Best Touring Bike: BMW R1200RT

BMW has done a very good job of sharpening the edges of its RT touring Boxer, while blunting complaints. The Bavarians have taken a nice bike and made everything about 15 percent better. Weight loss is always good, and the ’05 R1200RT feels less top-heavy and more agile than the 1150 it replaces. Wind flow is quieter and more serene—especially for those of us over 6 feet tall—and the electrically boosted brakes have lost most of that wooden, numb feel at the lever. What we really love is the new RT’s all-around goodness—it’s agile but all-day comfy; funky but ready for far-flung adventures; high-tech but not high-strung. Good one, Munich.