There ’ s a strong trend to supertourers at the moment with both Ducati and KTM fielding some strong contenders in the segment , and BMW ’ s big R1250GS is , perhaps , the grandaddy of that market , but I think the XR is the best built and positioned bike to own that area , outright . Yes ... it ’ s a bold claim . Let me first state a caution - this tall bike is not for the faint of heart . I am 165cm tall with long legs and a short top-half , and manoeuvring 226kg of slightly top-heavy bike makes for some real focus on the job . While the seat height is not the tallest out there , it comes close , and the because the seat is wide for touring comfort it makes for tense moments when the ground is not where you expect it to be while parking . Having got
that out of the way , there are very few negatives to be found with the BMW offering .
RIP YOUR EYEBALLS OUT Let ’ s start with the noisemaker - the XR comes with an engine equipped from the mentally fast S1000RR racing stable . Detuned from 200 odd horses to 165hp , it is still a breathtakingly fast and exhilarating ride , particularly in the upper mind-bending revs that are north of 8000 . I was reminded very quickly that this machine has a fiercely proud racing heart , and it ’ s still there , just beyond the polite , legal ploddery , lurking like the very Devil . I don ’ t know if you ’ ve ever been to a Joe Bonamassa concert , but when touring he often does this melodic , charming , cool acoustic set ; picking and singing and setting up the unwitting for part two , when the monstrous guitar maestro delivers totemic pounding rock that could rip
48 KIWI RIDER