BMW M1000XR: BALLISTIC Bliss

In a world where we constantly want and expect more than what's come before, the M1000XR delivers in ways few others could ever dream of... on road and track.

- BIG MAC

Every now and then, a bike comes along that really challenges what you know or thought you knew - about how a given type of bike feels and behaves. The new BMW M1000XR is one such bike.

It's hard to know where to start with the latest 'M'-spec addition to the BMW range. In some ways, it's an obvious and relatively simple statement maker - just bolt a full-blooded S1000RR superbike engine into the existing S1000XR and in a stroke you've added enough power to justify swopping the letter S for the letter M. If you're wondering what the power gain is, 31bhp extra is the exact figure, which takes the M1000XR up to 201bhp a figure that dwarfs everything else in the ever-popular 'crossover' sector. The new Ducati Multistrada RS has 180bhp, the Pikes Peak has 170bhp and the KTM Super Duke GT has 175bhp.

So, that's in then? I can pretty much wrap up this report on the BMW M1000XR now, can't I? It's just an S1000XR with a load more power than its rivals, and if you opt to not have the 'competition pack,' it's also cheaper than both the Ducatis. Even with the £5100 optional pack added, which includes carbon wheels and a very long list of other carbon and trick alloy goodies, the BMW is still more powerful, lighter and cheaper than the Multistrada RS. Which leaves the KTM as the only bike in the sector that can offer something the BMW can't - price. It's a not insignificant £3400 cheaper than the base M1000XR.