BMW R1200RT

Buy a brilliant boxer tourer

BMW’S BIG, BOXER-POWERED RT has always been the benchmark tourer but the all-new, 2005, 1200 successor to the slightly bland 1150 set a standard that keeps devoted followers to this day.

With 110bhp (15% up on the old 1150) via the 1170cc boxer that debuted on the R1200GS a year earlier, and a full 20kg weight saving, the first 1200RT was faster, lighter, better handling and better braking than ever.

Yet the 1200 also improved on the RT’S traditionally sumptuous all-day comfort, its 250-mile-or-more range, quality luggage and luxury options, including ESA and heated grips.

The 1200RT was upgraded in 2010 with BMW’S ‘Twin Cam’ engine along with a facelifted fairing and new clocks, while SE versions of both boasted heated seats, cruise control and more. Then, three years later in 2013, the oil/ air-cooled 1200 was replaced by an all-new, liquid-cooled, 125bhp 1200 and a new RT era began.

But while the lighter, faster and more sophisticated ‘LC’ is brilliant, it’s not for everyone. Some bemoan a lack of character while for others, the original 1200s still deliver a perfect combination of touring abilities at a far more affordable price — here’s why.