I’ve been riding for over a decade and always wanted a BMW S1000RR, but man, those price tags made me nervous. So I decided to track every penny from buying to maintaining one for two years.
Actually Buying the Damn Thing
First I hit up five dealerships pretending I was serious about buying. Each salesman tried pushing different add-ons like carbon fiber bits or special warranties. Made notes of all their pricing games and played them against each other until I got this breakdown:
- Brand new 2023 model: Dealer wanted $18,295 but got it down to $16,500 by threatening to walk out twice
- Freight & setup fees: Absolute robbery at $1,350
- Taxes & title: Another $1,200 disappeared here
Walked out paying $19,050 total after three weekends of arguing. My advice? Go at month-end when they’re desperate to hit quotas.
Getting Screwed by Insurance
Called eight insurance companies and nearly choked when I heard the quotes. My old Honda only cost $300/year but these numbers were wild:
- Progressive: $2,800/year claiming sport bikes are “death machines”
- Geico: $2,100/year slightly less insane
- Dairyland: Finally found one for $1,600/year after begging
Still robbery, but whatever. Paid the damn bill.
Maintenance Costs That Hurt
First service at 600 miles cost $350. Thought that was bad until the annual services rolled around:
- Year 1 service: $450 for oil, filters and “diagnostics”
- Year 2 service: $700 including valve check where they found “adjustments needed”
- Tires: Burnt through $500 rear tires every 3,500 miles like clockwork
Stopped counting after $2,200 in maintenance alone. BMW parts prices are straight-up abusive.
Other Money Pits That Sneak Up
Forgot about all the small stuff that adds up:
- Premium gas: $20 every 150 miles because this thing drinks fuel when you twist the throttle
- Parking tickets: Got two in downtown Chicago totaling $150 because parking a bike sucks
- Gear replacement: $600 on new helmet and gloves after dropping mine in the garage
After two years I’ve dumped roughly $28,000 into this bike between buying and keeping it alive. Still love the stupid thing though.
