BMW Motorrad has finally launched the 2021 S 1000 R in India. The S 1000 R is priced at Rs 17.9 lakh for the standard variant, Rs 19.75 lakh for the Pro variant and Rs 22.5 lakh for the Pro M Sport variant (all prices are ex-showroom India). This 2021 BMW S 1000 R shares most of its underpinnings with the new S 1000 RR and it is the first major overhaul of the bike since its launch in 2014.
The 2021 S 1000 R is all new on the design front. It does away with the polarizing asymmetrical headlight design of the outgoing model and uses a more traditional single headlight unit styled similar to that of the F 900 R. The bike by all means still looks muscular and menacing. It gets various cuts and creases on the fairing and tank shrouds adding to its aggressive stance. The tail section and the rear seat resemble the new S 1000 RR. The S 1000 R will be available in a few colour options including the non-metallic racing red colour way for the base variant, the Style Sport (Hockenheim Silver Metallic) colour way for the Pro variant and the Light white/ M Motorsport finish which is exclusive to the Pro M Sport variant.
The 2021 BMW S 1000 R is powered by a detuned version of the engine found on the new S 1000 RR superbike. The engine is tuned to offer a more usable mid-range and a smoother, more linear power and torque curve to offer better real-world usability. The 999cc, inline-four engine is good for 162bhp at 11,000rpm and 114Nm at 9250rpm. The differences in the engine don’t end there however. BMW has also removed the ‘Shiftcam’ tech (BMW speak for VVT) and has made gear ratios for the fourth, fifth and sixth gear taller in order to provide better efficiency while maintaining cruising speeds. The exhaust system has also been redesigned to help the bike meet the more stringent BS6 emissions norms.
The aim for the engineers at BMW was to make a lighter and better handling bike and to meet those requirements, the S 1000 R gets a new ‘Flex frame’. The frame and the underslung swing arm are very similar to the setup found on the S 1000 RR. The engine is a load bearing member of the entire setup which enabled the engineers to make the bike narrower than before. The bike is suspended on 45mm fully adjustable forks at the front and a fully adjustable monoshock at the rear and the S 1000 R Sport variant also benefits from a Dynamic Damping control setting for the suspension. Braking comes courtesy of four-pot calipers radially mounted on 320mm discs at the front and a single piston caliper mounted on a 220mm disc at the rear. Seat height is at a slightly tall 830mm and the bike, fully fueled, tips the scales at 199kg and the Pro M Sport variant which is equipped with the M package with the M carbon wheels dropping the weight down to 194kg (wet). The fuel tank on the S 1000 R is capable of holding up to 16.5 litres of fuel.
The S 1000 R comes packed to the brim with tech and electronics. It all starts with a massive 6.5-inch colour TFT screen found on other high-end BMWs. Rider aids like ABS Pro, dynamic traction control, riding modes LED lighting, race ABS and hill start control are standard on all variants of the S 1000 R. the Pro and Pro M Sport also gets extras like Riding Modes Pro, Gear Shift Assist Pro (quickshifter), Dynamic Damping Control, cruise control, heated grips, Headlight Pro, Adaptive headlights, DRLs and keyless ride as standard.
The S 1000 R Pro M Sport gets everything that the Pro variant gets but also gets the M package as standard which includes the M-Endurance chain, M GPS-laptrigger, an Akrapovic exhaust, M Sport seat, M light weight battery M carbon wheels and the motorsport colour scheme.
Bookings for all variants of the 2021 BMW S 1000 R are open from today and deliveries are expected to begin shortly. The S 1000 R is rivaled by the likes of the 2021 Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RS, the much more powerful Ducati Streetfighter V4 and Kawasaki Z H2 and the Suzuki GSX-S1000 and Aprilia Tuono V4 1100 which are expected to launch this year.