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.
2009 BMW G 650 GS Road Test
Mark Tuttle
March 17, 2009
[this 2009 BMW G 650 GS Road Test was originally published in the May 2009 issue of Rider magazine] Growing up I owned a series of Honda “thumpers”-single-cylinder four-stroke bikes-starting with an XL250 basket-case I sort-of reassembled that ran for about two weeks, to a brand-new XL600... Read more »
2009 BMW F 800 GS Road Test #2
Bill Wolf
December 12, 2008
[This 2009 BMW F 800 GS Road Test was originally published in the January 2009 issue of Rider magazine] What have we here? A middleweight version of the venerable R 1200 GS? A lighter, more manageable iteration of the long-way-around traveler? Well, not quite…. At 521 pounds gassed up and ready... Read more »
2008 BMW R1200GS and R1200GS Adventure Motorcycle Road Tests
Clement Salvadori
July 9, 2008
photography by the author and Kevin Wing A good motorcycle is like a good suit of clothes — it should fit properly and be comfortable. I have to say that this GS fits me just about perfectly, with looks that are quite acceptable at a formal occasion, and it doesn’t mind getting out and playing... Read more »
2008 BMW R 1200 HP2 Megamoto Road Test
Rider Magazine
July 9, 2008
[This review of the 2008 BMW R 1200 HP2 Megamoto was originally published in the August 2008 issue of Rider] We all know First Adopters, folks who stay on the bleeding-edge of the latest and greatest. They are willing to endure remarkable levels of inconvenience to be the first person to have the New... Read more »
2008 BMW R1200RT vs. Moto Guzzi Norge 1200 Motorcycle Comparison
Bill Stermer
July 9, 2008
[this comparison review of the 2008 BMW R1200RT and 2008 Moto Guzzi Norge 1200 was originally published in the July 2008 issue of Rider] Any sport-touring motorcycle is going to fit along a sliding scale of sportiness vs. touring capabilities. At one end of the spectrum would be a sporty bike with bags... Read more »
2009 BMW F 800 GS Road Test #1
Arden Kysely
June 26, 2008
[This 2009 BMW F 800 GS Road Test originally appeared as a Ridden & Rated in the May 2008 issue of Rider magazine] The clues are obvious–chain drive, inverted fork, 21-inch front rim, tall seat. With all of that cloaked in bodywork that says, “Let’s explore,” it doesn’t... Read more »
2007 BMW F800ST Road Test
Troy Siahaan
October 25, 2007
There’s a certain feeling of exclusivity you get when you own something expensive. Drive through town in a Ferrari, Mercedes or Porsche, and you can’t help but hold your head slightly higher. Same goes for motorcycles. Whether you admit it or not, if you’re a Harley-Davidson, Ducati... Read more »
Retrospective: BMW K75S 750: 1987-1995
Clement Salvadori
April 22, 2007
(This Retrospective article was published in the April 2007 issue of Rider.) STORY BY CLEMENT SALVADORI, PHOTOGRAPHY BY RICK McNEILL How much does a cylinder weigh on an original BMW K-bike, the one with the longitudinal engine? If you look at the comparative weights between a K100 and a K75 a cylinder... Read more »
2007 BMW R1200R vs. Ducati Monster S2R1000 Motorcycle Comparison
Bill Stermer
April 10, 2007
[This 2007 BMW R1200R vs. Ducati Monster S2R1000 Motorcycle Comparison was originally published in the April 2007 issue of Rider magazine] The 2007 Ducati Monster S2R1000 If you’ve ever had the pleasure of riding in Europe, you may have become familiar with the national traits of certain brands... Read more »
2007 BMW R1200S Road Test
Rider Magazine
January 26, 2007
[This 2007 BMW R1200S Road Test was originally published in the November 2006 issue of Rider magazine] You asked for a sportbike that’s a bit different, not so cookie-cutter, right? Behold the R1200S, complete with more than 100 horsepower at the rear wheel. Prior to the dashing red-and-silver streak... Read more »
