2024 S1000 XR

[Grumpy Goat]

My OEM Std seat on the RS is pretty good but not the best.  My RS Wunderlich seat is all day good, I have no need to look for anything else on the RS.  I think the problem with the XR seat is the shape of the frame, seat manufacturers are force into a bowl.  They have improved that on the 2024 XR, the frame shape and the seat shape are the best yet on an S1000XR.  My dealer in Fort Collins has about 3 '23 S1000XR with the low seat, they have been in stock for many months.  I don't understand why BMW does that - they build a motorcycle with a difficult seat, and to top it off, they deliver to dealers the worst possible seat for that motorcycle.  Dumb.

This current version of the S1000XR engine is sublime.  I can't say enough good things about that engine.  I have not tested the M version.

I think that, despite making great motorcycles, many aspects of BMW dealing with customers needs is dumb. And that is putting it mildly. BUT as long as the customers would accept that BS and keep buying the bikes, there is no incentive to change. Its that simple. Manufacturers that actively listen to reasonable customer requests and implement changes will get repeat customers like yours truly. I may well be in the minority (what else is new) but so be it. I have never accepted BS when it comes to motorcycles - they don't mean that much to me.

Based on your experience, I will re-look at the 2024 XR. Good to keep that in the back of my mind as a contender should this sojourn into ADV bikes wear off.   

The new Tracer 9GT+ with the adaptive cruise control and that even sweeter CP3 engine ticks all the boxes presently, and that would be the XR's competition for my money. At around $16.5k for the Tracer ($1k less than my Tiger!) I can work around the fugly panniers, and the curvature of the seat is barely acceptable.