BMW has finally given the S 1000 R a long-overdue update; it?s 5.1kg lighter, it?s got a new chassis and yes, before you ask, it does include the newer spec S 1000 RR based engine? sort of. Ok, it?s not in the same 200bhp+ state of tune and you don?t get shifting cams, but essentially, it?s an all-new engine compared to the one in the outgoing S 1000 R. 

That said, the power and torque figures remain at 165bhp @ 11,000rpm and 114Nm @ 9,250rpm. They say that the new, and particularly linear, torque curve helps to make the new model even more rideable than the last ? not that rideability was an issue in the last model ? if anything, it was almost too rideable and lacked a certain ?je ne sais quoi?. I had been living in hope that BMW would somehow zhoosh the package up a little bit, but unfortunately it seems that, as far as the engine goes, they?ve done the opposite. They haven?t bothered giving the new model BMW?s famed Shift-Cam technology, so as previously mentioned, you don?t get any more torque or power. They?ve also stretched out the ratios in fourth, fifth and sixth gears (one, two and three are the same as before) – they are telling us that it will mean lower engine revs when cruising along at any given speed, so more comfort and better fuel economy (an 8% reduction in fuel consumption, apparently), but surely it?ll just make the bike feel that bit more lethargic when you open the taps....