well today i test rode a 2014 bmw s1000rr, what a cracking bike! i took it out for 2 hours, in traffic,out in the country side round the twisties and a blast down the motorway, so easy to ride! the gear change assist worked great never missed a beat, the brakes are truely brilliant so much better than my 1198, suspension was also great, comfy but it handle like it was on rails!! A few niggles but not horrendous, foot pegs were quite high so legs ached after a while but im sure you could get used to it, throttle had alot of free play in the first part of the twist that was quite annoying when in traffic and pulling out of junctions, and the the indicator switch!! who ever designed that wants it sticking up his arse! yes it works but it feels like it broke doesnt feel like the switch actually works so was constantly checking to see if it was working, also when cruising the vibration though the bars and foot pegs was quite bad, by the time i got back fingers and toes were quite numb. Back on the plus side it is biblically quick you could get into trouble rather quick on it, round the twisties it was amazing one of the best bikes ive been on handling wise, so much confidence in the corners(even with drizzle in the air) tc light flickered a few times nice to know it worked just added to the confidence. Good in traffic no snatching or dodgy fueling just smooth all the way up the rev range. Definalty on the list for a new bike i got back on the 1198 after and it felt like a tractor to be honest , testing the new r6 next week that should be fun.
Did 2 x 3/4 hour runs last year, v. easy to ride, certainly flatters the rider, just not as good in the looks department (1098) I didn't notice any excessive vibration, but then I didn't notice it on the XR either.
@bradders its still hasnt got the initial torque of the ducati but its SO a much better to ride, once you get the revs up id say its quicker than the duc by a long way, but you do have to keep the revs up.
Have you test-ridden a 1299? I had a 1098 and liked the engine but no so much the handling. Now I have a 1299 and most of the handling issues are a thing of the past. I don't do much on the track theses days, so the torque of the twin does it for me over inline 4s.
@razz no mate not ridden a 1299 i should do. im not sure if im being drawn back to the 4's again!! as i love riding my old k2 1000. going to test the new r1 as well.
Always been drawn to the S1K too. Found fuelling great, cruise great, heated grips great. Pegs felt higher than my 1299 , found the bike harder to turn in and less flickable than the 1299. The biggest negative by a country mile for me was the vibes . Pegs & bars when cruising at motorway speeds on cruise. They disappeared at slightly higher revs (5.5kish from memory). I've been told they vary from bike to bike so I may try another. @royalwithcream has had a fair play on his gen 3 (I think) so maybe could add to this ? Opinions on the vibe issue are of particular interest because this would potentially be unbearable on long distances.
Yeah the vibration was really bad on the one I test rode. The sales man sort of looked at me to say really!! But others than that was cracking, I must admit I do like the look of um. From a vain point of view I still don't think it has the wow factor of the ducati, I stopped at Monmouth for 5 mins outside a pub and only one person was interested , one chap even asked what it was! If the ducati was there parked up you can see people's faces!! Wow a ducati!!
Weird, I've never had any problems with vibrations. They are epic bikes, the engine is almost comedy it's that good. It's like they have put a lightweight race engine into the stock bike and still kept the standard price tag. It's way faster than anything other than the 1299 basically. The downside is that it feels like a big lump compared to the Panigales which for track riding is a massive factor for me. I'd rather have a lightweight race bike that I can chuck around in the corners on track than a big bruiser that goes faster than everything else on the straight. The brake callipers are the same but the extra weight of the BMW makes them noticeably worse than the Pani. The BMW probably edges it for me as a road bike because of that size and stability plus the cruise control and heated grips, but I find it hurts my knees after a long time in the saddle whereas the Panigale has lots of leg room. The BMW is a mega fast tool that I find a bit hard to love unless I am thrashing it around the Nurburging where it comes into it's own!
I'd definitely recommend trying the 1299S @cookster. The base model Pani is a harder choice as you get so much technology with the BMW but I'd swap my BMW for a 1299S without hesitation. I nearly have a bunch of times and it's only the extra cash and the track noise limits that have stopped me doing so. The BMW needs all the extras to make it really comparable so you're looking at a final new price of around £18k for wheels, electronics, etc. But the bike also looks quite plain and boring compared to the Ducati so if you include a can, rearsets and levers which you really need to make it feel desirable then that's another grand or two so you're saving maybe three or four grand over the 1299S which isn't such a massive amount in the grand scheme of things and the world of PCP
Bonjour, Ive spent a lot of time on various s1000's on the road and track and can echoe what Dave has said above. performance is one thing they have in common as well as two wheels and a engine.. however they're very different bikes the BMW and 1299. The BMW is an absolute road weapon, seriously in my opinion it's the best all round sport bike you can buy. It's argueably the fastest in a straight line and it's probably the best equipped. It's effortless, smooth and goes like the clappers and is one of the easiest bikes I've ever ridden. But you won't fall in love with it, it's so good it's boring and lacks character. People don't really look and smile at it like the 1299. The 1299 will make you feel alive. It's not as good of a road bike but once you get the panigale going it really makes sense!! The 1299 changes direction better, the brakes are better and it's a fair amount more nimble however it's more physical to ride than the BMW. But it's more of an occasion as well, it's more special. I've been very close to buying one on a number of occasions and could of had a top spec sport model for 'trade' cost.. but I still ended up getting a 1299. On the topic of vibrations I've noticed some vibrate more than others but I don't think it's anything to be worried about myself .. but then I also think people exaggerate about the panigale heat problem. Also the pegs on the BMW are higher than any of the standard panigale models and it does hurt my knees a bit after a while, nothing major and FYI I'm 6ft3 ish.
