BMW R1250RS

One of the best true sports tourers. Now in brown

Sitting quietly to one side in every BMW dealership will be an R1200RS. While GSS and S1000RRS fly out the door, the RS waits patiently for a suitably discerning owner – someone who wants a genuine old school sports tourer that will do 500 miles in comfort by teatime and leave you fresh enough to go for a blindingly fast road ride before sunset. And for 2019 this underrated bike gets better still thanks to the new Shiftcam 1254cc engine – the same one that goes into the new R1250GS, R1250RT and R1250R. With peak power up 11bhp to 136bhp, and at least 81 lb ft of torque smeared liberally from 2000 to 8250rpm, the new engine will suit the RS perfectly. The stronger midrange thrust will let the RS hammer out of corners even faster, and the top-end should keep sportsbikes in sight for longer. Suspension and geometry are unchanged, which is great news – the semiactive set-up combined with the sporty-ish riding position make the RS absurdly fast down bumpy roads. There are three pack options: Comfort; Touring and Dynamic.

BMW R1250R

Not sure there will as much sobbing from rivals about this one, especially in brown. Still, like its half-brother the RS, the R is an underrated machine.

BMW R1250RT

Britain’s best-selling tourer, now with more power. Listen carefully and you can hear rivals weeping. It also gets the next generation Dynamic ESA with automatic load compensation.

BMW R1250GS

Britain’s best-selling big bike, now with more power, a fancy TFT screen and delicious motorsport colours. Yet more weeping from rivals.

BMW F850 GS Adventure

If you want to cover big distances, this is your 850. The new 23-litre tank gives a 300-mile range and there’s a larger adjustable screen. The new upsidedown forks and LED lights are standard too.