BMW S1000RR (2010-2011) - Review & Buying Guide

In 2010 the BMW S1000RR changed the face of modern superbikes and can rightly be regarded as the world’s first ‘digital superbike’. Featuring an IMU to bring an angle-responsive function to its traction control system (as an optional extra, naturally), the BMW took the fight to the Japanese manufacturers and won. In fact it did more than win, it decimated them and forced them all to reconsider the fundamentals of how to build a sportsbike – something that took several many years to fathom. While nowadays many of the RR’s electronic systems can feel a touch raw and unrefined, you have to remember that this was a pioneering machine and technology has moved on leaps and bounds in the following 15 years. However what most certainly hasn’t been affected by age is the performance offered by this incredible bike and with a claimed 193bhp on tap and a chassis that is hard to fault, the original S1000RR can still more than hold its own against a modern sportsbike. And, best of all, you can now get a really good one for less than £8000. A future classic? Possibly. A stunning bike with a very tempting price tag? Most certainly...

Pros & Cons

2010 BMW S 1000 RR - Price

As you would expect, BMW charged a premium for the RR and its RRP of £11,190 in 2010 was just the start as this bike has no extras added. Most buyers opted to pay £12,500 for the Sport model, which came with Motorsport paint and DTC and Race ABS. Nowadays you can get a Sport for £6500 if you are happy to go for a private sale but it will probably have just under 20,000 miles on its clocks. A dealer will charge you about £7000-7500 for a similar-spec machine. Lower-mileage examples go for between £8000 and £8500. If the bike is suspiciously cheap, there is a good chance it has either been used as a track hack or maybe it is one of the very few ‘base’ models sold that lack DTC or ABS, so check its spec.

2010 BMW S 1000 RR - Engine & Performance

BMW moved the performance boundaries with the RR and also introduced (well, technically re-introduced as it isn’t exactly new technology) finger-followers into the superbike world. Making a genuine 178bhp (depending on the dyno) at the rear wheel, the RR was a clear 20bhp up on most of its Japanese rivals (the Ninja ZX-10R was only 10bhp behind) and this was achieved with the help of not only very ‘over-square’ dimensions (its 80mm bore is 2mm bigger than the next biggest, the R1) but also finger-followers, which allow a higher rev limit when compared to a ‘bucket and shim’ system. But, and this is a key part, this huge power was achieved without sacrificing mid-range and the RR makes more grunt than any of the other inline fours.

A staggering motor to use, the RR pulls like a train in its mid-range and then takes off with real ferocity when the revs get above 8000rpm. True, against a modern sportsbike it may be giving away 20bhp or so but on the road you never feel like it is underpowered and even on track it takes a very brave rider indeed to unleash its full potential. And it is also reliable.

You wouldn’t expect a BMW engine to have any issues and with all this performance on tap, most RRs are hugely under-stressed. If used hard on track some can develop issues and forums may talk about big-end shell wear and gearbox issues but these are limited to track or race bikes. If you are planning on track daying your RR, treat it to the best quality fully-synthetic oil you can afford to reduce the chances of any problems. So what do road riders need to watch out for?

The major issue for road rider is service history as bill can quite quickly start to add up. The RR has minor service intervals of 6000 miles with a major at 12,000 and valve-clearances at 18,000 miles. While the minor is fairly cheap at around £200, the major can set you back closer to £400 with things like brake fluid changes (every two years) and coolant (every three years) adding to the bill. And then there is the 18,000-mile service, which as well as a valve-clearance check should also include the fork oil being changed, spark plugs replaced and linkages etc lubed. If you go to a BMW dealer, that lot can easily set you back close to £1000, especially if the valve-clearances need altering.

If all is good, the rest of the checks are fairly standard stuff such as if the exhaust valve is functioning, fault codes on the dash, what (if any) fuelling work has been completed if it has an aftermarket exhaust fitted and so on. BMW locked the RR’s ECU down so most aren’t remapped (it is possible but it can be tricky) but as the RR has knock-sensors, it will recalibrate its fuelling and compensate for any free-flowing air filter or race exhaust.

BMW did sell an official quickshifter (up shifts only), which is a touch basic but does the job. If the bike has it fitted, just check all is sweet with the gearbox.

2010 BMW S 1000 RR - Handling & Suspension (inc. Weight)

While the RR’s chassis is incredibly impressive, in truth it didn’t move the game on in terms of its dynamics and instead it was the advanced electronics that allowed riders to exploit more of its potential than they could on rivals’ bikes. That said, it is still an amazing handling bike that is hard to fault.

On both the road and track the RR’s chassis gives the rider bags of confidence. Part of this is the ability to lean on the DTC system, which is good if a touch raw by modern standards, but also that BMW never lost sight of the fact that 99% of RRs were going to be ridden on the road for most of their lives.

Physically big and roomy, the RR has lots of lovely touches that road riders will appreciate. The fully-adjustable suspension has markings so you can quickly see what settings you are running and the flat end of the ignition key is designed to be used to adjust the damping levels via the screw adjuster. How clever is that? But it’s not all good news as the forks are a touch crude in their damping and you can’t just get them re-valved as Sachs use an odd-sized shim, so a new cartridge kit is generally required. Most road riders seem happy with their performance and as long as they have been service recently and treated to fresh oil, all should be well. The Sachs shock, however, can’t be rebuilt at all so you need to check it carefully to ensure its damping is still good and there are no leaks as the seals are quite poor quality. An aftermarket shock will set you back anything from £400 to £1500 depending on the brand and should be fully-rebuildable, making it future-proof.

When viewing a used bike, after checking the suspension for leaks, look for any signs of crash damage and then inspect the bearings for play, suspension linkages for grease or corrosion and wheel rims for scratches. If the bike has been used on track, it will have been subjected to a lot of tyre changes so look for residue from old tyre weights on the rims and also check its MOT history. If it hasn’t done many miles a year or has gaps in the MOT history, you need to be a bit wary.

2010 BMW S 1000 RR - Comfort & Economy

The RR is a sportsbike so comfort levels will always be compromised, however it’s not that bad. Some riders complain the engine is a touch buzzy but that’s not a massive issue (you can fit heavier bar-end weights to dampen the vibes a bit) and the small screen is also easily sorted via a double-bubble item. This generation didn’t have heated grips or cruise control as an optional extra, which is a shame if you like to cover miles, but BMW did sell limited luggage options.

When it comes to economy, BMW claimed anything from 47mpg to 56mpg was possible but realistically you are looking towards the lower end of this scale, with 46mpg about average over a variety of riding situations.

2010 BMW S 1000 RR - Equipment

Here is the big issue when buying a used S1000RR – the level of equipment. The RR was sold in standard form with no ABS or TC, however very few of these models were sold in the UK as most BMW buyers opted for the Sport, which came with Race ABS and DTC as standard. All bikes have three power modes – Rain, Sport and Race with Slick unlocked via a plug-in adapter under the seat. A quickshifter (up only) was an optional extra and so was an alarm, however an immobiliser came fitted as standard.

When buying used, after nailing down the exact spec of the bike, check the switchgear works as it is quite prone to failure due to water ingress and also start and stop the bike to see if the immobiliser is functioning properly, some owners have experience issues. Now onto BMW’s official parts...

BMW sold a range of HP part for the RR that include everything from rear sets to a tail tidy, Akrapovic exhaust, tall screen, LED indicators, carbon bolt-on bits and much more. HP parts are more desirable than aftermarket bits but don’t pay over the top. A fair few have the Akrapovic silencer fitted, which isn’t too offensively loud, but always see what else has been removed from the exhaust system as there should be an exhaust flap and catalytic converters. The cats can make it run hot but the exhaust valve does benefit its low-end performance. Be wary of heavily modified bikes, with nearly 180bhp already on tap, do you really need any more?

2010 BMW S 1000 RR - Rivals

The RR went head-to-head with the ‘Big Four’ from Japan and while the Aprilia RSV4 and Ducati Panigale were the first to really match it tech-wise, buyers generally like to stick to the inline four format.

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2010 BMW S 1000 RR - Verdict

The S1000RR was a true game-changing motorcycle and even 15 years later it is just as impressive. Yes, the DTC system isn’t quite as refined as modern systems and Race ABS lacks an angle-function, but that’s small gripes about a bike that is guaranteed to blow your mind. At under £8000 for a really good example, the S1000RR may be a touch more expensive than its Japanese rivals from the day but you are getting a bike that is several generations ahead of them in terms of its tech and performance. And maybe even a future classic...

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2010 BMW S 1000 RR - Technical Specification

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