I’m just going to say this straight up. This bike is bloody fast. Even by the lofty standards of litre nakeds… it’s bloody fast! Now we can move on.
All the top naked bikes are fun and track capable, yet… they’re usually emancipated versions of their Supersport cousins. This makes them better and more affordable road bikes at the cost of genuinely quick lap times. The M 1000 R doesn’t follow that precedent. It’s a full-on bonkers effort… with a Superbike engine and chassis technology to use it.
THE PLATFORM
The M 1000 R is based on the S 1000 R platform and borrows a lot of parts from the M 1000 RR superbike, including the engine. It’s not quite identical, producing 2hp less (210hp v 212hp), developed 750rpm earlier at 13,750rpm. However, no-one will notice the difference. The M 1000 R may even be quicker in most instances as it runs slightly lower gearing.
The chassis geometry has been slowed a smidge compared to its S 1000 R sibling, presumably to enhance stability at the higher speeds the M can reach. In addition, the winglets should improve warp-speed behaviour. BMW claims the winglets produce up to 11kg of downforce on the front wheel. High-speed direction changes and acceleration are also helped by the inclusion of lighter forged wheels. The result is a machine that feels more agile than the S 1000 R at street speeds and more stable at race pace.
The premium electronic package offers a lot of adjustability. There are various modes for road and track, three different
