So, like many here I suspect, I have been wondering how much better the new bunch of techno nakeds are compared to our old tractors. Luckily for me the nice chaps at north Oxford BMW had a demo that they were happy for me to take out and thrash. Rude not to really so I did.

I pulled my 06 SD out and thrashed it to the best of my ability on dry twisty roads for about 40 miles on the way over.This was the full on version with flat in top featuring more than once and lots of on the stop action. It felt nervous, a bit skittish but honestly it was bloody marvelous and I remembered why I like it. Instantaneous overtaking, wheelies off the throttle, fast turn in, good brakes and a lovely sound track. Its a hooligan and if you spank it hard it spits, roars and rips up the road

So to the BMW. A red one with all the toys, arka, quick shifter, electronic suspension etc etc. The guys show me how it all works and I'm off. Initial settings are road with abs abd tc on and suspension on soft. Interestingly the guy said that soft was the only way to go as it gets skittish on the other settings and anyway the electronic suspension will firm it up as required on the fly. I changed most sof the other settings but the suspension was great and I never touched it throughout.

Whats it like then...

Well my SD revs out at about 140 indicated in top and the BM goes quite a way past this, the wind protection is also better on the BM than the SD but here is the surprising thing. Snap open the throttle at say 4k in any gear and the SD pulls harder than the BM. You can snap the BM throttle to the stop in any gear from 2nd up and it pulls hard but without the violence of the SD. At the top of the rev range the BM is pulling harder and I suspect this would show on tracks but for the road I preferred the SD much to my surprise!

The BM is much lower than the SD and it feels realy planted. Its more comfortable than the SD and remained completly stable despite my best efforts to upset it.The turn jn is much slower than the SD but it does feel calm and planted at all times. My SD flaps its bars about under accelleration, feel a bit vague at the front when flat in top and is nervous most of the time, also you do feel perched up on top of it. I found the BM riding position better and its much easier to ride fast requiring less skill and commitment but again for sheer grin factor the SD wins for me.

I thought the brakes on my SD were top notch but the BM brakes are much stronger, much! So much in fact I found them hard to modulate untill I had adjusted. Returning to the SD after riding the BM the brakes felt a bkt lame.

So the BM is easier to ride, softer but ultimatly faster at the top end, has better suspension, better brakes and lots of electronics but is it more fun?

For me the answer is no. If I had to have a single bike for everything and or use it for actual transport then its better but as a toy for just hooning about on and getting the juices going the SD is better. The only gadget I would really like on the SD is the quick shifter which was a first for me and I loved on the BM. Asfor the electronics I stuck it in dynamic and couldnt tell the diference from road, I turned the stuff off and still didn't notice snything, pinning it produced moderste but not violent wheelies and no wheel spin so whats the point?

I really enjoyed riding the BM, its a great bike but I wouldn't swap my old tractor for it and no way would I dump the SD and 7 grand to get one. For naked bike giggles I still havent ridden anything to beat the old SD yet. I suspect the new 1290 would beat it and if I ever get to try one I will record the experience here as well.

Other than riding position your review could be of any sports bike in the last 5 years. They are all faster and ultimately easier to ride than the SD. They all have more power. They variously have more gadgets than the SD and, certainly the inline 4's will have a lower ride height.

I wouldnt trade the SD in for any of them. I suspect this will include the 1290 when I eventually get a test ride on one.

The main reason is that I have to work for the power on the SDR and the little power I get suits the roads I ride perfectly. An RC8 with 30 more bhp wasnt as engaging to ride on the same roads so that was sold and the SDR remains. Forget finding 7k to trade instead pay 300 quid for a HM Quickshifter on the SD you have.

Good write up but as a comparison pretty useless. Doesn't compare at all...