2023 BMW S 1000 RR and M 1000 R

Getting the call to test a new bike on behalf of the magazine hasn’t grown old, and I don’t think it ever will. We always have a pulse on the new models coming out every year, but you never know which bikes you’ll get to hop on and review. I was super excited when I found out BMW was doing a press launch for the new 2023 S 1000 RR and M 1000 R in November, and crossed my fingers Inside Motorcycles would get the nod.

The 2023 S 1000 RR represent the next evolution of BMW’s flagship Superbike.

The launch was hosted in a gorgeous part of Spain, in a southeast piece of the Andalusia region and just outside the city Almeria. This is a perfect spot for testing bikes both on road and on track, with mostly sunny days and some beautiful scenery along the coast. This launch was unique because we had two bikes to ride, one for the street and one for the track, so a bit of both worlds to experience. BMW doesn’t mess around with anything they do, so I wasn’t surprised with the two days of riding being well organized for the bikes we were there to test.

The M 1000 R is a serious weapon for the street, I was blown away by how fun it was. The S 1000 RR is one of the best superbikes on the market and has been for a long time, so no surprise this bike impressed on the track.

As the second entry into BMW Motorrad’s M lineup, the M 1000 R offers riders the chance to experience the pinnacle of design and features.

The day on the M 1000 R was my first time being exposed to street riding for reviewing a bike, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. The other journalists that rode the day before us and were on their way out of the hotel warned us to definitely wear leathers, because the roads were epic and the pace was really quick. I’m not a huge fan of pushing the limits on the street so this worried me, but I survived the day. We ended up riding a couple hundred kilometres throughout the day, with more 1st and 2nd gear twisties than you can imagine. The M 1000 R is a blast – basically the S 1000 RR capabilities with perfect ergonomics plugged in for street riding.

The 2023 M 1000 R delivers S 1000 RR performance in a street-focused package.

Almeria Circuit is a popular spot for winter testing in the WSBK and BSB paddocks, and I can see why after a day of ripping there. The track is awesome, and has a little bit of everything. Some slow corners, some super long never-ending corners on both sides of the tire, some switch backs, a chicane, and a long straight that you can find 6th gear on. Basically, a perfect venue to get a good base setting, or for our purposes a great spot to find out how a bike performs in a bunch of different scenarios. The 2023 BMW S 1000 RR is a great bike, no surprise there, and I was really impressed with a couple aspects – but most impressed with the new electronics package. It’s insane what the stock bikes are equipped with right now.