Bayerische Motoren Werke gave the S 1000 XR from its Adventure Sport segment a serious rebuild ahead of MY2020 that includes a number of improvements over the previous gen. A new engine drives lighter framing with new suspension components. New safety electronics join an already well-rounded electronics suite to move this bike into the top tier of urban adventure machines and it all comes wrapped in new aerodynamic bodywork.

Beemer borrowed from its race-tastic RR for the XR’s powerplant, which is a damn good place to start all things considered. The water- and oil-cooled engine is an in-line four-banger in a transverse orientation that leaves the engine area looking beefy.

It ain’t about the looks though. The BMW S 1000 XR’s engine produces a respectable 165 horsepower at 11,000 rpm backed up by 84 pound-feet of torque that comes on fully by 9,250 rpm. Those are pretty good numbers indeed for a non-racing machine, and they speak to a bike that’s a lot of fun to ride and capable on the superslab.

Massively oversquare, the bore and stroke mic out at 80 mm and 49.7 mm respectively, and this gives the plant its 999 cc displacement and spicy-hot 12.5-to-1 compression ratio. That last is a necessary evil to develop all those ponies, just be ready to feed her premium road champagne.

Dual over-head cams time the 16-valve head and power flows through a slipper-type clutch that delivers a light lever pull and extra insurance for the rear contact patch. The six-speed transmission runs with a short ratio on the first three gears to get you out of the hole and moving in a hurry, but the last three gears have taller ratios for a less-frenetic engine pace and lowered noise emissions at higher speeds.

A chain-type final drive factors in to give the S 1000 XR a top speed around the 125 mph mark. As for electronics, the Riding Modes Pro comes with a bundle of goodies that includes Dynamic Traction Control, ABS Pro, Drag-Torque Control, and Hill Start Control.

Like a kid coming home from fat camp, the S 1000 XR weighs in 22 pounds lighter than before. Half of this weight saving occurs in the engine, the other half in the frame and swingarm.

The factory also played down some of the usual ADV features to make this machine look more like a cross between an adventure bike and a sport-tourer, especially once the optional hard saddlebags and top case go on. With the baggage, the S 1000 XR becomes a very capable tour bike with some serious grocery-getting capabilities to make it a well-rounded everyday bike.

Performance was a front-burner item for the design team as evidenced by the bodywork. It starts with a pared-down front fender that limits surface area and contact with the wind for a reduction in overall drag.

The uprights act as little spoilers for the forks that throw the wind outboard and into laminar flow with the radiator shroud. Broad shoulders and a narrow waist join with sporty flanges on the fuel tank so you can pull your legs into the bike for some protection.

Up top, a clear windshield completes the rider’s pocket, and it comes with an adjuster so you can dial it in as you please. The optional equipment list has handguards if you want protection for your hamburger shovels.

All-around LED brightness comes stock, but that doesn’t include the DRL feature for extra safety during daylight hours. The factory reserves that as an option. The instrumentation and higher electronics come shoehorned into a 6.5-inch color TFT display. This includes Beemer’s Motorrad Connectivity which networks with your smartphone for navigation, communication, and entertainment services.

The 5.2-gallon fuel tank contributes a sporty hump to the fly line. In another nod to its urban roots, the bike comes with a small compartment for your toll-pass device for easy access.

A steep dive to the saddle leaves it at 33 inches high unladen. If that’s too tall for you, the optional lowered suspension equipment will drop that down to 31.1 inches off the deck.

There’s a bit of a rise to the pillion pad which completes the cradle for the pilot’s posterior and lofts the passenger a bit for improved visibility. Beefy J.C. handles and fold-up footpegs finish the girlfriend gear.

In typical sport fashion, the rear end carries the taillight on the tip of the tail while the rear blinkers and license-plate holder mount to the mudguard. A swingarm-mount hugger completes the coverage.

The lightweight aluminum composite bridge-type frame on the S 1000 XR lets the stressed engine take on more of the load on this version. Aluminum remains the material of choice for the yoke-style swingarm that completes the skeleton. The steering head sets a steep 24.9-degree rake angle with 4.5 inches of trail that should strike a balance between agility and stability at speed.

The front forks are beefy indeed with 45 mm tubes, while out back, a mono-shock takes care of the rear end. Both ends ride on 5.9 inches of travel, which is fairly plush for work in civilized areas.

Cast-aluminum rims round out the rolling chassis with 17-inch rims front and rear and a 120/70 ahead of a 190/55. A “Z” speed rating on the hoops means that they can take everything the mill can dish out.

Dual 320 mm discs and four-bore calipers slow the front wheel with a twin-pot anchor and 265 mm disc out back. Beemer’s own Motorrad Race ABS comes stock to let you safely get the most out of the anchors.

BMW lists its new S 1000 XR at $17,945 MSRP. The paint packages cover a lot of ground with a choice between the Light White / M Motorsport, Racing Red 2, and Style Triple Black that’s black on black on black.

The electronics make this a tough act to follow, but Ducati may be the one to do it with its new Multistrada V2 S.

In the looks department, this is no ugly Duc-ling, and it carries itself with the same passion for life as its siblings. Like the Beemer, the V2 lost some weight coming into this year, 4.4 pounds from the engine and the rest from elsewhere. Electronic suspension control is also a constant across the board to put both of these bikes on the top shelf, but the 6.7-inch suspension stroke on the V2 points to greater rough-surface performance.

Ducati surrenders some cubeage with its 937 cc Testastretta with a concurrent drop in power that leaves it with 113 ponies and 71 pounds o’ grunt against 165/84 to cede a significant performance advantage. Electronics are also similar across the board as the Italian ride comes with an enviable bundle of features that contribute to your overall safety.

A slipper-type clutch adds another layer of safety, just like the Beemer, to once again break even. The Multistrada V2 rolls in a choice between Ducati Red and Street Grey for a starting MSRP of $17,895 to more or less break even yet again at the checkout counter.

“With so many similarities, I reckon the much greater performance from the Beemer will be the deciding factor between the two. This bike really pushes the boundary between sport-touring and adventure bikes to be, arguably, more like the former than the latter. But, what’s in a name anyway, right? No matter how it’s classified, this is a peach of a machine that will lend itself well to a number of tasks.”

My wife and fellow motorcycle writer, Allyn Hinton, says, “Sporty? Yeah. Touring comfort? Yeah. Adventure? Yeah. It’s whatever you want it to be. At its core, the XR is based on the S 1000 RR, so you know the performance is there. Unlike the RR, this new generation of XR has a taller fourth, fifth, and sixth gear so cruising is less frenetic in keeping with its intended purpose of a street-oriented adventure bike.”

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