To me, the newer BMW models have little 'soul' or character.
I think the statement about 'soul' was true only with the older BMW models.....
I've put a few miles on an 1150RT, and found it totally without character, or any charm, to be much more 'plastic' than my bargain basement B12. Yeah, it had a lot of gadgets...buttons...levers....swathed in plastic
Just like the Harley guys, a lot of BMW owners are real 'brand conscious'. The name on the tank means a lot more than the sum of the parts.......
Pete: You are right on the money with your " Just like the Harley guys, a lot of BMW owners are real 'brand conscious'." I rode with a group of Beemers for awhile. In their mind, there is only ONE brand of bike and that's BMW. Being the odd man out with a B12S, I was tolerated but never really accepted. They would talk Beemer banter when we stopped at lunch, ie. all the factory latest news mechanics etc. They had no interest in anything else on two wheels. Like Harley guys, they subdivided their own Marque... only the opposed twins were interesting, (as Harley "truists" sneer at the V rod). The boxer boys also rode like outrageously civilised little old ladies.
Still, all of us are/were totally transparent to the Harley guys that stopped... they went out of their way to never actually look in our direction or make eye contact even in the restaurant.
I've had a lot of bikes and the acceleration thrill of riding a rocket is a rush.
With a remote chance on the K1200RS? sport tourer, the Beemers "don't have it". They have a LOW power to weight ratio and are way overpriced.
Mike