The only way to truly experience the new S 1000 RR beast is at the track
Don’t get me wrong, riding superbikes on the street is fun, but riding them on the track is a whole different ballgame. You can literally ride as fast as you want. With this is mind, BMW let us cut loose on the 2025 S 1000 RR range at Sydney Motorsport Park – and it was the perfect way to experience these bikes in their natural habitat.
BMW is no stranger to the idea of letting punters cut loose on their bikes either. Hell, the fleet of hire bikes available at Sydney Motorsport Park Ride Days are BMW S 1000 RR weapons. For good reason, too; they are reliable, fast and very easy to ride if they are in the right mode thanks to their top shelf electronics.
The 2025 model update is a minor one, but don’t be perturbed by that. There was nothing wrong with the 2024 model. Hell, it won the WorldSBK championship with breathing room thanks to Toprak Razgatlioglu. I also spent a bit of time on the 2024 S 1000 RR Race on the road last year and it was an absolute missile. So, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, yeah?
The updates are limited to an improved aero package, a shorter throttle rotation and the inclusion of Race Pro modes as standard across the whole range. The wings and side fairings are carried over from the 2024 M 1000 RR and tweaked further again. BMW quote a 37 per cent increase in downforce from these new wings, bringing the numbers up to 23.1kg of force at 300km/h. The front guard is also new. It’s shaped to increase front stability, protect the fork legs from stone chips and, most importantly, direct cool air straight into the brake calipers. These cooling ducts will make no difference to road riding, but as the S 1000 RR is aimed at track performance, it is an extra bit of security against brake fade on braking-heavy tracks, or when you want to ride like Stoprak.
The shorter, 58-degree-throw throttle adds zero performance but a heap of comfort on the track. If you’ve ever been on the track thinking you’re Toprak tucked in on the gas and then realised you haven’t even got full throttle yet, you will appreciate the 12-degree reduction. I can’t say I ever had to give the old one an extra twist to get full beans, but now it’s much easier, especially on corner entry where you can go from full throttle to grabbing the brake without having to relax your grip on the throttle tube. On the 2024 model, I chose to run the throttle map in the most aggressive setting to get maximum effect. I can still use the same setting without the throttle feeling twitchy on the 2025 model.
Lastly, the Race Pro modes. Race Pro lets you fine-tune the electronic settings within three fully customised ride modes and unlock features like the pit lane speed limiter and launch control. I feel the Pro modes are a must-have if you like to tweak your settings, so to have them as standard even on the base model is a massive bonus.
It was my first time doing laps at Sydney Motorsport Park at night, so for the first session I grabbed the only bike with scrubbed-in tyres, dialled up Dynamic mode and headed out into the fast group. It just so happened to be the blinged-out M-Sport model, complete with carbon wheels.
I know Dynamic mode isn’t the right setting for the track, but when I rode the 2024 model on the road, Dynamic was a great all-round mode to be in. After a lap or so the tyres were warm and I felt at home on the bike. The S 1000 RR is one of the most comfortable sport bikes I’ve ridden. The ‘bars are wide, they aren’t too far away from the seat and it just feels ‘right’ to me. I could ride this bike for hours on end. Everything is where it needs to be, the gear shifts are primo and the brakes are amazing.
Obviously when you take one of the fastest bikes in production onto the track and rev the hell out of it through every gear, it’s not slow, but it feels so manageable and planted thanks to the electronics and the aero package.
The bike turns like nothing; you simply think of heading for an apex and it goes there. The carbon wheels make it turn like a 250cc two-stroke. As my confidence increased, I could feel the electronics holding the bike back. There wasn’t even a hint
of a wheelie coming onto the straight or out of Turn 3 or even as much as a twitch from the rear end across the few bumps scattered around the circuit. Then there was the glaring lack of acceleration out of Turn 1 when I wound the throttle open while still leant over, almost as if the throttle wasn’t even attached to the engine.
I ditched Dynamic mode for something a bit more track suitable and moved up to Race mode. This involves two clicks of the mode button while the throttle is closed… and away we went again. Now things would get a bit more interesting.
The S 1000 RR now felt very much alive. The bike still felt stable and planted at speed and on the brakes, but on corner exit with the throttle tapped, the BMW was now protesting against my instructions in a different way. The rear end pumped, the whole bike shimmied. Not in a dangerous way, but I felt it was telling me we’re crossing a line I wasn’t ready for. With a more gentle approach to the throttle it drove hard off the corners, wheelied a little and the speedo spun numbers like a brickie’s laptop as I ran it all the way to the redline. Sadly, the chequered flag came out and it was time for a pitlane debrief.
Next, I would ride the S 1000 RR Race, but after a chat with the BMW tech guys we established that Race mode may be detecting slides and wheel spinning and cutting in too aggressively in the previous session, causing my stability issue.
For this session we switched to Race Pro mode and began customising the setting to my liking.
First off, we switched the throttle mode to full torque and linear delivery, which is the most aggressive but responsive mode. Then we switched off wheelie control to see how much work the aero really does. The traction control could now be dialled up and down with my left thumb during the session, and we allowed some more slide as the S 1000 RR has a steering angle sensor to detect slides rather than just wheel spin.
We set the ABS to allow ‘backing in’, and the rear wheel to lift slightly also. These are the sorts of settings we don’t get to experiment with on the road as the surface changes so much and, you know, police and traffic… So, getting your BMW out onto a racetrack is simply a must-do.
Out we went for another session. I immediately noticed the shifting felt different on my foot. Not bad, just different, as the M-Sport has different rear-sets. Never mind, on the show must go on.
The Race model also wears forged aluminium wheels. These would be my choice if I were purchasing an S 1000 RR; I could not handle the stress of someone changing the tyres on my carbon wheels and damaging them. Their extra weight is marginal and doesn’t seem to affect the razor-sharp handling, same as with the carbon wheels – I could put the bike where I wanted it without so much as thinking about it, but it felt a little less lively underneath me.
The twitchy feeling was gone too. The bike was now lifting the front wheel gently over the crest behind the pits and out of the old Turn 9, now 8, and onto the main straight. If you short shift and let the engine fall into the meatier part of the torque curve, it will hoist the front wheel to the heavens. I’ve ridden bikes with 40 horsepower less that wheelie more than this bike. The wings are functional, not just aesthetic. I remember the circa 2013 S 1000 RR was horrendous at keeping the front wheel down, even with electronics.
I was feeling more and more comfortable now, pushing the limits a bit more each lap while still playing it safe. Before I knew it, the session was over. I wasn’t even feeling worn out after swinging off a 200+ HP missile, it’s almost too easy.
Now for something a bit special. BMW Australia lifted the covers off their first and only 2025
M 1000 RR, hot off homologation. Full details are scarce, but it now features titanium valves, oval intake and exhaust ports, higher compression, new engine mounts and boasts 160kW (215hp).
When the opportunity knocks to throw your leg over a $60k+ monster dripping in carbon fibre, you don’t pass it up – even if it is essentially a one-of-a-kind at this stage. This is the base bike that Toprak is currently sending in the WorldSBK championship.
I got the BMW guys to load up the same settings as the previous session, so I could see what it was like back-to-back… and out I went.
The M 1000 RR felt very similar to the S 1000 RR but the aero package is bigger; the wings look as wide as an R18 engine. The windscreen is taller and the fairings are smoother and slipperier. While not obvious as first, I did find that there’s a few extra revs available on the M model. The tacho starts to redline 500rpm later than the S. That’s not huge, but it’s still singing right through.
There was definitely less turbulent air around me and getting under the bubble and tucked in was easier. I begin upping the pace a bit and reduced the traction control down to minus 1. It goes to minus 7, I believe, but I was on road tyres with mirrors, blinkers and a numberplate, so we didn’t need to get carried away.
The electronics feel very similar if not the same as the standard S models and unless you look down at the dash, you would hardly know the traction control was doing anything. But I could see it wa working hard, so I upped the ante to minus 2. This awakened the beast some more. It now hung the rear out slightly and the revs rose even faster off the turns, but it didn’t lose its composure while doing so. It is so planted and smooth it’s criminal.
The extra revs and power were welcome, but I can’t say they made a difference at my pace. I was still clocking similar 275km/h top speeds down the chute. It was very clear that the gearing was a long way away from ideal for this track. I didn’t even get into sixth gear on the straight and I was way down in the rev range on the slower corners. Trackdays are weird; you never know everyone’s skill level, head space or bike spec, but I was making mincemeat of almost every bike on the track – even race bikes. No doubt if there was a race meeting coming up and some ASBK riders showed up I would look like a gumby doing 1.38 laps. But the M 1000 RR felt so natural and composed while being an absolute rocket. I was hardly scratching the surface of its capabilities, or the S 1000 RR for that matter.
After four sessions, I had a smile from ear to ear, the bikes were in one piece and it was time to reflect. I didn’t even feel tired. I felt I could have done another four sessions, the BMWs are that easy to ride, even at speed. Rather than jumping from bike to bike, an owner would spend days just getting through all the different settings and the effects they have. The settings menu feels like a Pandora’s Box, but there’s so much to fiddle with. We didn’t even get involved in suspension set-up; we just left it in the Race setting. There is so much more adjustment to play with. I know I could have used some extra preload, but with shared bikes it’s hard to change them to suit one person.
I’ve always been a fan of trackdays. It’s so much fun to push your bike’s limits in the safest possible environment while learning new skills and making new friends. The BMW S 1000 RR is the perfect tool for the job. With a few clicks of the mode button, you tame the beast from a racetrack slayer back into a perfectly capable commuter or weekend thrasher. The base model without the Dynamic Damping Control might just be the best value Superbike on the market.
✅ PROS – A rocketship but can be a big pussy cat, composed at speed, huge range of tech options
❌ CONS – I’d say price, but it’s in line with the competition. Carbon wheels give me nightmares. We don’t have a long termer…
Meet the family
They say “three’s a crowd”, but what about four? It’s a case of pick your poison or know your budget here. There are four S 1000 RR models to choose from. Starting with the value-for-money base model all the way to the bling-king M-Sport.
S 1000 RR ($29,053 ride away) standard equipment:
ABS Pro, Dynamic traction control, lightweight battery, riding modes Pro, launch control, slip and slide control, brake slide assist and Bluetooth connectivity.
S 1000 RR SPORT ($31,711 ride away)
Additions from the S 1000 RR:
Dynamic damping control, heated grips, cruise control, passenger kit, tyre pressure monitoring
S 1000 RR RACE ($36,150 ride away)
Additions from S 1000 RR Sport:
M endurance chain, Akrapovic silencer, forged alloy wheels
S 1000 RR M-SPORT ($41,423 ride away)
Additions from S 1000 RR Race
M carbon wheels, M endurance seat, M blue brake calipers, black fuel cap, M Billet pack
SPECIFICATIONS
ENGINE
Capacity 999cc
Type Inline four-cylinder, 16 valves, Shiftcam
Bore & stroke 80mm x 49.7mm
Compression ratio 13.3:1
Cooling Liquid
Fueling EFI, variable intake
Transmission Six-speed
Clutch Wet, multi-plate, slip, self reinforcement.
Final drive Chain
PERFORMANCE
Power 154kW (207hp) @ 13,750rpm (claimed)
Torque 113Nm @ 11,000rpm (claimed)
Top speed 303km/h (claimed)
Fuel consumption 6.4L/100km (claimed)
ELECTRONICS
Type BMW Motorrad ABS
Rider aids ABS Pro, Traction Control, brake slide control, slide control, wheelie control, launch control, pit lane speed control, Dynamic Damping control, shift assist, hill hold assist, Modes: Road, Dynamic, Rain, Race, Race Pro 1, 2 and 3.
CHASSIS
Frame material Cast aluminium
Frame type Bridge type, co-supporting engine.
Rake 23.6°
Trail 99.8mm
Wheelbase 1457mm
SUSPENSION
Type Marzocchi
Front: 45mm telescopic fork, Dynamic Damping, manual preload, 120mm travel
Rear: Monoshock, Dynamic Damping control, manual preload adjustment, 117mm travel
WHEELS & BRAKES
Wheels Forged aluminium
Front: 17 x 3.5in Rear: 17 x 6in
Tyres Metzeler K3
Front: 120/70 ZR17 (M/C 58W)
Rear: 200/55 ZR17 (M/C 78W)
Brakes Brembo, BMW
Front: Twin 320mm floating discs, BMW four-piston calipers.
Rear: Single 220mm disc, Brembo single-piston caliper.
DIMENSIONS
Weight 197kg (wet, claimed)
Seat height 832mm
Width 848mm
Height 1151mm
Length 2073mm
Fuel capacity 16.5L
SERVICING & WARRANTY
Servicing First: 1000km
Minor: 10000km
Major: 30,000km
Warranty 5 years, unlimited km
BUSINESS END
Price $29,053 (ride away) Base mode
Colour options Black Storm Metallic, Bluestone Metallic, Light White (M-Sport only)
Contact bmw-motorrad.com.au
