Best Sport-Touring Bike: ?

[FJ1100mjk]

As we close out 2014...

http://www.cycleworld.com/2014/07/29/best-sport-touring-bike-bmw-r1200rt-cycle-world-ten-best-bikes-of-2014/

[Pat Conlon]

Sorry, the R1200RT is just butt ugly.

[Country Joe]

The front view of the fairing makes me think Angry Birds...

Joe

[FJ1100mjk]

They're supposed to be pretty comfy for two-up riding, unlike a lot of other offerings that are out there currently. The price of one, precludes me from entertaining their ownership.

[ribbert]

They're supposed to be pretty comfy for two-up riding, unlike a lot of other offerings that are out there currently. The price of one, precludes me from entertaining their ownership.

Yep, the wishbone front end and paralever rear end give a ride like nothing else. The F&R pivot points are only about a foot apart. Throw in electronically adjustable suspension on the fly, light weight, fabulous steering and it's a magic carpet ride with great handling and a lot lighter to throw around than the FJ in the twisties, but it's still not an FJ!

The big twin punches out great torque but the engine is something you either love or hate. I love them.

Noel

[ribbert]

Sorry, the R1200RT is just butt ugly.

Well Pat, proof that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I particularly like the look of them. Not sure if I could own a bike I didn't like the look of. Fortunately I've never found one I like to ride that I don't like the look of.

Noel

[CatTomb]

I'm with Pat.

At first look I was ambivalent but the more pics I looked at, the less I liked it.   

It just looks so WIDE. 

Noel, I can get behind the technology though. 

I like svelte, nimble and smart ... in motorcycles too. 

If it was a BMW I was looking at, I think the F700GS would fit nicely in my stable between my FJ and KTM450exc. 

[Pat Conlon]

....with great handling and a lot lighter to throw around than the FJ in the twisties, but it's still not an FJ!

By the nature of their design, the boxers "feel" lighter than they actually are.....According to the Cycle World article, the R1200RT weighs in at 587lbs.

I rode a R100RT in Germany and loved it, absolutely fell in love..that was a beautiful bike....but the new R1200Rt's, nope, they missed the boat. They actually look worse in person.

Angry Birds, yea, that's about right.

[Bill_Rockoff]

I'm sure they're terrific bikes, I would just be worried about Sigourney Weaver knocking me into a pit with a loader.  "Get away from her, you bitch!"

I liked the front swingarm idea ever since riding a GTS1000 in the early 90's.  Ducati Dave / Fazer Dave / GTS Dave obviously agrees, but he'll be the first to tell you that a GTS1000 doesn't fly worth a crap no matter how good a run you get off the embankment. 

[gumby302ho]

 I agree with Pat as well, ugly with a capital U. Scrolling down on that link about those BMW's there seems to have been some kind of major recall on that BMW. Can it be true that there has been a fault in the German engineered machine! All I can say is they better perform like a dream for the high up in the clouds price that they ask for these machines. If you feel like some revs check out that HP4, what a beast! 

[ribbert]

....with great handling and a lot lighter to throw around than the FJ in the twisties, but it's still not an FJ!

By the nature of their design, the boxers "feel" lighter than they actually are.....According to the Cycle World article, the R1200RT weighs in at 587lbs.

I rode a R100RT in Germany and loved it, absolutely fell in love..that was a beautiful bike....but the new R1200Rt's, nope, they missed the boat. They actually look worse in person.

Angry Birds, yea, that's about right.

Yes they feel light, but the late models only weigh 505 lbs dry without the panniers.

I guess that level of weather protection isn't going to come from a bikini fairing but I do like the look.
The bikes have improved significantly since '08 when they ditched the tractor gearbox for a motorbike one, along with a lot of other stuff, and again in '10 with the twin cam, big valve heads from the HP2, along with a lot of other stuff.

They're not everyone's cup of tea but remain a perennial favourite with reviewers and I just love the feeling that big twin working (as opposed to vibrating)

Yes, they do have a problem with the final drive that effects 3% of bikes and has been the case for a few years which is weird.

Speaking of ugly, I find this a head and shoulders winner in the ugliest production bike I have ever seen, the Harley shark nose.





I looks like a front end loader with it's bucket raised, probably goes about the same speed but doesn't handle as well.

Posting this so late at night is like watching a scary movie before going to bed, I won't be able to stop thinking about it and it will give me nightmares. I'm scared I'll find one in the garage in the morning.

Noel

[FJ1100mjk]

Yes they feel light, but the late models only weigh 505 lbs dry without the panniers.

Noel

Yes, it's possible to remove the panniers to decrease mass and perhaps enhance handling. However, I don't know what use a dry weight is when it comes to actually riding a bike. Maybe it's useful if the bike runs out of gas, and you have to push the thing.

Maybe this particular BMW model is like other bikes that come to the table on the heavy side, that are ridden by magazine reviewers, and after they are ridden, comments are made like: "the extra pounds seem to disappear when moving." Or something else along those lines.

It seems to be pretty hard to not add pounds to a bike nowadays when all of the newfangled electronic novelties, safety features, and pollution control items are installed on them.

[Firehawk068]

Speaking of ugly, I find this a head and shoulders winner in the ugliest production bike I have ever seen, the Harley shark nose.





I looks like a front end loader with it's bucket raised, probably goes about the same speed but doesn't handle as well.
Noel

It looks like a UFO crash-landed on the front of it...................................

You know it's funny. Most touring bikes have their fairings filled with gauges, navigation, switches, power outlets, useful storage, etc........................The Harley has their fairing filled with.........................Speakers!
Their riders really do like to make as much noise as possible.

As a side note...........................According to the GPS on the Beemer in the link, in the original post. I have ridden that road a bunch of times(where they did the photo-shoot).........Excellent road!  It's the back way into Prescott through Yarnell, and seldom a car on that road.................Lots of great twisties!
The 96 into Bagdad is a good one too.................

[fj1289]

I guess I get lost on the definition of "sport" touring.   These things are bigger than dedicated touring bikes when I started riding.   To me, just because there is a "land barge" category that has become the accepted norm for touring doesn't mean a "sport" touring bike gets to bloat up to fill the gap!

As for the speakers on the Harey "baggers" - I never understand it when I see someone cruising in or out from the Stagecoach with open pipes and blaring speakers...

[Dads_FJ]

I guess I get lost on the definition of "sport" touring.   These things are bigger than dedicated touring bikes when I started riding.   To me, just because there is a "land barge" category that has become the accepted norm for touring doesn't mean a "sport" touring bike gets to bloat up to fill the gap!

As for the speakers on the Harey "baggers" - I never understand it when I see someone cruising in or out from the Stagecoach with open pipes and blaring speakers...

I like this statement:  "...It takes a pretty special machine to unseat the BMW K1600GT as Cycle World's best sport-touring bike, but that's exactly what the new wasserboxer-powered BMW R1200RT is..."

I don't think the K1600GT weighing in at a hefty 718 lbs is sporty.  Fast yes...