v
me’ blast up the rev range. The countryside will
blur just as fast as you want it to, and snicking in
and out of the six speed box with a mere flick
of the clutch is a delight, although I confess to
some nice clean clutchless use, once or twice.
The two-into-one pipe delivers a remarkably
satisfying crackling bark that reminds you that
1170cc’s are poking their finny heads out beneath
your knees.
And the URBAN G/S is simply glorious in the
corner. The rake is such that the bike falls effortlessly
into swift changes of
direction and every
single ride turned into
a happy blat. The bike
is lithe and fit under
your hand, imparting
a sense of complete
control within seconds
in the saddle. I found
myself throwing it
down into corners and
playing with weight
distribution in a way that
I haven’t experimented
with since thrashing
the ring off my friend’s
first generation Suzuki
RM125, way back when.
The BMW is a very,
very well built package; there is solidity, focus,
and fit for purpose-ness that always makes you
feel that the product is at the top of the global
game in terms of quality delivery. A case in
point are the beautiful wheels on this version,
with spokes to the outside of the rims, these
are really appealing to the eye, and, functionally,
look easy to clean and maintain tension.
Up front the 320mm Brembos do a fantastic
job of hauling the Urban to a standstill, and the
progressive feel of the brake lever is light and
wonderfully accurate. You can produce a bit of
dive in the front with 5.5-in of travel in the gaitered
forks, if you work at it. The tyres fitted were
Metzeler Tourance with a serious tread pattern
for damp and grip, and they were firmly planted
in the corners, no matter the surface and weather
conditions, and the bike remained highly flickable.
The fuel tank sits snuggly between the knees and
the grip is excellent. At
17 litres it’s quite large
and it is suggested that
the bike will get around
200 miles to a tankful, I
can’t tell whether that is
accurate, I forgot to keep
a log. Sorry, I was too busy
enjoying the test rides.
There is room for a pillion,
yes, but it’s unlikely to be
the most comfortable
place for a journey, and
most travelling will be
done solo. I love the direct
feel of the BMW shaft
drive unit too, and I find
engine braking just a
trifle crisper with a shaft,
imparting a sense of tautness to the experience.
That quirky ‘one sided’ look that a shaft drive
gives to the rear of the Beemer grows on you,
especially considering the performance. Stance-
wise, when parked, the bike reminds me of an old
silverback gorilla, with hunched broad shoulders
and big wide back, coming from the horizontal
boxer pots down low. It’s certainly in the gorilla
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