BMW R 1250 RT vs Yamaha Royal Star Midnight Venture 1300 (1300)

Side-by-side spec comparison, pricing, and a plain-English breakdown of how the BMW R 1250 RTstacks up against the Yamaha Royal Star Midnight Venture 1300. Numbers pulled from manufacturer spec sheets — click either bike for the full review.

Spec comparison

SpecBMW R 1250 RTYamaha Royal Star Midnight Venture 1300
Model year20262005
Price$21,000$16,999
Engine1254 cc1294 cc
Horsepower136 hp98 hp
Torque143 Nm
Weight279 kg
Seat height805 mm30 mm
Fuel capacity25.0 L6.0 L
Fuel typepetrolpetrol
Transmission6-speed manual5-speed
Front brakesDual 320mm discsDouble disc
Rear brakesSingle 276mm discSingle disc
Tires120/70-17 front, 180/55-17 rear150/80-16 / 150/90-15

BMW R 1250 RT vs Yamaha Royal Star Midnight Venture 1300 — which should you buy?

Picking between the BMW R 1250 RT and the Yamaha Royal Star Midnight Venture 1300 usually comes down to the numbers you care about most. On paper, the BMW R 1250 RT brings 136 hp in a 279 kg package, while the Yamaha Royal Star Midnight Venture 1300 counters with 98 hp. On price, the Yamaha Royal Star Midnight Venture 1300 has the lower MSRP.

Our spec tables above highlight the winning number on each line. For the full rider-focused reviews including real-world fuel economy, service costs and available colors, click into either bike: