New Bike Day BMW R1300GS, so what's it like?
Discussion
I know the GS is a divisive bike and so some will hate it anyway, but I've just sold my 2013 GS1200 after 6 years and c25k miles and given all the hype over this new bike I thought people might like to hear a real world initial review. I picked up my Triple Black TE on Friday and rode it c150miles all over Kent and Sussex on a mix of roads. I bought my 1200 on a whim after 30+ years on sports bikes and loved it so was looking forward to the 1300 with a mix of excitement and trepidation (in case I didn't like it as much).
So, sitting on the new bike it has an identical seating position as the old one. It feels like a GS but it has a firmer seat which I found over the few hours I rode it to be much more comfortable than the old one, which was just too soft. But, as soon as you get moving things change. The new bike is lighter, stiffer, more flickable and just hugely more dynamic and easier to ride. On the twisties it's a real hoot, great handling and very little effort. Where the old bike was always fun, it was an effort sometimes and you could feel the flex in the forks and chassis when pushing on. The new one is solid and firm. Both are hugely confidence inspiring but my feeling is you could push the new one further without scaring yourself!
After all the reviews I've seen I was expecting it to be much faster/more powerful than the old bike, which was something I was worried about. I don't mind speed and power at all but I hoped BMW hadn't changed the way the bike delivers it and it hasn't but there is a but!! The great (and hilarious) thing about the GS1200 is that it has just stupid amounts of torque at a low revs that come with a (to my mind) a great, unique engine noise. That bark! Well, the new one still has all that torque at low revs, but it no longer has the noise (and mine is fitted with the optional Acropovic). It also spins up massively quicker, the engine is smoother and comes with a whine rather than a bark. To my mind the engine has definitely lost some of its character - I used to love the pops and bangs on the over run on my old bike. Not there on the new one. On the other hand, the gearbox on the old bike felt like it belonged on a tractor, it was really the only "bad" bit on the bike and BMW has certainly cured that. The new bike, while still not having the snick snick of, say, a Ducati it is smooth and the quick shifter works really well (unlike the old one)
All that that said, the new bike is of course faster and more powerful, but you don't really feel it. There's no power band or curve that hits, no massive punch of power just like the old bike the power is very linear, but the new one revs easier and feels like it wants to rev! I ended up riding a little faster without really realising it.
I'll talk about the tech and it's important to say here that I am no fan of technology for the sake of it - give me a button over a touch screen in almost every situation! With that in mind the tech on the bike is simply awesome. Mine has all the add-ons including adaptive cruise control and dynamic height adjustment, lane warning, collision avoidance etc. The height adjustment (when switched on) will reduce the height of the bike when you come to a stop and then lift it again as you move off. Absolute genius and a game changer stability-wise if like me you'd otherwise be tippy-toe on a tall bike. Heated seats and grips were a godsend on Friday and both had to be backed off the max as they really kick in. The heated grips on my 1200 really never put the heat through my gore-tex Rukka gloves but the new ones did and had to be turned down.
There is SO much info and connectivity on the bike and all of it is really intuitive and easy to use after a bit of familiarisation. The Motorrad Connected App is also brilliant, allowing you to download maps to your phone (all for free) chose a route, select, fast, twisty, scenic etc and then send the turn by turn directions to the bike's big screen. All this really adds to the comfort, ease and fun of using the bike.
My first impression riding the bike was, hmmm, don't like the engine as much but spending some time on the 1300 and accepting that emissions regs have removed a bit of character, the bike as a whole is like someone took the old bike and massively moved the game on in every single area. It's still a GS but I'd say much easier to ride, more comfortable, more dynamic and much more involving and ride enhancing (with the tech). Obviously it feels more modern, more clinical and more worked out. I think all that will make it a superb touring companion but I will certainly miss the bark and pops of the old bike which arguably was more of a giggle, in an old world way. It's like the GS went from wearing a boiler suit to chinos!
Edited by Gixer968CS on Monday 11th March 09:38
I’m getting a go on one when my 1250R is in for its service.
It’ll be fun to have a go but I got rid of my 1250 GS because it was just too top heavy stopping and starting with my wife on pillion.
The new height reduction on stopping is interesting but disappointingly doesn’t reduce it any lower than the old 1250 depending on spec. So doesn’t really solve the basic problem I had.
Drawweight said:
I’m getting a go on one when my 1250R is in for its service.
It’ll be fun to have a go but I got rid of my 1250 GS because it was just too top heavy stopping and starting with my wife on pillion.
The new height reduction on stopping is interesting but disappointingly doesn’t reduce it any lower than the old 1250 depending on spec. So doesn’t really solve the basic problem I had.
Both my 1200 and 1300 had/have the low seat option, with the ride height adjustment the 1300 is significantly lower than the 1200. It’ll be fun to have a go but I got rid of my 1250 GS because it was just too top heavy stopping and starting with my wife on pillion.
The new height reduction on stopping is interesting but disappointingly doesn’t reduce it any lower than the old 1250 depending on spec. So doesn’t really solve the basic problem I had.
Neal H said:
You sound really pleased with it!
The 1300 version is the first GS that actually really appeals to me.
It's a quite a different proposition - it's really a modern, easily accessible bike which the old one wasn't really. It was what it was, a great workhorse. I think BMW will attract new clients who wouldn't have wanted the older bike whilst leaving enough of the character of the old one to still retain existing owners.The 1300 version is the first GS that actually really appeals to me.
Congratulations, and a great review of your first thoughts.
I put the first 100 miles on mine on Friday and would echo virtually everything you have said. Lots of positives in the way that the bike rides, and I too found myself riding a little quicker than I would have expected given the road conditions and weather. I can't wait to ride with a bit more enthusiasm in better weather!
My only gripes are the noise (or lack of), it sounds like a sewing machine, which considering how great the previous GS sounded is a dissapointment so I will be watching development of full systems with interest. I also don't like the vario luggage, whilst I think it looks good it isn't as practical or feel as solidily built as the aluminium top loading kit I had on the GS Adventure this bike has replaced. I really feel like I have made a mistake there and should have waited to see what other options creep through from aftermarket companies.
Nonetheless a great bike by any standard, I hope you continue to enjoy it.
I put the first 100 miles on mine on Friday and would echo virtually everything you have said. Lots of positives in the way that the bike rides, and I too found myself riding a little quicker than I would have expected given the road conditions and weather. I can't wait to ride with a bit more enthusiasm in better weather!
My only gripes are the noise (or lack of), it sounds like a sewing machine, which considering how great the previous GS sounded is a dissapointment so I will be watching development of full systems with interest. I also don't like the vario luggage, whilst I think it looks good it isn't as practical or feel as solidily built as the aluminium top loading kit I had on the GS Adventure this bike has replaced. I really feel like I have made a mistake there and should have waited to see what other options creep through from aftermarket companies.
Nonetheless a great bike by any standard, I hope you continue to enjoy it.
FlopperV60 said:
Congratulations, and a great review of your first thoughts.
I put the first 100 miles on mine on Friday and would echo virtually everything you have said. Lots of positives in the way that the bike rides, and I too found myself riding a little quicker than I would have expected given the road conditions and weather. I can't wait to ride with a bit more enthusiasm in better weather!
My only gripes are the noise (or lack of), it sounds like a sewing machine, which considering how great the previous GS sounded is a dissapointment so I will be watching development of full systems with interest. I also don't like the vario luggage, whilst I think it looks good it isn't as practical or feel as solidily built as the aluminium top loading kit I had on the GS Adventure this bike has replaced. I really feel like I have made a mistake there and should have waited to see what other options creep through from aftermarket companies.
Nonetheless a great bike by any standard, I hope you continue to enjoy it.
Agree, The jury's out on the luggage. I found the panniers really tricky to remove with the whole key position thing and one lever was very difficult to release and felt like I may break it. On the old bike the system was simple and flawless with the boxes on and off in seconds. Also, I used to be able to get my crash helmet in my panniers when extended on the old bike but it won't go in the new one. But due to the exhaust position on the old bike the right-hand box was pretty useless so I think the new panniers will give more room overall. And the central locking on the new one is cool and a dream compared to the massive faff of locking my mate's Multistrada's top box which has often resulted in total melt-down at the end of a day's riding (much to my amusement). I put the first 100 miles on mine on Friday and would echo virtually everything you have said. Lots of positives in the way that the bike rides, and I too found myself riding a little quicker than I would have expected given the road conditions and weather. I can't wait to ride with a bit more enthusiasm in better weather!
My only gripes are the noise (or lack of), it sounds like a sewing machine, which considering how great the previous GS sounded is a dissapointment so I will be watching development of full systems with interest. I also don't like the vario luggage, whilst I think it looks good it isn't as practical or feel as solidily built as the aluminium top loading kit I had on the GS Adventure this bike has replaced. I really feel like I have made a mistake there and should have waited to see what other options creep through from aftermarket companies.
Nonetheless a great bike by any standard, I hope you continue to enjoy it.
Gixer968CS said:
Agree, The jury's out on the luggage. I found the panniers really tricky to remove with the whole key position thing and one lever was very difficult to release and felt like I may break it. On the old bike the system was simple and flawless with the boxes on and off in seconds. Also, I used to be able to get my crash helmet in my panniers when extended on the old bike but it won't go in the new one. But due to the exhaust position on the old bike the right-hand box was pretty useless so I think the new panniers will give more room overall. And the central locking on the new one is cool and a dream compared to the massive faff of locking my mate's Multistrada's top box which has often resulted in total melt-down at the end of a day's riding (much to my amusement).
The central locking was the attractive thing for me, however mine doesn't work, you can hear what sounds like an actuator when pushing the key fob or switching the ignition off but the panniers still open! Hopefully it will be something easy to resolve. 
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