62 amcn.com.au
EVERY FEBRUARY WEwouldloadupour
sportsbikes with camping gear for the 1000km
pilgrimage to the WSBK round at Phillip Island.
In a way it was more about the journey than the
event itself, as each year we’d travel a different
route in search of new and exciting roads.
Friendships, awesome riding and good times –
that’s what road touring is all about.
W hile sportsbikes are fun, I’ve been keen to try
a big sports-tourer. The BMW R1200ST promised
the agility of a sportsbike and the comfort of a
tourer, so I borrowed one for a day.
Turning the key and thumbing the button,
there’s the contortion and twist of the
horizontality opposed twin engine. It said I
was about to ride something unique – and a big
contrast to the 50cc Suzuki!
The ride started through the picturesque
Yarramalong Valley with its gentle sweeping
bends and winding sections canopied by trees.
Initial impressions are that the BMW doesn’t feel
big or clumsy for a 1200cc and was direct and very
stable in its steering.
It wasn’t long before I settled in to enjoy the
MULTI-BIKE TEST
Big, boxer
and beautiful
2005 BMW R1200STTop: Over a decade old
but still a capable horizon
chaser- Trademark shaft drive: a
BMW staple since 1923 - Seperate seats for all-
day comfort - Another BMW staple
since 1923: the flat twin
engine layout
ride, forgetting it was such a big bike.
The engine purred gently and shaft-driven
acceleration pulled the bike gracefully without
requiring too much attention, which took some
getting used to as I generally like to hear and be
guided by the engine revs. But maybe that’s the
appeal of the BMW – the owner said the R1200ST
is the only bike on which his wife has fallen
asleep while on the back...
After winding up Bumble Hill and on towards
Wollombi, the road starts to open up, and so
does the throttle. Power delivery is ultra-smooth,
with no sensation of getting pushed back into
the seat, just an effortless but deceptively fast
acceleration.
The road tightens up closer to Laguna and
the BMW seamlessly glides through Lemming
Corner and the nice hot mix section of Fernances
Crossing. This really shows the appeal of the
R1200ST, combining comfort and agility for a
wide range of riding possibilities.
I arrived at the Laguna store with a hunger for
one of their sensational hamburgers.
I enjoyed my time on the BMW and embraced
the maturity of this big sports-tourer. The riding
was effortless and relaxed, and knowing you can
comfortably travel long distances and still have
fun in the twisties makes a great deal of sense.132