BMW describes the XR as the unifying link between the S 1000 R/RR and R 1200 GS families. The bike offers offers sporty perfor- mance, agility and an upright riding position for comfortable, dynamic touring, but with its 17” front wheel, BMW estimates a negligible 5 percent of riding will be off-road and 95 percent of XR miles accumulated while Sport and Adventure Touring. The spec sheet describes the XR’s inline-four engine as pro- ducing 160 hp at 11,000 rpm and generating 83 foot-pounds of torque at 9,250 rpm, thus making the bike equally adept at com- fortable touring as tearing up twisty country roads. Allowing riders to program the bike to existing road condi- tions and maximize safety, XRs come standard with two riding modes, Rain and Road. Selecting Rain mode will set the bike up for conditions of lower traction while adjusting throttle response, ABS and ASC accordingly. Selecting “Road” mode will lessen computer intervention. With the optional Ride Modes Pro, riders can select two addition modes, “Dynamic” to further lessen com- puter intervention and “Dynamic Pro” (accessible using a coding plug) which allows the bike to unleash its full performance potential. Additional available options include BMW's latest iteration of
Dynamic ESA, allowing the XR’s suspension to automatically adapt to road conditions based on the riding mode and spring preload setting chosen, using the external inputs of spring travel, bank detection, acceleration or deceleration. Suspension adjust- ments are made in milliseconds using electrically actuated con- trol valves which BMW states will “allow riders to enjoy an unprecedented level of damping comfort and stable handling.” While the XR’s standard ABS ensures a high level of braking when moving in a straight line, the ABS Pro included with the Ride Modes Pro option goes further to make braking while cor- nering safer by enabling ABS-assisted braking in a banked position. Yet another benefit of the Ride Modes Pro option is Dynamic
Traction Control (DTC) which goes beyond standard ASC and incorporates banking detection, allowing riders to safely acceler- ate even when leaning through a corner. Like the S 1000 RR and R, the XR uses an aluminum alloy perim-
eter frame with the engine as part of the load-bearing structure. Front suspension is handled by an adjustable upside-down fork, and in the rear, a double-sided swing arm holds an adjustable single shock. XRs are available in two option packages. The Standard Pack- age ($17,295) includes ABS, ASC (Automatic Stability Control), two riding modes (Rain and Road), a two-position adjustable windscreen, multifunction display, 12-volt socket, an adjustable rear suspension (Preload and Damping), plus GPS preparation, heated grips, cruise control and saddle bag mounts. The Premium Package ($18,750) adds the highly desirable options of DTC (Dynamic Traction Control), ABS Pro, Ride Modes Pro, Gear Shift Assist Pro, Dynamic ESA, center stand and lug- gage rack. Each of the XRs lined up in front of the hotel Sunday morning were equipped with this package which, according to BMW, will be how most of the bikes will be delivered to dealers.
The Ride Press launches provide the opportunity for spirited rides, but sadly, the morning light was accompanied by a soaking, all-day rain, necessitating the adjustment of the scheduled route to avoid some mud on unpaved roads. If the rain wasn’t enough to dampen spirits, the fact that the bike's all had essentially just been pulled from their crates with each odometer showing less than 10 miles meant tires were new and slippery and rev limiters were set at 9,500 rpm rather than their 11,000 rpm redline (the rev limit will be removed by a dealer at the bikes initial service appointment). Regardless, with heated grips set to high, we finally pulled out of the resort and into the Canadian countryside. As a GS rider, the seating position and the wide, comfortable
reach to the handlebars immediately felt familiar to me, as I easily got comfortable on the XR. The standard 33.1 inch seat height (a low seat option is available) is just under that of my GS, and with a slightly narrower seat, sitting with both feet on the ground was never an issue. With a steady rain falling, I began the ride in Rain mode, but my
familiarity with the bike after riding an XR in Germany allowed me to confidently switch to Road mode at our first photography stop just a couple miles down the road. During the course of the day, I found the stock seat surprisingly comfortable. Just as I remembered when riding in the Black Forest, the XR is a lot of fun to ride. Despite a longer wheelbase, the XRs lower weight and slightly different frame geometry make the bike more agile in corners. Once I got used to shifting at a higher rpm, I found the bike to be much quicker and hooligan-esque than my GS. For me, that translates to fun when I want it, and whether that’s good or bad is of personal opinion, but for me, it’s just one of the factors used to calculate ride excitement. Following Blake Connor of Cycle World clearly illustrated the
bike’s different personalities. When I was initially content to simply enjoy the picturesque Canadian roads, Blake began using every bump as an opportunity to wheelie and test DTC. I soon found myself doing the same with muddy gravel roads becoming flat track ovals and a place to test the traction limits of the stock Bridge- stone tires. Though our time on the sloppy roads was brief, I found the standing position a bit more natural for my six-foot frame than on my GS. Regardless of whether I was sitting or standing, the XR took all of the conditions we faced in stride with my only complaint being the buzzing felt in my throttle hand between 4 and 5,000 rpm. Hopefully, it’s a quirk of a bike right out of the crate. The XR’s extensive palette of electronics creates a bike with mul- tiple personalities. With four riding modes, options like Dynamic ESA, DTC, ABS Pro and more available at the simple touch of a but- ton, riders can choose a mode to match the weather or even their mood that day. Considering the nasty weather we rode through in Canada and my earlier experience in the Black Forest, I predict the XR will soon rank among BMWs top five in sales numbers. I love my GS, I truly do, and it has faithfully taken me wherever I
wanted to go over the past four years. Yet despite the miles of smiles it’s given me, my heart has always been drawn to red. For me, the XR was a bike worth waiting for and I just changed screensavers after bringing a new XR home.
September 2015 BMW OWNERS NEWS 79
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140