My Time with the 2018 BMW S1000RR
So, you wanna know about that 2018 BMW S1000RR. Yeah, I had one. For a bit. Wasn’t a long-term thing, mind you. It all started because my buddy, Dave – you know Dave, the one who thinks anything less than 150 horsepower is a scooter – well, he upgraded. Again. And his ’18 RR needed a good home, or at least, that’s what he told me, probably just wanted to make space for his next shiny toy.
I’d been riding my trusty old Fireblade for years. Solid bike. Never let me down. But seeing that Beemer, all sharp angles and that weird asymmetrical face, it kinda got under my skin. Dave was going on and on about the electronics, the quickshifter, the power. Man, the power. Sounded like a spaceship taking off. I was skeptical, though. All that tech? Seemed like overkill. I come from a time when traction control was your right wrist and ABS was, well, not on bikes I could afford.
First Impressions and Getting Used to It
First time I properly opened it up, I nearly shat myself. No joke. This thing just pulls. And it pulls everywhere. Low down, mid-range, screaming up top. It’s relentless. The quickshifter, both up and down, was a revelation. Click, click, click, and you’re doing speeds that’ll get your license shredded into confetti. Smooth as butter, mostly. Sometimes, if you weren’t decisive enough, it’d give a little clunk, just to remind you who’s boss.
The electronics package, I gotta admit, was pretty impressive. Rain mode, sport mode, race mode. It actually made a difference. You could feel the bike taming itself down in the wet, or letting its hair down when you wanted to play. It wasn’t like some bikes where the modes feel like a gimmick. This stuff actually worked.
- The Engine: Absolute monster. But surprisingly manageable thanks to the electronics.
- The Handling: Sharp. Very sharp. Point it, and it goes. Felt lighter than it was.
- The Brakes: Strong. Could stop a freight train.
But it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows. That riding position? Killer on the wrists and back for anything longer than an hour. This ain’t no touring bike, despite what some folks try to make it. And the heat! Man, stuck in traffic on a summer day, and you could feel your legs slow-roasting. Classic superbike stuff, I guess, but this one felt particularly toasty.
The Real Test and Some Quirks
I took it on a weekend trip up to the mountains. Just to see. Roads were twisty, perfect S1000RR territory. And yeah, on those roads, it was sublime. You’d think you were a MotoGP rider, flicking it from side to side. The confidence it inspires is insane. Almost too much. You gotta remember you’re on a public road, not a racetrack.
Funny story about those electronics. One day, I’m out for a spirited ride, and the dash just… glitches. For a second, it flashed a bunch of weird symbols, then went back to normal. Scared the hell out of me. Took it to a shop, they plugged it in, “No faults found, sir.” Typical. It never happened again, but it kinda planted a seed of doubt. You know, with older bikes, if something went wrong, you could usually see it, feel it, maybe even fix it with a hammer and some hope. With these modern marvels, it’s all black boxes and software. Reminds me of when my smart fridge decided to order a pallet of yogurt. Tech’s great, until it ain’t.
And the maintenance. Oh boy. Even an oil change felt like it needed a specialist and a second mortgage. Everything BMW is just… expensive. Parts, labor, the air you breathe in the dealership. It’s a premium bike, and they make sure you know it every step of the way.
One thing I really did appreciate though, was the heated grips. Sounds silly on a superbike, right? But on those chilly morning rides, or when you’re coming back late, they were a godsend. Little touch of civility on an otherwise brutal machine.
Final Thoughts
So, did I keep it? Nah. Dave eventually found a “proper” buyer, someone with deeper pockets and probably a younger back than me. I went back to something a bit more… me. Simpler. Less aggressive.
The 2018 BMW S1000RR is an incredible piece of engineering. No doubt about it. It’s fast, it’s capable, it’s packed with tech that actually works (most of the time). If you want a track weapon that you can (just about) ride on the street, and you’ve got the cash, go for it. You won’t be disappointed by the performance.
But for me, it was like dating a supermodel who’s also a rocket scientist. Amazing, intimidating, and ultimately, a bit too high-maintenance for my blood. Still, glad I got to experience it. It definitely reset my understanding of what a modern superbike can do. Just wasn’t the bike I wanted to live with every day. Some folks love that razor’s edge. I guess I’m getting old and prefer my edges a little less sharp these days. Or maybe I just missed the simplicity of wrenching on my own stuff without needing a PhD in computer science.
