First, The demo crashed in the setup menu, the steering is way too stiff or too sensitive (I was driving a Formula Renault 3.5), The cars seem to stutter around the circuit (Either rFactor 2 is poorly optimized or I need to get a new computer), replays are unavailable (Are they only available in the full version? soon you'll tell me that a stable version of the game is only available in the full version) and the car doesn't jump into the air when I rub wheels with another car a la GP4.
What are your PC specs ? Replays might need to be switched on in the settings menu, stuttering cars usually mean your CPU is struggling, I am not 100% sure if pressing Ctrl and c brings up your CPU usage in the demo, I'm sure it will... Try that whilst out on track and see if the purple (?) bar is maxxing out. Check steering help is disabled in settings/difficulty, you shouldn't need that on if you use a wheel.
So, how is the steering too stiff if you're on a keyboard? You can't feel anything. There are steering assist options and sensitivity stuff to make a keyboard better than a on/off switch for steering.
Please post your PC specs. Also, do Print Screen on your Graphics options tab. For keyboard, push F1 or F2 a few times. That's steering assistance and there are three levels and Off. Maybe you'll prefer Low.
Not sure if the controls settings menu is too complex, or too biased towards steering wheel users. If it's the former, then please simplify it to rF1 levels.
Like any game you get acquainted with all settings before you try and play. In PlugsIn/Difficulty menu you turn aids on and off. It is not bias per say, it has a Keyboard profile aka "AZ Keyboard.JSON" If you have that selected then just remap the keys you want and press ESC for any you want to clear. Do that offline and save another profile, call it MyKeyboard , whatever. When you use Keyboard profile wheel settings are redundant. P.S. While it does cater for K/B and Gamepad, personally, if I was limited to either rFactor2 is the last sim I would buy.