NAKED SPORTSBIKE OF THE YEAR
In the case of the BMW, rather than easing into 1000 words waxing lyrical about how amazing the M 1000 R was on the immaculate, breath-taking roads in the Eiffel region, I want to start just 10 miles from home, right at the end of the trip. The BMW has just switched itself into limp mode and the dashboard has lit up like a Christmas tree… I've now got an absolute maximum top speed of 60mph on a bike that just won't rev or pull. It's dark, I'm a bit emotional, and did I mention that I've just spent the last three-and-a-half hours riding in rain and spray, the likes of which I don't ever think I've ridden in during my 35 years of motorcycling? Don't get me wrong, I've ridden in heavy rain and storms before, feeling each raindrop smashing into my hands, legs and chest with genuine force, such is their volume and quantity, but I've never ridden in such wet conditions for such a sustained amount of time – and, inevitably, the BMW had enough as the water
