BMW R1200S

If nothing else, BMW could never be accused of wasting opportunities when it comes to getting the most out of its 1200 boxer twin powerplant. The basic package now powers a sports tourer, a naked, an adventure tourer and now a sports bike.

It's the latter which has been frustratingly slow to make it to market. Forgive my impatience, but I was a big fan of the 1100 and was more than a little curious to see how they would go with the new generation.

The short version is there's no reason to be disappointed. It shares the 1100's light and reasonably nimble nature, but is sharper and has a hell of a lot more power.

 Something that's intriguing when you first hop aboard is the very un-BMW-like lumpy idle. You get the feeling that whoever squeezed the claimed 120-plus horses out of this thing wasn't afraid to resort to big cams. Anyway, it adds character to the machine. Performance down low is unspectacular but perfectly adequate, while the midrange is a nice, fat, affair that slips seamlessly into a very serious top end thrust. This is one bike that would be all too easy to underestimate.

The six-speed box and shaft manage to be unobtrusive, with the change action being slick and fast - perfectly in character with the rest of the machine.

BMW decided to stay relatively conventional with the chassis, opting for its Telelever front end (with a 41mm fork stanchion diameter) and its trademark single-sided Paralever out the back. Suspension rates are definitely on the firm side - not harsh, but tight enough to let you know exactly what is going underneath the tyres. It wouldn't be your first choice for a round Australia trip, but is comfortable enough to handle a decent strop into the hills without the rider requiring a physiotherapist.

 Since we're on the general topic, the ride position is a little lean forward but not exactly super-sports head-down and bum-up. Which is fine by me. The extreme sports riding positions work okay for track jockeys but are pretty hopeless on the road.

Steering is about medium speed with quite good feedback, once you get used to the slightly different feel offered by a Telelever. It's not the sharpest toy in the sports bike box in this regard, but is ultra stable and well suited to the vagaries of your average twisty back road.

Braking is fairly conventional, with independent levers and the safety net of the company's ABS. It works well as a package.

Overall finish is good, while there are some welcome practical touches, like the fitment of the company's heated handgrips.

All up the 1200 lives up to expectations with loads of performance and trustworthy handling. It's priced at a premium when compared to the Japanese sports tackle, which is the only downer in a really good package.