BMW Motorrad has given all adventure seekers a perfect canon to let loose for almost four decades, starting with its first motorcycle, the R80GS. After many iterations and transformations, we finally have the R 1300 GS.
It's also the most significant disruption in the 40-plus-year history of BMW's GS legacy. The all-new R 1300 GS-is by all means an 'all-new'. Almost every single component on the bike is more powerful, has more torque, is lighter, and is more technologically advanced than the R 1250 GS which it aims to dethrone. Firstly, it's lighter by 12 kgs than its outgoing 1250 GS, which stood the test and has a big fan. Secondly, we were given the R 1300 GS 17,000 above sea level to ride from Ladakh to the Warla pass which tilted the opinion in its favor even before starting the journey.
The beautiful landscape of Ladakh is a dream for every motorhead to ride or drive solo. The snow-capped mountains, army-maintained great winding roads, and fewer vehicles will kickstart a soul-searching process. The nitty-gritty of a review honestly takes a backseat, and all you are thinking is that if four wheels move the body and two wheels move the soul.
DESIGN & ENGINE
First, it's less intimidating than the 1250 GS, and the new matrix LED headlights & flasher have been smartly integrated and look gorgeous and less menacing. The aluminum fuel tank has also been shaped sleeker and is now more lightweight than before. The new gearbox is placed below the engine. In the 1250 GS, it used to be in the rear. This has made the weight concentration more centralized, and as a result, you have more free space for your knees and legs and it is more symmetric on either side. The longer drive shafts with bigger joints for extra durability, and BMW now claims that you don't need to change that up to 80,000 km earlier; it had to be swapped at 60,000 km. Finally, a monocoque short rear frame opens up more levels of personalisation.
This story is from the July 2024 edition of BBC TopGear India.
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This story is from the July 2024 edition of BBC TopGear India.
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