BMW R1250R (2019 - on) Review

Very good handling and a delight to hustle down any road. Semi-active suspension is good, but to is a little too soft and a bit loose-feeling in Road mode and slightly too harsh in Dynamic; it needs something in between for the poorly-maintained roads here in UK. Calipers by Brembo and stopping power is pretty good, with good sensitivity.

The 1250 motor is a peach. Bags of power right off the bottom and plenty in hand right through the rpm range. It's so strong in the lower reaches that exploring the higher revs is seldom necessary in everyday use. The 1250 is much smoother than I remember the 1200 being and the Shift Cam technology is seamless. The quickshifter is not the greatest but using the clutch for the first three up-changes and down from second to first soon becomes part of muscle memory and works well enough.

Completely reliable with high build quality. Not the lightest roadster but it carries its weight well.

Good fuel economy (50+ mpg perfectly attainable)

Very comprehensively-equipped in SE guise. No weather protection but pretty good protection from the tank and bodywork and the optional fly screen takes a bit of the pressure off the rider's chest. I feel a little 'beaten-up' after a long day in the saddle, particularly if using dual-carriageways, but this is the only limitation as it is an excellent tourer otherwise. A GS or a RT will protect better but at the cost of weight and bulk. The seat height is pretty good for my 30" inside leg, feet are almost flat at standstill although my (old) knees feel it on a long trip and a little less bend would be appreciated when in the saddle. Tyres: Metzeler Roadtec Z8 (good); Roadtec 01 (better); Michelin Road 5 (best so far) BMW luggage works well, although top-loading would be preferred.

Amazing brembo brakes offer great feel and bite. I've had the ABS working on the rear wheel when a car driver suddenly decided to slam their brakes on and take a late turn. No dramas. Easily 2-3 hours of riding for me. The seat is excellent. I don't take pillions but the pillion seat is broad and well shaped/padded so should be equally good. This bike is such a good all rounder that it's hard to decide where it specifically excels. The engine allows you to easily adopt any riding style without complaint.

A masterpiece. Better than a non-shift-cam engine? I'd say yes. I had a R1200GS 2017 before. It was a great engine. The 1250 shift-cam just feels more smooth and there extra grunt is certainly more noticeable. The power delivery is creamy smooth. You just waft along on a wave of torque. I honestly can't think of any negative flaws with this engine.

Top drawer build quality. The rear wheel flicks up a lot of much so an aftermarket hugger or guard will help to prevent the intricate areas getting mucky. No corrosion anywhere. Bike is 4 years old now. It didn't start on one occasion but this was down to my battery charger not working properly. BMW Roadside Assist were very quick to respond and get me on the bike. No other issues.

Expect a service to cost around £320-£400 perhaps. Paralever arm need an oil change every other year. But at least there is no chain to fuss over. Fuel economy is good. This is a bike that can do 90% of everyday riding under 4,000rpm. That means 60+mpg is quite easily achieved. Much better than my old R1200GS. Insurance is on par with a GS although that is relevant to each individual.

SE spec with all the option boxes ticket with the exception of the rear top box rack. Pannier rails were included. Cruise control is good and surprisingly useful and helps on longer motorway rides. Especially as this is a naked bike. It helps to keep fatigue at bay. Fly screen is a must if you do lots of long haul riding. It can easily be removed when not needed. I bought an aftermarket slip on exhaust as I was not keen on the chrome silencer. It was just too big and attracted muck and sticky tarmac. My Fuel exhaust is much lighter, smaller and sounds much better. However, it is still whistle quiet when cruising which is ideal for me.

Being over 60 years of age about 200 miles. The bike is a decent all round bike which is forgotten as there are more sales for the GS.The R1250R is a quicker bike than the GS

It’s just perfect.

Built quality is not bad but I do have poor paint work on the swing arm and on the carburettor pipes as it’s peeling off. In its three years the petrol tank lock failed but was replaced under warranty and also the front wheel bearings also replaced under warranty.

Getting tyres through BMW have a premium price on them at least £60 over just because it’s BMW

Heated grips

I find the Road setting for the suspension too soft and the Dynamic to hard over rougher surfaces...the best option appears to be the Automatic Road setting but even this can feel strange at times, and I'm sure I can feel the electronics making some of the adjustments. Pillion comfort is excellent (So I'm told by my pillion) the seats have just the right density foam and the rear seat is shaped for passenger comfort. All day riding is easily achievable.

The engine is a peach with great pulling power especially when the shift cam comes on although sometimes I feel there is a momentary lag but this maybe because it's a twin as opposed to the Japanese fours that I'm used to.

Everything appears to be top quality but early days to comment on possible rust problems. There are oil traces on the front forks after every ride, more than I would have expected, this is something I will monitor. I had a problem with the keyless fob not connecting with the bike, but a new battery in the fob resolved that.

The bikes only had a first service, but I understand running and service costs on BMW's tend to be higher than their Japanese rivals.

This R1250R Sport appears to have a fairly high spec level including things like a main stand (Very useful) heated grips etc. My favourite feature is just the shear look and presence of the bike. I disliked the original rubbers it came on, they just didn't give me confidence and I quickly swapped them out for Micheline Road 5's (This is probably more of `It's in your head thing`) than any problem with the actual tyres. Extras for me are: small screen. radiator guard, instrument panel visor and rear hugger.

Absolutely superb. It's perfectly happy to thrum along at a sedate pace if that's the mood, but with the suspension in sport mode will also just as happily properly attack the curves with a real confidence inspiring sure-footedness.

An abolute beauty. Seamless predictable linear thrust from slow walking pace and all the way up. Whooshes up to speed like a steam turbine powered, butterscotch sauce covered hovercraft.

So far have had no issues of any kind

It's just about to go in for it's 1 year service with my local BMW motorrad dealer, and I have been quoted 'around £200' for this, which seems little salty. May turn out to be more, though may also be less.

It's got, or can have from the accessories list, the lot.

Low down weight is good, brakes are fab.....

Fabulous but it gets a 6 when remapped...3rd gear pull is mental....

Annoying that you have to buy rear shock guard and front engine casing guard as extras....

Needs a remap to improve fuel consumption but it’s very good when you do!

All the extras cost a packet..... but you want em Deffo!

Riding position hurts knees after more than 1 or 2 hours.

Great engine and power delivery.

The bolt holding the rear frame to the engine came out after 800 miles. this was not noticed by BMW mechanic that serviced the bike. Very bad for a new BMW motorcycle..

First service cost.

Equipment supplied as standard is very good. Additional equipment also good but expensive. Sports screen not very effective as wind protection.

Quite simply superb.

1250 is the first boxer that likes to rev out. Typical boxer torque with a nice rush as the revs climb. Very smooth at low revs, vibes more akin to a 4cyl when its pressed hard. IMO I'd say BMW engineers have kept the power down from the original hype of 150hp for a reason.

All the toys in the shop and then some - at a price.