I had the same problem with the ignition barrels. It failed not in the locked position, but in a way that wouldn't allow me to shut the engine off with the key. Fixed under warranty. I fixed the bar vide problem with HVMP bar ends. Don't notice it at all now. I've done 12K on mine and 3K on another S1000.
Hi there, i drive a s1000xr and there aren't any problems - 32.000 km done in just 1 year!!! i love it and never want to sell it, because there will be no better bike for me =)
@@renderbild8987 i haven't any kind of problems, but i made the service every 10k km and used full throttle first after 10 km, because of the cold engine. I would me buy this bike once again ;-)
"The engine was just brilliantly smooth....." "..some Evotech handlebar weights, to just smooth off a little bit of high-frequency vibration that was apparent on this bike...." You know what Suzuki needs to do? Build this bike with the K5-K8 Gixxer liter engine, proper wide ratio gearbox, and give it perfect fueling. Would just best the likes of the BMW in reliability, torque, sound, and cost. In other words, make a sport-ADV out of the GSX-S1000.
@@inked-96 It's a Suzuki technology tour de force. But it's not a Suzuki horsepower tour de force. And it's EXPENSIVE. Next candidate: take a Kawasaki Z900, put it on stilts with a quarter fairing, quickshifter, heated grips, cruise control. Done.
Bummer about the issues. Mine sits at over 16000 miles and still going strong. I've had a couple of low-sides on mine, lots of damage on the first one without any crash protection (plastics, shifter, engine case), and a big save by the BMW crash bars on my recent crash at 50 mph (see video on my channel).
Cuban Rider Top riders do crash, because they make a mistake. Nothing to do with how hard they are riding. You can crash at a walking pace if you make a mistake ie Rider error.
Had mine 11 months done over 12000 miles and 10 countries so far and not a single issue. Off on it next week to Austrian Motogp then a week in the Alps then Czech Republic Motogp the following weekend.
I really like this bike and I'm considering this as a major upgrade to my old trusty ZRX 1200R. I think I would have gone postal with the second or third failure. Hopefully you just got a hold of a bad one and this is not a common issue. Expensive machines should not be having problems like that.
Good honest review, I'm a bit short to fit on the XR, I've got a 2016 S1000R, just had a week on it riding the Pyrenees and it was completely faultless, there is a slight ticking noise from the left side of the bike but supposedly they all do it to a certain extent! I have some vids on my channel reviewing parts I've added to my bike if anyone's interested 🤓
It's unacceptable for BMW to go bad so fast if You had bought this bike used for example with 1500mil on the clock than You would be screwed if the same thing happened to You.
Every BMW bike I've owned has cost more in repairs than any competing brand I've owned. Something about the BMW bikes, when they're working, moves my soul more than any other bike. As a used dealer I've owned and ridden practically all types of bikes from all types of manufacturers, but the first BMW I rode made me feel like it was the first motorcycle I've ever ridden, or the first time I took my training wheels off my bicycle as a kid. Something about the BMW motorcycles is so moving and fulfilling for my bike experience I continue to deal with the reliability issues. I'll just keep a Japanese bike in the garage as backup.
also scored, keeping my stock wheel's tires front rotors rear cush and sprocket $5800 worth for free as they stuffed up my HP rims promotional offer. So have both set's of full wheel's.
G B A I'm sorry about your experience, I love BMW bikes but ther reliability is the only thing preventing me from getting one that is why I tend to stick buy and sell only Japanese bikes, mainly Honda...
Wasn't a reliability issue. Just sold me a bike with a HP package on a stock showroom bike....they were supposed to order from Germany. So they had to order all my HP extras separately, unfortunately, I had to make a trip each time a single part arrived. But I was not supposed to end up with a full set of stock wheels (almost $6000 worth). So when they realized their mistake they had to provide HP rims and all the parts required to fit them in addition to my stock wheels. Cost them a bundle. 10000km of running including track use (Phillip Island), zero problems.
Question can your rearsets be oriented for gp shift order? I run it on all my bikes, and constituency keeps me from bad shifting. If so, brand make and model would be great
I had the same 'loud ticking' issue at about 3500 miles on my RR. I think they said the same part wasn't hardened enough.. Only, mine failed while I was going 70mph plus on the highway. The motor shut itself off after a few rpm spikes. It was a little unnerving to say the least..
I wouldn't change the gearing because it flies but on the 2019/20 model I would like to see some kind of overdrive system for motorway plodding at reduced revs.
@@Unc_Don I sold my XR and bought the s1000r, now I have a KTM Superduke gt. But just did a tour to Spain and France and my best mate has the same model XR and it was brilliant. I owned mine for about 8 months and never had a problem with it
@@TrulyUniqueOne well I rode it every day for work. I was doing floor planning, so my job took me all across the Uk. I rode it in almost every condition from rain to cold and then in to the summer. So for the period of time I owned it, it was a brilliant workhorse and I took it on tour as well. There were a number of reports of faulty electronics with them, but I never once had a problem. My only gripe was the heated grips were poor (my mates model has the same issue). In terms of a longer ownership I can’t claim to know how reliable they are but I estimate I did roughly 2000 miles on tour and a further 4-5k over the course of 8-9 months for work on it.
The problem you had with the cam lobe is really not that uncommon. I had the same thing happen on a s1000r, the bike would make a ticking sound and no one at BMW believed me they all said it was normal and I had to get rid of the bike and loose some money, it just made you feel like the motor was going to blow up. The s1000 motor is really not designed or put together as well as one would expect from a BMW motorcycle.
Hi Andy, two questions about the bike : 1) with the evotech bar ends, did the virations disapeared ? 2) Do tou think it is a confortable bike in comparison to a GS for example ? Can you ride it for 5 hours in a good confort ? Thnaks :)
I've got heavier bar ends and vibrations reduced, plus bar risers as I wanted them higher and buzz is barely noticeable, and even then only around 5K ....just go faster or up a gear. I rode to Garmsich and back averaging 300 miles a day and it relatively comfortable on my arse - more so than my GS. I think its something to do with the way the seat is more scooped and pitched forward slightly.
I did 20k miles on my 2016XR and would buy one again any day. The quickshifter failed and was replaced under warranty but as far as I can tell that was a freak failure. Great handling, great sound, great power and great comfort. I went with the extra bar ends to reduce vibration as well as a better screen but other than that the bike needed nothing
I'm starting to hear a lot of problems with reliability with the XR - ECU's going, water pumps going and now all your problems... very rare or just unlucky ?
On my 2nd one, just love it. Comfy fast and handles like a dream. No problems with either, over 20k miles, you must have just been unlucky. I agree about gearing but you get used to it in a week or two.
My neighbour bought a new one a month or so back (because the two year one he had was about to cost a lot of money to fix) - 1st warranty claim within a week; the recovery driver said he has 3 to 4 BMW bikes to recover every DAY. What is it with this obsession with german stuff - it's shite.
"the heated grips are not hot enough" I can concur I did a test on it and had to stop to warm my hands up on the engine...in this era? not 17k worthy at all..fast as hell tho
been looking at these, I'm between Mt 10 KTM GT and this but those issues are worrying, if that was a BMW car Germany would go on strike, it's not really good enough for a base model costing 13000 the oil issue on someone less capable could easily been a fatality
I can only assume your patience comes from maybe not actually owning the bike.. Me personally if it was mine, I would have thrown the thing back at them..
Wow, you are one unlucky fella - this bike must be flippin' brilliant to still sing its praises after that lot...great stuff....just wish I could get past the ugly duckling face (of what is undoubtedly a brilliant machine)....thanks for posting, always makes you feel good hearing of someone else's woes - does that make me a bad person????
'this bike must be flippin' brilliant' - it is. Think he has been v unlucky with the technical issues - I've done 7.5K miles on mine since it arrived last September without any issues. Sublime through the Pyrenees last month.
I swapped a R1200GS TE like yours for one of these. The S1000XR is miles better for me, puts a big smile on my face every time I ride it. Had no reliability problems with it so far.
I don't think I ever blamed the bike for the crash. That was clearly my fault but I did make reference to it being part of a run of bad luck I've experienced with the bike. The crash was weird as this was a narrow, shallow ford near my parent's village near Canterbury in Kent which I have crossed thousands of times over the years without a problem. For some reason this time there was a layer of algae that was so slippery as to give no warning whatsoever. Andy Downes - MCN
Andy I get what you are saying - that tumble could have happened to anyone on any bike - however just after talking about the crash at 2:20 you state "thats the bad points covered with this bike" - which infers the crash is the fault of the bike which is disingenuous. The other technical issues yes (and they are a bit random and unfortunate imo).
I understand what you mean. Perhaps a little of the clarity was lost between me thinking it, saying it on the video and the final edit making it to UA-cam. For the record, the crash was my fault! Not the bike's. Still love the XR though. Such a good bike. Andy Downes - MCN
Glad you still like it. Love mine. Does everything I want. And at such a brisk pace if required. Better all rounder than anything else I've had, granted they were mainly sportsbikes.
Yeah sorry but for a bike that expensive those problems should not happen. On second thought something like oil spilling all over the rear tyre is dangerous and could end up in a law suit. I wonder what would you say if you didn't stay upright when that engine oil blew??? I love bimmers but they really need to get their act together. What is really weird is the fact that in spite all those fails people still buy them. Well that's power of marketing I suppose..
I had the cap of the rear brake reservoir come lose. When i called the dealer they said they diddn't touch the rear brake, at all. Which is weird because their service record says they did check the brakes. Maybe they just stare at em, i don't know. But that was the last time i let a dealer do anything to my bikes.
I had a few issues with my 2013 Multistrada 1200 S Touring. Two failed HT leads causing an intermittent misfire which took ages to trace and sort out. Corrosion around the exhaust valve was a constant problem through the winter months and needed attention to stop it jamming open or closed. But again, I loved the bike and did a lot of miles on that bike including riding back from Mugello in one long and extremely wet ride. Andy Downes - MCN
The XR doesn't pretend to go off road; BMW has the GS range for that. The XR has 17in wheels and road tyres front and rear so not even a pretence of it. Andy Downes - MCN
Lol - if you don't have problems with your Ducati - i don't think you drive one. Mine is going in for the fifth time now (Monster 821 - 2016). Looking to changes bike - ducati SUUUCKS ..
Would love one but don't want to have those reliability issues (which are unacceptable for a premium brand) or even the spectre of the possibility, so Japanese it is.
German reliability is not what it used to be, and that makes me very sad. I think honestly that is a classic example of business getting in the way of excellence. BMW know what they are doing, but like lots of companies they let the beancounters get involved.
BMW (car) fan.. the issues here seem "a bit of a worry". The loose oil plug would have had me spitting feathers. Full marks for persistence and the ability to put it all behind you. Not one of my strengths!
That is a lot of trouble to get on a premium mark like a BMW. It’s a lot of money, BMW need to iron out these manufacturing faults. Spoils a great bike
You paid 17 grand and still comes with faults!! I would be expecting bells and whistles together with faultless engineering for that money. Can't say it's premium quality can you?
I'm pretty sure the top of the range model (Sport SE) is £14,500, not £17,000. I've done 3000 miles on mine. No problems and *easily* the best bike I've ever owned. I'd be really annoyed if I'd had all those problems on a new bike.
The current price for the XR Sport SE in the UK is £15,145 but once you add the option packs fitted to mine (Premium and Dynamic Packs), plus a UK option pack of hard panniers, top box, panniers mounts, tankbag and Akrapovic silencer which totals £1990 you get the total of £17,135. This is the way the bike was specified by BMW Motorrad GB when it was supplied to us at the start of the year. I have been annoyed by the problems with the bike but it would appear I have been very unlucky rather than this being a typical scenario in any way. Hope this helps clarify the situation. Andy Downes - MCN
yep a lot of b.m.w. owners seem to have strange things go bad on their bikes ..wonder why ?? christ it cost enough .. weak grip heaters .. well ya ok thats a new item thats just been invented in the last 6 months .give them time to sort all that new tec. stuff out ..who ever heard of heated grips .
THAT IS WHAT I CALL A REVIEW name all the good AND THE BAD. Nowadays 90% of youtubers are not honest all lying through their teeth spineless and disgusting .
Hooligan CONCEPTS what would be a comparable Japanese bike? I'm looking for a new bike, was interested in this or the bmw 1200RS, but I'm slightly unnerved about everyone's comments about bmw reliability. I thought BMW were supposed to be very reliable? Or was that in times gone by?
Thanks for plainly stating the issues. Good to hear both sides.
I had the same problem with the ignition barrels. It failed not in the locked position, but in a way that wouldn't allow me to shut the engine off with the key. Fixed under warranty. I fixed the bar vide problem with HVMP bar ends. Don't notice it at all now. I've done 12K on mine and 3K on another S1000.
Hi there, i drive a s1000xr and there aren't any problems - 32.000 km done in just 1 year!!! i love it and never want to sell it, because there will be no better bike for me =)
I just saw your comment. How many did you make later? I am looking to buy used one with 26k km. Just wondering how will it handle next 30k. Thanks
@@renderbild8987 i sold it with 65k km because i offered the new model :-)
@@rmp219rp Thanks for the fast reply. Any problems till 65k?
@@renderbild8987 i haven't any kind of problems, but i made the service every 10k km and used full throttle first after 10 km, because of the cold engine.
I would me buy this bike once again ;-)
@@rmp219rp thanks a lot!
Ridden both GS and XR. In my opinion, GS is a bit more comfortable, but XR gives you the thrill :D
nah mumpung ada bang den...
bnyak yg punya s1000 xr/r/rr pasti nemu engine thicking problem
bang den nyoba s1000xr ada masalah ngga
Was looking for such review for both as comparison.. thanks for your short thoughts. Brilliantly described
Coming up to 3k on mine. Absolutely love it! Best bike I have owned in over 25 years on the road.
Still happy with your bike? Looking at it at the moment. 2017 ish.
Finally some good audio and video!
The mechanical faults sound like a nightmare but fair play sticking through it all.
"Faultless" you must have the patience of a saint... i'd be looking for a refund or a GS after the second fault
INDEED
I have been riding my 2017 XR for 12000 kms without any technical issues. Great bike overall, much better and exciting to ride than my GS 1200
good to see honesty in a review...kudos to MCN.
reliability issues are unacceptable and if they happened outside a warranty...oh, dear...
"The engine was just brilliantly smooth....."
"..some Evotech handlebar weights, to just smooth off a little bit of high-frequency vibration that was apparent on this bike...."
You know what Suzuki needs to do? Build this bike with the K5-K8 Gixxer liter engine, proper wide ratio gearbox, and give it perfect fueling. Would just best the likes of the BMW in reliability, torque, sound, and cost. In other words, make a sport-ADV out of the GSX-S1000.
There you go, Suzuki launched the gsx 1000 gx😊. You already knew 4 years ago, haha
@@thijskleijngeld681 At least they got part of that right. They still didn't bother doing anything with the gearbox.
Your dream came true, but it's very underwhelming.
@@inked-96 It's a Suzuki technology tour de force. But it's not a Suzuki horsepower tour de force. And it's EXPENSIVE.
Next candidate: take a Kawasaki Z900, put it on stilts with a quarter fairing, quickshifter, heated grips, cruise control. Done.
Chopsy just tuned his GSX with a full headers and cat delete and it’s 170-175 hp now and a hoot.
Bummer about the issues. Mine sits at over 16000 miles and still going strong. I've had a couple of low-sides on mine, lots of damage on the first one without any crash protection (plastics, shifter, engine case), and a big save by the BMW crash bars on my recent crash at 50 mph (see video on my channel).
All those crashes....you might want to take a look at your riding abilities
You might want to take a look at my channel and find out who's riding his XR harder. ;)
Riding Hard does not = crashing. Rider error = crashes
Kryten L Oh okay, makes sense. I had the misconception that the top riders crashed every once in a while, but I stand corrected.
Cuban Rider Top riders do crash, because they make a mistake. Nothing to do with how hard they are riding. You can crash at a walking pace if you make a mistake ie Rider error.
Loved your optimism despite all what you mentioned. Thats how a motorcycle rider should be. Good job!
Had mine 11 months done over 12000 miles and 10 countries so far and not a single issue.
Off on it next week to Austrian Motogp then a week in the Alps then Czech Republic Motogp the following weekend.
Good thing I saw this. I was thinking about buying one.
I really like this bike and I'm considering this as a major upgrade to my old trusty ZRX 1200R. I think I would have gone postal with the second or third failure. Hopefully you just got a hold of a bad one and this is not a common issue. Expensive machines should not be having problems like that.
Have you bought one?
Good honest review, I'm a bit short to fit on the XR, I've got a 2016 S1000R, just had a week on it riding the Pyrenees and it was completely faultless, there is a slight ticking noise from the left side of the bike but supposedly they all do it to a certain extent! I have some vids on my channel reviewing parts I've added to my bike if anyone's interested 🤓
Never had any issues with my honda motorcycle 12,000 miles or Kawasaki 15,000 miles. And they're a hell of a lot more affordable.
It's unacceptable for BMW to go bad so fast if You had bought this bike used for example with 1500mil on the clock than You would be screwed if the same thing happened to You.
not to talk about the CAN-bus system monstrosity...
The brand of this bike is BMW, they're german, not Honda.
Thoughtful and honest review, thanks !
Good review im about to pull the trigger on a 2019 or 2020 , can you guys suggest which is better gen 1 or 2 ?
I'll stick to my old Varadero thanks. 16 years old and doesn't miss a beat.
Every BMW bike I've owned has cost more in repairs than any competing brand I've owned. Something about the BMW bikes, when they're working, moves my soul more than any other bike. As a used dealer I've owned and ridden practically all types of bikes from all types of manufacturers, but the first BMW I rode made me feel like it was the first motorcycle I've ever ridden, or the first time I took my training wheels off my bicycle as a kid. Something about the BMW motorcycles is so moving and fulfilling for my bike experience I continue to deal with the reliability issues. I'll just keep a Japanese bike in the garage as backup.
9 visits for up to break in service due to parts issues in a high performance upgrade....on my S1000RR, the bike is sublime.
also scored, keeping my stock wheel's tires front rotors rear cush and sprocket $5800 worth for free as they stuffed up my HP rims promotional offer. So have both set's of full wheel's.
What year is you S1000RR?
2015
G B A I'm sorry about your experience, I love BMW bikes but ther reliability is the only thing preventing me from getting one that is why I tend to stick buy and sell only Japanese bikes, mainly Honda...
Wasn't a reliability issue. Just sold me a bike with a HP package on a stock showroom bike....they were supposed to order from Germany. So they had to order all my HP extras separately, unfortunately, I had to make a trip each time a single part arrived. But I was not supposed to end up with a full set of stock wheels (almost $6000 worth). So when they realized their mistake they had to provide HP rims and all the parts required to fit them in addition to my stock wheels. Cost them a bundle. 10000km of running including track use (Phillip Island), zero problems.
Question can your rearsets be oriented for gp shift order? I run it on all my bikes, and constituency keeps me from bad shifting. If so, brand make and model would be great
I had the same 'loud ticking' issue at about 3500 miles on my RR. I think they said the same part wasn't hardened enough.. Only, mine failed while I was going 70mph plus on the highway. The motor shut itself off after a few rpm spikes. It was a little unnerving to say the least..
Yikes! That would have been an experience mate!
I wouldn't change the gearing because it flies but on the 2019/20 model I would like to see some kind of overdrive system for motorway plodding at reduced revs.
Had 0 problems with mine since the day I bought it, brilliant bike!
How is it now
@@Unc_Don I sold my XR and bought the s1000r, now I have a KTM Superduke gt. But just did a tour to Spain and France and my best mate has the same model XR and it was brilliant. I owned mine for about 8 months and never had a problem with it
@@Benboy1980you can't give an accurate gauge of a bikes reliability after 8 months. How many miles did you do on it
@@TrulyUniqueOne well I rode it every day for work. I was doing floor planning, so my job took me all across the Uk. I rode it in almost every condition from rain to cold and then in to the summer. So for the period of time I owned it, it was a brilliant workhorse and I took it on tour as well. There were a number of reports of faulty electronics with them, but I never once had a problem. My only gripe was the heated grips were poor (my mates model has the same issue). In terms of a longer ownership I can’t claim to know how reliable they are but I estimate I did roughly 2000 miles on tour and a further 4-5k over the course of 8-9 months for work on it.
The problem you had with the cam lobe is really not that uncommon. I had the same thing happen on a s1000r, the bike would make a ticking sound and no one at BMW believed me they all said it was normal and I had to get rid of the bike and loose some money, it just made you feel like the motor was going to blow up. The s1000 motor is really not designed or put together as well as one would expect from a BMW motorcycle.
The water's cold and smells but I love this kettle.
Great review!
In 2016 so much lack of reliability on MECHANICAL parts is a shame.
2016 s1000xr 9.795km , zero problems. only issue is the vabrations around 5-7k rpm.
Hi Andy, two questions about the bike :
1) with the evotech bar ends, did the virations disapeared ?
2) Do tou think it is a confortable bike in comparison to a GS for example ? Can you ride it for 5 hours in a good confort ?
Thnaks :)
I've got heavier bar ends and vibrations reduced, plus bar risers as I wanted them higher and buzz is barely noticeable, and even then only around 5K ....just go faster or up a gear. I rode to Garmsich and back averaging 300 miles a day and it relatively comfortable on my arse - more so than my GS. I think its something to do with the way the seat is more scooped and pitched forward slightly.
Thanks Kryten L
I did 20k miles on my 2016XR and would buy one again any day. The quickshifter failed and was replaced under warranty but as far as I can tell that was a freak failure. Great handling, great sound, great power and great comfort. I went with the extra bar ends to reduce vibration as well as a better screen but other than that the bike needed nothing
850 miles in one day on it. Was it on a trailer?
BMW used to make a bumper sticker that said if this bikes on a trailer it’s been stolen.
I'm starting to hear a lot of problems with reliability with the XR - ECU's going, water pumps going and now all your problems... very rare or just unlucky ?
On my 2nd one, just love it. Comfy fast and handles like a dream. No problems with either, over 20k miles, you must have just been unlucky. I agree about gearing but you get used to it in a week or two.
31000 miles on mine no probs 👍🏼
I love my S1000R, however I do find the engine ticking noise quite annoying.
Mark Houldridge me to on the xr
Love the looks of that bike. Amazing performance. The engine problem is very odd but I don't know much about it's reliability.
My neighbour bought a new one a month or so back (because the two year one he had was about to cost a lot of money to fix) - 1st warranty claim within a week; the recovery driver said he has 3 to 4 BMW bikes to recover every DAY. What is it with this obsession with german stuff - it's shite.
4 cyl?
I have a 2015 s1000r with 15,000 miles... no problems yet...;)
16k on the S1000XR. ;)
2500 mi. on my XR and brilliant so far.
how about your hemarroids...any problems?
i just bought a 2014 s1000r, 2500miles, i wonder when it will failed, hope it doesnt :(
Here in the States, Consumer Reports rate BMW and Harley Davidson as the two least reliable motorcycles based on owners reported problems.
Prefer a Kawasaki Z1000 SX to the BMW S1000 XR.
6K miles here, so far, and zero issues.
Can I ask about your boots? Are they comfortable for wearing them all day at the office? Great test video btw!
I have 13000 miles on my 2016 XR and ride it like I stole it , No problems
4000 miles? Wow, that must be a world record.
KTM 1290 GT Is no perfect either ,I've heard and seen many problem with GT too
"the heated grips are not hot enough" I can concur I did a test on it and had to stop to warm my hands up on the engine...in this era? not 17k worthy at all..fast as hell tho
My dream bike but yours sounds like a nightmare. thanks for the honest review!
been looking at these, I'm between Mt 10 KTM GT and this but those issues are worrying, if that was a BMW car Germany would go on strike, it's not really good enough for a base model costing 13000 the oil issue on someone less capable could easily been a fatality
I can only assume your patience comes from maybe not actually owning the bike.. Me personally if it was mine, I would have thrown the thing back at them..
Very true, if it was his 17k that he had spent on it I think he would be a bit more frustrated.
850 miles in a day! Monstrous!
People are only interested in reviews about the motorcycle. Not about your personal life.
Wow, you are one unlucky fella - this bike must be flippin' brilliant to still sing its praises after that lot...great stuff....just wish I could get past the ugly duckling face (of what is undoubtedly a brilliant machine)....thanks for posting, always makes you feel good hearing of someone else's woes - does that make me a bad person????
'this bike must be flippin' brilliant' - it is. Think he has been v unlucky with the technical issues - I've done 7.5K miles on mine since it arrived last September without any issues. Sublime through the Pyrenees last month.
Nice one... :0)
I swapped a R1200GS TE like yours for one of these. The S1000XR is miles better for me, puts a big smile on my face every time I ride it. Had no reliability problems with it so far.
Nice one - just wish I could learn to like that front end (then I'd have one)!
+TheMissendenFlyer can't see it when you're riding it !
Friday afternoon special? All bikes have issues and you only hear about those and not the thousands of others with no issues.
two serious failures and you call it flawless....
So aside from the fact that it catastrophically broke down multiple times, it's a brilliant fucking expensive bike
Shame about the reliability issues. Any other S1000XR owners care to comment ? Have you had similar issues or was it really just a lemon ?
thank you so much for this review. i was just about to buy this bike but will not go near it now. unreliable as it is just not something i tolerate.
Buy a Honda. A brand new bike should not be failing like that.
Why is crashing whilst traversing a ford the bike's fault?
I don't think I ever blamed the bike for the crash. That was clearly my fault but I did make reference to it being part of a run of bad luck I've experienced with the bike. The crash was weird as this was a narrow, shallow ford near my parent's village near Canterbury in Kent which I have crossed thousands of times over the years without a problem. For some reason this time there was a layer of algae that was so slippery as to give no warning whatsoever.
Andy Downes - MCN
Andy I get what you are saying - that tumble could have happened to anyone on any bike - however just after talking about the crash at 2:20 you state "thats the bad points covered with this bike" - which infers the crash is the fault of the bike which is disingenuous. The other technical issues yes (and they are a bit random and unfortunate imo).
Have you actually ridden this pretentious piece of shit?
I understand what you mean. Perhaps a little of the clarity was lost between me thinking it, saying it on the video and the final edit making it to UA-cam. For the record, the crash was my fault! Not the bike's. Still love the XR though. Such a good bike.
Andy Downes - MCN
Glad you still like it. Love mine. Does everything I want. And at such a brisk pace if required. Better all rounder than anything else I've had, granted they were mainly sportsbikes.
Wow I was looking at swapping my caponard for one if these. This review put me off.
A lot of serious problems for brand new premium like bike
Yeah sorry but for a bike that expensive those problems should not happen. On second thought something like oil spilling all over the rear tyre is dangerous and could end up in a law suit. I wonder what would you say if you didn't stay upright when that engine oil blew???
I love bimmers but they really need to get their act together.
What is really weird is the fact that in spite all those fails people still buy them. Well that's power of marketing I suppose..
I had the cap of the rear brake reservoir come lose. When i called the dealer they said they diddn't touch the rear brake, at all. Which is weird because their service record says they did check the brakes. Maybe they just stare at em, i don't know. But that was the last time i let a dealer do anything to my bikes.
That cost those problems, i will stick with the Multistrada!
good choice..Forza Ducati ! at least your bike doesn't pretend it can go offroad..it actually can, and do a decent job of it
I had a few issues with my 2013 Multistrada 1200 S Touring. Two failed HT leads causing an intermittent misfire which took ages to trace and sort out. Corrosion around the exhaust valve was a constant problem through the winter months and needed attention to stop it jamming open or closed. But again, I loved the bike and did a lot of miles on that bike including riding back from Mugello in one long and extremely wet ride.
Andy Downes - MCN
The XR doesn't pretend to go off road; BMW has the GS range for that. The XR has 17in wheels and road tyres front and rear so not even a pretence of it.
Andy Downes - MCN
Tested the Multi - gutless below 6K and my GS was quicker at real world speeds. Servicing costs are outrageous compared to the XR
Lol - if you don't have problems with your Ducati - i don't think you drive one. Mine is going in for the fifth time now (Monster 821 - 2016). Looking to changes bike - ducati SUUUCKS ..
Would love one but don't want to have those reliability issues (which are unacceptable for a premium brand) or even the spectre of the possibility, so Japanese it is.
you thrashed a perfectly fine motorcycle just because your bad luck or your bad maintenance you gave it...
German reliability is not what it used to be, and that makes me very sad. I think honestly that is a classic example of business getting in the way of excellence. BMW know what they are doing, but like lots of companies they let the beancounters get involved.
BMW (car) fan.. the issues here seem "a bit of a worry". The loose oil plug would have had me spitting feathers. Full marks for persistence and the ability to put it all behind you. Not one of my strengths!
Sleep eye out for leaky fork seals
That is a lot of trouble to get on a premium mark like a BMW. It’s a lot of money, BMW need to iron out these manufacturing faults. Spoils a great bike
You paid 17 grand and still comes with faults!! I would be expecting bells and whistles together with faultless engineering for that money. Can't say it's premium quality can you?
Describes the fact that he fell off as a bad point of the bike lol
so it was smooth like oil...
The Kawasaki Versys could bury this thing in sales if they didn't neuter it with a de-tuned 105 HP engine.
118 HP
Wow, that sounds like horrific build quality!
sorry to say it should be micheal neevs doing the review this bike not for u ...
I'm pretty sure the top of the range model (Sport SE) is £14,500, not £17,000. I've done 3000 miles on mine. No problems and *easily* the best bike I've ever owned. I'd be really annoyed if I'd had all those problems on a new bike.
The current price for the XR Sport SE in the UK is £15,145 but once you add the option packs fitted to mine (Premium and Dynamic Packs), plus a UK option pack of hard panniers, top box, panniers mounts, tankbag and Akrapovic silencer which totals £1990 you get the total of £17,135. This is the way the bike was specified by BMW Motorrad GB when it was supplied to us at the start of the year.
I have been annoyed by the problems with the bike but it would appear I have been very unlucky rather than this being a typical scenario in any way.
Hope this helps clarify the situation.
Andy Downes - MCN
I take it back about my S1000XR being problem free. Mine had a major fuel leak issue last night. Google tells me I'm not the only one too.
Ummm German quality control eh !! makes me wonder... hopefully they have sorted these issues after 5 years..
yep a lot of b.m.w. owners seem to have strange things go bad on their bikes ..wonder why ?? christ it cost enough .. weak grip heaters .. well ya ok thats a new item thats just been invented in the last 6 months .give them time to sort all that new tec. stuff out ..who ever heard of heated grips .
If it wasn’t for bad luck you would have no luck at all
Japan bike is the reliable one...
THAT IS WHAT I CALL A REVIEW name all the good AND THE BAD. Nowadays 90% of youtubers are not honest all lying through their teeth spineless and disgusting .
bad luck? ... now I see why BMW has had a reputation for problems ...sorry I mean a reputation for 'bad luck'.
Sounds like a disaster to me , I certainly wouldn't be happy
*German quality control
Alex B
" long term test".......... 5000 miles....😂🤣😂🤣
The brand say it all BM troubleU...
Only downside... you have to ride a fugly bike.
That's sad that a bike that expensive could have so many problems, that's why I stick with the Japanese.
Hooligan CONCEPTS what would be a comparable Japanese bike? I'm looking for a new bike, was interested in this or the bmw 1200RS, but I'm slightly unnerved about everyone's comments about bmw reliability. I thought BMW were supposed to be very reliable? Or was that in times gone by?
3 immobilising faults within a couple thousand miles- so much for the much vaunted Teutonic engineering quality.
BMW.s is really suck.
I have 2010 kawasaki versys vith 37000 miles. Newer have any engine problems.
BMW's build quality is a joke. Japanese for me. Bye bye beemer reviews.
Terrible bike
lmfaoooo bmw quality lmfaoooo
BMW poor build not good with mechanical faults like that stick with the jap stuff .
Great review!