K1300S Owner Tests S1000RR

[Barter]

Two hour test of S1000RR today in UK (Northumberland) in good spring weather straight after getting off my K1300S (modified with HP wheels, EVO filters and full Titanium Akro system). First impression was noticeably less midrange than the K1300 till I realised the dealer had it set it up in rain mode. Quick revision to sport mode improved things a bit, but it took the race mode setting to turn the bike into the responsive, rapid rev monster it certainly is. This is surely the setting that all riders will choose on dry roads. if not, they might as well get a Fireblade or GSX1000. Mid range still not up to the K1300, though.

Handling very sharp and direct, with nothing other than accurate, rapid turn in and complete stability. Only the last few thousand rpm bring in a bit of front end squirming, but speeds by this stage have become very anti social. The brakes are absolutely brilliant and the engine is reasonably smooth. Comfort is acceptable, but this bike is not a substitute for the K series, unless you are 22, in which case you shouldn't have it anyway. The quickshifter felt identical to the K1300 and was every bit as welcome, despite the pathetic inability of the UK bike press to take to it. I keep reading about front end feedback and the lack of this on the Hossack fronted K series bikes, but I seriously wonder if such comments are anything other than journalistic hubris. What likelihood is there of modern tyres sliding away on dry roads these days, however hard they are pushed, unless accompanied by cack-handed braking? Who needs feedback? I didn't notice any of it or the lack of it on the S1000R, which got a fair old pasting on my bumpy local roads.

The S1000RR is a great sports bike, but not a great road bike. Buy one for track days or as a second bike, but not as a substitute for the K bikes. I was grateful for the test and seriously impressed, but riding home on the K1300 I realised that I had underestimated what a great bike this is. Only when trying to push it uphill into my garage did I concede one enviable advantage to the S1000RR.

[andy griff]

Nice review

[Bernardo]

Nothing better than K13 rider to test a S1000RR

[Eka]

After this i need one KR, but i'm only human.

[motorbikez]

Nice review Barter

[EgoKill3r]

Thanks for the review. I was looking for something like this to read.

[dazoo]

Going from a K to an S is moving to a completely different type of bike. Yes, they are both designed to go fast and both have BMW badges, but that's about as much in common as they have.

The S is designed to perform well on the track, the K is designed to perform well on the road. I have had Ks in my group on trackdays and whilst they are indeed fast on the straights, they are like barges in the corners. Conversely, on the road the mid range and flexibility of the K is likely to give it considerable advantage in many real world situations.

I'd be very suprised if anyone thought that the S could do everything as well as the K13 can.

[FreedomRider]

I keep reading about front end feedback and the lack of this on the Hossack fronted K series bikes, but I seriously wonder if such comments are anything other than journalistic hubris.

Every time I read a test or comparison where the Hossack or Saxxon Motadd suspension is incorporated I read this elitist horseshit from the moto-journalists.
Up until the S1000RR the beemers were always great performers in a variety of paved environments. The S1000RR like the rest of the Superbike ilk is razor edge performance.
At tripple digit speeds with your knee close too or touching the pavement I can fully understand why absolute communication between the road surface and the bar in your hand is favored; but such aggressive, 100% commitment should be kept to a closed course "track" environment which usually lack the ruptures, cracks, pimples, expansion joints, unexpected stop signs, construction zones etc found on public roads and highways.

A full tilt Formula One race car or NASCAR perform brilliantly in their intended environments, and are no doubt a hoot to drive; but they would prove endlessly uncomfortable, problematic and ill suited in our REAL world.

[dazoo]

It depends on whether your 'real world' is on the track or not.

The S was designed for the track with only minor compromises to allow people to play on the road. It is very compromised on normal road surfaces - I picked mine up today and have reduced my chances of ever fathering children within the first 100 miles. But there is no point in reviewing a race bike without examining the full extent of feedback from the front end.

However the opposite is also true - there is no point comparing a front end designed for the road to a front end designed for the track, they have two different design briefs. One thing worth bearing in mind is that journos ride a huge selection of bikes . The vast majority of these have standard front ends and so this is what most people are comfortable with. Riding a bike with a different front end feel is unlikely to inspire confidence quickly, so these bikes get marked down. However over time, they may turn out to better in the real world.

I tried the GS and hated it - apart from the obvious gearbox and shaft drive issues, I felt the front end did not tell me what was going on - but I suspect this was because I didn't know how to interpret the information I was being given.

Journos can only do so much, they can't live with bikes. The long term test bikes are the only reports that give any sort of real world feedback and quite often you see some dramatic opinion changes over a season.

Prime example - when the RSVs came out they had the horn and indicator switches swapped over compared to Jap bikes. Most journos marked the bike down because of this. It took me exactly 20 minutes to get used to the alternative configuration. I'm guessing most people learned to live with the old BW indicators too with time, but journos will again have marked the bike down because it was something that took a little getting used to.

[4-stroker]

I think the writer has a good and objective mind. I can find myself in his writing. Good review.