine has had 2 valve checks and they are still in spec, nothing to worry about.

[@bennettsbikesocial]

Great to hear, thank you! Dare I ask what they cost?!

[@johnharvey5338]

Bennetts Bike I didn’t use BMW either the and £430 and £ 450, BMW quoted me £700 both times, second time got a sheet with the valve specs and tolerances, the said the exhaust valves may need doing next time as they have moved a tiny amount

[@bennettsbikesocial]

Excellent - thank you! I had to change most of the shims in my 1999 ZX-6R with just 18,000 miles on it!

[@johnharvey5338]

Bennetts Bike I also have a 2005 ZX6 with over 70,000 miles, still going strong

[@bennettsbikesocial]

@@johnharvey5338 Sounds like we like the same machines! Don't tell me you have a Grom too!

[@stevefarmer708]

Cracking review. How is the close contact aerial footage captured? Looks like a drone is following you.

[@bennettsbikesocial]

Thanks! It's just Helen holding a Insta360 One R. You can see my review of that here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ioa6iIaMr7OAeLs

[@grumpysonofbill5881]

Do you recommend any 2021 sport touring motorcycles for 2 up? Moving on from a 2002 ST1100 (Pan European), thinking of R1250RS, Tracer 900GT, or Ninja 1100SX. Any thoughts?

[@jslife240]

Great video mate 👍😁

[@bennettsbikesocial]

Thank you! John

[@MayhemInTheEast]

More pillion opinion reviews please

[@CeeRTee]

Suppose it depends what u have and what you are used to and the old xr is a great bike. Have an mt10 at the mo and the xr will replace it as I "think" yours did? Because honestly I found it better in almost every way on the day we tested it. My wife said the xr is the most comfortable bike she has ever been on but then she came from the back seat of 2 r1s then an mt10 lol. Google the 2020 bike in white 😲 gorgeous! Great video as always 👍

[@bennettsbikesocial]

Hi... yes, thats right - I sold my MT-10 to buy the 2019 one. You're right - it does look great in white! All the best, John

[@adamgoodsell4170]

Hi John, another good video! Can i ask about your jacket? It looks like the RST Pro Series Adventure-X Airbag? I'm thinking of purchasing the same. Do you recommend or would you stick to the separate Ixon IX-U03 vest? Will you be doing a review of the jacket? Thanks, Adam

[@bennettsbikesocial]

Hi Adam... I'm just working on the review at the moment, so it should be out in the next week or two, once I've pulled everything together from wet and dry testing. It'll be on the site, not on KZbin. Cheers, John

[@adamgoodsell4170]

Hi John, ok that’s brilliant and good timing (for me at least), I’ll keep a look out for it. Thanks, Adam

[@provashgogoi1804]

Try making a pillion seat review of the multistrada 950.

[@bennettsbikesocial]

Will do our best...

[@RobbieKiama]

Do you do any longer journeys? What would you say is the longest comfortable daily range for 2up?

[@bennettsbikesocial]

We spent two full days in the saddle together and Helen was very happy, but we do all have different shaped bums!

[@SBKPete]

I wonder if last years model was Euro 4 compliant? Hence the pops n bangs

[@bennettsbikesocial]

Yes, it was - Euro 5 came in for the 2020 model, so it's impressive that BMW achieved the same peak performance figures, but a lot of work was done to the engine. Cheers, John

[@eladarye9817]

This bike is more mature and do the "thing" in more elegant way. I believe that BMW aimed to more older riders with more £££ that can have a 2nd bike for the aggressive needs

[@reecelake98]

Hi J & H, thanks for he great review. I have a 2020 XR and have done about 3500 miles so far. I've done about 500 miles with the better half on the back. I did have the previous version too, on a 2017 model. The seat on the 2020 is most certainly shallower and harder, but having done a few 4 to 500 mile days, you do genuinely settle into it. It ends up being no more uncomfortable than many other bikes i've ridden, but these kind of experiences are always a subjective, personal choice issue. I agree that there is some loss of aggression, but BMW did say that had been something they were trying to achieve, and i guess all the latest emissions gubbins must put the mockers on it too. I find the quick shifter a bit slicker on upchange than down change. It works faultlessly if your making "enthusiastic" progress. On the subject of the side stand, there is an additional issue when carrying pillions. If you are two "full size" adults, and may be with panniers etc, then the superb auto pre load suspension system will pump up the rear end to compensate for the increased load. Obviously, when this happens, then the side stand gets further away from terra firma, well worth bearing in mind. Keep up the good work.

[@bennettsbikesocial]

Fantastic, thanks! Yes - the 'minimum' mode on the suspension should compensate for a jacked-up preload when you stop. Helen's not heavy but I make up for that! How does your partner find the comfort over distance? Cheers, John

[@reecelake98]

@@bennettsbikesocial Hi John, my missus has no complaints about the overall comfort, though has commented on the initial hardness of the new seat. i agree about the minimum preload setting, but i found it made the usual planted feeling a little compromised. its fractionally wallowy and reduces ground clearance. Nothings perfect and having owned many new bikes over the last umpteen years, then there simply isn't one bike suits all out there. The XR's are as close as ive found for a useful "all rounder". I must repeat, this subject does occasionally seem to polarise opinions, but there is no perfect machine, its entirely personal and subjective.

[@bennettsbikesocial]

I totally agree - if we all loved the same things in motorcycles, it'd be pretty boring. I really think that bike reviews can only give points that people can consider when they test ride a machine for themselves, not dictate what someone should or shouldn't buy. Just because I prefer the 2019 model doesn't mean I think everyone else should agree; I just hope to explain what I find and let people decide what matters to them. Cheers, John

[@davehenderson3247]

Nice to have a pillion that knows what she's talking about unlike TMF's!!

[@bennettsbikesocial]

To be fair, we can all find bikes comfortable or uncomfortable in different ways - on launches I tend to get a numb bum way earlier than anyone else (this sounds wrong, doesn't it?!), and it's just the same for a pillion. Cheers, John

[@davehenderson3247]

@@bennettsbikesocial don't you like the R1250GS 2-up?

[@bennettsbikesocial]

@@davehenderson3247 We haven't tried the 1250 yet, and it's a long while since we rode a GS together.

[@davehenderson3247]

@@bennettsbikesocial you should, it's a better overall bike especially if you ride a lot 2-up and the 1250 is quicker than the old 1200.

[@johnharvey5338]

You only get the pops and bangs in dynamic mode, mines quiet in road mode,

[@bennettsbikesocial]

And Dynamic Pro of course, but on this model it wouldn't do it in either. John

[@CeeRTee]

Euro 5 doing its thing 😔

[@bennettsbikesocial]

To be honest, I'm surprised BMW got away with it in Euro 4!

[@johnharvey5338]

Bennetts Bike I recently tried the new XR the new RR with the shiftcam, the RR pulls so much better below 9000 rpm than the XR and mine now pulls very close to the new RR, would be a good comparison to see how yours pulls compared to the new one and RR, like when you did with the 1200 and 1250 GS, happy to bring mine along as well.

[@bennettsbikesocial]

Hmmmm... got me thinking now...

[@splodge57]

Just say 'it looks horrible.' The GS may be more comfortable for a pillion but I prefer the Kawasaki Z1000SX. Nice review.

[@bennettsbikesocial]

Thanks! Beauty is in the eye of the beholder etc, and while I wouldn't say it's horrible to my eyes, I do prefer the previous one. John

[@martingarland9217]

Do u have to adjust for million manually

[@bennettsbikesocial]

Not on this D-ESA Pro-equipped model. On the previous one, you did have to press a button to change preload. John

[@essosa1]

Pops and bangs are still there, but they are silenced by that big ugly silencer box underneath the bike. Fitting the Akrapovic headers brings the bangs back ;) Your Mrs pillion opinion about the 2020 XR is pretty much aligned with my Mrs pillion :) She is very happy how our 2020 XR soaks up the bumps in Road mode (I prefer Dynamic for the same reasons as you do), but there are some complaints re the seat. She complains about the seat shape - it's triangularly shaped and narrows exactly where she sits, so its edges are making her bum slightly uncomfortable. Will try modifying the pillion seat to be more square and insert a layer of foam to make it softer. And the top box is mandatory on this bike if you ride with a pillion. She sits high and this bike really accelerates, so back support is more than welcome.

[@bennettsbikesocial]

Thanks very much! How does changing the headers affect fuelling? I'd assume it leans it up and that reduction of back pressure is allowing unburnt fuel to flow through more easily.

[@essosa1]

@@bennettsbikesocial Headers make the bike slightly leaner at the low rpm's. High rpm AFR is pretty much unchanged, probably corrected by the ECU, since 2020 is equipped with 4 O2 probes (2 wide band and 2 short band). So if you are looking just for sound and not the extra power, it is not necessary to remap it. From my experience, pops and bangs are usually caused by the PCV valve injecting the unburnt fumes directly in the exhaust, not by a dedicated injection of fuel through the injectors. That would quickly damage the catalytic converters. Exhaust flapper helps with the back pressure - I believe that on the Gen1 in Dynamic mode it would shortly open on overrun to give way to pops and bangs

[@bennettsbikesocial]

Fantastic info, thanks very much! John

[@scottb6815]

If you spending that amount of money,it has to look good as well

[@CJ125UK]

"You don't want ball drag" hahaha

[@MarkTurkel]

LOL, my wife HATES this bike. The seat is too small and uncomfortable for her. She won't even get on it any more. We have over 150,000 miles on 2 Kawi Concours 14's, and there's just no comparison for the passenger...the Concours is just more comfortable for touring. Even for me, after an hour or so on the BMW, my ass starts to hurt. I've done the mod to lift the front of the seat and much better for me...the wife says "That's your 1-up bike". I wouldn't recommend my 2020 XR for 2-up riding...however, for 1 rider it is too much fun!

[@nickb7081]

I would be interested to understand why Mrs Flyer from @TMF feels this XR is not comfortable as a pillion, and she feels all the vibrations, and the back support wasnt great, as this review contradicts TMF's view.

[@bennettsbikesocial]

Wait, what... two people have different opinions? The internet must be broken. Why not ask Andy the same question? Both of our wives have been out on what is the same bike from the BMW press fleet, but I can't speak for their experience; all we can do is offer our personal opinion based on our 150 mile ride, with the suspension mode predominantly in 'Road', and the riding mode in 'Dynamic Pro'.

[@grahamclutterbuck583]

Seats are subjective .we all have different body shape and weight. My missus and daughter have different views on the seats on my bikes, even though they are around the same weight and size.

[@ianbriden7907]

I hope this is a regular feature on 44 teeth,as it is really useful having a pragmatic solicitor giving a balanced view on the law.If only the Police were as Knowledgeable!

[@bennettsbikesocial]

I think you commented on the wrong link here! Though Al taking Andrew pillion while any law breaking is pointed out would be something I'd definitely watch! John

[@daimonmt]

My like is for the review of you and the Mrs opinion,, not for the bike

[@robertlee8042]

That open wheel scares me. Your passenger has her feet right there. Plus you have a 135 pound human way high and way back. A twofer. I’ve ridden for over 55 years. Cannot imagine packing weight like that. And the open wheels. Form over function. Plus small wheels.

[@bennettsbikesocial]

You've never ridden with a pillion?

[@robertlee8042]

@@bennettsbikesocial many times. But the back of street motorcycles was not sticking up so ridiculously and dangerously in the air. The “pillion” (passenger) sat at the same height. Everything is wrong about the geometry of what is now called the “pillion”. This is not my opinion. It is physics. My bike is a 1980 R100S. If I were to buy a new bike, and I have been thinking about it, I would spend money to modify the rear so that the exhaust was low and out of the way instead of the stupid upswept style of today, the rear section would be lowered so the passenger sat lower and the panniers would be lower, as well as any top box. I would cut out every piece of stupid plastic all over the place, and build a real fairing, not some half-assed little piece of windshield for a rabbit. Everything is wrong about the current style. The style apes a track bike. Racers on tracks don’t carry passengers. I have driven through hurricanes and snow storms and dust storms. In a month and a half if Europe opens up I will be on a Yamaha T 700 in The Carpathian Mountains in Romania. This bike has ABS. That’s it. Because it’s required by law in various countries. The bikes people drive today are silly and dangerous. Quick shifters? Six axis Inertial sensor? It’s absurd. I’ve driven a whole lot of miles. I drive 75 - 90 miles per hour across states. These kids drive 140 mph for five miles. And they die. In droves. Last night I was with a bunch of kids on his crotch rockets. A local club. About 40 riders. I don’t know how many are in the club, total, but they told me that 14 of them had died in the last three years. So much for stuffing computers into every nook and crevice of a street motorcycle. My “rain mode” is in my right wrist.

[@bennettsbikesocial]

@@robertlee8042 Wow, you should be a bike designer and a development rider

[@robertlee8042]

@@bennettsbikesocial I assume that is sarcasm. You want all your weight as low and centered as you can make it. And you want actual fenders that follow the wheel. Unless you are Kenny Roberts or whoever the current racers are and you’re on a track without a “pillion”.

[@bennettsbikesocial]

@@robertlee8042 Something like this gets the pillion nice and low. Just needs a big, proper fibreglass fairing :) kzbin.info/www/bejne/l4TPlnmqo8l5nJY

[@Bredaxe]

This new model year definitely looks like an ants head.

[@JohnOLooney]

the gen 1 are a better bike the cam issues aside

[@petersean777]

Bmw have messed up there that why people liked the XR

[@bennettsbikesocial]

It's why many of us bought it, but it's also why a lot of people didn't. Though I can't help thinking that the M1000XR will be more firm and aggressive.

[@tecprojex]

Or just get a GS.

[@AlienApe.]

How much does Helen, and you, miss the Versys 1000? I see it as the XR is a woman for a dirty weekend; a fling. The Versys 1000 is a wife; a partner for life.

[@bennettsbikesocial]

Ha - that's a good analogy. Helen misses the Versys more than me as I love the aggressive nature of the XR (and find our 2019 one more comfortable than the Versys). She found the Versys much more comfy, but we don't do huge miles often enough for it to matter. For our riding, she does love the XR. Cheers, John

[@AlienApe.]

@@bennettsbikesocial Great review- enjoy the trying for a baby, or the practice!

[@mikkosaukkonen3108]

My wife does't miss Versys. She thinks like Helen. XR is our mutual joy! We have 2015 in red. ♥️

[@robertlee8042]

That popping was wasting gas and polluting.