BMW Motorcycle Road Tests
& Reviews
BMW Motorcycle Guide
BMW, an acronym for Bayerische Motoren Werke, is a German motorcycle, automobile and engine manufacturing company founded in 1917. BMW motorcycles were first manufactured in 1923, powered by an air-cooled, horizontally opposed 'boxer' twin engine, a much modernized version of which still powers several models in BMW's current lineup.
2013 BMW R 1200 GS – First Ride
Greg Drevenstedt
January 28, 2013
Redesigning a motorcycle that established and continues to define a robust market segment, one that has been a perennial bestseller, inspires fanatical devotion and is the culmination of a design philosophy that has endured for nearly a century, is a major undertaking. After setting new standards among... Read more »
Retrospective: BMW R25/3 250: 1953-1955
Clement Salvadori
January 2, 2013
Some people think that until the last turn of the century, BMW built pretty stodgy motorcycles that were good for the touring rider, but rather weak on performance. To a degree that is true, but back in the ’30s, Bavarian Motor Works was as much a pioneer of innovation as it is today. In 1935, BMW... Read more »
2013 BMW F 800 GT – First Look
Greg Drevenstedt
November 28, 2012
For 2013, BMW has introduced a replacement for the F 800 ST sport tourer, an more touring-ready model called the F 800 GT. Living up to its new “Gran Turismo” moniker, the F 800 GT gets a 5-horsepower boost (claimed) in power, a wide range of upgrades aimed at improving wind protection and comfort,... Read more »
2013 BMW F 700 GS – First Ride
Greg Drevenstedt
November 26, 2012
When BMW decided to update the F 650 GS for 2013, it was clearly in a generous mood. The folks in Bavaria gave the street-biased enduro model more horsepower and torque, a shorter gear ratio for quicker acceleration, a second front disc brake, new switchgear and instrumentation, and updated styling.... Read more »
Pricing Announced for 2013 BMW S 1000 RR HP4
Mark Tuttle
November 13, 2012
Just in case the standard S 1000 RR isn’t wild enough for you, BMW will offer a HP4 version for 2013 with all 193 ponies available in all riding modes and its wet weight (90 percent full tank) reduced to just 439 pounds with Race ABS. The first four-cylinder bike in the HP4 family also comes standard... Read more »
BMW Unveils All-new, Liquid-cooled R 1200 GS
Greg Drevenstedt
October 2, 2012
The wait is over. After years of hand-wringing by the Bavarian faithful, months of rampant speculation and numerous leaked spy shots, the all-new BMW R 1200 GS has been officially unveiled at the International Motorcycle, Scooter and Bicycle Fair—better known as Intermot—in Cologne, Germany. It has... Read more »
Ridden & Rated: 2012 BMW R 1200 RT
Greg Drevenstedt
September 7, 2012
My, how time flies. Our last full test of a BMW R 1200 RT was back in August 2005, when you could still get money for nothin’ and mortgages for free. And an RT hasn’t ridden through the pages of Rider since July 2008, when we compared it to the Moto Guzzi Norge 1200—right about the time gas prices... Read more »
Rider Magazine’s 2012 Motorcycle of the Year
Rider Magazine Staff
July 3, 2012
Our 23rd Annual Award! The chilly “New Economy” seems to be thawing slightly at this writing, but it’s been a challenging 12 months since Rider last presented its Motorcycle of the Year award. Any new bike introduced into this fiercely competitive environment has got to be a solid hit, drawing... Read more »
2013 BMW F 700 GS and BMW F 800 GS – First Look
Greg Drevenstedt
July 2, 2012
BMW’s F-series model family includes four motorcycles powered by the company’s 798cc parallel twin engine: F 800 R, F 800 ST, F 650 GS and F 800 GS. When BMW decided to update the two models in its popular GS enduro line, it also looked to clear up some confusion over model names. Despite being powered... Read more »
2012 BMW G 650 GS Sertão vs. 2012 Kawasaki KLR650 Comparison
Greg Drevenstedt
June 4, 2012
What would you do with an extra $2,351? Even at today’s high prices, you could fill your gas tank hundreds of times. You could buy new gear from head to toe, a wish list of accessories, or you could fund an open-road odyssey for months. If you’re in the market for a new 650cc dual-sport single, would... Read more »
