Number 1
Even if you’re not one of those people whose head automatically swivels at the sound of a motorbike, you’ve probably seen one of these. The BMW R 1250 GS is the world’s best-selling large motorcycle. You see them everywhere – parked in the bank manager’s private parking space, on the ferry to Corsica, loaded up with aluminium topcase and saddle bags, roaring up Alpine switchbacks and cruising across the Afsluitdijk. What’s the recipe for its success? An aggressive, angular presence that you’ll either love or hate, but above all, peerless German engineering built on solidity, innovation and performance. It offers the flexibility of the big flat twin shift cam that displaces 1,254 cc with 136 hp, 143 Nm of torque, and air-water cooling; the chassis is faultless, it has several driving modes, and there’s a range of Touring, Dynamic or Comfort options to customise your ride according to how you use it.
Sitting astride the engine, whether you’re an easy rider or an urban warrior, a Senator Chronograph Panorama Date in steel by Glashütte Original is the perfect accessory on the wrist. It has the same German quality and stellar performance, the same modern utilitarian design and a supremely reliable engine, and the column wheel chronograph calibre 37-01 gives it a 70-hour power reserve.
Sei bellissima
The Monster, a mid-size roadster from Ducati, has just celebrated its 26th birthday, and it still retains all the qualities that have made it so successful: a minimalist, eye-catching design, an aggressively sporty vibe, and the throaty roar of the V2 engine that differentiates it from Japanese bikes. The new Ducati Monster 821 has plenty of poke with its 109 horsepower engine, and good recovery supplied by its 86 Nm of torque. It’s a long way from its big brother, the Desmosedici in the MotoGP class, which is a dedicated speed machine, but the family resemblance is unmistakeable. While its fans will swear by the pure, stripped-down motorcycling pleasure it affords, the Monster nevertheless comes with a range of interesting options, including three driving modes, an up/down shifter, a new dashboard pre-configured for the Ducati Multimedia System, with a front fairing and a USB port under the saddle.
Minimalist, elegant, pared back to the bare essentials, the Radiomir Black Seal Logo oozes Italian style and vintage inspiration drawn from historic Panerai models. Its 45 mm steel case opens onto a black dial with generous rounded luminescent Arabic numerals, and a small second at 9 o’clock. The Swiss made Calibre P.6000 guarantees an autonomy of 72 hours.
So British
Icon alert. The word “icon” is overused in the motorcycle world, just as much as it is in the watch world, but for the generations of bikers who adore it, the very British Triumph Bonneville has the timelessness of legend. The Street Twin 900 of 2019 surfs the vintage wave of the “gentleman biker” with authenticity. Perfect for those who eschew imitations, this roadster has the classic Bonneville vertical-twin 900 cc engine with its wide cooling fins; it may be simple, but it develops 65 horsepower and has a five-speed transmission. While electronics are an inevitable part of 21st-century motorbikes, the fluted exhaust pipes, water-drop fuel tank, suspension forks, big round headlight and low-profile saddle supply neo-retro good looks.
For the icing on the vintage cake, why not choose an Anonimo Nautilo Vintage Chocolat? It features an elegant sunburst dial, classic baton markers and hands, a practical automatic movement and a somewhat rebellious crown, rakishly positioned at 4 o’clock.
Born to be wild
The figures are as impressive as the bike. 1,923 cc V2 engine, 105 hp, 166 Nm of torque, 400 kg wet weight and a total length of 2.46 metres. The Harley-Davidson Road Glide CVO 117 is no shrinking violet, with a presence more suited to Route 66 than the winding streets of European cities. Its price is in proportion to its size, which means it will remain a relative rarity. But there is no shortage of takers for one of these beasts from Milwaukee, particularly a CVO limited edition. What its devotees appreciate is its driving pleasure and comfort, where speed and acceleration are not a priority.
A machine like this demands a timepiece with a big personality, such as the new Aquanaut Jumbo, Ref. 5168G-010 by Patek Philippe. Its 42.2 mm rounded octagonal case in white gold, its khaki hue redolent of wide open spaces, the checkerboard design on the dial, which continues onto the ultra-strong composite strap, and automatic Calibre 324 SC make it the ideal companion for the open road.
