Looking back over the past five years of MoTY, one thing quickly becomes apparent – BMW has enjoyed a stranglehold, winning more gongs than any other manufacturer. The R1200GS, S1000RR, S1000R and S1000XR have all walked away with the coveted trophy, most at their first attempt, and for good reason – they are all bloody brilliant motorcycles. For 2017, all four of these mighty machines have been upgraded, and a couple have also sprouted variants. So what better way to see if this quartet of former MoTY champs is still top class than to ship them off to Tasmania for two days of unbridled riding on roads perfectly matched to such bikes. Okay, maybe we got a bit over excited about the terrific tarmac adventure that lay ahead and forgot to extend an invite to the recently released 2017 R1200GS Rallye – no problem, there will be a separate launch for that bike in the next issue of AMCN. Luckily, one thing BMW is not short of is choices, so we drafted in the 2017 K1600GT tourer to take its place.

So grab a cold drink, sit back and thumb through the following pages while I try to explain what it’s like to ride four sensational motorbikes for two days on some of the world’s best roads.

S1000R – Real-world roadster

We like to call it a supernaked, but BMW prefers the term ‘roadster’. Either way, it’s a fantastic stripped-down adaptation of the fully faired S1000RR sportsbike that can be ridden daily.

For 2017, there are two models of the S1000R: Standard ($19,390 +ORC) and Sport ($21,690 +ORC). Distinguishing the two models is as easy as looking at the fork legs. The Sport model has the electronic Dynamic Damping Control (DDC) suspension, while the standard model has fully adjustable Sachs suspension with a good old manual clicker. But the full list of differences goes much deeper than that.

The 2017 Standard R has two riding modes, Rain and Road, as well as Race ABS and Automatic Stability Control (ASC). The Sport model steps up to Riding Modes Pro, which adds the two additional riding modes of Dynamic and Dynamic Pro (configurable by the rider). You also get Dynamic Traction Control (DTC) and ABS Pro – which both use a banking sensor to modulate the amount of ABS and traction control required based on lean angle – plus launch control and a programmable pitlane limiter.

Both variants are also fitted with Shift Assist Pro for clutchless up and down gear shifts. And the linkage can be changed to a race-box pattern. Other upgrades for 2017 include a redesigned aluminium frame, including a lighter rear section, and a more rigid swingarm. If your looking to reduce weight, you can splash out an additional $1850 for the lightweight forged wheels and save 2.4kg on unsprung weight.

Spending the extra $2300 and jumping from the standard S1000R to the Sport model gives you a host of upgrades, and at the top of the list is the electronic DDC Suspension. Just a handful of years ago this technology was the stuff of prototype machines and technology magazines; now it comes fitted as standard on a sub-$22,000 motorcycle.

And if you think it would be hard to feel the difference between the quality fully adjustable kit on the standard model, and the DDC of the Sport, you need to get yourself down to a local BMW dealer and test the two back to back before parting with your hard-earned. It’s not that the manual-adjustable suspenders are of inferior quality – quite the opposite, as I discovered during our ride. It’s simply a case of the DDC system being so well refined and accurate that when it comes to road use, the manual system is a step behind. After attacking the first half of the amazing Elephant Pass Targa Tasmania stage aboard the standard model, I hopped straight onto the DDC-equipped Sport model and instantly felt the difference. By adjusting rebound and compression on a millisecond-by-millisecond basis, the electronic suspension ironed out an uneven road surface without a loss of feel. Changing the riding modes also alters the feel of the bike, so a flick to rain mode when the heavens open will adjust the characteristics of the entire bike, not just the power delivery. It’s electrickery at its best.

Is the S1000R the most versatile road tool in BMW’s shed? It’s definitely a leading candidate. Throw on a tank bag and a set of panniers and you could tour on it day in, day out. Use the low-down power and torque to enjoy it as a daily commuter, or open the throttle and you will discover superbike performance that’s easy to manage thanks to the lovely chassis, wide ’bars and slightly upright seating position. The only downside is the wind blast at high speed on the open road.

Is it a better choice than the RR? I often say that a rider of standard skill (such as myself) would be able to lap most race circuits quicker, and with a great deal more confidence, on the R than the RR, but many of us buy based on what the bike can do, and not what we are going to do on it – a tough choice.

S1000RR – Warp speed anyone?

GS Safari enduro maestro Amy Harburg summed up what BMW’s flagship S1000RR is all about when she relived the first time she held the throttle of an S1000RR open until the tacho needle reached redline – five minutes earlier.

“My god! It was like the scene in Star Wars when all the stars suddenly burst past!” An apt analogy for the RR, and it’s even more impressive when you consider that the same bike is just as happy chugging along
in city traffic.

For 2017 the RR hasn’t changed a great deal, but it is now available in three flavours: the Standard S1000RR for $21,990 (+ ORC), the Sport for $23,990 (+ ORC) and the Race for $25,690 (+ ORC). That’s not to be confused with the new HP4 Race.

Like the S1000R, the base model forgoes the electronic DDC suspension as well as ABS Pro with cornering ABS, Riding Mode Pro which adds the Slick and fully customisable User modes with seven-stage Dynamic Traction Control (DTC), cruise control, heated grips and a few smaller goodies. It’s a smart marketing move by BMW because for $21,990 it’s a hell of a lot of motorcycle for the money and will surely tempt buyers looking at the Japanese marques. However, the Double R has always been about cutting-edge technology, and the 2017 Sport and Race are where the good gear is at. These models are mechanically and electronically identical with the extra $1700 for the Race going towards lightweight forged wheels, a single seat and no pillion ’pegs. When put in words, it sounds like just a few added bits, but the tingle of excitement you feel when you climb aboard the RR Race is the reason you pay the premium.

As well as the DTC, five riding modes, ABS Pro and cornering ABS mentioned above, the Sport and Race models also get Dynamic Damping Control (DDC), pitlane limiter, launch control and heated grips. After a day of pressing buttons and scrolling through menus on the TFT dash I thought I pretty much had the on-board computer worked out. That was until Miles Davis from BMW stepped forward and demonstrated what the system is really capable of. Most of it I had difficulty comprehending, but I did understand lean angle display and lap timer – and that was just the tip of the electronics iceberg.

There are bikes that some people claim need to be ridden hard to get the most out of them; the BMW S1000RR is not one of those bikes. From the first time I rode the RR after its release in 2009 I was staggered at just how easy the bike is to ride at a normal pace in normal conditions. But twist the throttle and you’d better be ready to hang on.

The sound, feel and riding position on the RR put the nerve endings in every part of your body on notice that it’s time to perform. You can feel the adrenaline begin to flow and the increased sensitivity run through your system. It’s no wonder when you look at the staggeringly impressive numbers. There’s 146kW (199h in the old money) at 13,500rpm, while at 9200rpm you are riding 112Nm of torque, which remains flat all the way to 12,000rpm with just a 1Nm increase. It’s that usability which makes the RR a fire-breathing dragon in kitten’s clothing.

I may have done a couple of silly things while riding the RR in Tassie, but at no time did I feel I was anything other than in total control of the bike. That’s the secret to BMW’s design – it’s totally wild but remains user friendly, even for garden variety riders like myself. The seating position is all racer tuck but remains relatively comfortable.

Regardless of whether you are riding in the wet or dry, the bike turns into bends with pinpoint accuracy and sure-footedness, and the bite of the Brembo brakes makes your eyeballs bulge. The Gear Shift Assist Pro remains one of the sweetest quickshift systems available. In my notes, I referred to it as a dial-your-own gearshift. There’s barely any movement of the lever required, with just a scant hint of mechanical feel. While all this is going on, the cornering ABS and DTC are on duty, taking note of which way the bike is leaning and whether your accelerating or braking so it can ensure everything remains pointed in the right direction. Exactly when they step in to lend a hand is entirely up to the rider thanks to the dazzling array of programmable settings. You can even deactivate them altogether if you feel you have everything under control.

On day two, when others were laying dibs on the S1000XR, I was happy to take the RR and enjoyed quality time on all three variants. As with the R, the DDC suspension makes a massive difference to ride quality, and that’s not taking anything away from the fully adjustable Sachs suspenders on the standard model.

The RR is more bike than I’ll ever need and that’s what attracts me to it. While I probably rode the R much harder when the pace picked up, the RR kept calling me back to have another ride because it knew I was barely scratching the surface of its potential, and that’s what I want from a bike each time I walk into my garage.

Having reacquainted myself with the RR I’m already salivating at the prospect of this year’s AUSTest showdown

K1600GT – Supersize me

Looking at our four Tassie test bikes lined up on the roadside, those who don’t know better would be forgiven for thinking the K1600GT was the odd one out. It’s huge! It’s more than 2.3m long, has a Duolever front end (the last surviving BMW with this system) and a Paralever rear end with shaft drive. But it’s also swift on its feet and incredibly agile. Think the Jonah Lomu of motorcycles.

One of the journalists on the ride made a comment about a slow and comfortable touring ride ahead on the big K. He had never ridden one, but quickly learned what this bike is capable of. One giveaway was the Bridgestone Battlax BT021 tyres fitted, which were well worn from edge to edge by the end of our ride; the other was the Gear Shift Assist Pro for clutchless up and down shifts.

Until the launch of the first K1600GT in 2011, the only six-cylinder engine found in a BMW was lugging around body panels and four wheels. Then someone came up with the idea of stuffing a 1649cc straight-six engine into a motorcycle to make a tourer with the cruising ability to eat up the autobahn, and giving it the agility to tackle the Swiss Alps.

I tested the first K1600GT back in 2011, and I remember riding a kilometre down the road and being gobsmacked at what BMW had delivered – it still gives me that feeling.

The big six-pot is now Euro 4 compliant and produces 118kW at 7500rpm and 175Nm at 6500rpm. For 2017 the Big K also comes standard with electronic suspension in the form of Dynamic ESA with automatic damping adaptation. Two modes are available, Road and Dynamic, both with electronically adjustable preload which works independently of the damping.

In Road mode the system does a brilliant job of masking the bike’s 319kg claimed wet weight by constantly logging a range of parameters, including weight shift, then adjusting the suspension damping to suit within a millisecond. When you switch to Dynamic, everything tightens up a notch or two.

Speaking of new tricks, the 2017 model can also go backwards. Two button presses is all it takes to engage the optional Reverse Assistant, and the K1600GT will begin crawling backwards out of the nose-down space you accidentally parked in. Another new trick is Hill Start Control (standard). Laugh you may at a bike with hill hold, but it’s bloody handy in many situations, not just helping you get going on a hill when the combined weight of you, your significant other, all your luggage and the motorcycle could be over half a tonne.

Other standard equipment includes ABS Pro with cornering ABS, DTC, keyless ignition, cruise control, adaptive headlights, a sat nav-ready audio system with Bluetooth, central locking (for storage) and an
anti-theft alarm.

Enough with the technical bits though, how does it ride? The growl from the twin pipes is like six fat, angry wasps all buzzing simultaneously. Stick it into gear, feed on a bit of power and let the clutch out – you would need to be a complete numpty to stall this bike. Previous models had a tendency to be a little snatchy with so much torque available low in the rev range, BMW seems to have addressed this issue tuning the bike to pull away with ease.

At low revs, the fuelling feels a little reserved, but twist the throttle and the good times are unleashed. Smooth power delivery? You bet. Flat change up through the six-speed ’box and it pulls like a steam train. There’s a choice of three riding modes: Rain, Road and Dynamic. I did try Rain mode in the rain, but still preferred Road, placing my faith in BMW’s well-refined DTC.

Handling is where the K1600GT surprises the most. The straight six-pot is slanted well forward in the chassis, keeping a large slice of its 102kg weight down low. When stationary, you can easily tip the bike from side to side; at speed there’s a feeling that if the bike did somehow fall over it would spring straight back to its feet. Wind and weather protection has been improved with new wind deflectors, but there is still a bit of wind buffeting for taller riders which requires constant adjustment of the electric screen.

At no time during the two days of riding did the K1600GT get left behind, and it wasn’t unusual to find one mixing it up with the R and RR bikes. The linked Brembo brakes (twin four-pots up front) didn’t even nearly buckle under the pressure and, like the engine and suspension, helped mask the bike’s real physical size.

The only area where the K1600GT felt like the big bike is in the comfort department. Two centrally locking hard cases provide enough storage space for you and yours to escape for a weekend of fast-paced touring. Add a topbox and make it a week-long adventure, or buy the Sport variant and take it for weekend blasts through your favourite twisty bits to scare the daylights out of sportsbike riders.

S1000XR – Perfect Blend

You know the old saying, when you’re on a good thing? Well, the S1000XR is a great thing, and that’s why the 2017 version remains relatively unchanged from the model first released in 2015. Like the rest of BMW’s 2017 range, its four-cylinder S1000R-derived 999cc engine is now Euro 4 compliant. Reversing the trend of recent Euro 4 upgrades, however, the XR has gained power, with output increased by 3kW to 121kW at 11,000rpm. Torque remains unchanged at 114Nm. New colour schemes are also available, including the pictured Ocean Blue metallic matte. Additionally, BMW has altered the fuel mapping on its entire range of 2017 models, which will now happily run on 91 octane unleaded fuel.

The S1000XR will retail for $22,190 (+ORC).

Pick of the bunch –

Through the twists and turns of Tasmania’s glorious roads, the S1000XR again showed why it’s a ground-breaker in the sports-touring class. Ideally suited to all the conditions we encountered during our two-day ride down the centre of Tasmanian and back up the state’s east coast, it was the most sought-after model at each bike-swap point, but would it be my pick of the four BMWs tested if I had to choose just one bike?

If it was for a one-up multi-day ride requiring panniers, it would. If it was two-up, however, it would be hard to look past the K1600GT. If searching for performance thrills perfectly matched to the Tasmanian roads and conditions the S1000R would be my choice, but then again, where else are you likely to be given the opportunity to stretch the legs of a full-blooded S1000RR sportsbike? I think I need to ride them all again.