Very in-depth review of the ride modes and tech on the bike and how the bike reacts to the settings

 

Tim Rodie has posted a review on his channel of the ASA Model on YouTube he likes it

 

They’ve made their way to Aussie dealerships.

Go on, just buy it, you know you want to

 

They’ve made their way to Aussie dealerships.

 

What from I’ve read, the quoted weight of the 1300GS was from a parallel universe and in no way matches the reality when they have been put on scales, do some digging as it seems BMW have been telling porkies.

 

I am aware of this and recall Bike magazine weighing one and it was much heavier than BMW’s published data. Wonder if any of the collective have put an R of any vintage on a weigh bridge?

 

According to my owners manual, the R1250R is 239kg with a 90% fuel load. Exactly the same as the 1300. Still, I really would have expected the 1300 to have lost weight much as the GS has done? Maybe the more complex fully water cooled engine is a little heavier, offsetting any weight losses from the new chassis etc.?

 

Maybe the more complex fully water cooled engine is a little heavier,

I thought the 1300 was still water and air cooled like the 1250.
Edit: This is from the BMW site
"Air/liquid-cooled twin-cylinder four-stroke boxer engine"

 

But the GS has shed around 20kg or more - the R has put on weight

 

Other than the GS being taller than the R, they are almost identical: frame, suspension, engine and gearbox, electronics etc. there’s not a great deal else on the GS. However, I take your point, the R ought to be significantly lighter than the GS.

 

The suspension differs - Telelever vs USD - but I can’t see that making 10kg difference.

 

To me this is incomprehensible (BMW data):

BMW R1300GS Curb Weight: 237 kg / 522.5 lbs
BMW R1300R Curb Weight: 239 kg / 526.9 lbs

 

I was event reluctant to exchange my 1200Lc for the current R1250R which I find kind of ugly

But it looks just the same?

I think that's the single biggest issue with the 1300. It really isn't a great deal better in any area and to my eye at least, not as attractive as the 1250/1200. That being said, I did enjoy the ASA (not to everyone's taste) and I do like the radar cruise control. I think it is best to wait a year as a) there will be deals in 12 months as the R has never been a big seller and b) there will be dealer demo's coming on to the market which will be fully loaded and significant savings.

It does look better in the flesh. I’d have to try and it, and it needs to be able to take a top box (which surely it can). But for a purchase, well I don’t car much for the colours, and I don’t want to pay for every option package just to get the one option per pack that I actually want. The price would be reasonable if I could just have the options I want. I think I’m out until the configurator changes – I dunno why BMW UK want to make it hard for folks to buy one?

We’re getting a tad off topic, but who cares. 😅

How long have you had that old thing Panzermann? About time you got a new one, put some miles on it and reported back. You need to do your bit to get this thread back on topic. 😶

 

I was event reluctant to exchange my 1200Lc for the current R1250R which I find kind of ugly. But at least it's rugged ugly. With the new R1300R, that's a hard pass from me.

 

I think that's the single biggest issue with the 1300. It really isn't a great deal better in any area and to my eye at least, not as attractive as the 1250/1200. That being said, I did enjoy the ASA (not to everyone's taste) and I do like the radar cruise control. I think it is best to wait a year as a) there will be deals in 12 months as the R has never been a big seller and b) there will be dealer demo's coming on to the market which will be fully loaded and significant savings.

 

BJB posts plenty of Olivers Mount photos. Thats

me in the orange gear 😁

 

We’re getting a tad off topic, but who cares. 😅

 

Cracking photo Keith.

 

I have lots of photos from around 1950 at Oliver's Mount taken by my late father who was a press photographer at the time. Rather different times.

 

Heading back to the paddock via Mere after our final run.

 

There’s a great photo by one of the race photographers on his facebook page although I couldn’t tell you his name. Tried to download it but of course it only partially downloads, which is fair enough. I should clarify that I am the passenger! The driver, my friend John Scruton, drive that M3W to all the hill climbs and sprints in a season. His usual passenger is his wife, Jackie. I occasionally step in when Jackie can’t or doesn’t want to passenger. I can tell you that battling into the first chicane at 60mph in a M3W isn’t for the feint hearted! Bloody great fun though as you have to live your weight around in the same manner a sidecar passenger does. I can’t deny that I love it! John’s M3W has had a stage 3 tune which has a huge torque delivery. That combined with the dust on the track from the Minilites meant that Mere was sketchy at best, hence the wheel spin. The exhaust note is loud enough to wake the dead and I often wonder how it gets through scrutineering 😆

 

Why not a C90! There was a guy there on a Honda Monkey bike and several pit bikes, not to mention a 200cx Vespa! Anything goes! The great thing about hill climbs is that you’re competing against the clock so literally anything will do. Turn up and register, buy a temporary ACU race licence and have a go. Only requirements are full leathers, gloves and an ACU gold label helmet. It’s brilliant fun!

Sounds good. Though on second thoughts, perhaps not the C90 as maybe at least something with fold up foot pegs would be advisable!

 

Two weeks ago I was competing in the Olivers Mount hill climb and the only thing faster than the supermoto bikes were the Mini Lites (seriously fast). Mind you, Adam Child the motorcycle journalist tuned up on a bog standard ZX400RR with standard road tyres and was within 5 seconds of the supermoto guys. He then rode the bike home 😳

Yeah Id’ maybe have a bash at that – perhaps on my Honda C90 or something. 😬

This is Adam’s Video here of his Olivers Mount Hill Climb. He’s a bit crazy.

 

Yeah Id’ maybe have a bash at that – perhaps on my Honda C90 or something. 😬

This is Adam’s Video here of his Olivers Mount Hill Climb. He’s a bit crazy.

Why not a C90! There was a guy there on a Honda Monkey bike and several pit bikes, not to mention a 200cx Vespa! Anything goes! The great thing about hill climbs is that you’re competing against the clock so literally anything will do. Turn up and register, buy a temporary ACU race licence and have a go. Only requirements are full leathers, gloves and an ACU gold label helmet. It’s brilliant fun!

 

I was hoping for a R1300XR sort a of R1300GS "Pikes Peak" with a 17" front wheel

Would a Bouley Bay hill climb GS1300 do?

17 inch front wheel, tweaked final drive, upgraded suspension, ECU flash, and a free flow exhaust.

Apparently, the low end torque and telelever make it something of a gnarly narrow hill climb monster, able to munch bikes that would monster it on a track.

This unlikely touring focussed machine has just rewritten the hill climb record books

Greg Mansell has rode a BMW R1300GS to record-breaking victory at the Jersey event - here's the changes he made to the bike

www.motorcyclenews.com

 

I saw him compete at the Festival of Motoring in Jersey in May. The bike is seriously rapid but he was beaten in every round I watched by KTM and Husqvarna supermoto bikes. Two weeks ago I was competing in the Olivers Mount hill climb and the only thing faster than the supermoto bikes were the Mini Lites (seriously fast). Mind you, Adam Child the motorcycle journalist tuned up on a bog standard ZX400RR with standard road tyres and was within 5 seconds of the supermoto guys. He then rode the bike home 😳

 

I was hoping for a R1300XR sort a of R1300GS "Pikes Peak" with a 17" front wheel

 

any other models coming up with the 1300 engine? Or that's it?

 

I have to believe that's it. All the models that had the 1250 boxer engine have been upgraded to the 1300 boxer -- R, RS, RT, GS, GSA -- so there're none left. All other BMWs use a different engine platform and will presumably continue to do so.

 

Best comparison video I found: riding a R1250R and a R1300R back to back

 

I think he means

 

I found the AMT on the Yamaha MT09 was very good, changed when I would have changed and was very smooth.