MR. VERSATILE
Where does BMW’s S 1000 R sit in the modern supernaked market? Depends on who you ask, really, as while ‘supernaked’ is one category, the bikes within it are quite different and appeal to riders with different tastes, riding preferences and budgets.
There’s the exotic Ducati Streetfighter, MV Agusta Brutale and Aprilia Tuono at one end of the supernaked spectrum and Yamaha’s MT-10 and the Kawasaki Z H2 at the other, with Triumph’s Speed Triple and KTM’s 1290 Super Duke somewhere in between. So where does BMW’s S 1000 R fit into this field? It’s an interesting question and while the BMW may not be perceived as a balls-to-the-wall supernaked beast like some of its rivals, it may just be the ideal “real world” bike in this category.
WELCOME TO THE NEW-ISH
Have ridden – and enjoyed – the 2018 version of the S 1000 R, I was very interested to get my hands on the 2021 update. It’s not all new, but BMW have done a lot with the S 1000 R since my last experience with one. For starters,
