BMW Motorrad Debuts 205-HP M 1000 R and RR Superbikes

BMW’s S 1000 R and RR have been among the spiciest, most competent and comfortable super sports and super naked bikes on sale for over a decade. Still, as they’ve gotten incremental improvements in that time, the competition has been coming on hard. Motorrad is no longer content to let the folks from Japan and Italy close the gap, so it debuted its new M 1000 R and RR models on Monday.

M? On a motorcycle? Yep, the mothership decided a while ago to bring the M performance brand over to Motorrad, and while it comes with the over-the-top branding that we’ve come to expect, it also comes with some serious performance enhancements.

The new M 1000 R and RR feature a 999-cc 205 hp (peaking at 13,000 rpm) inline-four-cylinder engine that also cranks out 83 lb-ft of torque at 11,000. The Euro versions of these bikes make 210 hp, though BMW hasn’t elaborated on why we in America can’t have nice things, too. For those of you playing at home, that’s a crap ton of power on a bike, particularly given that the M 1000 R weighs just 438 lbs wet. BMW doesn’t list a weight for the RR, but we suspect it’ll be a teensy bit heavier with the extra bodywork.

Being flagship models for Motorrad, both the R and RR come with all the technological goodies you could ever want. Both have lean-sensitive traction control, wheelie control, semi-active suspension, cornering ABS, a quickshifter, launch control, brake slide control and a whole bunch more. Even with that huge headline power figure, I suspect the M 1000 twins will hold onto their reputation for being relatively easy-to-ride fast bikes, provided you keep the electronics on.

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Other features include wider handlebars than the S 1000 R, bar-end mirrors, a lightweight battery, an adjustable steering damper and keyless go. In addition to the well-equipped base bikes, you can also spec a competition package (because M) which nets you a bunch of carbon fiber bits, some upgraded footpegs, and, most importantly, carbon fiber wheels. Those carbon wheels should make a huge difference in how the M 1000s feel both on the road and on the track. A titanium exhaust system is also optional.

If you’re reading off this list of bonafides and thinking that these bikes will be expensive, you’re absolutely right. The M 1000 R will start at $22,040, while the RR will go for an eye-watering $33,690, both including a $695 destination charge. Expect to see these new M bikes in dealers starting in January 2023.