BMW R1250RT
BMW R1250RT
(and Ducati V4 S Multistrada) 136bhp 105lb·ft 279kg £15,820 (base)
Back in the days when the GS was just an overgrown off-road oddity with a big beak, BMW’S RT grand-tourer series vied with Honda’s Pan European for dominance in the long-distance game, repeatedly topping RIDE’S Riderpower survey. As the GS has risen to preeminence, the Pan has disappeared but the RT has been refined over the years (like the GS) into an absolute weapon.
The latest 1254cc Shiftcam motor punts its considerable mass at a pace and its chassis copes with ease — even a fully-loaded RT will out-handle and be more agile than many, lesser, sports tourer. The voluminous fairing and BMW creature comforts waft away continents so easily it’s almost cheating. And in that much, 2021 has seen improvements around the edges; the headlights are better and brighter, dash is finally a massive 10.5in TFT jobbie, and numerous other updates only cement the RT’S ability.
But one genuine innovation is active cruise control, or AAC. Using a Bosch-developed system (as does the new Ducati Multistrada, although the company claims it developed its and licenced the tech to Bosch), the RT has a forward-facing radar scanning up to 120m in front of the bike (the distance can be reduced by a button on the bar controls).
If it detects a vehicle in front, the system uses engine braking to slow the bike, then speeds back up when the vehicle has cleared. Unlike Ducati’s system, the active part of cruise control can be turned off, leaving normal cruise.
The system is designed to make using cruise control on motorways more efficient, and it’s not a safety aid nor meant to let the rider relax or take it easy. Braking capabilities are limited, but it can’t emergency brake.
It also doesn’t react to stationary traffic so, like normal cruise control, it’s not designed to replace your inputs.