2024 S1000 XR

[runnerhiker]

I traded in my Kawasaki H2 for a 2024 S1000 XR in Gravity Blue Metallic.  As a reminder, I had a 2019 S1000 XR which I had for 3 years until I finally got tired of the seat situation.  The price was $21k, the panniers were another $1,500.

BMW modified the seat for 2024, made it flatter, broader, less or not inclined forward.  I loved everything else about the 2019 bike.  Compared to the 2019, there are a handful of things that are much better, and there are a handful of things that suit me (I like) better.

All the XR's at my local dealer have the OEM Low seat, which is terrible, but they received a 2024 M1000XR with the standard height seat, I moved that seat to the 2024 S1000XR and that sold me.  All the pictures below are with the OEM low seat, but I ordered the BMW High seat on purchase day, that seat has arrived, and I am happy to say it works for me.

Here is a list of my impressions, 2024 vs 2019

The '24 seems equal in power compared to the '19, and almost as powerful as the Kawi H2.  Overall, I give the H2 engine a slight edge, but I like XR better in every other respect, and the XR engine is so damn good, I don't miss the H2.
The '24 engine is very smooth, the '19 engine had high vibes at first that quieted down at 5k miles.  The '24 is good out of the box.
The '24 has narrower handlebars, I like that better.
The '24 is 25 lbs lighter.
The '24 feels very refined, the '19 "had a lot of character", meaning it was rough around the edges.  I like refined.
The '24 is still a tall bike, 33.9" with the high seat, 33" with the std seat.


Some design things that BMW has improved:

The '24 has the same TFT as my 2020 R1250RS, and identical handlebar switches.  Good for me.
The '24 has TPMS (the '19 didn't), and the recommended pressure is now 33/36 for rider only and 36/42 for rider and passenger.  Finally, a recognition that tire pressure and motorcycle load are related, no more 36/42 all the time.
The speedometer is accurate, most of the time the GPS and TFT agree, about 1/3 the time the TFT is 1 MPH faster.
When using the cruise control, upshifting with the QS does not disengage the CC.  Quickshifting down or using the clutch will disengage the CC.

For the first time ever, I own 3 BMW's at the same time.  Life is good.

   
   
   
   

[Grumpy Goat]

Ron - very nice bike. Love the colour and the look ... except for that seat. I know that you said that was not the seat you got and that you got the high seat which is flatter. When I was looking at the XR back in 2016 the curved seat was a deal breaker and that one in the picture would be the same. I'd love to see that flatter seat you got.

Glad to hear that it has an accurate speedometer. I refuse to accept one that is many mph out is anything other than crappy instrumentation calibration. Accurate is possible and should be the case. My 2019 Tracer 900GT was accurate as this '24 XR is.

Love the CC not being disengaged with QS use. I take it that there is no handlebar tingling ...?

[runnerhiker]

There is no handlebar tingling, the bike is very smooth from mile 1. My 2019 had high tingling at 5,000 RPM that became a no issue at around 10,000 miles. This one is good from mile 1.

Let me add, the CC will disengage if the QS is used to downshift. But the fact that it stays on when QS upshifting is very nice.

The Gen 1 feels like the refinement of a tractor compared to this one. Well, maybe today's tractors are like Cadillacs!

I'll take a picture of the high seat and post it soon.

[Grumpy Goat]

There is no handlebar tingling, the bike is very smooth from mile 1.  My 2019 had high tingling at 5,000 RPM that became a no issue at around 10,000 miles.  This one is good from mile 1.

Let me add, the CC will disengage if the QS is used to downshift.  But the fact that it stays on when QS upshifting is very nice.

The Gen 1 feels like the refinement of a tractor compared to this one.  Well, maybe today's tractors are like Cadillacs!

I'll take a picture of the high seat and post it soon.

Great. The XR was the very first BMW I ever rode and also fell in lust for ...   This one sounds like it has matured into a very nice super sport tourer.

[Lee]

Nice
It's interesting to see BMW has gone back to different pressures for 1 up and 2 up.
I wonder if they did that on all the 2024 bikes?
Our 2022 R1250RS speedometers read 1 mph faster than GPS.
I think our 2016 bikes were around 2 mph off.

[Duccrazydave]

Very nice, Ron! Love that paint.
The first RS I looked at (in '16) had the low option seat. It was an ergonomic disaster, for me. If that had been the only option, I never would have purchased mine. I can't believe how thin the stock seat is on your XR.

[Grumpy Goat]

...
Our 2022 R1250RS speedometers read 1 mph faster than GPS.
I think our 2016 bikes were around 2 mph off.

I'd be happy with 2 mph. My 2016 is more like 5 mph and the Tiger is slightly worse.

[Ray]

Congratulations..., yet again.

You're complaints of the old XR are similar to all of us waiting for this power plant in an RS frame.

Look how high the bars remain above the pegs. I really don't need to be able to stand on the pegs, high in the air, on a 150 mph bike.

I notice they added another half inch travel to the rear shock since 2015, though still less than what I'd want in a bike that's has the ergonomics of a dirt bike that I would simply have to take off-road.  (This bike still suffers from the big thumb of BMW marketing following the success of the Multistrada. I hear an aftermarket suspension upgrade from Cujik (Tractive, via Ted Porter and Jeff Favorite) can tremendously improve handling. If you got the deal I suspect you did, then you might give this a try and let us know.)

And a big compliment on the landscaping. Sets the bike off as well as any marketing I've seen.

[runnerhiker]

Here is the seat comparison.  The BMW Low seat is a disaster.  The BMW High seat works pretty well, notice how they sculpted the front of the seat to make it easier to reach the ground when at a stand still, but this takes a little bit away from front thigh support while riding.  BTW, the parts counter at the Fort Collins dealership could not find a part number for the BMW Standard seat ??@@**!!  I could not find one either at various BMW Micro fiche on the internet, I could not find a 2024 micro fiche, the '23 and '24 seats are not the same.

   
   
   
   

[runnerhiker]

...
Our 2022 R1250RS speedometers read 1 mph faster than GPS.
I think our 2016 bikes were around 2 mph off.

I'd be happy with 2 mph. My 2016 is more like 5 mph and the Tiger is slightly worse.

My 2016 RS was also around 5 mph.  My 2022 K1600 is between 1 and 2.  It is quite pleasant to look at the speedo on this XR and see the same number as the GPS

[Grumpy Goat]

Here is the seat comparison.  The BMW Low seat is a disaster.  The BMW High seat works pretty well,
...

Disaster is one word for it ... I would call it a joke. The 2016 standard seat was not as bad as that low seat and that was one of the deal-breakers. And that was before I started touring / riding long distance, where I need to move around. Glad for you that you got an acceptable seat. Funnily, now I prefer a taller seat height and I could see me using my Tiger's seat in the upper position one of these days. I'd be tip toe but that is fine on the road. I find the standard RS seat height to be short, but I won't bother to get a high seat.

[runnerhiker]

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.

[runnerhiker]

Congratulations..., yet again.


And a big compliment on the landscaping. Sets the bike off as well as any marketing I've seen.

The back yard looked great, it was a month ago and we had not had very hot days yet, so I decided to pass on my typical front driveway and garage door backgrounds pictures.  I am glad I did, they look great, thanks.

[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.

   

[runnerhiker]

My new S1000XR now has 1,500 miles on it, I went for a day ride today along the Peak to Peak Highway, CO 119, which runs north/south at around 8500 feet elevation, west of Golden and Boulder.  Temps around 75 F at that elevation.  I stopped at a picnic spot along CO 46, nicknamed the Golden State Canyon road because it goes by a state park by that name.
The more I ride this bike, the more I like.  I am very pleased with it.

   
   

[Lee]

The more I ride this bike, the more I like.  I am very pleased with it.