Faster Friend

It’s more of the same, but with better electronics and a bit more power

- Matt Wildee

Fast, frenetic, friendly and flexible, BMW’s new S1000R Sport is much like the old one – and that’s no bad thing. Now in its fourth year of production, BMW’s top-spec supernaked has been treated to a host of tweaks to improve performance and meet the latest Euro4 emissions and noise laws.

One of the most obvious changes is the new chassis, which is derived from the current S1000RR. The cast ally beam frame is lighter than before and takes most of the credit for the bike’s claimed 2kg weight loss. Then there are new electronics. The S1000R now has a similar Bosch IMU as its RR big brother, meaning the bike now boasts cornering ABS and lean-angle sensitive traction control. It also has BMW’s Gearshift Assist Pro as standard, a bidirectional quick shifter that allows clutchless changing both up and down the box. It works well, even if it is a little more ponderous than some systems.