’ ll admit it , the BMW R1250R is a machine I was really looking forward to ride . I own a BMW R1250GS that I like a LOT , so , I figured the comparison between the two was going to be interesting . The same motor but very different chassis and intents . Where my GS is tall and geared for all-road adventures , the R1250R Sport is a stripped-down , muscular Roadster with large USD forks , lowish narrow straight bars and no screen . It looks low and small , but rippling with muscles . That big boxer lump in pride of place ; menacing and attractive all at the same time . There are three variants , the R1250R , the Double Black and the Sport . The Sport is the lightest , with lower handlebars and a very cool paint scheme . To my eyes it ’ s brilliant looking machine with a cool colour scheme and it ’ s not short on technology either . A plus is the bloody awful-looking asymmetric head lights are gone – happy days . By comparison , the GS is big and tall with high and wide bars , a huge screen for excellent weather protection and a Telelever front end – chalk and cheese some might say . From a ride point of view , I was expecting something of the old saying – the more things change , the more they stay the same . After all , they are both 1250 BMWs with a Paralever rear end . How different can they be ? A lot more than I expected is the short answer .

SHIFT-CAM BOXER Before I get too ahead of myself let ’ s drive in to some engine details . The 1254cc , liquid-cooled boxer with Shift-Cam produces 100kW of power at 7750rpm , but the more important number is 143Nm of torque at 6250rpm with what feels like the majority available just above idle . There ’ s a sweetly shifting six-speed gearbox and a light , hydraulically operated clutch . The power delivery from this engine is superb , fantastic . It is an exceptionally seamless , strong and responsive grunt fest from the moment the throttle is turned . While it does not have the wild top-end of a superbike engine ... it has real world useable grunt by the truck load . Of course , like all late-model machines power mode choices are selectable . Rain , Road , and

60 KIWI RIDER