BMW’s all-new – and I really do mean all-new – R 1300 GS is a huge departure from the preceding R 1250 GS. The models have virtually nothing in common with one another apart from carrying the same GS moniker, being powered by a boxer twin engine and both sporting BMW’s unique suspension setup on either end.
And while it seems every new adventure bike these days professes more power, more electronics and more goodies, invariably with a good dose of extra weight, the big news around what’s widely regarded as the segment’s heavyweight is that BMW has come to the party with a new rig that is not only more powerful and loaded with more tech than ever, but one which is physically smaller and lighter than its predecessor.
The GS is the lifeblood of the German manufacturer, so it needed to get the latest version of the platform spot-on. With virtually nothing carried over from the 1250, first and foremost there’s a new pressed-steel frame replacing the previous tubular-steel unit, which BMW says is better at handling the rigours of off-road use than aluminium.
A heavily revised Shiftcam-infused Boxer twin sits nestled in the new frame, while the Telelever front suspension and Paralever rear suspension remain, albeit heavily tuned.
The outside packaging is really different – the 1300 looks sleeker and less Meccano-like than the 1250 – an aluminium tank replaces the old steel job and there’s a whole heap of new tech on board, too. While there’s an options list as long as your arm, the base-model R 1300 GS comes with extra goodies that were options on the 1250, like
