BMW S1000XR - An Honest Motorcycle Review

[@BlueAlgon]

Nicely done review, though I'd prefer it without the background music. This looks likes a great bike and is on my wish list, for sure.

[@gogsalba4573]

Im of a certain age and have a few injuries picked up over the years ... I rode the XR through some European countries in long day rides.... & was impressed with the bike so much so that i still wanted to ride further .... Mornings couldnt come round quick enough......

[@maldridge7630]

I am considering this bike and your review will help a lot. Thanks for this honest review!

[@gsgoinwest]

Honesty is great and the review was on the mark, but honestly if not for the title and the video this could have been a review of a new multi-speed washing machine. In almost any form we are talking about something that most riders consider to be soul stirring and a deeply enjoyed hobby, if not a passion and a lifestyle. I still fall in love with my 07 GS Adventure, loved my old Honda, not to mention my 2010 Ducati which I still have along with the BMW. Any review takes thought and work, and is greatly appreciated. Just make sure you let some of that soul and passion that you must feel when you ride and twist that throttle or carve out a perfect winding road, shine through. As best I can tell not being a current XR owner but having read many reviews and seen it in person, you made a great choice..enjoy! And keep that Honda...having 2 very different bikes significantly increases the overall enjoyment...my brother still has his 02 Blackbird, alongside his 07 GSA.

[@Adventuredude798]

+gsgoinwest Very true, but alas, where I live the mandatory insurance means its very costly to keep two bikes on the road-especially knowing that I’ll be riding one more much more frequently than the other. So for 2016, the CBR has been relegated to track-only. At least to start the season - we’ll see how the summer/fall progresses.

[@gsgoinwest]

I totally get it...it's why I still drive a 14 year old truck! Enjoy that new BMW....as I said I still love my 07 GS Adventure....and my brother loves his. You always have the GS to consider if the XR doesn't adequately hit the spot, but hard to believe the XR wouldn't be an excellent bike to own and ride for miles, and years.

[@JavierBlanchardBJJ]

S1000XR and Multistrada Pikes Peak are the Swiss Army of Motorcycles

[@Kenny-lbaum]

Thanks for sharing. Really informative and short - and very good picture quality.

[@TheCDANet]

Very nicely made review!

[@sbmphoenix]

Great review....this bike is top of my wishlist at the minute, holding out to see if there are any reliability issues. Good buddy of mine had a gs and rt (aswell as about 40 other bikes) which both gave him electrical troubles. bmw response to his disappointment with the reliability was that he had breakdown cover. he still says that the bmw was the most versatile of all his bikes, but wont buy one again. this is a guy that rides 7 days a week, and after 25 years of 35000 to 40000 annual mileage he still doesnt drive a car. so I value his opinion. Had Ducatis myself in the past and even when theyre going right the doubt and anxiety eats away at the back of my mind. Interesting the amount of sportsbike riders that have bought the xr. My primary bike has been a gsxr1000k3 since new, until i recently bought a triumph and as good as my tiger 1050 is I miss the power of the gixxer. I reckon the xr would be the answer.

[@Rogo121]

Nice to see some of Ottawa on KZbin. The FAST shirt and Good Time Centre keychain gave it away at first.

[@marksilva1239]

Thanks for the informative review!

[@mariantuceacov8463]

Thank you for the informative review

[@krisrudecki9477]

An interesting fact about the XR, it’s quicker to 60 mph than it’s super bike older brother due to the RR due to shorter, more aggressive gearing. It’s also easier to power wheelie thanks to that 👍 just ordered one 🤘🏻

[@ilike2run2]

A very informative and concise review - thanks for posting it. Like Darrell, I am wondering what your thoughts are about the bike now after a full riding season. Have you had any mechanical problems with the bike so far?

[@kevinbrennan2004]

I do like the look of this bike. It has received raved reviews, and will be a fitting change from my 2009 BMW 800st.

[@tekkenthumbdan]

I’ve had an XR for 18 months and I agree with most of the review; I have a standard / not lowered bike, I’m 5’9inches and I can reach the ground with my heels in standard one rider mode. Are you sure you’re 5’11 cos I have a friend who insists that he’s 6 foot but we’re eye to eye when standing / his head isn’t abnormally tall lol. I also found that the indicator switch seems a bit flimsy/ cheap and doesn’t have a nice solid operation like my previous ZZR1400 and Honda Blackbird.

[@UncleWally3]

It's great to hear a "real world" review. That said, in my world. money matters. So, a tad more information about the cost of options, maintenance schedules, fuel consumption, OEM tires and likely aftermarket purchases would be helpful. Any chance of a follow up?

[@Adventuredude798]

+Walter Wilkins Could be a possibility, stay tuned.

[@krisrudecki9477]

Walter Wilkins it’s way too late for a reply two years down the road ... but maybe someone will find it useful. Done a tonne of research on the XR as I’m definitely getting one ... so the money, short answer ... Get it on finance with warranty, dealer approved etc. BMW does good finance deals, at least in the UK. Those bikes are quite reliable day to day, but stuff can break, expensive stuff, like the ECU, engine bits etc. It’s all good under warranty (not like KTM ... ), you’ll get a loan bike (any BMW bike you want) for the time of the repair and it’s all covered, plus they have free coffee :P But if you don’t have the warranty then have a few K stashed somewhere for the moment when shit hits the fan ...

[@user-cx2bk6pm2f]

BMW makes a great bike.

[@macsporran]

honesty - what a commodity

[@BluenileBoy100]

I currently own a 2016 Ducati Multistrada, base model. After owning the bike for over 6-months, the BMW S1000XR caught my attention and I find myself seriously interested in swapping. Any one out there who experienced both bikes ? and what's your take ?

[@Banditmanuk]

Very nicely produced video. Looks like you keep your bikes a while, does all the electronics on the bike worry you in regard to their future reliability? The reason I ask is I previously owned a Multistrada 1200S and that was a warranty nightmare in regards to the electronics. Currently got the new Versys 1000 which has less electronics and so far at 8500 miles it has had no issues. Must say the S1000XR looks a great bike to ride and so far have not had chance to get a test.

[@Adventuredude798]

+Banditmanuk Interesting. I looked into the Multistrada before purchasing the XR. I’ve a buddy who had one, and loved how it rode. However, he too had a number of issues with the bike; all under warranty, but the bike spent more time in the shop than he wanted. He sold it before the warranty was up. I’m hoping BMW will do a better job of ‘getting it right’ than yours and my buddy's experience. We will see. With that stated, my bike is (effectively) the first year for this model - and it does have lots of electronics as you pointed out. So I took a precautionary measure of purchasing the extended warranty, an option I don’t normally take.

[@cwugrad396]

+Adventuredude798 how long is your warranty? I just bought one and I got 3 years/36,000 miles which is why I opted for the XR over the Multi

[@Adventuredude798]

+cwugrad396 The warranty from BMW is 3 years, unlimited mileage (one of the ‘perks’ of an abbreviated riding season in Canada). The extended warranty is for an additional 4 years, unlimited mileage.

[@Bikerjay2025]

Great video thanks 👍

[@humbertogonzalez7505]

2 years later, what are your thoughts on the bike?

[@dangracey4698]

Are you in Ottawa... I noticed your key had a goodtime center tag on it. I'm in Ottawa and have a s1000XR being delivered in march

[@Adventuredude798]

+Dan Gracey Yes, Ottawa is home. With the way the Ottawa weather is, there is a good chance that we'll be riding by end of March so your new bike is arriving at a good time.

[@NicChap]

+Adventuredude798 +Dan Gracey See you on the streets, I also noticed the OGTC key chain. I picked up my S1000XR i August. Haven't riden much but hopefully will do the Tails of the Dragon in May. I did notice lots of wind buffeting and added the Wunderlich deflector. Hopefully it will make a diff. Nice review BTW.

[@Alpine_Joe]

I find myself in agreement with most of the points you make ... except the one about it looking better with the bags (or panniers if you will, because they're not really 'bags' are they ?). So much so that when I was looking at luggage for mine I opted for the top box instead and I've removed the pannier rails accordingly... much better looking in my opinion. I do accept though that this is purely subjective and to each his own. All in all though, it is a great bike, isn't it ? That engine is a peach and pulls like a freight train (if you'll pardon the mixed metaphor ☺).

[@abritablondeabike]

A great review. Thanks.

[@DSH1LL]

Great review and I appreciate you going into detail on the seat height. BMW Motorrad says the vibe is fixed on the bars for the 2017 XR. Aside from that, how have you liked it? Did the seat give you the trouble you predicted (limited positions, sharp angles)? I ride a restored '77 R75/7, but I want a new bike for long trips. Would you recommend the XR as a long distance highway bike? And what about it's off-road capabilities? Could it withstand a bumpy gravel lane? Is the torque such that I'm going to be flipping it if I try to maneuver on a rural backroad (I live in the midwestern US and we have a lot of those)? And how vulnerable is that exposed radiator, have you had any problems with that? Thanks again for your honest review!

[@Texarmageddon]

I think the most important fact an individual can take from this whole video is that his CBR has 115k KM or about 70kUS miles on it. Tired of people saying 20k miles are high on a bike.

[@robertcawley6543]

I used to have a 1987 Hurricane 1000 bought used w 16k miles , after 11 years my wife made me get rid of it. 150k plus miles HARD miles , lots of canyon road runs (SoCal) best bike I have. No issues at all

[@gbitsadze]

Hi, and how good is it as everyday city bike? How it works at low rpm-s, from 3 to 6 or 7 hundred? Is lack of power at that range or not? And how good is it at low speed, for example if you are in traffic jam and are moving couple miles with a very slow speed?

[@Eiseskälte]

Hello, thanks for the overview. I'm asking myself if I should switch from my 2008er R1 to the XR. I really love(!!) the R1, but I think the BMW provides a much better overall performance in the everyday use (driving to work, shopping, etc). Do you still ride your CBR? I am quite impressed that you rode it that long. What's your opinion when you compare the CBR with the XR?

[@fleuger99]

Nice review, thanks. I currently ride a 2012 BMW R1200R and am thinking about buying this bike. I need to get out and ride it. If you could do it all over again, would you still buy this bike?

[@Adventuredude798]

‘Would I do it again?’ I’d have to answer ‘Yes’. However - that’s not a very fair response as the bike has been in winter lay-up for the past 4 months. In fact, I just took it out of hibernation yesterday, and it felt great to be on it again; but that has more to do with just being on two wheels again.

[@alachaniotis]

Great review! Thanks for uploading. I am thinking of buying the 2018 model, and would like to hear from you on any reliability issues if you have faced. Thanks By the way I too had the CBR1000RR '04 until recently. Had to sell that though..

[@manoelamauricio]

Thanks for the video, I am Brazilian and I have a ducati mts 2014. I'm seriously considering changing for this BMW. Would you trade?

[@JohnJay1745]

Nice job! Cheers!

[@Adventuredude798]

+John Butrus Thank you.

[@superbike1]

I like this bike..if you will.

[@TWOWHEELFIX]

good video, can you change the mode to dynamic to dynamic pro etc on the fly?

[@Adventuredude798]

+TWO WHEEL FIX Yup, you can change modes on the fly. Every time you press the mode button it displays a different ‘mode’ on the indicator. Closing and opening the throttle again, will ‘activate’ the mode currently being displayed.

[@TWOWHEELFIX]

+Adventuredude798 great feature, thanks for reply.

[@BigDawwwg101]

Good lad good review

[@markpepaj448]

Ik this is old but I feel like this guys a doctor. When he said here and here I felt like a doc had a stethoscope on my chest.

[@BigTimberLodge]

I'm watching this review with your cousin Rich right now.

[@Adventuredude798]

+Nicholas Rogers Say hi to "Evil Cousin Richard"!

[@pz5006]

good review, if you will

[@nortondlcl]

Any regrets buying it ?

[@Adventuredude798]

'Any regrets?’ and ‘Would I do it again?’. I’d have to answer ‘No’ and ‘Yes’ respectively. However - that’s not a very fair response to those questions as the bike has been in winter lay-up for the past 4 months. In fact, I just took it out of hibernation yesterday, and it felt great to be on it again; but that has more to do with just being on two wheels again.

[@mjpmusic6347]

My gripe with bikes is that top gear, and usually that's a sixth gear these days, is that they are not highway gears. A close ratio 6 speed gearbox is probably right for the race track but not for the real world. Sometimes we ride motorways and A-grade highways and low engine revs would be pleasant for those times to get a relaxed feel. I read a review of this bike that says it revs at 4500rpm at 100km/hr in sixth gear. That is definitely not a relaxed touring feeling. The only bike I have read about that has anything like I'm wanting is the Kawasaki Vulcan 1700 with a true overdrive sixth gear but its a cruiser so its not going to be good fun on the twisties.

[@kevinbrennan2004]

Just wish it was shaft driven, as i hate chains.Of course, this would change the character of the bike, making it less appealing, i'm sure.

[@JimmySlacksack]

you need to drop that cutesy Mac user music

[@nihar77p]

Classy !!!!

[@PIETROMACMOTO]

nice bike

[@jimgordon3468]

Super rich neighborhood he resides in.

[@alexrivera-alwayslearning2396]

Hi AD, I thoroughly enjoyed your video! Thank you for being so honest. I have heard the downside of your bike, mainly the buzzing, on many videos. It's interesting that you mentioned the jog dial button getting in your way. I chose to go with the 2016 Ducati Multistrada. I can see that you are a BMW fan, I totally understand why, they are great bikes.... I loved the feel, look and overall appeal of the Multistrada over the BMW. Here is a video I put together of one of my trips with a friend...Towards the middle we switch and you can see my bike more.... I'm trying to get into the MOTOVLOGing thing so if you have any tips, let me know, thanks!!kzbin.info/www/bejne/hKiylIuumrudb6M

[@fleuger99]

+Alejandro Hey, I had a Multistrada as a loaner for two days and found the heat on my legs generated from the engine excessive and could only imagine that heat in a Texas summer. How do you find it?

[@enntense]

These are really awesome machines, except for one unforgivable glitch...The hand, foot, brain numbing violent vibration they exude right as cruising speed, rendering you incapable of traveling more than 45 minutes without shaking the blood back into your extremities. Not much point in having a great handling, comfortable, long range bike that you cannot ride long range...

[@markx5]

enntense I've toured Europe on mine, with mostly 350 - 450 mile days, no problem. Mine is vibe free, I'd return it if it's that bad, why accept a bike with a fault ?

[@frfrpr]

Honest review. The film work here sucks. Your viewers deserve better.

[@CEAAJI]

Nice video, but the background music is good for nothing

[@aluisious]

You've got to stop saying "if you will." "There are four modes, if you will." No, there are four modes.

[@Adventuredude798]

+aluisious LOL, that’s one of the first things I noticed as well once I saw the compiled video. I chalked it up nervousness in front of the camera.

[@aluisious]

+Adventuredude798 Cool bike though. I was seriously interested in this one, ended up getting the 2016 Multistrada. Similar bikes bought by sport bike riders for similar reasons.

[@Ultra54able]

+aluisious and you will

[@BigDawwwg101]

aluisious quieten down

[@steveharley6023]

I have the HP seat, much more comfortable

[@cadeere74]

A comment

[@pjcedge]

If you will, and so on - a habit that A little more ride - just talking makes it a little slow