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I think of them as motorcycles for riders who want it all — except the sore neck from riding around town in a road-racer tuck. Just days after Ducati unveiled its Panigale-powered Multistrada V4 RS, BMW has pulled back the curtain on its M 1000 XR.
BMW calls the M 1000 XR a "long-distance sports bike" and "the lightest and most powerful cross-over motorcycle in the world." Having already borrowed the "M" prefix from its performance cars, BMW certainly has no hesitation in also using the "crossover" category designation from the car world. Do we need another marketing category in motorcycling? Doesn't matter. What matters is that this M 1000 XR appears to provide another real performance option for riders who want all the performance without the track-biased ergonomics of race-replica sport bikes.
This is the third M model from BMW, following the M 1000 RR sport bike and the M 1000 R roadster, as BMW labels its mostly naked bikes. The 999 cc inline-four engine in the M puts out a claimed 201 horsepower, 31 more than the 2024 S 1000 XR but roughly the same amount of torque. That's because the M gets the "ShiftCam" version of the liter engine that's found in the S 1000 RR and varies valve timing and valve lift on the intake side. In keeping with its sporty prefix, the M 1000 XR makes its peak power and torque at higher engine speeds than the S 1000 XR. The real difference between the S and the M comes between 10,000 and 12,000 rpm, a neighborhood only performance-minded riders are likely to visit frequently.
BMW says the M models "are aimed at customers with high demands for performance, exclusivity, and individuality," so it's no surprise that the M 1000 XR is slathered with a thick layer of features. In addition to four street-focused riding modes, the M XR has three "Race Pro" modes that can be fine-tuned by the rider. Four throttle maps allow the rider to select the nature of response and engine braking can be adjusted in Race Pro mode.
The M XR has the latest version of BMW's lean-angle-sensitive traction control and wheelie control to keep the front end down under maximum acceleration. BMW's quickshifter, called Shift Assistant Pro, allows clutchless up- and downshifts, and even though this isn't the RR model, it comes with track-focused features such as a pit lane speed limiter and launch control. Back on the street, the Hill Start Control Pro function automatically helps with starts when the motorcycle is stopped on a grade of more than 5%.
Naturally, the M has to have electronic suspension adjustment. In this case, suspension damping is adjusted automatically based on the ride mode selected and the weight being carried. Winglets on the M XR not only hint at World Superbike performance, but also provide 25.1 pounds of load on the front tire at a speed of 137 mph, BMW informs us.
The 6.5-inch TFT display starts with an animation of the M logo and then displays a wide array of information, even telling you your riding time versus break time. And of course it is your access to the menus to control all those ride modes, traction control settings, suspension settings, etc.
The list of standard equipment on the M 1000 XR is long, but there's still an M Competition Package that brings carbon-fiber wheels and a bunch of other carbon bits.
With a starting price of $24,295, BMW undercuts the Ducati competitor's price by a wide margin and promises even more power. And given the M XR's long list of standard features, you likely won't have the problem of having to buy an optional BMW package to get the features you want. BMW says the M 1000 XR will be available in the second quarter of 2024.
| 2024 BMW M 1000 XR | |
|---|---|
| Price (MSRP) | $24,295 |
| Engine | 999 cc, liquid-cooled, 16-valve, inline four-cylinder |
|
Transmission, final drive |
Six-speed, chain |
| Claimed horsepower | 201 @ 12,750 rpm |
| Claimed torque | 83 foot-pounds @ 11,100 rpm |
| Frame | Cast aluminum |
| Front suspension | 45 mm inverted fork, electronically adjustable for rebound and compression damping; 5.4 inches of travel |
| Rear suspension | Single shock, electronically adjustable for preload, rebound, and compression damping; 5.4 inches of travel |
| Front brake | Dual four-piston calipers, 320 mm discs with ABS |
| Rear brake | Two-piston caliper, 265 mm disc with ABS |
| Rake, trail | 25.1 degrees, 4.62 inches |
| Wheelbase | 60.9 inches |
| Seat height | 33.4 inches |
| Fuel capacity | 5.3 gallons |
| Tires | 120/70ZR17 front, 200/55ZR17 rear |
| Claimed weight | 492 pounds wet |
| Available | 2024 |
| Warranty | 36 months |
| More info | bmwmotorcycles.com |
