BMW K1600GT

In a laboratory in the cellar of a fairy tale castle on a wooded mountain in Bavaria, Otto the alchemist makes magic dust for his masters at the Bayerischen Motoren Werke. Otto’s formula is secret, but the effects are remarkable. The Bayerischen Motoren Werke make motorcycles and some of them are unfeasibly large. Yet, with a sprinkling of Otto’s powder (administered by white coated technicians on BMW’S production line), even the most unwieldy of bikes is transformed from overweight behemoth into the epitome of balance, poise and agility. Just one teaspoon of powder transforms the 274 kilo, twincylinder R1200RT in this way. The mighty six-cylinder, 334 kilo K1600GT requires two heaped teaspoonfuls, but is an even more impressive trick. Nothing this heavy should handle the way it does. It’s nothing to do with engineering genius or clever design, it’s all about Otto’s magic dust. However they do it, the K1600 is an amazing thing.

Hugo Wilson Editor Loves light weight and simplicity in motorcycles, but he’s a sucker for the massive, gizmo laden six-cylinder BMW