ROAD TEST – 2023 BMW M 1000 R
Words: Phil Suriano
Photos: Phil Suriano and BMW Motorrad
As I write this review, finals campaigns for both the NRL and AFL are gearing up, which brought to mind the BMW M 1000 R. Just as the finals is a step above the regular season in terms of intensity and performance, the M 1000 R is a step above BMW’s other litre-class nakeds.
It’s already a finalist in the super naked class, but can the BMW be a grand finalist, or even the premier?
I always enjoy test riding new bikes, but I approached this one with a particularly big smile on my face, not only because I’d have the bike for a couple of weeks instead of the usual day or two, but also because I’d have a 2023 BMW M 1000 R - BMW’s super naked bike. Having owned an S 1000 R, and ridden the current S 1000 R Sports, I was eager to see how big a step above these models the M 1000 R would be.
I thoroughly love the S 1000 R because, for a rider like me who uses the bike purely on the road (no track days), it has everything a sports naked needs. Yes, the peak output of 121kW (165hp) is short of some rivals in this space, but the performance throughout the rev range makes the S 1000 R exceptionally functional as both a fast track day bike and a more docile commuter. Additionally, I find the S 1000 R’s riding position to be perfect. How much of this would transfer to the M 1000 R experience? I was about to find out…
Sharp Dressed, Man
Seeing the M 1000 R in the metal certainly didn’t disappoint. In fact, it looked better than I was expecting. The ‘Blackstorm Metallic’ colour scheme of my test bike is exclusive to the M 1000 R with M Competition Package. The M 1000 R without this package is available only in Light White. In my opinion, the black adds a masculine look, not that the M 1000 R needs colour to give it street creed.
In both instances, the paint is highlighted by signature M Sport red/blue/purple colour flashesSome may see these flashes as overdone, but I think they look great and really add to the bike's muscular, aggressive look. This treatment is common to both M 1000 R variants, but the Light White version removes the tri-colour rim stickers, so is a little more subtle.
In addition to its exclusive colour, the M Competition Package also gets a whole bunch of carbon fibre parts, including front and rear mudguards, fuel tank cover, sprocket cover and chain guard. Wheels are carbon fibre with this package, too, instead of forged aluminium. My bike also had carbon fibre peg brackets.
Other goodies with the M Competition Package include M brake and clutch levers, lever guard and footrest, an endurance chain, lighter M Titanium muffler, anodised aluminium swingarm and a ‘passenger package’ that adds a pillion seat and pegs, although riding this bike two-up seems to me to defeat its purpose.
As good as the M 1000 R with M Competition Package looks, these extras do add to the super naked’s price. At time of writing, the M 1000 R was listing for $34,715 ride away, which increases to $42,545 ride away for the M Competition Package variant. That’s still cheaper than the fully-faired M 1000 RR, which will set you back more than $63,000.
For a comparison the other way, the 2023 S 1000 R lists for $24,210 ride away, so the ‘M’ badge does carry a premium, as it does with BMW’s four-wheel range.
While you can debate the worth of the M Competition Package, what can’t be disputed is the quality of fit and finish on the M 1000 R. Everywhere you look, there’s quality. This even extends to fine details, like the M Sport logo in the top of the seat.
Aesthetically, the only elements I didn’t like on the M 1000 R were its front brake master cylinder and exhaust system. As with the S 1000 R, the bulky master cylinder on the M 1000 R disturbs what is a clean control area, while the catalytic converter is just plain ugly. On the all-black M 1000 R with M Competition Package, this looks even worse, but I have seen a solution where the pipes and cat were ceramic coated in black. This improved the look considerably, and if I was buying this bike, it’s a change I’d be making.
In terms of fixing the brake master cylinder’s aesthetics, I'm sure Rizoma and other aftermarket suppliers have a solution.
The Song is Familiar
Straddling the M 1000 R for the first time, it felt familiar and comfortable, partly because of my past S 1000 R experience.
Seat height is 830mm and pegs are positioned directly in line with your backside. The broad, flat handlebar requires a slight lean forward, but there’s not too much weight on your wrists and the levers are span adjustable. See the pictures and you’ll see how close to neutral the riding position is – not as comfortable as the S 1000 R, but not far off it.
If the pegs were any further back, I wouldn’t enjoy this bike on the road, but I didn’t feel any discomfort during my time in the saddle, nor any wrist ache from the non-adjustable bars being too far forward. That says a lot, as a fortnight’s test provides ample opportunities to find such flaws. I would say that the ergonomics are fine for short to medium length rides, but all day would be a different story.
As I do a lot of commuting in Sydney, I’m not a fan of bar-end mirrors. That meant the units on the M 1000 R (that are standard) didn’t light my fire. Sure, they look good, but they increase the bike’s width by more than 18cm, which isn’t helpful when lane splitting.
Moving to the switchgear, it was all very familiar to me and would be to others with experience on an S 1000 R. The layout is quite compact and straightforward, with switches kept to a minimum, which further highlights that bulky brake master cylinder.
Adjusting settings and display information for the 6.5-inch TFT screen is done with a multi-function scroll wheel and menu button on the left-hand switchgear. This system is the best on the market, in my opinion. Yes, it’ll be complex for newcomers, but becomes intuitive fairly quickly. The screen itself is clear and super-easy to read, even without glasses (I use +2 for reading).
To the ‘My Vehicle,’ ‘Navigation,’ ‘Phone,’ ‘Media’ and ‘Settings’ screens, the M 1000 R adds a ‘Race’ screen that displays information for more extreme applications, like lean angle, brake pressure, Dynamic Traction Control intervention and other data.
Like the scroll wheel, the BMW’s standard cruise control is exceptionally easy to use, thanks to buttons that are positioned clear of the others on the left-hand switchblock. Cruise control may seem a little odd on a high-performance naked like this, but few riders will find it superfluous. It’s part of a rider assistance package that includes wheelie control, launch control and braking control. In addition, selectable riding modes of Rain, Road, Dynamic and Race can be adjusted to suit road conditions and rider preference.
Plenty to Give
The M 1000 R comes standard with keyless ignition; the fob for which also engages and disengages the electronic steering lock. Depending on whether the steering lock is on or off, it is either a one- or two-step process to turn the bike on (either way is very simple).
On start up, the engine revs high and hard for around 20 seconds, with an aggressive note from the Akrapovic silencer, but it wasn’t obnoxiously loud. Just as well, given some of my time on this bike included early morning starts.
With the 999cc four settling to a nice idle, selecting first gear reveals the smoothness of the clutch action, while rising through the other cogs in the six-speed transmission was just as fluid. The top three gears have been altered to suit the ShiftCam tech on the engine (more on that to follow), with two more teeth on the rear sprocket than the S 1000 R. A slipper clutch and standard up and down quick shifter makes gear changes very fast and easy. They’re best employed on a track day, but have applications in city streets, too.
Identifying the gears was easy, with an equally immediate ability to find neutral. I hate having to fluff around seeking neutral, so that was a tick for the M 1000 R. I’m told that BMW’s system is every bit as good, if not better, than what rivals offer, but I’ve yet to experience the quickshifters on super nakeds from other brands.
At 154kW, the M 1000 R has 33kW more than the S 1000 R. Did I feel that on the road? Not really, but the acceleration was very apparent and always seemed accessible. In every gear, the M 1000 R seemed to have more to offer and I’m sure I didn’t tap into its full suite of capability. If only I could have squeezed a track day into my time with the bike…
That regret aside, the M 1000 R's broad range of useable power meant there was always temptation to go beyond the posted limits on highways. Thanks to all that delicious acceleration, riding on open roads was highly enjoyable. But even with a wind deflector above the headlight (part of the M Competition Package), the lack of a screen soon made itself apparent. There is one available from the BMW Motorrad accessories catalogue and I’d recommend adding it if long highway miles are in your riding regimen. The trade-off is that it ruins the M 1000 R's look, in my view.
Riding below the speed limit, the experience in terms of performance and handling was not dissimilar to the S 1000 R Sport, but the M 1000 R always felt like it had more to give throughout the rev range (max power is at 13,750rpm instead of 11,000rpm) and was just ‘sharper’ overall.
And the Livin’ is Easy
For a bike that is capable of serious performance - top speed is 280km/h – it may come as a surprise that the M 1000 R is a machine you can live with at normal speeds. BMW achieve this with their ‘ShiftCam’ technology that alters the cam lift and duration.
Introduced on the R 1250 GS and making its debut on a BMW naked with the M 1000 R, this system allows the bike to dawdle through roadworks and other low-speed scenarios without the need to keep the revs up. But wind on the throttle and ShiftCam switches to a different cam profile, taking you to insane mode rapidly.
Despite having fractionally less maximum torque than the S 1000 R (113Nm v 114Nm), the M 1000 R reaches that peak at a higher 11,100rpm. There’s an incredible amount of useable bottom-end torque, which enabled me to wind up to speed quickly on a variety of roads.
Flipping the rider mode to Race may not have made sense in urban settings, but it provided a hell of a lot of enjoyment, as the change in engine mapping produces a nice crackling exhaust sound as you roll off the throttle.
Hauling the M 1000 R up are twin 320mm front discs with four-piston calipers and a 220mm rear disc with singe-piston caliper, aided by lean-sensitive BMW Motorrad ABS Pro. The M-branded Nissin front and Brembo rear calipers are an upgrade on the package used on the S 1000 R and you can feel it on the road.
Like the additional power, the improved braking is something best enjoyed on a track day, but it’s a welcome feature when commuting in traffic or negotiating rubbish roads, too. The brakes always felt super-responsive and at no point on my test did I feel they were lacking.
Suspension Plus
The M 1000 R’s suspension set up consists of a 45mm USD Marzocchi fork and monoshock rear. It’s noticeably firmer than the S 1000 R, but front and rear travel is still a generous 120mm and 117mm, respectively. BMW’s Dynamic Damping Control (DDC) means there’s electronic preload, rebound and compression adjustability at each end, so you can find the level of damping that suits you best. Adjusting the riding modes obviously impacts the suspension settings, but you can also adjust these independently to find a happy medium.
Experimenting with the DDC, riding modes and DTC settings, I found the M 1000 R always felt tight and connected to the road. With a bike offering so much performance, the last thing you want is suspension that’s soft and wallowy!
Tracking in and out of corners, the suspension was reliable, while the wide bars allowed for excellent control. Steering was light and easy, aided by an adjustable damper.
There was a small amount of vibration transmitted at mid revs, along with mirror shake at higher revs, but neither were to the level I would consider an issue. Another M rider I spoke to mentioned the mid-range vibration, too, but it didn’t put him off the bike.
A final point to mention regarding the M 1000 R’s handling is that it comes with MotoGP-style wings on the forward flanks. Another upgrade over the S 1000 R, these wings are said to assist with downforce over the front wheel. I’ve no doubt there’s some solid, very Germanic research behind this, but they do their best work at speeds of 200+km/h. That means they’re cosmetic features only for street riding.
Regrets, I’ve Got a Few
In my view, the M 1000 R is made for track days and I wished I could have added one to my time with it. In bursts on the road where I was able to open the throttle and feel the performance, I found myself wondering what it would be like to experience this bike on an open, flowing circuit like Phillip Island.
The BMW isn’t ONLY a track bike, though. Yes, when you want that adrenaline rush, it can deliver everything and more, but thanks to its ShiftCam tech and other features, there's usable power that makes the bike practical and comfortable when running around at normal speeds.
Aside from its cost and the aforementioned aesthetic quibbles, the only other fault I could find with the M 1000 R is that it’s no longer in my garage.
During my time with the M 1000 R, I never found it painful to live with. It received plenty of comments, too. Non-bike people thought it looked epic, while those in the know quizzed me on its capabilities - having other riders chase you up to ask questions about the bike you're on is always a fun experience!
With the M 1000 R, BMW now has a bike that can play in the same league as the Ducati Streetfighter V4, KTM 1290 Super Duke R, MV Agusta Brutale 1000 RR and Aprilia Tuono V4 1100. Would it win this league? That’s a question I can’t answer, having not experienced the competition, but what I can say is that the BMW certainly exceeded my pre-ride expectations.
Those who can afford the M 1000 R’s $34K ride away price (more with the M Competition Package) probably won’t think twice about paying that amount for a sports naked, only thinking of the fun they’ll have hosing sportsbikes and high-performance cars alike away from the lights.
However, the M 1000 R is a bike you really have to know exactly what you want and how you intend to use it before diving in. By that I mean, if you have no intention of doing track days, then you’re wasting its capabilities, along with $10K or more compared to an S 1000 R. But, if you’re after a bike that combines around town practicality with genuine track day capability, then the M 1000 R is definitely for you.
2023 BMW M 1000 R - Specifications
ENGINE
Type: DOHC four-stroke, 16-valve inline four
Displacement: 999cc
Bore x Stroke: 80mm x 49.7mm
Compression Ratio: 13.3:1
Engine Start: Electric
Ignition: Digital
Induction: EFi
Lubrication: Wet sump
Cooling: Liquid
Max Power: 154kW @ 13750rpm
Max Torque: 113Nm @ 11100rpm
TRANSMISSION
Clutch: Wet, multi-plate
Gearbox: Six-speed
Final Drive: Chain
CHASSIS
Frame: Aluminium composite bridge type
Front Suspension: 45mm USD fork, adjustable preload/compression/rebound, 120mm travel
Rear Suspension: Monoshock, adjustable preload/compression/rebound, 117mm travel
Fr Wheel: 17-inch carbon fibre (with M Competition Package)
Rr Wheel: 17-inch carbon fibre (with M Competition Package)
Fr Tyre: 120/70 ZR17
Rr Tyre: 200/55 ZR17
Front Brake: Dual 320mm discs with four-piston caliper and ABS
Rear Brake: Single 220mm disc with single-piston caliper and ABS
DIMENSIONS
LxWxH: 2,085 x 996 x 1,176mm
Wheelbase: 1,450mm
Rake: 24.0 degrees
Trail: 96.5mm
Ground Clearance: N/A
Seat height:830mm
Kerb Weight: 197.4kg wet
Fuel Capacity: 16.5lt
COLOURS
Light White (Blackstorm Metallic on M 1000 R with M Competition package only)
LAMS APPROVED
No
PRICE
From $34,715 ride away ($42,545 ride away with M Competition Package)
WARRANTY
5 Year / Unlimited kms
