Why The 2024 BMW M 1000 XR Will Be The Wildest Sports Tourer Out There

May 04, 2023

It aims to leave the Ducati Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak in the dust

The M 1000 XR first made headlines when BMW filed a trademark application for it way back in 2019. Four years later, the Bavarian giant has finally taken the next step and presented the M 1000 XR prototype for the 2024 model year. It is the third motorcycle in BMW Motorrad's auspicious M-lineup, after the WSBK-derived M 1000 RR and the world's most powerful naked, the M 1000 R.

Though the full launch and specifications are still some time away, the official images give away a lot of juicy details about the S 1000 XR-derived model. This, together with some not-so-subtle remarks from the bikemaker, suggest it will be the wildest sports tourer out there. Here's all you should know about it.

RELATED: These Latest Spy Shots Of The 2024 BMW R 1300 GS Reveal Juicy Details

BMW's M-badge is only meant for its fastest products and the M 1000 XR is no different. The Bavarian giant has confirmed the M XR will boast the 999cc, inline-four engine from the S 1000 RR. It will produce upwards of 200 horsepower (>147kW), which, coupled with its 491-pound curb weight and Akrapovic titanium can, helps it clock a top speed of 174mph (280kmph). For reference, the currently on sale S 1000 XR produces 165 horsepower, weighs 498 pounds, and comes with an electronically restricted 161mph (260kmph) top speed.

Top speed aside, the increased horsepower will be more usable too, thanks to BMW's ShiftCam technology. It's the company's jargon for a variable valve timing system fitted with a differential valve lift that helps improve combustion and efficiency (claimed to have four percent lower fuel consumption). The biggest gain, meanwhile, is the spread of torque throughout the rev range for improved tractability, mid-range power, and power wheelies. Expect the gear ratios to change as well, although the six-speed transmission will likely remain as is.

Boosted performance is nothing if you can't put it to the ground, and underpinnings play a key role here. So the M 1000 XR is expected to come ripe with updates in this department. For starters, it’ll ride on Marzocchi 45 mm upside-down forks and a monoshock, both identical to the M 1000 R. These will feature electronic adjustment and BMW's Dynamic Damping Control. The latter automatically adjusts the suspension in milliseconds to suit your riding maneuvers (braking, acceleration, or turning) for the utmost stability.

Also part of the package will be a trifecta of BMW M Brakes that comprise Nissin calipers, developed directly with learnings from BMW's efforts in the WSBK championship. These will be housed onto forged aluminum 17-inch wheels (with Metzeler rubber; same as the M 1000 R) to reduce unsprung mass. The M 1000 XR's leaked spy shots even showed carbon fiber wheels fore and aft, but BMW will sell them under its M Carbon accessory pack.

RELATED: BMW's First Electric Motorcycle Could Outperform The G 310 R

Topping this will be a new split saddle, probably higher than the S 1000 XR's 33-inch seat. This, together with raised pegs, should allow sportier ergonomics, without sacrificing comfort. Couple all of it together, and the M XR should be a sharp handler, not just suited for your local canyons, but also for the racetrack.

The final pieces of the puzzle will be aerodynamics and electronics. The new images give us a good look at the massive side-mounted winglets. These are all new and look nothing like the ones we’ve seen on the existing M motorcycles. The purpose remains the same, however, to reduce the wheelie tendency when you bang open the throttle out of corners. In addition, we can also spot aerodynamic spoilers near the new pillion seat and a short, smoked windscreen up top.

As for electronics, the M 1000 XR will carry forward the same all-LED lights and 6.5-inch TFT instrument cluster. But the latter will give you access to updated rider aids that’ll help put a leash on the 200H-HP beast. BMW's Pro riding modes, wheelie control, pit lane limiter, engine brake control, traction control, bi-directional quickshifter, and slide control are all expected, in addition to creature comforts like heated grips, cruise control, and TPMS. All this while, the M XR won't look too different from the S XR, since the body panels are all similar. The special M livery will help create a unique identity, though.

BMW has announced the M 1000 XR will break cover in the second half of 2023. That's a bit vague, but a full reveal in the next couple of months is quite probable. Once out, it will lock horns with the Ducati Multistrada V4 Pikes Peak and the KTM 1290 Super Duke GT. Even the supercharged Kawasaki Ninja H2 SX will be one of its rivals.

However, none of these match up to the XR's over-200-HP output, or its top-of-the-line WSBK-inspired aero/components. And if Beemer somehow manages a sub-$23,000 price tag, the German sports tourer will be an unmatched proposition in the market. If that's not all, Peter Hickman's comment "This bike combines everything I want off the circuit: performance so incredible that you won't want to get off", only makes us more excited about it.

Punya is an avid motorcyclist who's always up for a ride to the canyons or the racetrack. He insists his riding skills are better than his writing skills, even though he's worked with some world-renowned automotive websites.