this bike could come as something of a shock.
In this situation, ABS is your friend and this
one is beautifully calibrated. There is no early
ABS intervention, it’s extremely well matched
to adhesion levels and suspension action.
Trust me… I’m no great ABS fan, but I’d never
turn this system off for road use. If pressed hard
to make a braking complaint I’d only say that
the initial braking bite does reduce with some
decent heat in the pads. The rear does its job
well and is effective, but I do find it difficult to
get excited about ABS-assisted rear brakes –
they never seen to have a very connected feel
and the inability to lock the rear goes against
my dirt bike rider’s brain – even if it does make
sense for the road. Like the traction control,
the ABS can be fully turned off if required.
Overall the BMW R1250R HP is an exceptionally
capable, extremely well-appointed naked
muscle bike.
It’s an exciting and fun ride, and (to my eyes at
least) barring the front lights… a very attractive
beast. I certainly really enjoyed riding it. Despite
my tall frame I was comfortable on a decent
length ride with only my knees getting a
little stiff after a couple of hours. It’s a bike I
would buy if I was considering going naked.
KIWI RIDER 67