Biggest mistake I ever made was trading my Gixxer for this overpriced piece of scrap metal. You would think that for a bike this costly you would get your money's worth...and you would be wrong.
20 SECOND SUMMARY: + Smooth, not japanese "honda" smooth + Frickin' fast - Bit of vibration starting at above 4000 rpm - Get's really really hot, even hotter than his old Ducati(s) - False neutrals (showing neutral but not really neutral) - Not really useful in low speed, hard to operate in city - 1st to 2nd in low speed is clunky - Difficult to get smooth down shift even with blip + Still happy about it He is driving on the Australian F1 GP track... which explains the ultra smooth surface :)
Marcus Yang-Nilsson this vibrations are because BMW dont use balancer shaft that also the reason why the BMW puts that Power out of a inline four.I owned the s1000RR for 6 Months specially in rpm wich allmost use on Street has a lot of Vibrations om the Clip on.For Track i allmost use the zx10 R wich is preperated for Track and the BMW i have leave in the Store and have buy a Panigale 1299 next to my zx10r.And eaven after 2 Years and 30000km i dont have needs to selling tje 1299 because its still work still running without any Probs.But i have to say the BMW is a fucking good Bike but the Duc touch me more in a Emotional way,now i have two most sucessfull SBK Brand at the Moment in my Garage😎
S1000RR has unbalanced crank (check specs) that's where the SLIGHT vibrations come form @ certain revs, nothing of great concern especially in lower or I would call it crawling RPM range (4K RPM). Japanese bikes aren't much better! New ZX10R has them on higher rev range and this is a call for concerns especially when your fairings start to crack. It's a very slight trade off for superb performance. Gearbox is superb as well when you really ride the bike, not when the engine is just idling :-P Heat if any also disappears and the bike sits at comfortable 70-80deg C (all R1s cook in traffic and track). True, no one before you maybe talked about this because what is the point, you can't really expect to get probably the best performance bike to be the best town commuter. It's almost like saying that your Harley is a best cruiser but it's not good on the track and off-road - Daa!! On the other hand, I'm on my fourth S1000RR, HP4 now and except for track days and fast breakfast runs I do commute as well, but I never, never, never remember riding my bikes as slow as this ;-) It's a waste of a brilliant bike and secondly people commenting here mustn't get they hopes up and think that their bikes are better and faultless. I had many different bikes and tested even more and I could make a long lists of shortcomings for each one of them and often much more serious than this. Good video though and I hope you will find some good roads where you will really be able to appreciate how magnificent this bike really is :-P
You are spot on with your review mate, I had a Yellow one, the vibration, heat, downshifting, very small niggles really but they just got me down after a few Months of ownership with regular use, so I went back to the Honda CBR I know some will think that's just a crazy thing to do as the S1Krr is a brilliant bike no real massive debate, it was just these very small things, the vibration in particular took away my enjoyment of how good it is in the end. great colour choice mate.
Very true. Its the same as the likes of 1199 Panigale, a bike built for the track with number plates on them. So for everyday use or even the occasional Sunday ride, the niggles get to you. I had a Panigale for around 8 months and used it fairly regularly (2\3 times a week) and I eventually got tired of the vibrations, heavy clutch, hot engine, silly amount of power for the road and the fact that NO Ducati likes to be ridden under 5000rpm. But by god was it a fantastic machine on the track. So ultimately went down to an 848 and its absolutely spot on for the road.
Agreed.. little things might seem little, but with enough time they add up. I've owned a couple Ducatis in my time but when it was time to size down and choose just one bike to keep around, I sold them in favor of keeping my '08 CBR1000RR because it was over-all just such a solid, smooth machine.
The gear box gets smoother after breaking the bike in. Mine was like yours at first. Neutral was sometimes hard to find and it just didn't seem as smooth as it should be. After about 1000 miles though it felt like a much smoother tranny. I didn't have anymore neutral issues and the shifting seemed more crisp as well. Not sure about your downshifting issue though. Mine always preformed flawlessly. Oh and yes, the quick shifter was not designed for low speed use. It even states so in the manual. The shifter is meant for high rpm high speed use, when something like a clutch-less shift would actually be beneficial.
Thanks for a great review Tom. You taught me things on the new model I did not know. When I had the one or two years prior model at Eastern Creek the downshift was awesome. I think it loves high rev downshifts not slow ones. I love your commentary that was "frickin" awesome. Thanks mate. Regards, Jim.
The reason for the downshift issues is because the s1000rr has an electronic throttle instead of a cable throttle which means there is a very slight delay in the throttle response. Takes some getting used to but I'm sure you will get used to it after a little longer on the bike
Probably you have problems on downshift because of one of those two: the height of the clutch isn't in your favour, or the "gap" into no-throttle and on-throttle is a bit much, try changing that.
@2dL... you are correct. BMW say that the throttle must be fully closed on the downshift. Still, even when done correctly, the upshift is much smoother than the downshift. You don't need a power shift on the down side anyways...
Wow, you said everything I wanted to say about the s1000rr. I too love mine, except the very little issues about the QS and vibration. Kudos for a very nice video.
I know you're excited about having the grand prix in Melbourne, but back in the 80s when they had the GP in Adelaide, that street circuit was incredible track! and FAST in bits too.
Thanks for the honest appraisal. I find the engine heat is the only negative I had. A couple of foam rubber pads to protect the knees fixed that. The downshift was fine once I adjusted the clutch bite point. My quick-shift has always been amazing even at low revs. Someone posted elsewhere that the dealer adjusted theirs.
If you're not using the clutch while downshifting, try pulling it almost to the stop. I noticed that I have to pull the clutch a lot if I am to downshift smoothly. It's still happens almost instantaneously but I pull the clutch almost, if not, to the stop. A little getting used to and you'll be butter smooth.
Agree with the down shift a bit of a clunk at times does not seem to matter if you blip the throttle or engine break, if bike was purchased new mine ran as rough as guts for the first few 1K's, then it smoothed out and is great now, the false neutral I get it all the time using the quick shift from 2nd to 3rd and some times while winding it out from 5th to 6th does not matter if riding hard or putting along just happens all the time. I use the quick shift all the time now.
My Triumph Scrambler runs really hot as well. A real treat on those hot days and nice on cold day, would be great to ride in the winter to bad we get snow.
Hey man sick video and very envious of you living right by the F1 track!!! ;P As for the downshifting and bliping not being smooth its all related to your clutch. Either adjust the friction zone on it a bit and or ease it in a slightly. I found that helpful, I rode that bike for a weekend and over 100 miles. It helped! LMK if it works, sick bike and congrats; ride safe!
Thanks for the extra insight. Nice to know all the little shit before you get one and have to figure it out. Sick ass ride too on the F1 track. Hope you were able to go to the race.
The issue with the Rev-match downshift not feeling or being as smooth is most likely because the BMW S1000RR uses Throttle By Wire system in which the Throttle grip is just a Potentiometer that sends an Electrical signal to the ECM (Engine Control Module) Which sends an Electrical signal to the Electrical Motor/motors that open the Throttle Bodies. While the electrical throttle valve motors are pretty quick and the opening seems seamless during regular riding, there is a lag or delay during Snap Throttle operation which essentially is what's happening when you perform a rev-match downshift. You also see this a lot in Throttle By Wire Car's Throttle Bodies as well, where when you push the pedal in the Throttle body has a brief moment of delay before it begins opening and it doesn't open nearly as fast as a Mechanical linked throttle body does. Most other Motorcycles are Cable Operated Throttles especially the 636 He had, in which case a Cable offers up a mechanical link directly to the Throttle body assembly, allowing for quick responsive "Snap" Throttle response which is used/needed in a rev-match down shift.
I know I could have edited my other post but I wanted to keep this portion separate because I'm Unaware if the HP4 Model has this or not... Because the Throttle By Wire does have a delay and it also makes it harder to rev-match downshift in a car, a lot of Auto Manufacturers are adding programs into their higher end vehicles which auto rev-match the engine during shifts, Such systems are found on the new 2014+ C7 Corvette, Nissan 370z has one called "SynchroRev Match" $3,030 USD Option, New Nissan Skyline GT-R has it, Porsche 911 Carrera 4 models will offer “automatic double-declutching” on its 7 speed manual transmissions, Ferrari 458, Subaru BRZ & Scion FRS offer it.. I think BMW didn't really offer it due to the Slipper Clutch and Quick shift options it already has it makes having to Manually Rev Match downshifts almost unnecessary.. But an Auto Rev-matching system like found on throttle by wire cars would make a smoother perfect downshift on throttle by wire bikes. Again though Quick shifters and Slipper clutches make this almost unnecessary...
Thanks for this. You have spared me my paranoia that I have a problem. I've noticed many of the negatives. That said there are so many positives it really doesn't matter.
I have motivation weighted bar ends and changed the grips - helped out a lot. If you change the mode to 'race' smooth downshifts are easier. I updated mine with an HP4 exhaust and factory ecu reflash - made a significant difference.
ive got a S1k too, and live in WA. i agree with generally everything you've said during the vid, though i don't have problems downshifting at all, nice and fluent, though i know the quickshifter hinders it a touch. the bike, in my opinion, is most comfortable in the race crouch. ive just got a full race akra system put on and... its just amazing. nice vid man, a different take on it for once
I think the throttle blipping definitely depends on what power mode you have. Cause the torque curve and throttle position completely changes. So if you had it in rain mode and tried to blip then you would have to wrap the throttle a lot further. Thats my only guess. Cause on mine the difference between how much throttle you need on rain vs race is insanely noticable
Everything you said is accurate and like you said nothing too major. Heat is true but the cbr1k gets really hot on the seat. I rather be hot on the legs. Vibration is definitely there. Shifter is a little pain sometimes. The bike is great and like you said the transmission is weird. It is the weakest to this bike. Maybe if they put a Honda transmission. Lol
Seening as how this vid is 4 years old, I hope you have already figured out, the quick shift/auto blip-per shifts up without holding in the clutch and downshift while blipping the throttle for you. You don’t have to rev match when downshifting.
Convincers I think he bought it used as I seen on the other video that he was going above 6000 rpms. New bimmers won't go above 6000rpms as they are blocked in break-in period.
Hi mate , I love your bike. I have the 2010 model . I've seen all your vids and they're great. You asked a question about trying to get a smooth downshift from your gearbox. Well I had that problem too , but what you have to do is barely pull the clutch in on the down change and you'll get very smooth down shifts at almost any rpm . Just try that mate.
What you said about the bars vibrating at 3-4k rpm was my biggest problem with the S1000R when i tested it a few weeks ago. Cruising at slowish speeds to get to fun roads i got pins and needles in my fingers from the vibration. Wonder how much diff the bar ends make.
I have motovation bar ends on now 390 grams each and it is completely fixed, only a very very small amount of vibration at 2k rpm but it's 100% better with heavy bar ends
RidingWithTom Thanks for Replying Tom. I ended up going for something completely different. Out goes my 2011 Tuono V4R and in comes an Aprilia Dorsoduro 1200....so much mega motard wheelienessnessness
I will agree 100% about the heat and the vibration. I found on the one that I rode that if you went slower than 60mph it stayed about 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Sucks for in city riding where my 07 gsxr 1000 would maybe hit 185 degrees. The vibration was crazy until about 6k rpm. Then it was really smooth. About the quick shifter. It's junk compared to a Bazzaz or Dyno Jet. And btw they are ment to be used under high engine torque. So basically you were ruining your transmission when you shifted at low rpm.
good review, nice to hear something more honest but not bashing. I found the quickshifter on the daytona 675R sucks at low revs and especially between 1-2, its just the nature of the best, its also hard to quickshift an older bike in those circumstances too. In my experience anyway...
Tom when you rev bomb the s1000rr you will hear it spins up (Advanced throttle mapping) I think that is part of your downshift problem. As you break the bike in it will get better.
Hello.. I have a first yr bmw s1000rr ( 2010 ) and have felt the vibration myself.. I did find going into first gear a little harsh from a stop, The upshift's have always been smooth and going into neural have never been a issue. I will even down shift without the clutch with the rt rpm's... The thing I did not like was the bar position but with a set of riser bar's and triple clamp now it is awesome...
the "bad" downshifting is because its a drive by wire throttle instead of the cable you are used to therefore it has some lag in it i think thats the main problem why you are having trouble with blipping the throttle while downshifting
My personal opinion on whining about best piece of art is that we don't appreciate what we have and earn. It's an amazing machine, most of the people would agree, so just take it on the road/track and enjoy it as much as you can, mate! ;) I was also the same with my new MacBook Pro 15". Yeah, it squeaks a bit on the bottom, not as rigid as the pre-Retina stuff, but it is amazingly powerful, light, better than ever! I think your Beemer is the same. :) Ride safe!
The gearbox will get better after 3-4000km. N gets easier to find and it just seem to smooth out quite a bit. You'll get used to the slipper clutch, takes it's time. I don't think about mine anymore.
3:31 HEAT ISSUE: Does the "unbearably hot" issue get better of worse the faster you go? Crusing at 130km/h on the highway with high air-flow versus city riding/slow traffic? In summer or what season? Is hot air blowing on your ankles, foot pegs.
Well, I have actually found 3 bad things about S1000RR, let me list it: 1. I don't have one 2. I'm not gonna get one soon 3. Maybe Ill never get one That's it, enjoy ur bike mate. That's dream bike!
Yes the frame gets hot on this bike. Remove the cat and get a full system helps . Frame protectors too, however it's designed to be ridden on the balls of your feet with legs against the tank not the frame. Bar buzz is a constant reminder not to grip too hard. Stay safe
I don't really get a whole lot of bar-buzz on mine, frame does get hot but living in ohio it's kept me warm on many days I probably should have stayed home. IT doesn't get tremedously hot where you can't touch it though. I'll have to keep an eye out on that when I get my full akrapovic either the end of this week or next week.
Thank you so much for your in formations as i was wondering why the ppl selling their s1000rr after a short time, i knew something wrong but no one was telling me why? like the vibrations and the heat of the engine, its very obvious now. Thanks you again
everything correcto - just like to add the angle of the seat keeps giving me wedgies when I ride it with jeans and armpump and wrist pain... but everyone keeps saying how comfortable it is :D
I bought mine last week. Rode the first 600 miles for 1st service and so far the bad things about the bike are the time I spend not riding it and the endless indecision on which slip-on I will install. Austin racing, brocks or akrapovic...
I bought my S1000RR two weeks ago too, mine has the short Akrapovic on it - sounds amazing! Not too loud at low revs but get it above 6000rpm and it screams! Great bike too, just wish I could spend all day every day riding it.
Nathan Bellows Congrats! I think I will opt for the Austin. It seems to be the shortest and loudest. If not, definitely the short Akra. Enjoy your new ride!
Hmm, interesting points....and I disagree with pretty much all of them. :) I find that bike to be the smoothest i ever ridden, QS worked flawlessly around town. Haven’t ridden it in summer but it seemed not as hot as my R1, and ’07 CBR was the hottest bike i ever tried. IMHO it is the best, fastest, easiest to ride, most comfortable super bike you can buy. Cheers
Glad to hear about the 07 CBR being a hot bike. It's what I'm trading in to get the HP4 when it arrives in June. Was starting to have concerns investing that kind of money into something that was going to be hotter then what I have. Also glad to hear about the QS being ok. I basically already quick shift now around town. I would have been bummed out if I couldn't do it any longer on a bike that's was supposedly able to.
James Murphy I always had a feeling my bum is soaked wet when i was riding that Honda around town. My R1 is pretty hot to but more the frame area. Not so much from under seat exhaust heat. Most QS’s work above 4k i think and you never ride below that anyway, even around town. I absolutely love S1000RR.. Looking to test ride a Panigale though, and there comes the heat issue again :)
I couldn't see myself buying the perfect bike. I always start with a good base (strong motor & rigid chasis) and then I go to town orderding parts to replace those that I don't like. Final product = A bike that I like. Now, some issues are just inherit of great bikes, such as heat coming off the engine. For that, you'll just have to bite the bullet.
Good honesty there Tom, when it comes time for the f800r to retire the S1000 is simply the only logical choice now they have the naked one out the maps have a lot to catch up on.
Tom you have to remember, it's a new bike, and new bikes produce WAY more heat cause the friction in the piston and whatnot. You have to wait a few thousand Km's till the Pistons are worn down so they're smooth. and that makes it produce less heat.
I think that difference will be negligible. Mine has 7000 km and still gets pretty hot if you sit around in traffic. Nothing like the initial Panigale though :).
That's applicable more to the engine vibration issue. Not heat. New engines may produce slightly more heat but that's the whole point of water cooling.. The cooling system will put the temperature to what BMW designed it for. That means when new, or when rode hard. That's how cooling works in vehicles, and if the heat is radiating out at that temperature then it will radiate at that temperature no matter how new or run in the bike is..
you can take a motogp bike on normal road,it will cope well F1 car would destroyed in 5 seconds running on normal road, and they are nothing without their aero,strip of their aero advantage and any modern bike can destroy a F1
My downshifts cleaned up a lot after about 1500 miles. I was feeling a clonking in the clutch lever during almost every downshift. Also, it takes much less of a blip than on any other bike I've ever risen. Not much of an rpm difference through the gears at lower revs.
Man throttle vibration is such a main concern for me. My 08 Ninja ZX10R had hellacious vibration and was the main point in me selling it, after 5 minutes i wanted off. I will not have another bike that vibrates so bad it don't wanna ride it. So i guess something i need to consider in my bike purchase here in a couple weeks. So either buy the 2014 Beemer and find something to help with the throttle vibration or buy a 2014 Blade possibly an SP model..which would u guys pick?
A nice day in OZ..... Nice bike, and a bit surprising that it has those little niggles, although BMWs have always tended to have less-than-butter-smooth transmissions.... :-)
On my PowerCommander I set the QuickShifter not to work till above 8000rpm for just this reason. Why even bother trying to use it at low RPM? It doesn't work as well in those cases. On a little bike like mine, you end up above that rpm pretty easily and safely even on the streets so it's still useful to have the quick shifter.
You appear to have rubber elbows and exceptionally loooooong arms!! My camera doesn't do that, so must be your arms! Great video btw. Nice to see someone NOT doing nothing but praising the S1000!
Heres what i like The Bike is nimble at low speeds sometimes i dont even have to lean to make the turn. Race mode seems more dominant n dialed in the throttle n clutch is sharp in this mode n suspension Lastly the brakes will throw you off the bike front 1st then rear their extra catchy n expert.
There is only 1 bad thing on the S1000RR:
I DO NOT OWN ONE...
lol :P
Be glad you actually don't own one!
+1Smoking Lizard why?
Biggest mistake I ever made was trading my Gixxer for this overpriced piece of scrap metal. You would think that for a bike this costly you would get your money's worth...and you would be wrong.
LOL ok
details
20 SECOND SUMMARY:
+ Smooth, not japanese "honda" smooth
+ Frickin' fast
- Bit of vibration starting at above 4000 rpm
- Get's really really hot, even hotter than his old Ducati(s)
- False neutrals (showing neutral but not really neutral)
- Not really useful in low speed, hard to operate in city
- 1st to 2nd in low speed is clunky
- Difficult to get smooth down shift even with blip
+ Still happy about it
He is driving on the Australian F1 GP track... which explains the ultra smooth surface :)
Marcus Yang-Nilsson your a god
Marcus Yang-Nilsson this vibrations are because BMW dont use balancer shaft that also the reason why the BMW puts that Power out of a inline four.I owned the s1000RR for 6 Months specially in rpm wich allmost use on Street has a lot of Vibrations om the Clip on.For Track i allmost use the zx10 R wich is preperated for Track and the BMW i have leave in the Store and have buy a Panigale 1299 next to my zx10r.And eaven after 2 Years and 30000km i dont have needs to selling tje 1299 because its still work still running without any Probs.But i have to say the BMW is a fucking good Bike but the Duc touch me more in a Emotional way,now i have two most sucessfull SBK Brand at the Moment in my Garage😎
thanks dude, you saved 11 minutes in my life :)
paul klees Do you know how to English?
We need more people like you 👏
Give me your BMW s1000RR and you will not hear a single complaint about this bike.
That sounds dumb. Just because something is expensive you can’t complain about it and would rather just live with the problems.
Absolutely.@@wik667
S1000RR has unbalanced crank (check specs) that's where the SLIGHT vibrations come form @ certain revs, nothing of great concern especially in lower or I would call it crawling RPM range (4K RPM). Japanese bikes aren't much better! New ZX10R has them on higher rev range and this is a call for concerns especially when your fairings start to crack. It's a very slight trade off for superb performance. Gearbox is superb as well when you really ride the bike, not when the engine is just idling :-P Heat if any also disappears and the bike sits at comfortable 70-80deg C (all R1s cook in traffic and track). True, no one before you maybe talked about this because what is the point, you can't really expect to get probably the best performance bike to be the best town commuter. It's almost like saying that your Harley is a best cruiser but it's not good on the track and off-road - Daa!! On the other hand, I'm on my fourth S1000RR, HP4 now and except for track days and fast breakfast runs I do commute as well, but I never, never, never remember riding my bikes as slow as this ;-) It's a waste of a brilliant bike and secondly people commenting here mustn't get they hopes up and think that their bikes are better and faultless. I had many different bikes and tested even more and I could make a long lists of shortcomings for each one of them and often much more serious than this. Good video though and I hope you will find some good roads where you will really be able to appreciate how magnificent this bike really is :-P
well said :-)
So do you have any idea if the Honda cbr 600 and 1000 rr have unbalanced crankshaft?
Fricken
Yeah, "Fricken" !
fucking freaking
euro stuter...fricken fricken
changing to racing oil for the engine will smooth the gearbox alot it did help me.
You are spot on with your review mate, I had a Yellow one, the vibration, heat, downshifting, very small niggles really but they just got me down after a few Months of ownership with regular use, so I went back to the Honda CBR I know some will think that's just a crazy thing to do as the S1Krr is a brilliant bike no real massive debate, it was just these very small things, the vibration in particular took away my enjoyment of how good it is in the end. great colour choice mate.
Very true. Its the same as the likes of 1199 Panigale, a bike built for the track with number plates on them. So for everyday use or even the occasional Sunday ride, the niggles get to you. I had a Panigale for around 8 months and used it fairly regularly (2\3 times a week) and I eventually got tired of the vibrations, heavy clutch, hot engine, silly amount of power for the road and the fact that NO Ducati likes to be ridden under 5000rpm. But by god was it a fantastic machine on the track. So ultimately went down to an 848 and its absolutely spot on for the road.
Agreed.. little things might seem little, but with enough time they add up. I've owned a couple Ducatis in my time but when it was time to size down and choose just one bike to keep around, I sold them in favor of keeping my '08 CBR1000RR because it was over-all just such a solid, smooth machine.
It shouldn't take that long to cover the bad things about the S1000RR.
The gear box gets smoother after breaking the bike in. Mine was like yours at first. Neutral was sometimes hard to find and it just didn't seem as smooth as it should be. After about 1000 miles though it felt like a much smoother tranny. I didn't have anymore neutral issues and the shifting seemed more crisp as well. Not sure about your downshifting issue though. Mine always preformed flawlessly.
Oh and yes, the quick shifter was not designed for low speed use. It even states so in the manual. The shifter is meant for high rpm high speed use, when something like a clutch-less shift would actually be beneficial.
Thanks for such an excellent review. Straight up, Honest and to the point... Very Envious over here in Éire...
Thanks for a great review Tom. You taught me things on the new model I did not know. When I had the one or two years prior model at Eastern Creek the downshift was awesome. I think it loves high rev downshifts not slow ones. I love your commentary that was "frickin" awesome. Thanks mate. Regards, Jim.
Thanks mate, wished all reviews could be like that showing us both good and bad.
Really nice vid
The reason for the downshift issues is because the s1000rr has an electronic throttle instead of a cable throttle which means there is a very slight delay in the throttle response. Takes some getting used to but I'm sure you will get used to it after a little longer on the bike
Probably you have problems on downshift because of one of those two: the height of the clutch isn't in your favour, or the "gap" into no-throttle and on-throttle is a bit much, try changing that.
2dl aq, masoq
vOGxz Opa, estamos em todo lugar XD
@2dL... you are correct. BMW say that the throttle must be fully closed on the downshift. Still, even when done correctly, the upshift is much smoother than the downshift. You don't need a power shift on the down side anyways...
I was expecting a 10 second video where you just say "ABSOLUTELY NOTHING SUCKERS" then scream off into the hills.
Excellent information that I've never heard of after watching like 20 reviews on this bike! Good deal
Wow, you said everything I wanted to say about the s1000rr. I too love mine, except the very little issues about the QS and vibration. Kudos for a very nice video.
riding around with you is so much fun tom!
7:22 His impression of his bike is soooooo funny
woooom woooooooooouuuummmmm
Robert Z
I know you're excited about having the grand prix in Melbourne, but back in the 80s when they had the GP in Adelaide, that street circuit was incredible track! and FAST in bits too.
I love your videos Tom and I selfishly wish you'd upload them more often.
Thanks for the honest appraisal. I find the engine heat is the only negative I had. A couple of foam rubber pads to protect the knees fixed that. The downshift was fine once I adjusted the clutch bite point. My quick-shift has always been amazing even at low revs. Someone posted elsewhere that the dealer adjusted theirs.
With that HD cam, you had a very good reason to show us exactly how fast the bike is lol
We all know how to get into your phone if we can catch your bmw now: 6:02
If you're not using the clutch while downshifting, try pulling it almost to the stop. I noticed that I have to pull the clutch a lot if I am to downshift smoothly. It's still happens almost instantaneously but I pull the clutch almost, if not, to the stop. A little getting used to and you'll be butter smooth.
Agree with the down shift a bit of a clunk at times does not seem to matter if you blip the throttle or engine break, if bike was purchased new mine ran as rough as guts for the first few 1K's, then it smoothed out and is great now, the false neutral I get it all the time using the quick shift from 2nd to 3rd and some times while winding it out from 5th to 6th does not matter if riding hard or putting along just happens all the time. I use the quick shift all the time now.
My Triumph Scrambler runs really hot as well. A real treat on those hot days and nice on cold day, would be great to ride in the winter to bad we get snow.
Hey man sick video and very envious of you living right by the F1 track!!! ;P
As for the downshifting and bliping not being smooth its all related to your clutch. Either adjust the friction zone on it a bit and or ease it in a slightly. I found that helpful, I rode that bike for a weekend and over 100 miles. It helped! LMK if it works, sick bike and congrats; ride safe!
Thanks for the extra insight. Nice to know all the little shit before you get one and have to figure it out. Sick ass ride too on the F1 track. Hope you were able to go to the race.
The issue with the Rev-match downshift not feeling or being as smooth is most likely because the BMW S1000RR uses Throttle By Wire system in which the Throttle grip is just a Potentiometer that sends an Electrical signal to the ECM (Engine Control Module) Which sends an Electrical signal to the Electrical Motor/motors that open the Throttle Bodies. While the electrical throttle valve motors are pretty quick and the opening seems seamless during regular riding, there is a lag or delay during Snap Throttle operation which essentially is what's happening when you perform a rev-match downshift. You also see this a lot in Throttle By Wire Car's Throttle Bodies as well, where when you push the pedal in the Throttle body has a brief moment of delay before it begins opening and it doesn't open nearly as fast as a Mechanical linked throttle body does. Most other Motorcycles are Cable Operated Throttles especially the 636 He had, in which case a Cable offers up a mechanical link directly to the Throttle body assembly, allowing for quick responsive "Snap" Throttle response which is used/needed in a rev-match down shift.
I know I could have edited my other post but I wanted to keep this portion separate because I'm Unaware if the HP4 Model has this or not... Because the Throttle By Wire does have a delay and it also makes it harder to rev-match downshift in a car, a lot of Auto Manufacturers are adding programs into their higher end vehicles which auto rev-match the engine during shifts, Such systems are found on the new 2014+ C7 Corvette, Nissan 370z has one called "SynchroRev Match" $3,030 USD Option, New Nissan Skyline GT-R has it, Porsche 911 Carrera 4 models will offer “automatic double-declutching” on its 7 speed manual transmissions, Ferrari 458, Subaru BRZ & Scion FRS offer it.. I think BMW didn't really offer it due to the Slipper Clutch and Quick shift options it already has it makes having to Manually Rev Match downshifts almost unnecessary.. But an Auto Rev-matching system like found on throttle by wire cars would make a smoother perfect downshift on throttle by wire bikes. Again though Quick shifters and Slipper clutches make this almost unnecessary...
Still love that Beemer, Quirks are character, Thanks for the ride bro
Thanks for this. You have spared me my paranoia that I have a problem. I've noticed many of the negatives. That said there are so many positives it really doesn't matter.
I have motivation weighted bar ends and changed the grips - helped out a lot. If you change the mode to 'race' smooth downshifts are easier. I updated mine with an HP4 exhaust and factory ecu reflash - made a significant difference.
2.35, that place haunts me now
This is cracking me up a bit, because you are talking with your hand(s) as you are riding. Unique take on a review, well done.
I kinda like the s1000 but i prefer the R1 so much more, but thats just my personal choice.
Thanks for an honest review. Cool. Stay happy and be safe.
Best review I've seen and so good.. me and my misses are now disputing the next bike.
Hey mate, great video :). Good to hear some of the bad things.
subbed! Great video.. and congrats on the new 2015 s1000rr :)
ive got a S1k too, and live in WA. i agree with generally everything you've said during the vid, though i don't have problems downshifting at all, nice and fluent, though i know the quickshifter hinders it a touch. the bike, in my opinion, is most comfortable in the race crouch. ive just got a full race akra system put on and... its just amazing.
nice vid man, a different take on it for once
have a 2010 model , still goes like a champ never a problem, collecting a 2017 model on monday:)
Miss the 636 at all? I'm thinking about getting one.
I think the throttle blipping definitely depends on what power mode you have. Cause the torque curve and throttle position completely changes. So if you had it in rain mode and tried to blip then you would have to wrap the throttle a lot further. Thats my only guess. Cause on mine the difference between how much throttle you need on rain vs race is insanely noticable
Thank you for an objective review on a great bike!
one main bad thing is that there is no bad thing with this beast
drive safe and take care guys
Everything you said is accurate and like you said nothing too major. Heat is true but the cbr1k gets really hot on the seat. I rather be hot on the legs. Vibration is definitely there. Shifter is a little pain sometimes. The bike is great and like you said the transmission is weird. It is the weakest to this bike. Maybe if they put a Honda transmission. Lol
thanks for the excellent review, great points brought up
Great Vid and nice to see the track like that. Interesting comments about the S1000 but I'd still chop my leg off to have a go !
Everything you said is so true. Downshifts are very clunky no where near as smooth as my r1. But it's smoother than my R1 In a different way
Seening as how this vid is 4 years old, I hope you have already figured out, the quick shift/auto blip-per shifts up without holding in the clutch and downshift while blipping the throttle for you. You don’t have to rev match when downshifting.
0:15 someone walking by would see some guy in a track suit just staring and waving his hands at his bike like a loony.
So I just bought you back to your 5 year old comment ! How you feel ‽
Did you buy it brand new or used?
He bought it new.
Convincers I think he bought it used as I seen on the other video that he was going above 6000 rpms. New bimmers won't go above 6000rpms as they are blocked in break-in period.
the rev limiter is actually 9k for the first 600 miles
you might be right!
Mike12r1 - Official Channel No, he's right.
Hi mate , I love your bike. I have the 2010 model .
I've seen all your vids and they're great. You asked a question about trying to get a smooth downshift from your gearbox. Well I had that problem too , but what you have to do is barely pull the clutch in on the down change and you'll get very smooth down shifts at almost any rpm . Just try that mate.
Keep up with the good vids man :)
What you said about the bars vibrating at 3-4k rpm was my biggest problem with the S1000R when i tested it a few weeks ago. Cruising at slowish speeds to get to fun roads i got pins and needles in my fingers from the vibration. Wonder how much diff the bar ends make.
I have motovation bar ends on now 390 grams each and it is completely fixed, only a very very small amount of vibration at 2k rpm but it's 100% better with heavy bar ends
RidingWithTom
Thanks for Replying Tom. I ended up going for something completely different. Out goes my 2011 Tuono V4R and in comes an Aprilia Dorsoduro 1200....so much mega motard wheelienessnessness
Ok
I will agree 100% about the heat and the vibration. I found on the one that I rode that if you went slower than 60mph it stayed about 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Sucks for in city riding where my 07 gsxr 1000 would maybe hit 185 degrees. The vibration was crazy until about 6k rpm. Then it was really smooth. About the quick shifter. It's junk compared to a Bazzaz or Dyno Jet. And btw they are ment to be used under high engine torque. So basically you were ruining your transmission when you shifted at low rpm.
good review, nice to hear something more honest but not bashing.
I found the quickshifter on the daytona 675R sucks at low revs and especially between 1-2, its just the nature of the best, its also hard to quickshift an older bike in those circumstances too. In my experience anyway...
Tom when you rev bomb the s1000rr you will hear it spins up (Advanced throttle mapping) I think that is part of your downshift problem. As you break the bike in it will get better.
Hello.. I have a first yr bmw s1000rr ( 2010 ) and have felt the vibration myself.. I did find going into first gear a little harsh from a stop, The upshift's have always been smooth and going into neural have never been a issue. I will even down shift without the clutch with the rt rpm's... The thing I did not like was the bar position but with a set of riser bar's and triple clamp now it is awesome...
the "bad" downshifting is because its a drive by wire throttle instead of the cable you are used to therefore it has some lag in it i think thats the main problem why you are having trouble with blipping the throttle while downshifting
My personal opinion on whining about best piece of art is that we don't appreciate what we have and earn. It's an amazing machine, most of the people would agree, so just take it on the road/track and enjoy it as much as you can, mate! ;) I was also the same with my new MacBook Pro 15". Yeah, it squeaks a bit on the bottom, not as rigid as the pre-Retina stuff, but it is amazingly powerful, light, better than ever! I think your Beemer is the same. :) Ride safe!
thanx for this special ride
I set up all at pit garages for the f1 and those doors open at about 3 doors to one garage ! Some teams have smaller garages !
Cool review .. I still feel the bike is amazing .. Love it's versatility ..
Thanks for the info mate. Hope you could solve the vibrate problem. Would like to hear more about the problems and solution for it
The gearbox will get better after 3-4000km. N gets easier to find and it just seem to smooth out quite a bit. You'll get used to the slipper clutch, takes it's time. I don't think about mine anymore.
awesome, looking forward to more vids on the s1000rr :)
Very nice video. Great review and amazing scenery. Very well done
3:31 HEAT ISSUE: Does the "unbearably hot" issue get better of worse the faster you go? Crusing at 130km/h on the highway with high air-flow versus city riding/slow traffic? In summer or what season? Is hot air blowing on your ankles, foot pegs.
Also the really small movement for the indicators takes a bit of time to get used to.
Well, I have actually found 3 bad things about S1000RR, let me list it:
1. I don't have one
2. I'm not gonna get one soon
3. Maybe Ill never get one
That's it, enjoy ur bike mate. That's dream bike!
This is more informative than "Good things about this bike" video
Yes the frame gets hot on this bike. Remove the cat and get a full system helps . Frame protectors too, however it's designed to be ridden on the balls of your feet with legs against the tank not the frame.
Bar buzz is a constant reminder not to grip too hard. Stay safe
I don't really get a whole lot of bar-buzz on mine, frame does get hot but living in ohio it's kept me warm on many days I probably should have stayed home. IT doesn't get tremedously hot where you can't touch it though. I'll have to keep an eye out on that when I get my full akrapovic either the end of this week or next week.
I definitely getting this bike! Just have to wait for two years to get the full license. The Cbr 500r will do the job until then ;)
Thank you so much for your in formations as i was wondering why the ppl selling their s1000rr after a short time, i knew something wrong but no one was telling me why? like the vibrations and the heat of the engine, its very obvious now.
Thanks you again
+Moon Light Fun thing is you can fix both of those issues, especially the bars vibrations (just get decently weighted bar ends)
Is that a C63 AMG at 8:57 on the right? Has AMG rims.
Nice vid mate.. Ps: your country is beautiful,
Greetings from Scotland.
nice honest review! I hope you will review the new 899 panigale
bad things about the BMW S1000RR: they get stolen
everything correcto - just like to add the angle of the seat keeps giving me wedgies when I ride it with jeans and armpump and wrist pain... but everyone keeps saying how comfortable it is :D
I bought mine last week. Rode the first 600 miles for 1st service and so far the bad things about the bike are the time I spend not riding it and the endless indecision on which slip-on I will install. Austin racing, brocks or akrapovic...
I bought my S1000RR two weeks ago too, mine has the short Akrapovic on it - sounds amazing! Not too loud at low revs but get it above 6000rpm and it screams! Great bike too, just wish I could spend all day every day riding it.
Nathan Bellows Congrats!
I think I will opt for the Austin. It seems to be the shortest and loudest. If not, definitely the short Akra.
Enjoy your new ride!
Thanks! I've seen a few videos of the Austin, sounds very nice and backfires with the quickshifter! Have fun :)
Try some grip pads on the frame, should keep the heat from getting to your legs directly.
Hmm, interesting points....and I disagree with pretty much all of them. :) I find that bike to be the smoothest i ever ridden, QS worked flawlessly around town. Haven’t ridden it in summer but it seemed not as hot as my R1, and ’07 CBR was the hottest bike i ever tried. IMHO it is the best, fastest, easiest to ride, most comfortable super bike you can buy. Cheers
Glad to hear about the 07 CBR being a hot bike. It's what I'm trading in to get the HP4 when it arrives in June. Was starting to have concerns investing that kind of money into something that was going to be hotter then what I have. Also glad to hear about the QS being ok. I basically already quick shift now around town. I would have been bummed out if I couldn't do it any longer on a bike that's was supposedly able to.
James Murphy I always had a feeling my bum is soaked wet when i was riding that Honda around town. My R1 is pretty hot to but more the frame area. Not so much from under seat exhaust heat. Most QS’s work above 4k i think and you never ride below that anyway, even around town. I absolutely love S1000RR.. Looking to test ride a Panigale though, and there comes the heat issue again :)
I couldn't see myself buying the perfect bike. I always start with a good base (strong motor & rigid chasis) and then I go to town orderding parts to replace those that I don't like. Final product = A bike that I like.
Now, some issues are just inherit of great bikes, such as heat coming off the engine. For that, you'll just have to bite the bullet.
Good honesty there Tom, when it comes time for the f800r to retire the S1000 is simply the only logical choice now they have the naked one out the maps have a lot to catch up on.
Maybe.........
if your gonna watch at least come and join in hahaha
looking forward to it haha
Lols how bout an interstate vlog
Sounds good
Tom you have to remember, it's a new bike, and new bikes produce WAY more heat cause the friction in the piston and whatnot. You have to wait a few thousand Km's till the Pistons are worn down so they're smooth. and that makes it produce less heat.
I think that difference will be negligible. Mine has 7000 km and still gets pretty hot if you sit around in traffic. Nothing like the initial Panigale though :).
That's applicable more to the engine vibration issue. Not heat. New engines may produce slightly more heat but that's the whole point of water cooling.. The cooling system will put the temperature to what BMW designed it for. That means when new, or when rode hard. That's how cooling works in vehicles, and if the heat is radiating out at that temperature then it will radiate at that temperature no matter how new or run in the bike is..
No stock bike can keep up with a motherfucking f1 car.
not even a motogp
you can take a motogp bike on normal road,it will cope well
F1 car would destroyed in 5 seconds running on normal road, and they are nothing without their aero,strip of their aero advantage and any modern bike can destroy a F1
Zeta Lin
When you talk about F1 you do not think about normal roads. They are purpose built machines.
we do not compare something that has massive advantage to something that don't as well right, that make us sounds like pussy
Zeta Lin Even without the near-magic aerodynamics an F1 would vaporize most moden bike in corners...
Will be my next bike hands down.
My downshifts cleaned up a lot after about 1500 miles. I was feeling a clonking in the clutch lever during almost every downshift. Also, it takes much less of a blip than on any other bike I've ever risen. Not much of an rpm difference through the gears at lower revs.
Man throttle vibration is such a main concern for me. My 08 Ninja ZX10R had hellacious vibration and was the main point in me selling it, after 5 minutes i wanted off. I will not have another bike that vibrates so bad it don't wanna ride it. So i guess something i need to consider in my bike purchase here in a couple weeks. So either buy the 2014 Beemer and find something to help with the throttle vibration or buy a 2014 Blade possibly an SP model..which would u guys pick?
You thing to changed for a zx10r now? they are pretty the same power and weight but the kawi is japanese.
let me know how much it is to buy replacement parts for the BMW...
A nice day in OZ..... Nice bike, and a bit surprising that it has those little niggles, although BMWs have always tended to have less-than-butter-smooth transmissions.... :-)
loving the skrr my buddy just picked one up and after riding it a few times i think i have to have one.
On my PowerCommander I set the QuickShifter not to work till above 8000rpm for just this reason. Why even bother trying to use it at low RPM? It doesn't work as well in those cases. On a little bike like mine, you end up above that rpm pretty easily and safely even on the streets so it's still useful to have the quick shifter.
you could always contact cement computer cpu coolers to the frame to keep it a little cooler :P
You appear to have rubber elbows and exceptionally loooooong arms!! My camera doesn't do that, so must be your arms! Great video btw. Nice to see someone NOT doing nothing but praising the S1000!
Heres what i like The Bike is nimble at low speeds sometimes i dont even have to lean to make the turn.
Race mode seems more dominant n dialed in the throttle n clutch is sharp in this mode n suspension
Lastly the brakes will throw you off the bike front 1st then rear their extra catchy n expert.
NICE TO KNOW ABOUT NEGATIVES OF THIS BIKE. AFTER ALL DRIVING SHOULD BE A PLEASURE AND NOT A DISCOMFORT.
You might be having problems with downshifts because the quick shifter is messing it a little, nothing to worry about i shouldn't think...