Motorcycle.com

Conclusions

This is a first for MO. Never has a BMW so completely stomped the competition in a large shootout. It's a nice thing to see, and well-deserved. It demonstrates that BMW is perhaps beginning to figure out that to expand market share, they will have to start building bikes with broader appeal, without the odd and aggravating quirks that drive cross over buyers away.

We at MO wonder how much of it had to do with the fact that we had passengers along, something we don't do as much as we should on our shootouts.

We'd love to hear from you, to see if it adds a needed dimension to our comparison and if you think we should include passengers more often.

It's also nice to have five bikes and not have any that are particularly awful to ride. Only the Interceptor was purposefully avoided by those with companions because of the passenger seat. It's not really that bad: compared to most sportbikes it's heaven, with its humane footpeg placement and nice big nylon grab rails. But the other bikes offer such nice passenger seats it's no contest.

Like any comparison, you should use our feedback to inform your decision, and not take it as gospel truth. Yamaha fans will love that R1 feel of that whooshing 1300CC four, and if you've had an old ST 1100 for years and love it, the new ST 1300 will knock you out. But the BMW's touring excellence -- and sporting competence -- made it a clear winner for those of us at MO.