10. G650GS (2011-present): 4.3/5
The G650GS is BMW’s Swiss army knife. The 650cc single-cylinder engine will give you 65mpg all day long and 47hp to play around with, which is also the A2 license power limit. The engine is now made by Loncin in China as opposed to the Austrian-built Rotax used in earlier models, but BMW say this hasn’t affected quality. ABS now comes as standard and you get a wealth of options to choose from. In typical BMW style, they cost an arm and a leg though. Heated grips are £230. Ouch!
9. K1300S (2009-present): 4.38/5
At 254kgs wet, the K1300S is no flyweight. However, BMW has tilted the engine forward slightly to lower the centre of mass and make the weight more manageable. Although slightly more reserved than its competition – Suzuki’s Hayabusa and Kawasaki’s ZZR1400 – the Beemer is still a missile. Its 175hp and 103lb.ft of torque will keep up with almost anything on the road. The gearbox can be loud and vibey and bolts can corrode during the winter months which seems to ruin the ownership experience for some.
8. F800ST (2006-2012): 4.44/5
Other than slightly uninspiring looks and some owners finding false neutrals, there really isn’t much wrong with BMW’s middleweight tourer. The 798cc parallel-twin provides 85hp and strong mid-range pull. Spot-on fuelling means you can stroke it along at a good pace on either long motorways or windy B-roads. The F800ST comes with luggage racks and a centre-stand, but ABS is optional.
=5. R1200R (2006-present): 4.5/5
In equal fifth position with the K1200LT and K1200R, the R1200R is an old-school design with an infusion of modernity. The ‘Roadster’ as BMW describes it, packs a decent 82lb.ft punch of torque from its 1170cc engine. The air-cooled flat twin keeps the purists happy, as does the shaft-drive. It all comes at a cost though. The on-the-road basic price is currently £10,075, opening up a lot of options for other good nakeds.
=5. K1200LT (1999-2008): 4.5/5
Receiving a much needed power-hike over the old model, the K1200LT now puts out 116hp and 88lb.ft of torque to shift its mammoth 353kg dry weight. The bike lets you eat the miles in comfort with luxury items like an LCD display panel that shows mileage, fuel level, trip meters, radio information and an electro-hydraulically operated centre-stand, meaning the bike will lift itself onto the stand at the push of a button. BMW’s ‘Telelever’ suspension works well and provides good feedback for such a touring-focused bike. Owners are often disappointed with luggage capacity though.
=5. K1200R (2005-2009): 4.5/5
Once the big daddy of its class, when launched, BMW claimed it was the world’s most powerful naked bike. The 1157cc inline-4 engine pushes out 163hp, 93.7lb.ft of torque and will hit 170mph. Like the LT model, it’s equipped with telelever suspension and shaft drive to keep that power in check. Mounted on the bars is a switch to control the Electronic Suspension Adjustment (ESA) that gives you nine different damping and preload settings to soften up the bike or firm it up. A real cracker from BMW and a worthy one to consider if you’re in the market for that kind of bike.
4. R1200RT (2005-present): 4.53/5
Using the same lump as BMW’s naked R1200R, the RT now puts out 125hp and tips the scales at 274kg. The sporty tourer handles exceptionally well for its size and almost 60mpg from a 25L tank means you won’t be needing to stop that often either. The bike now has a sixth gear for more relaxed cruising and other than the over-£13,000 price tag, there really isn’t much to dislike about the RT. It handles well, is comfortable, has enough power and if something should go wrong BMW are usually very good at sorting it out. If it’s in warranty that is.
3. R1100S (1998-2005): 4.57/5
Utilising a 1085c air-cooled boxer twin, the R1100S will hit 140mph from its 98hp and 72lb.ft engine. BMW’s telelever suspension gives the bike a plush ride but the 229kg weight figure can make it hard to push into corners. Once in there however, the bike is very stable and you’ll have to really crank her over to grind out the cylinder heads. We recommend going for the Boxercup limited edition with a race-rep belly pan and ultra snazzy paint job.
2. F800R (2009-present): 4.7/5
The F800R is one of the only bikes in this list to have normal (non-telelever) front suspension, chain drive and a regular dual-swingarm. The 798cc parallel twin puts out a healthy 85hp, 63.4lb.ft of torque and weighs 204kg fully fuelled. The £7,595 price tag gets you ABS as standard but almost everything else is an option. There's a low seat-height option (775mm) giving new riders the choice to go for something more confidence-inspiring with a bit more oomph. The F800R is a really capable road bike and doesn’t leave you wanting. Think Street Triple with a slightly less involving engine.
1. S1000RR (2009-present): 4.72/5
BMW launched the RR in 2009, their first crack at making a superbike, and it set the world on fire. The 193hp 999cc machine thrashed every other bike in its class and four years later its only real close rival is Kawasaki’s ZX-10R. The 190kg dry weight is heavier than it seems and many riders compare the size of the RR to a 600cc machine. Other than a fairly serious recall where connecting rod bolts were coming loose, reliability is said to be good. We recommend forking out the extra £465 for the BMW Motorsport paint job that not only looks awesome but will retain its value better. For £13,735 you can have one of the fastest and best handling production bikes in the world. How lucky are we motorcyclists?
Expecting to see your bike here but didn't? Remember, the bikes in this list are rated on your owner reviews so go to our bike reviews section, find your bike, and get reviewing!
Or, alternatively, check out some of our other Top 10s:
Top 10 biggest-capacity motorcycles
Top 10 nailed-on future classics
Top 10 tourers under £3,000
