According to the cockpit data display, it's 98 degrees out there-no word from the black ice warning system-and we're currently getting 47 mpg against a 40 mpg average, with 157 miles to burn, though this computer's mileage estimates are consistently optimistic. Engine oil: check. No news is good news from the sensors that track brake pad wear, and average speed is 67 mph. At that rate, the GT's 6.3 gallons of super unleaded will last an easy 260 miles, though tall testers are starting to fidget on the tapered seat by then.
It takes a persuasive shove to change trajectory in a hurry, but armed with the most cornering clearance and top-shelf Metzeler radials, the BMW manages nicely in the twisty bits. The long, tall chassis is happier on smooth, fast pavement than tight, rough stuff. The Duolever front end is less communicative than a good telescopic fork, but no less trustworthy. Set the ESA to Normal and let the suspension fidget over the occasional bump. The Honda and the Yamaha carve better up to 80 mph or so, but BMW owns the triple digits. The engine isn't as strong or as lively as we'd like below 6000 rpm, but above that it will flat dust the other two.
BMW's all-or-nothing power-assisted EVO brakes are the only serious chink in GT's technological armor. The Yamaha or the Honda generate nearly as much pure stopping power and a lot more feel. Beyond that, fit and finish are exemplary, the hard bags are the easiest to deal with after 16 hours on the road, and 100 percent waterproof. Our bike came with heated grips and a heated seat, complete with a separate switch for the passenger. Like all the others, that's a detail you appreciate a lot more halfway through 500 miles' worth of Wyoming than on a Saturday morning trip to Starbucks. But there's a catch: BMW's unconventional engineering and optional accouterments push the price of our GT to $20,785. Well-upholstered wallets won't flinch at those digits, but if your bottom line is the bottom line, there's a simpler alternative.
Honda ST1300 ABS
The best sport-tourer, as it turns out, is also the simplest. The ST1300 isn't the strongest bike here. There's no ground-breaking technology or gadgetry here, and it's not exactly sexy, either. So how does the Honda come out on top? Very simply, it covers more ground in less time, with no excess effort, annoyance or discomfort to distract you from the ride. Unlike our other two contestants, the Honda feels familiar after one trip around the block. The roomy, cab-forward riding position makes it feel impossibly compact for a 731-pound motorcycle, while the clich-smooth clutch and gearbox make penetrating the inevitable urban/suburban congestion highly simple. Thus the star of this show is Honda's big V-four. Fundamentally unchanged since its major makeover in 2003, the ST generates a flat exhaust note that alternatively impersonates the Jetsons' family sedan and the outboard-motor-from-hell. It also generates a stream of ruthlessly efficient thrust from roughly 1300 rpm above idle to the relatively conservative 8500-rpm redline.
An abundant supply of torque below 6000 rpm puts the Honda out front when the road ties itself in decreasing-radius knots. Just leave it in third and dial up the 1261cc rheostat. You can't exactly flick this much motorcycle into a corner once it's wound up and rolling. Still, the Honda inhales twisty pavement just as rapidly as the others, flowing through just about any sort of corner on the proverbial rails. Just about. A minor overdose of compression damping at both ends makes bad pavement feel worse, and BMW's GT feels more planted at felonious speeds. BMW riders can afford better lawyers. A bit less bite puts the ST brakes a half step behind the FJR's, but Honda's ABS and linked brakes keep the chassis more stable, creating a better all-weather, all-surface stopping system.
Complaints? Engine heat slow roasts your right leg around town. There's not enough fresh airflow in the cockpit on hot days. The cockpit can be noisy until you dial the seat and windscreen in to create your personal happy place. Still, negative pressure pulls you forward with the windscreen fully unfurled. Though we haven't tried 'em, Honda offers accessory deflectors that aim to refine the aero envelope. If you miss the heated grips that come on the other two bikes, you can find them there as well. Otherwise, the ST just flat works. Instruments transmit everything you really need to know, though the LED data display makes it tough to discern fuel, mileage and temperature data from behind a dark shield on a sunny day. Adjust the seat and windscreen to taste and 7.7 gallons of fuel will put an easy 320 miles between stops if you've got the bladder for it. The wide, flat seat is comfy enough to sit through a couple of tankfuls in one day. Beyond that, we're looking for a king-size bed.
Saddlebags aren't quite as convenient as what you'll find on the Beemer, but they don't bulge into the wind as much, either. The ST doesn't pop up onto its centerstand quite as readily, either, but that neat folding handle helps. Those bumpers protruding from the fairing lowers are low on sex appeal, but they'll save you some serious cash if the ST tips over in some hotel parking lot at 3:00 a.m. At the end of a day like that, we'd rather be rolling in on the Honda than anything else. None of the others generate as much of what this sport-touring business is all about with less effort. No apologies. No concessions. No problem.
At $15,099, this ABS version isn't cheap, but the fact that it sets you back $200 less than the Yamaha-and almost $5700 less than the BMW-inks the deal for us. Sometimes the best tool for the job isn't the flashiest or the most expensive. Sometimes it's simple.