The 2021 BMW S 1000 R has been spotted testing. Spy images show what the upcoming motorcycle looks like and details the changes made when compared to the one on sale currently. Since it is not just a facelift but is a generational update, it gets a brand-new design and is based on the same underpinnings as the new BMW S 1000 RR.
It was a year ago, in July 2019 that we rode the then all-new BMW S 1000 RR and we came away very impressed with it indeed. Immediately after that, we knew that its naked sibling — the BMW S 1000 R would soon follow suite.
The BMW S 1000 RR and S 1000 R have both traditionally shared the same chassis, engine and electronics with the major difference being the way it looks. Now, thanks to spy images of the motorcycle published in what appears to be a German auto magazine, we know how the next-gen BMW S 1000 R will look.
The new motorcycle has ditched the iconic asymmetrical headlamps for a new slim and sleek LED unit that seems to have been inspired by the one on the BMW F 900 R. Above the headlamp is a small windscreen. The rear-end of the motorcycle too is compact and slim, just like its faired sibling.
In-fact, the rear-end, the exhaust, the engine and the frame are all taken from the S 1000 RR. The 20201 BMW S 1000 R is powered by the same 999cc ShiftCam engine as the S 1000 RR. The inline four-cylinder engine debuted last year in the supersport faired motorcycle with a maximum power output of 204.1bhp and a peak torque output of 113Nm.
In the 2021 BMW S 1000 R though, we expect the power output to hover around the 175bhp. The engine will be tuned to offer more mid-range power instead of the power coming-in at higher revs. A 6-speed gearbox drives the rear wheel.
BMW will also equip the 2021 S 1000 R with top-shelf electronics including a 6-axis IMU (Inertia Measurement Unit), dynamic traction control, cornering ABS, wheelie control, and switchable riding modes. Instrumentation duties are handled by the same full-colour TFT display as the S 1000 RR.
We aren’t too sure if the naked motorcycle will come with the same adjustable suspension as the flagship S 1000 RR. In order to cut costs, the S 1000 R might be offered with lower-spec adjustable suspension. The spy images reveal an underbraced swingarm that will press the rear tyre down on the tarmac for more traction.
Braking duties are handled by twin-discs up front and a single disc at the rear. The motorcycle is expected to be around 11 kilograms lighter than the current model. When launched later this year, the BMW S 1000 R is expected to go against the likes of the Ducati Streetfighter S, Aprilia Tuono V4, and KTM Duke 1290.
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