Favourable Mag Story

[Trevor Rossack]

In the December issue of Motorcycle Sport and Leisure (UK) our beloved S gets some rare good press from a magazine. I guess this is partly due to the fact the mag is aimed at the more experienced/mature rider.
Wheelies and stoppies are not part of their normal riding repertoire. It is only a short ride report over two pages - 2/3 page is story, the rest is photos. I do not have access to a scanner, so I will reproduce the story by Jonathon Bentman here. Happy reading:-


“Big bore, ultra-sports bikes. I love ‘em.

And my job as editor of motorcycle mag Kiwi Rider in New Zealand allows me to indulge that passion. The privilege has presented me with many fond ultra-sports memories. Such as nearly high-siding the ‘02 R1 at the big Yam’s world launch at Catalunya. And piloting the Suzuki GSX-R1000 at Philip Island, hounding an
Australian moto-journalist into a sweet low-side crash out of turn 11 (poor lamb) before heading off-track myself at Honda corner while trying to out-brake yet two more GSX-R riding Aussie hacks.

In short, while evidently not that awesome a rider, I’ll readily indulge - to the point of overdose - in 160bhp rocketships.

Now, I tell you this because frankly you don’t know me and I want you to understand, all the same, that it is quite possible to be an utterly dedicated rev-head and still get a whole heap of enjoyment out of BMW’s 98bhp R1100S Sport Boxer.

The BMW Boxer Cup series that accompanies Grand Prix, Superbikes and World Endurance races is evidently BMW’s own way of conveying that same message. Yep, the R1100S maybe a sportstourer, but the sporting aspect is as much in evidence as the touring and all-round it’s a very able and pleasing bike to have around.

It’s an interesting mix of old and new. That decades, not yet century old flat-twin powerplant being the old (in concept at least). The Motronic electronic fuel-injection, the three-way catalytic converter, the Paralever rear and Telelever front suspension, the Brembo brakes just some of the many new.

The fascination in riding the R1100S is surely derived from the vibe of the flat-twin motor. Essentially we’re talking torque. Some 71ft/lb of the stuff at 5,750rpm - ride the R1100S anywhere between 2,500 and 6,500rpm and you’ll simply be marvelling in the comfortable lusty urge with which it monster along the road.

You could rev it harder if you please, the redline hides out at 8,500rpm, but there’s little reason to , the real urge is definitely in the lower reaches. So the only way you are ever going to get this BMW to win races is by pitching it against other BMWs, that equation of big cubes and solid torque make it a bona-fide winner on the road.

And that’s for real. After more than 2,500 miles in a little over four weeks, I can only offer the highest praise for the ‘old’ twin. Hacking along that terrific biker’s road, the A40, from Abergavenny through to Llandeilo (in South Wales), the R1100S is a perfect match for the classically sweeping road. Leave it in fifth (sixth is too much of an overdrive for serious hoof) and just wind the throttle on and off. Anywhere up to 100mph is made very easy. It’s quick, but not recklessly so, and with the R1100S there’s plenty of rider satisfaction to be found the ton, too.

The Getrag six-speed gearbox is a smooth operator, at least by BMW standards, although slow engine speeds,typically urban, gearchanges will often be accompanied by a slightly embarrassing metallic clang. The clutch is robust enough, but race-start abuse will eventually see it wilt.

Matching the motor every inch of every journey is the R1100S’s chassis. You can’t point to any one aspect of the chassis and coo with respect, but it is all good.

The Telelever front suspension system meanwhile is very obvious and also works very well. No doubt, there’s a bunch of hot-shoe riders out there who’ll favour the latest in USD sports fork technology to the bitter end, but I’ll wager that in highway conditions the combination of the Telelever’s anti-dive qualities can offer some real benefits.

Where the R1100S really impressed was through fast sweepers. It’s just steady, holding a line effortlessly and really grooving to the whole time-honoured bendswinging thang. Frankly you just pour on the heat and just keep pulling it over - the bike loves it.

The brakes were good. This test bike was equipped with the base set-up of four-piston Brembo calipers allied with 320mm discs, and the combination is both strong and linear - and devoid of BMW’s servo-assisted EVO system offered on some of their other models.

Ergonomically the R1100S gets close to being perfect, although the seat does get a little harsh after about 150 miles, and legroom isn’t exactly ample.

The clockset is pleasingly old school with chrome bezels to the speedo and tacho looking very stylish, but I would have preferred a digital odometer, tripmeter (x2), reserve countdown, all-in-one display over the two analogue odometer and trip meters that are offered. Heated handlebar grips are a bonus, and the headlights
work well enough too - all good there.

The R1100S aesthetic generally found a warm reception wherever it went. The half fairing is an unusually curvaceous accommodation and similarly the colour blue of the test bike was quite unusual too. But most found the combination pleasing and more than a little sporting. Yet while the R1100S is certainly sporting, under the seat cowl is a very decent pillion seat with realistically placed footpegs. And with the neatly placed under-seat exhaust there’s plenty of space for BMW’s extremely useful custom pannier kit.

And that’s where the R1100S really scores. It’s more than sporty enough for the road, yet can haul your other half and a weekend’s weight of luggage both neatly and comfortably.

For my money, I’d add to the brew a set of aftermarket performance pipes and matching ECU reprogrammed
for just a little more oomph and the 5.5 inch rear wheel for that option of choosing more sporty tyres.

Otherwise it’s a real winner. Yeah, I love the R1 and the GSX-R thou’ - there’s nothing better for a good honest fang (that’s Kiwi for ‘blast’) but this R1100S, boy, she’s a hard act to follow.”


Cheers
TREVOR

[jclark]

Whoo-Hoo!

[Oilhead259]

Yeah baby Yeah!

[zx9rmal]

AFTSARTT!!!!!

About ****ing Time Somebody Actually Rode The Thing!!!