BMW has reintroduced its S 1000 R litre-class streetfighter to the Indian market. But this time around, it faces stiffer competition. Ducati recently launched its Streetfighter V4 in India, and before that, Triumph rolled in the new Speed Triple 1200 RS. There’s also the unique supercharged Kawasaki Z H2 to contend with. Here’s how the Beemer stacks up against its supernaked competitors on paper.
BMW S 1000 R vs rivals: Engine
Neither does the BMW feature forced induction like the Kawasaki, nor does it breach the 1.100cc mark like the other two. So it’s no surprise that it’s the least powerful bike here, and by some margin. At 165hp, only the Triumph is in the S 1000 R’s ballpark, with the Kawi and the Ducati hovering around the 200hp region. The Streetfighter V4 sits atop the pile, with a massive 208hp power figure that makes it the joint most powerful naked road bike in the world, along with the MV Agusta Brutale 1000, which isn’t available in India.
| BMW S 1000 R vs rivals: Engine | ||||
| 2021 BMW S 1000 R | Ducati Streetfighter V4 | Kawasaki Z H2 | Triumph Speed Triple | |
| Engine | Liquid-cooled 999cc inline-four-cylinder | Liquid-cooled 1,103cc 90-degree V4 | Liquid-cooled, supercharged 998cc inline-four-cylinder | Liquid-cooled 1,160cc inline-triple-cylinder |
| Power | 165hp at 11,000rpm | 208hp at 12,750rpm | 197hp at 11,000rpm | 177.5hp at 10,750rpm |
| Torque | 114Nm at 9,250rpm | 123Nm at 9,500rpm | 137Nm at 8,500rpm | 125Nm at 9,000rpm |
| Power-to-weight ratio | 829.1hp/ton (Pro M Sport: 850.2hp/ton) | 1034.8hp/ton (S variant: 1045.2hp/ton | 824.27hp/ton (SE variant: 820.8hp/ton) | 896.5hp/ton |
That being said, the S 1000 R isn’t at the bottom of the pile when it comes to power-to-weight ratio. That unenviable accolade goes to the Kawasaki, courtesy of its rather high 239kg kerb weight. Where the Kawi shines is torque. The supercharger doesn’t facilitate a stratospheric horsepower figure, but at 137Nm, the Z H2’s torque figure is commendable, and the fact that it comes in at just 8,500rpm, the earliest of all 4 bikes, should make it blindingly quick with the least amount of effort.
BMW S 1000 R vs rivals: Chassis
There isn’t a whole lot to separate these bikes in terms of underpinnings, aside from the Kawasaki’s extra heft mentioned above. The other 3 bikes are all within a couple of kilos of the 200kg mark, except the Pro M Sport variant of the S 1000 R, which thanks to its carbon wheels, tips the scales at just 194kg. The BMW, Ducati and Kawasaki all have variants that feature electronically-adjustable semi-active suspension, which the Speed Triple misses out on. Nevertheless, its manually-adjustable setup features top-spec Ohlins hardware.
| BMW S 1000 R vs rivals: Chassis | ||||
| 2021 BMW S 1000 R | Ducati Streetfighter V4 | Kawasaki Z H2 | Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RS | |
| Kerb Weight | 199kg (Pro M Sport: 194kg) | 201kg (S variant: 199kg) | 239kg (SE variant: 240kg) | 198kg |
| Seat Height | 830mm | 845mm | 830mm | 830mm |
| Fuel Capacity | 16.5 litres | 16 litres | 19 litres | 15.5 litres |
| Suspension (f) | 45mm USD fork, fully-adjustable | 43mm USD fork, fully-adjustable | USD fork, fully-adjustable | 43mm USD fork, fully-adjustable |
| Suspension (r) | Monoshock, fully-adjustable | Monoshock, fully-adjustable | Monoshock, fully-adjustable | Monoshock, fully-adjustable |
| Brakes (f) | Twin 320mm discs, 4-piston calipers | Twin 330mm discs, 4-piston calipers | Twin 320mm discs, 4-piston calipers | Twin 320mm discs, 4-piston calipers |
| Brakes (r) | 220mm disc, single-piston caliper | 245mm disc, dual-piston caliper | 260mm disc, single-piston caliper | 220mm disc, dual-piston caliper |
| Tyres (f) | 120/70-ZR17 | 120/70-ZR17 | 120/70-ZR17 | 120/70-ZR17 |
| Tyres (r) | 190/55-ZR17 | 200/60-ZR17 | 190/55-ZR17 | 190/55-ZR17 |
The Brit and the Italian also stand a class apart in the braking department, with both featuring flagship Brembo Stylema calipers. That being said, the Streetfighter has slightly larger discs, at 330mm, which should give it the edge. The Z H2 also runs Brembo monobloc calipers but of a lesser repute, while the BMW features self-branded 4-piston calipers that are manufactured by Hayes, as with the S 1000 RR. One area where the BMW comes out on top is seat height. Its standard 830mm seat is on par with the Z H2 and the Speed Triple, but BMW offers an accessory low seat which brings that figure down to just 810mm.
BMW S 1000 R vs rivals: Features
These bikes are the apex predators of the super-naked segment, so it’s no surprise that they all come with LED lighting, colour TFT displays and IMU-backed electronics packages. These packages are pretty equal – they all feature lean-sensitive traction control, cornering ABS and up/down quickshifters. As mentioned earlier, the Speed Triple is the only one to miss out on electronic suspension, but it does offer the most riding modes here, and, like the BMW, it features keyless operation. The Streetfighter is the only one to forego cruise control and standard Bluetooth connectivity.
BMW S 1000 R vs rivals: Price
| BMW S 1000 R vs rivals: Price | ||||
| 2021 BMW S 1000 R | Ducati Streetfighter V4 | Kawasaki Z H2 | Triumph Speed Triple | |
| Price (ex-showroom, India) | Standard: Rs 17.90 lakh / Pro: Rs 19.75 lakh / Pro M Sport: Rs 22.50 lakh | Standard: Rs 19.99 lakh / S: Rs 22.99 lakh | Standard: Rs 21.90 lakh / SE: Rs 25.90 lakh | Rs 16.95 lakh |
The S 1000 R range starts from Rs 17.90 lakh, helping it undercut the Ducati Streetfighter V4, but the top-spec variants of both bikes are priced almost on-par. The Z H2 is considerably more expensive than both of these, possibly down to the higher production costs of a supercharged machine. It’s the Triumph Speed Triple that seems to offer the best value of the lot. Yes, it misses out on electronic suspension, but aside from that, it’s arguably the most feature-rich bike here, and offers more power and torque than the BMW despite costing less.