Adamchildchad Forties, 5'7, has been professionally bike testing for 20-years and has attended more than 350 bike launches and covered over a million road test miles. International road racer, with race wins at Oliver's Mount, podiums in NZ and two top ten TT finishes. Chad is just as happy off-road or on a classic bike.
For those who thought the blisteringly fast 162bhp S 1000 XR wasn’t quick enough, and didn’t have enough rider aids, aerodynamics, or top trumps-winning spec, then enter the M 1000 XR crossover sports tourer for 2024 – already heavily teased and even seen in prototype form via photos, video, and this writer’s very own eyes at the Isle of Man TT earlier this year. Ridden in anger on a closed road lap by the fastest road racer in the world, Peter Hickman.
It’s the third ‘M’ bike from the German marque, following the M 1000 R and M 1000 RR as the ultimate versions of their sportiest bikes offering the highest performance, and the XR completes the four-cylinder line-up from an ‘M’ perspective. Its DNA can BE traced directly to the racetrack meaning that the XR will surely offer the sportiest edge to touring possible.
Headline figures will wow, the most obvious being the near-200bhp peak power performance offering +30bhp more than the sister S 1000 XR (updated for 2024), with 17” wheels, and aerodynamics that wouldn’t look out of place on a MotoGP bike.
If you want to go longer but faster, then the M1000XR should be shortlisted. Though Ducati’s new Multistrada V4 RS might have something to say about that, and wouldn’t those two make for an outrageous race series?
To think 200hp and aero winglets are now available on a tourer, albeit a performance crossover tourer, is almost unbelievable. After all, these things only became the norm on superbikes just a few years ago. Now a distance machine can be, and have, anything. Breath-taking engine performance and World Superbike aerodynamics can sit alongside all-day comfort and the pampering niceties once found only on luxury distance machines.
And is there anything more distinctive and aggressive in the sports touring category than this? Is 200hp simply too ridiculous and too much? Or, like the Suzuki Hayabusa and Kawasaki ZZ-R1400 before it, does the M 1000 XR set a new benchmark for the high-speed mile-eating hyper tourer. (Apologies, I am already hammering the superlatives). We headed to southern Spain to find out.
Pros & Cons
Bragging rights
Super sleek styling and aero
Plethora of rider aids and tech
Not just a race bike on stilts, it’s usable too
Comfortable and stable at speed
Unnecessary amount of power
17” front looks daft on a tall bike
It’s not as if the standard XR is slow
Can no longer fit fixed luggage (as per the standard bike)
OE tyre choice for such a performance bike
BMW M 1000 XR (2024): 198bhp sports-tourer ridded
The latest bike in BMW Motorrad’s ‘M’ range is a near-200bhp sports-tourer and we hand it over to Mr Child to let us know his first impressions
How much is the 2024 BMW M 1000 XR? Prices, as always with BMW, start from £22,580 OTR. PCP options will be available nearer to the April 2024 date when the bike will be in UK dealerships.
Three colours combine into two colourway options: Light white/M Motorsport or Blackstorm Metallic/M Motorsport for the optional M Competition package, as seen on the M R and M RR, which comes in at a hefty £5,100 extra and includes a 3kg weight saving courtesy of a set of carbon wheels, carbon bodywork and the M Billet pack. That takes the price to £27,680 but that’s still £4.3k shy of Ducati’s starting price. Does that make it more palatable than the Ducati? BMW only produces three M bikes: this M 1000 XR (£22,580), the naked M 1000 R (£19,480) and the WSBK spec M 1000 RR (£30,940). The new XR sits in the middle of this elite class. The non-M crossover S 1000 XR starts at £16,790, making our test bike nearly £11,000 more expensive. PCP prices start at £229 per month for the base M 1000 XR with an initial 25% deposit.
999cc in-line fours are not the most characterful engines ever to grace a motorcycle but BMW have taken a modified version of the pitchy, revvy, ShiftCam package straight from the S 1000 R and strapped it into the cast-aluminium framed M XR. Making a delightfully ostentatious peak power figure of 201hp/148kW/198.3bhp at 12.750rpm, the BMW is certain to whisk you places with your eyes glued to the back of your head if you’re not careful. Peak torque is said to be 113Nm/83.3lb-ft at 11,000rpm while the bike will rev all the way to it’s redline at 14,600rpm – yep, this is a sit-up-and-beg sports tourer. Two more teeth (now 47) on the rear sprocket over the S 1000 XR gives the M more pulling power in all gears through the shorter secondary gear ratio, plus 4th, 5th and 6th gears are shorter than the S XR. Thank goodness it also comes with traction control and wheelie control. Strap a titanium Akrapovič silencer and there’ll be a grumbly tone to the rattly four.
The benefits of the ShiftCam technology should be rewarding in the M XR package with plenty of torque and performance in the low-mid range but BMW even note the 10-12,000rpm section of the rev range is well served for “use on racetracks”. I like their thinking. Insert evil grin emoji.
Detail in the engine includes the four valves per cylinder being made from lightweight titanium while the oil and water pumps are combined, and a 6-speed gearbox is fitted with Pro Shift Assist for super-fast changes with no interruption, and an anti-hopping clutch.
The M XR is more powerful across the whole rev range than the S XR, and it’s 1.3 seconds faster from 0-125mph. Dynamic on track yet beautifully useable on the road, the M XR appears to be uncompromised with its approach to conquering two riding worlds.
I don’t think anyone who has ridden the standard BMW S 1000 XR jumped off thinking it was slow and underpowered. It's an incredibly quick and muscular machine. But the new M is the next level by some margin. (Incidentally, BMW could have given it even more power but settled on 201bhp to appease noise regulations.)
As you approach the M 1000 XR it is a little intimidating. There's a huge amount of angular carbon and those protruding aero wings – and it's tall. You expect 200bhp superbikes to be slightly intimidating, but not tall, and, initially at least, that height makes the prospect of riding the M 1000 XR slightly daunting. However, within a few miles of leaving BMW's press launch hotel, it was apparent that this special M is more than a WSBK racer on stilts. The engine isn't peaky, that chassis is as much about comfort as corner speed – in fact, at low speeds it’s easy going and docile. Around town, the odd burble from the Akrapovič exhaust is the only indication you’re riding something special.
Once clear of the suburbs, it lures you into a false sense of normality as the ShiftCam engine is smooth, has useful urge low down and drives hard but without drama through the strong mid-range. Tap on the quick-shifter, enjoy the torque and, without breaking into a sweat, the M delivers a brisk and satisfying ride.
But just at the point where you think the M 1000 XR is quick but not that quick, the ShiftCam… er, shifts, and it unleashes all 200 of its angry horses and propels you towards the horizon at brain-freezing speed. Suddenly, you are riding one seriously fast bike. On the freeway, it hit 160mph before I could even think about it. And because it sits you upright, has a nice (manually adjustable) screen, accommodatingly wide bars and a deep plush seat, it doesn’t feel fast. Not bonkers-fast anyway.
On a pure sports bike you are hunched over and probably wearing a one-piece cowhide, so 150mph feels fast. You get tucked in behind the small screen and your brain switches into sports mode. On the M 1000 XR, you just sit there, twist the throttle and potentially go straight to prison. Truly, speeding has never been this effortless – although I doubt that excuse will hold up in court.
We didn’t have the best roads or riding environment to test more than a fraction of the M 1000 XR's potential. It needs the unrestricted mountain section of the Isle of Man or the Nürburgring in Germany for that. On less-than-perfect surfaces in Spain, the rider aids were working overtime to control the cold rear Bridgestone RS11 rubber. Only on a few occasions did I muster the bravery to remove the traction control (which can be done on the move), sit back in the snug saddle and just unleash the power. When I did, the acceleration was blistering – so immense I felt shocked – and that was without revving towards the redline. I was playing with it. Tickling it, really.
At this point, those of a certain generation may be getting a sense of Deja vu. The landmark super sports-tourers such as the Suzuki Hayabusa and Kawasaki ZZ-R 1200 and ZZ-R 1400 have all had dual personalities. The smoothness and serenity of the TGV train gliding across France at 85mph, and the brutal, shocking ability to double that figure in seconds and transform your perception of what fast truly means and do in supreme comfort. Well, the news is that that the M 1000 XR is the new landmark machine.
The same 6-axis IMU as seen on the S 1000 RR but not the M 1000 RR controls the easily interchangeable riding modes and is where the lean angle sensors feed their findings into in split seconds for the brain of the bike to control skids and slides to the pre-set rider specification. But that’s almost a given on a £27k bike, what’s not is the quadruple-wing M winglets. Commonplace and indispensable in MotoGP and Superbike Championships, the aerodynamic appendages have now somewhat surprisingly crept into the crossover sector and provide a talking point. This is all about power and performance in a package where jeans, jacket and an upright riding position are the norm. Is it really the best of both worlds with minimal compromise? At 136mph, the winglets are said to produce 11.4kg of downforce – that’s like having two bowling balls pushing down on the front end to improve stability.
Upmarket and upside-down 45mm forks sit on top of the recognisably blue anodized M brake calipers and they’re adjustable for the sporing base as well as ten levels each for damping rebound and compression, all of which is a marked upgrade over its ‘S’ sibling. An adjustable steering damper is fitted and the whole lot can be governed electronically by the Dynamic Damping Control with base settings linked to each riding mode and can adjusted via the DDC toggle switch on the handlebars.
Tipping the scales at a claimed 223kg, the M XR is only 5kg lighter than the new R 1300 GS – thought that’s not exactly a heavyweight considering what you get, though add the M Competition package and not only will your wallet feel lighter, but the weight saving adds up to 3kg.
Like the engine output, the M XR’s handling takes a short while to understand and acclimatise to. Not because it’s poor, quite the opposite. You sit on a tall (850mm high) seat with a relatively long-travel suspension (138mm). The bars are wide, there's a large 6.5-inch colour display and cruise control, and I have the heated grips switched on. In other words, I'm ready for some serious touring followed by a fresh coffee when I arrive at the coast.
What I’m not ready for is responsive sports bike handling that makes the M 1000 XR capable of embarrassing dedicated sports bikes, especially on imperfect roads, and is arguably easier to ride.
At 223kg, or 220kg less on our M competition pack test bike, the M 1000 XR is hardly lithe and minimalist. In fact, its girth and height give the impression of a heavy machine, but on the road, it doesn’t feel it. Some of the surfaces we encountered in southern Spain would be more suitable for supermoto than a 200hp sports tourer, but the M nailed their tight switchback sections with utter nonchalance. The steering was light, the ride was plush, the suspension control complete.
That weight saving is due the carbon wheels – the base M gets forged rims – which also reduce rotating and unsprung mass and help it steer and change direction with crisp accuracy. The electronic suspension is slightly different to the standard XR's with compression and rebound damping front and rear 'active', while spring preload is manually adjustable and therefore doesn’t change on the move.
When you are in Road, Race or Dynamic modes the suspension self-adjusts to your riding and the conditions on the move. However, in any one of the Race Pro modes you can fine-tune the suspension, adjusting compression and rebound damping electronically, which then becomes fixed and doesn’t change on the move. The theory is that once you’ve set the suspension you have a base set up for the track which can then be tweaked once you get back to the pits and do so via a few presses of a button rather than having to use grubby tools.
In the Road, Race and Dynamic modes, with the suspension active for the changeable road, only the level of traction control can be altered. The Race Pro modes, however, allow you to drill deeper into throttle response, engine braking, wheelie control and suspension settings for an optimised racetrack set up.
And yes, I did say racetrack. The standard Bridgestone RS11 are okay but on slippery, sometimes cold, roads they simply didn’t give the feedback I wanted. But there’s no doubt the M 1000 XR will cut in on track days (!), especially with some more track-oriented rubber. Having only tasted the M 1000 XR's handling potential on potholed B-roads, I can't wait to see how it goes at Donington Park or Brands Hatch. Just imagine a race series with these involved…
Stopping power is impressive, while the ABS system is lean-sensitive and changeable. Engine brake strategies can also be tailored to match the ride. Exiting a German Autobahn at 160mph plus, pulling into Tesco, or trying to stop into Park Corner at Cadwell – the quality stoppers should have you covered.
Look at the pieces of the puzzle and you get an idea of what this bike might feel like before you even ride it: lightweight wheels, electronic suspension, narrow stand-over, billet and carbon (should you choose to accessorise), lean angle sensors, optimised riding modes, quickshifter, ShiftCam, 6.5” TFT display and years of BMW know-how all add up to a machine that’s designed to take you places in speed, comfort and style. What promises to be interesting is the riding position comfort, and the bike’s range because with a claimed economy of 44mpg and a 20-litre tank size, you’ll run out before getting 200-miles away. Still, why worry about tank range when your bike can do 0-60mph in 3.2 seconds and a top speed of over 170mph.
Comfort is good. The riding position feels natural with relaxed, wide bars. There's a supportive seat, cruise control and heated grips, an adjustable screen and the plush ride quality of semi-active suspension. In fact, I can’t think of many bikes that combine so much blistering performance with such levels of comfort – and this is the M's ace card. There are faster bikes, like BMW’s M 1000 RR, which revs higher and produces even more power, but I'm not sure I'd fancy a day of bumping along broken B-roads on its racy saddle, or a long autoroute slog into Europe on these ‘bars.
There are a few negatives. That screen is on the small side for tall riders, and you can no longer fix hard luggage as the rear brackets have been removed to save weight. This now means that, unlike the standard XR, you can’t easily fit solid panniers or a top box; it’s soft luggage only – which will have to be strapped on using superglue, extra strong gaffa tape and nuclear strength Velcro.
Sadly, we only got a flavour of the M's touring potential, and we need to re-visit the bike to test its high-speed fuel consumption, tank range and vibrations, but initial impressions are favourable indeed. I should also add that the M 1000 XR is probably one of the easiest bikes on which to break the speed limit. The engine has so much power and the ride is so comfortable that 71mph feels like 50mph.
BMW’s online configurator is very good place to start for your official accessories such as a high windshield, GPS device preparation, bar end mirrors or the low/high seat options. Though it must be stated once again that the M XR is not equipped to carry panniers or a top box, though a soft 8l bag option has been spotted among the official accessories not listed on the configurator.
It is however absolutely packed with configurable rider aids and settings for performance and comfort alike. Up to seven rider modes, launch control, pit lane speed limiter (ideal for the supermarket car park), wheelie control, heated grips, keyless, cruise control, USB charger, hill start control and slide control are among the options. The M Competition package is identical to that found on the M R and M RR in that it includes the M GPS-Lap trigger and a sack full of carbon and billet parts to add more bling to the bike.
There is no denying BMW’s high level of finish, even more so with the M competition package. The view from the cockpit is lovely, with that familiar and informative dash and expanse of luscious carbon fibre. The billet parts and carbon wheels all add to the occasion of owning a very special bike – as they should for close to £28,000.
The rider aids are accessible and give an endless list of options. The M XR can be tailored for Cadwell Park or a run to the shop. The pitlane limiter may be designed for track days but I can see it being deployed on the road, too, especially for those dreaded average speed cameras.
To gauge reaction to its styling, I added a few images of the M to social media, and surprisingly not everyone loved its dramatic looks and lashings of carbon. For some it’s too much – and I can see that. It’s possibly not as desirable as Ducati’s competition, either, but up close the finish, level of detail and quality are unquestionable.
The BMW just sits on top of the power tree for super-fast touring capability but it’s not short of rivals for the package of pace, performance, comfort and gadgets. Here’s our top three nearest. The 2024 S 1000 XR could be a candidate as could the KTM 1290 Super Adventure which is due to be superseded soon.
We only got a flavour of what to expect from BMW’s M 1000 XR, but if this is the starter, I can’t wait for main course. I don’t think there is any other bike on the market that so perfectly matches speed, power, handling and comfort and the practicality of a bike that can be ridden every day. On the German autobahn, the M will eat up miles at a rate not many bikes, if any, will be able to match.
Kawasaki has the Supercharged SX, but it can’t get close to the M in the corners and isn’t as versatile. Ducati has the exotic Multistrada V4 RS, which I have ridden and might run the BMW close on a tight track. But the Beemer has even more power and less weight.
You could argue that it lacks an exotic quality – that it's almost too good. But what a bike! I could take my son to school as a comfortable pillion in the morning and cut fast laps of Donington Park in the afternoon – not just chasing sports bikes but overtaking some. And is there a faster and better way to get from A to B? It's early days but, no, I don’t think so.
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What is MCIA Secured?
MCIA Secured gives bike buyers the chance to see just how much work a manufacturer has put into making their new investment as resistant to theft as possible.
MCIA Secured gives motorcycles a rating out of five stars (three stars for bikes of 125cc or less), based on the following being fitted to a new bike as standard:
A steering lock that meets the UNECE 62 standard
An ignition immobiliser system
A vehicle marking system
An alarm system
A vehicle tracking system with subscription
The higher the star rating, the better the security, so always ask your dealer what rating your bike has and compare it to other machines on your shortlist.
