A handful of tweaks for 2025 turn the S 1000 R Sport into one of the most complete supernakeds on the market. Pommie puts it to the test, here's his S 1000 R review... Photos: Graham Bain

BMW’s 2025 S 1000 R Sport blends sharper throttle response, refined electronics and everyday usability into a nakedbike that feels polished and confidence-inspiring. Our resident Beemer test guru, Pommie, recently put the beast to the test. Check out his review.

The S 1000 R Sport feels light and precise on its feet, with quick steering and front-end confidence.

When I first saw the new S 1000 R Sport my first thought was I don’t like the sections of yellow on the bike. However, after a few hours my mind had changed and it grew on me to the point where I really liked it, and I was pleased BMW was trying something a bit more adventurous with its styling. One thing I’m not so keen on though, is that none of the bike’s graphics are clear coated over which, for a high-end bike is a little disappointing.

I’m getting my gripes out of the way early, because the quality of the rest of the components and the finish on the bike is fantastic, as I’ve come to expect from BMW. The 2025 bike is not a massive step up from the 2024 model. In fact, if you rode the two bikes back-to-back you probably wouldn’t clock the changes, but that being said, BMW’s entire S-series lineup has benefited from a steady progression of improvements since it was introduced in 2010. And what we have now is a bike so refined that it’s just about perfect.

“BMW’s entire S-series lineup has benefited from a steady progression of improvements since it was introduced in 2010”…

The improvements for the MY25 model are a quicker-action throttle that significantly reduces the rotation required to reach full throttle. This means it feeds the power in quicker, but not to the detriment of a smooth and progressive delivery. We also see a 3kW [5hp] gain, but with 125kW [170hp] already at your disposal, you don’t notice the extra grunt at these insane levels. You do notice the quicker acceleration thanks to the shorter gearing, while other improvements include a new MSR (motor slip regulation) engine-brake control, as well as a new LED twin headlight and an updated rear-end unit.

Strong midrange punch and short gearing mean the front wheel gets light easily.

The feature list on my BMW test bike, which is called the S 1000 R Sport, is long and impressive. You get semi-active Marzocchi front forks and rear shock, mated to the same alloy frame from the S 1000 RR model that uses different triple clamps to attach the more upright, wide tapered handlebars. Braking is taken care of by powerful Brembo M4 calipers with the benefit of cornering ABS.

Power is fed to the rear wheel through lean-sensitive traction control, which is adjusted depending on what ride mode you’ve selected (or switched off altogether), and it’s all operated through a clever 6-axis IMU. My test bike was fitted with the Comfort Package which includes keyless ignition, heated grips, tyre pressure monitoring and cruise control, as well as the Dynamic Package which gives you a quickshifter, the semi-active suspension, Riding Modes Pro (four standard plus three customisable) and the otherwise optional engine spoiler.

“If I was to find myself on a quiet bit of road then it would only be a press of a button and I’d be in what I like to call Hooligan mode”…

The S 1000 R Sport is the second variant in what’s a four-tiered S 1000 R line-up. Starting with the base S 1000 R, the Sport version gets the two packages, while the third tier – called the S 1000 R Race adds a M lightweight battery, forged wheels and ’bar-end mirrors. At the top of the S-series lineup sits the S 1000 R M Sport (not to be confused with the M 1000 R) which, as well as all of the other upgrades, adds the M Endurance Chain, a GPS laptrigger, a sports silencer and M sport seat.

“The S 1000 R Sport is the second variant in what’s a four-tiered S 1000 R line-up”

After picking the bike up, it was a quick dash to the fuel station to fill up where the dash told me I had an indicated 270km of fun ahead of me from the 16.5L tank. I must say, the S 1000 R fits me like a glove. The ergonomics are spot on – I wouldn’t change a thing – the cockpit is welcoming and feels roomy, and I have just the right amount of weight on my wrists to remain in control while still being comfy.

Semi-active suspension keeps the chassis composed mid-corner, even on patchy backroads.

And with a seat height of 830mm, I have no issues getting my feet flat on the ground, although there are both a lower and taller seat option available. Initially, when manoeuvring the bike around my shed, I thought the front tyre was flat, but I realised it was actually the standard-fitment steering damper causing the handlebar movement to feel stiffer than I expected. The bike itself feels light and the specs back it up; at 199kg ready-to-ride, it’s more than 10kg lighter than both Suzuki’s GSX-S1000 and Honda’s CB1000 Hornet SP, and as much as 20kg lighter than Kawasaki’s Z1000.

Pulling out of the garage and heading out of town for some better roads, I’m instantly at home aboard the BMW. And I’m enormously impressed with the quickshifter – wow, they just seem to keep getting better and better. Both up and down changes are incredibly slick and smooth, and the more throttle you have open, the better it sounds changing gear.

“I’m enormously impressed with the quickshifter – wow, they just seem to keep getting better and better”

The S 1000 R was never designed to be a commuter, but it handles town riding incredibly well. The bike is narrow enough to lane filter, has good usable mirrors and a light clutch for easy take-off. The engine is turbine smooth and the fueling is so spot on that you can be lazy with gear changes and potter around in tall gears and the engine won’t blink an eye. In fact, the engine will sit happily in sixth gear at 60km/h and still pull away strongly.

Compact proportions and a short tail give the S 1000 R a purposeful, athletic look.

Heading onto the freeway the bike sits on an easy 4200rpm at 110km/h, with zero signs of any annoying vibrations. However, turn up the wick to above 6000rpm and you do become aware of some vibrations through the ’bars and the ’pegs, while the mirrors also become blurry. The seat is really comfortable – I did a few reasonable hours in the saddle and never even thought about a sore bum. The cruise control is also a great feature and I found myself using it a lot, if only to save my license.

When I finally got onto my favorite road, the BMW really started to shine. The semi-active suspension did a fine job of taming the bumps and undulations in both Rain and Road modes, however I found that Dynamic mode was a bit too firm for our less than favorable road conditions – it’s far better suited for the track or a newly laid bit of hot mix. Luckily it’s just a press of the suspension button on the ’bars to flick between the modes, and there’s even the option to tell the bike if you’ve got a pillion onboard and it’ll adjust the settings to suit.

 

 

Because I had the customisable modes as part of the Riding Modes Pro upgrade, I set the suspension to Road and disabled all of the other electronic intervention. That way, if I was to find myself on a quiet bit of road then it would only be a press of a button and I’d be in what I like to call Hooligan mode. All the modes and functions are super easy to navigate and it should only be a short learning curve for most people. The large 6.5in crystal-clear TFT dash is customisable for what you want displayed and is pretty intuitive to use.

“The BMW S 1000 R Sport is a mountain corner carver, it must have been part of the design brief because this is where it absolutely shines”

The BMW S 1000 R Sport is a mountain corner carver, it must have been part of the design brief because this is where it absolutely shines. The more you go up the modes into the sportier settings, the more fun the bike becomes. And while the S 1000 R is so far devoid of the variable-valve timing found in the Superbike and M-spec variant, it’s more than enough bike for most.

Wide handlebars and neutral ergonomics make it easy to link corners and carry momentum.

The exhaust pops on up-shifts and growls on down-shifts and the induction noise is all but intoxicating when you are brave enough to twist it around to full throttle. The bike is fast, blisteringly fast, luckily the chassis and Brembo brakes are well up to the job of keeping up to the performance, because the S 1000 R handles like its on rails.

When you find those perfect few corners that are linked together and you are seated on a bike as capable as this one, then that is what I consider perfect harmony. The bike tips into the corners feeling more like a 600 than a 1000 and steers beautifully – picking up and dropping down for the next bend feels almost effortless. But it’s the way the BMW digs in and drives out of the corner that really get the juices flowing and I’m thankful that I still have traction control active as a see the light flicker in the corner of my eye.

Read Pommie’s road test on BMW’s 200hp M 1000 R Competition here…

Shifting up though the quick-shifter propelling forward at an eye-watering pace and feeling the raw power of the engine, I think to myself that 170hp is more than enough for anyone… and then I remember that I have to swap the S 1000 R for the M Competition with an extra 40hp!

It took me just two weeks to fall head over heels in love with the S 1000 R Sport. And the colour grew on me so much that I’d find myself glancing back at the bike when I parked up, just to take another peek. The performance is outstanding, but most of all it’s a really fun bike to ride. No, this spec isn’t cheap, but that old saying is correct: you get what you pay for…

2025 BMW S 1000 R Sport Specifications

Price: From $23,075 Ride Away ($32,930 R/A as tested)
Claimed Power: 125kW[170hp]@11,000rpm
Claimed Torque: 114Nm@9250rpm
Wet Weight: 199kg
Fuel capacity: 16.5L
Fuel Consumption: 6.2L/100km (claimed)

Engine: Liquid-cooled in-line four-cylinder engine, four valves per cylinder, 999cc, DOHC, 80 x 49.7mm bore x stroke, 12.5:1 compression ratio. Gearbox: Constant mesh six-speed with quickshifter Clutch: Wet, multi-plate, anti-hopping.

Chassis: Aluminium composite bridge Flex-Frame frame, load bearing engine, aluminium underslung double-sided swingarm. Rake: 65.8º Trail: 97.6mm
Suspension: Marzocchi USD 45mm telescopic fork, spring preload, compression and rebound stage adjustable with DDC (f). Marzocchi central spring strut rear, spring preload, adjustable compression and rebound stage with DDC (r).
Brakes: BMW Motorrad ABS Pro, dual 320mm rotors, radial four-piston Brembo calipers (f). Single rear 220mm rotor, single-piston floating Brembo caliper, conventional master-cylinder (r).
Wheels & Tyres: Aluminium cast wheels, 3.50 x 17in, 120/70ZR17 (f). 6.00 x 17in, 190/55 ZR17 (r). Bridgestone Battlax S22.

Dimensions
Wheelbase: 1447mm
Seat height: 830mm (810mm and 850mm available)
Overall width: 812mm
Overall length: 2085mm
Overall height: 1051mm

Instruments & Electronics: 6.5-inch TFT screen, multiple display modes, Keyless Ride, DDC, DTC, Gear Shift Assist Pro, Riding Modes Pro, Cruise Control, Engine Braking Control, Adaptive Headlight, Tyre Pressure Monitor, ABS Pro.

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