By the late 00s, most superbikes were making far too much power for their own good. To ride one of these analog monsters, you either needed the skill set of a professional racer or you needed to be crazy enough to think that you had the skills of a professional racer. Suffice to say, these machines were anything but accessible.
In 2009, BMW released a motorcycle that changed all of this. While there were already several bikes that came equipped with either ABS or traction control, the S 1000 RR was one of the first superbikes that came out with ABS as standard equipment, and one of the first to offer traction control. These safety features are almost taken for granted these days, but they brought the superbike into the digital age, and made it possible for us mere mortals to ride a 200-horsepower motorcycle on public roads.
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The 2010 BMW S 1000 RR Gives You Superbike Thrills Cheap
Price Range: $8,000 – $12,000
Back in 2010, this was part of an elite club, with almost 200 horsepower and a top speed in excess of 190 MPH. It isn’t just fast for an old superbike, it is still fast by modern standards. The pricing will vary a little depending on how the first owner specced the bike. Things like Dynamic Traction Control and Race ABS are thoroughly modern features, but were still optional back then.
Trade value is sitting at $8,120, and retail value is sitting at just over $11k. These bikes are getting harder to find in good shape, so prices are on the rise. Expect to pay closer to $12k for a bike that has been cared for, and more for one with all the toppings.
The 2010 S 1000 RR Was The First BMW Superbike
Power: 193 Horsepower
With 193 horsepower straight from the factory, it was, at the time, the most powerful liter-class sports bike on the market. The S 1000 RR was BMW’s first attempt at building a genuine superbike, and it was far from the finished article back in 2010. The most disappointing issue with this first generation was the overall build quality. By now, most of the small issues would have been resolved by previous owners, but the fact remains, it was not yet at the same level as contemporary Japanese bikes.
In 2011, this came back to bite BMW. Some conrods were not torqued to the right specification, and now most people associate these bikes with catastrophic engine failure. The affected bikes were recalled and repaired under warranty, but we would still avoid the 2011 and 2012 model years.
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The 2010 S 1000 RR Was One Of The First Superbikes Of The Digital Age
To harness all that power, BMW elected to add ABS as standard fitment, a ride-by-wire throttle, as well as a selection of ride modes. While ABS was obviously nothing new, other superbike manufacturers traditionally left it off because of the added weight. BMW has a time-honored tradition of leaving some of the best features optional.
So while ABS might have made the cut, the quickshifter and traction control did not. Today, quickshifters have been normalized to some extent, but this was the very first road-going motorcycle to offer it as an option. Dynamic Traction Control (DTC) was also nothing new, but was usually reserved for bigger, heavier bikes where weight wasn’t a factor. The S 1000 RR was one of the first superbikes – along with the Ducati 1198 S – to have traction control as an option.
It was also one of the most popular options, and BMW shipped most of the bikes with DTC already equipped. So it is safe to say that most of the bikes on the used market will have DTC. All of a sudden, a 200 horsepower motorcycle was a more attainable dream. Although it didn’t necessarily make the bike accessible, it wouldn’t punish mistakes as severely as contemporary analog machinery.
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The 2010 S 1000 RR Took The Fight To Japan And Italy
BMW embraced technology in a way that really changed the superbike game, but it was not alone in this endeavor. While the Japanese manufacturers were more interested in saving weight, Ducati already had an ultra-light platform to work from and was also experimenting with more sophisticated electronics.
2010 Ducati 1198 S
Back in the day, there was a significant price discrepancy, but today you might actually find a 1198 S for less than the BMW. Along with the S 1000 RR, it was one of the first superbikes that had traction control. It is by some margin the better-looking of the two, but aging Italian wiring is not for the faint of heart, and these bikes had a lot of wiring.
2010 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R
By 2010, the analog ZX-10R was into its final year. It would get a pretty comprehensive update the following year, but if you are after an analog machine, this is as good as it gets. With ram-air fitted, you have 200 horsepower at your disposal, and you need to use it wisely or the punishment will not fit the crime.
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Out of the three bikes, the Kawasaki will be the most terrifying (or fun) and the most reliable. The Ducati is by far the best bike to look at, but with these old V-twins, that might end up being the only thing you can do with it. The BMW added a dash of pragmatism to a segment dominated by different kinds of lunacy, and that is why so many people bought the bike back in 2010, and that is also why it still represents a good used option.