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This new K1200S is about to change the way we think about two-wheeled BMWs. You see, BMW bikes aren't nearly as glamorous as their four-wheeled counterparts. Sure, they're bulletproof, solid and sturdy, but so was your first pair of school shoes, and they never impressed the girls either.

BMW bikes have always been known as fine touring machines with the ability to rack up huge cross-continental mileages with ease, but at the end of the day they still tend to be bought by bearded blokes.

The K1200S is different, though. This tasty sports-tourer has the looks to make even the most image-conscious sit up and take notice. Plus it has more power than an R1 and handling to match; it'll also eat cross-continent blasts for breakfast.

Powered by an 1157cc, fuel injected, in-line four engine, it delivers a wonderful, howling, hard-edged metallic wail when you pin the throttle. And despite being heavier than a sports bike, acceleration is skin-peelingly impressive - pulling hard enough in first gear to get the front wheel pawing the air, before romping its way to the naughty side of 170mph.

Although the long and low K1200S isn't the easiest thing to muscle through slow B-road bends, it excels through ultrafast sweepers, especially bumpy ones, making it one of the fastest point-to-point road bikes money can buy.

Tick a box marked 'ESA' on the options list and you can get your K1200S with electronically adjustable suspension. Press a button on the handlebar controls and you can choose between 'comfort', 'normal' or 'sports' set-ups. And no BMW would be complete without ABS brakes and heated handlebar grips.

You can also opt for some wonderfully tasteless colour schemes - there's even a blue and white one, which looks like a French police bike. As with BMW's cars, you get none of these toys as standard; the basic bike costs £9,815, but you can add two grand to that once you have finished ticking the options boxes. So there you have it. Shave off your beard and go mad. Special K