The global debut of the all-new BMW R 1300 GS is slated to take place on September 28. This bike has been spied testing in various pre-production stages overseas, but we now finally have a clear look at what this new bike will look like.
The first thing that you notice when you set your eyes upon the R 1300 GS is just how much slimmer, sleeker and more aggressive its design language has gotten. This is likely down to the new cast aluminium alloy frame, which replaces the old steel tube frame.
The R 1300 GS will also debut a new liquid-cooled engine that will be larger than the current model’s 1,254cc unit. The exhaust muffler is also much smaller than the current unit and is located quite down low, which should help improve the centre of gravity.
Bikesocial’s article on the R 1300 GS mentions Australian type-approval documents quoting the weight of the bike at 237kg, which is 12 kg lighter than the R 1250 GS. This same paperwork also mentions that the engine displaces precisely 1,300cc and develops 145.5hp. That’s not a large jump from the previous 134hp and it suggests that BMW will continue to focus on this engine’s superb torque and rideability rather than chase its rival’s big horsepower figures.
Of course, the big talking point in terms of design is that the radar module is located just above the new headlight. While that is sure to divide opinions, the presence of radar means that features like adaptive cruise control will now finally make their way to the famous Bavarian ADV tourer. The bike seen here features alloy wheels but multiple other test mules have been spied running on wire-spoke rims, which indicates that those will be offered as an extra or on a different variant.
Azaman Chothia
Vishal Venugopal
