Also, the R1300GS has lost weight, the R1300R hasn't, so the weights are almost equal.

 

I’ve asked the same question to a few people who said BMW have lied about the GS weight, apparently any that have been weighed is a lot more than the specified weight but not sure how true that is. It still confuses me, some reviews have said it’s 2kg heavier than the GS which I can’t wrap my head around. Smaller tank, no telelever fork
- the GS is genuinely impressive if it’s around the same. It definitely didn’t feel as heavy as a GS breaking and cornering

 

The styling of the 13 is growing on me, especially the RS model. However, it's too tall and the same weight as my 1250, I don't need the extra power, so I'd be paying a lot more ££ just to get a different look.

Hopefully, at some point BMW will realise that boxer riders are older guys, that are only getting older. A 1000cc boxer weighing in at circa 210kg, with the rider triangle approximating the GS would be my wish.

I'd be surprised if the young 'uns will buy a sporty boxer. Too many better, cheaper sporty bikes.

 

@Katshark I agree something around 100BHP and as close to 200Kg as possible would be perfect

 

Isnt that the R9T?

 

Just sharing my thoughts, personally much preferring the looks AND sitting position of the 12xxR over the 1300R,
and my current favorite to have as an addition if I had the money would be this truly-naked beauty r 12 g/s, i.e. side+top cases are a must for me and hence cannot see it replacing my r1250r,
BUT - IT IS JUST SO PERFECT WITH <0% ON EXCESSIVE PLASTICS AND "DECORATION" AND +100% ON BMW IMMORTAL GENIUS AND MINIMALIST BOXER DESIGN.

 

Looks very much like the original GS’s but with much bigger jugs.

 

I ran through the configurator and it looks like there is no longer the option of having a top box on the R1300R which is a show stopper for me. I’m used to the convenience of storage and dont like panniers as they make it wider and catch the wind. RS still has the option but the R only gets panniers now?!?

 

I ran through the configurator and it looks like there is no longer the option of having a top box on the R1300R

I have to believe the aftermarket will offer something.

 

The passenger seat and rear light cluster lools to be different between the R and RS so it looks like the top case carrier physically cant be fitted. BMW usually do a really nice job of the cast passenger handles and case carrier design, aftermarket always looks cheaply done in my eyes (GIVI etc). My wife wouldnt even consider going pillion without a box behind for some reassurance, I carry a puncture repair plugging kit and mini pump, I dont fancy going back to using a back pack again.

Jon

 

I test rode the manual and the automatic and really liked both of them. Personally, I thought the ASA was excellent, particularly the way it felt like the clutch was being feathered during slow manoeuvres.

I was all set to buy one until I asked about the issue Jon mentions, i.e. the rack / top box situation. When I was told that BMW were not going to supply a rack for this model I was nonplussed. It's a naked Sports Tourer for goodness sake! So that was that. Instead I saved myself a lot of cash and bought a second hand R1250R that had hardly been used (900 miles on the clock) was incredibly well specified and thousands of pounds cheaper. Maybe in a years time BMW will come to their senses and address the issue of the rack I might reconsider, until they do, no 1300R for me!

PS - I notice that the 1300 is sportier than the 1250. It was definitely a heads down, bum up riding experience and seems further between seat and handlebars. I would specify the higher bars, which BMW laughably cannot tell you how much higher and further back they are from the standard sports handle bar! Interestingly, neither dealer I test rode the bikes at bothered to follow up with me after my test ride!!

 

I was told by one of the sales staff that the higher bar is the same height as the standard r1250r if that’s any help

 

l’m 173 cm and the stock bars on my 1250R gave me back pain (68 yo). Perfect fix was Wunderlich bar risers 20 mm taller and 25 mm back. I’d love to buy an 1300R but with even lower bars than the 1250R looks like l’ll wait to see if anyone brings out a suitable bar riser set.

A bike’s look doesn’t bother me much but l do like the look of the red and black with the option 719 edged polished wheels.

cheers, Glenn

 

I love the 1300 from what I've seen in videos. The only thing that sucks is that you can't get bags or a trunk for it. I am sure the aftermarket will come up with something, but that seems to be a big miss by BMW.

 

On the US BMW site, luggage prep is an option. I can only assume that would facilitate BMW luggage as well.

But lets assume you are correct, it is def available for the new RS. Again, BMW is clearly aiming the R1300R toward a younger, sport oriented rider and many of their other models support luggage. My 2022, with brand new unused BMW mount and luggage will be coming up for sale, soonish, if you're interested 😁.

 

In the UK the configurator allows you to add luggage preparation and 26l + 29l side cases (electrified)

 

There’s a UK YouTube reviewer I watched who suggested you couldn’t add luggage to the sport version (white) but it seemed to work for me on the UK configurator.

 

Picked up my R1300R today, managed 100 miles on it, still a bit to go for its brake in but really enjoyed it. Was sad to see the GS go but really looking forward to properly using this

 

On the US BMW site, luggage prep is an option. I can only assume that would facilitate BMW luggage as well.

I stand corrected. I see the option now. I don't recall seeing it when the bike first hit the site. Maybe I just missed it.

I see options for panniers but none for topcase.🤔

Same. And I ALWAYS have the top case on but seldom use the panniers unless I going for an overnight trip.


It's going to be a few years before I buy anything, so I'll have time to see what options come out from BMW and the aftermarket.

 

Took the bike for its annual service today at Douglas Park Motorrad. They had two new blue R1300R’s One unregistered and one registered demo bike.

It looks better in the flesh. It is certainly a new direction. From the rear it looks good, and from the side it looks not unreasonable. Everything side on is integrated with each component seamlessly flowing into the next. Though I still think it is kinda jet ski in style. The front aspect however looks like at some point the bike just exploded in the design studio and they just kind glued it back together as best as possible and pushed it out the door. Appears to have two radiators sticking out either side of the front forks. The front aspect is wide, heavy and messy. It is just pig ugly when viewed head on.

The rear looks cut down further again from the R1250R. That probably means even more crap down your legs when it rains.

Sitting on it, yup the bars are further away and the bike feels longer but not uncomfortable.

I’d have to try it, but I’m in no rush to do so. Certainly, two things put me off. The current lack of a decent top box option. The configurator – to get the options I want, I’d have to spend a fortune on stuff I have zero interest in – which means the bike, to me, becomes way overpriced.

 

I test rode the demo there, it was very quick and easy to book a 2 hour slot. Got to fintry and back pretty easily so some really good roads to test it on nearby - would recommend it if you’re curious. Would ask for Scott at sales, the rest of sales there are horrendous to deal with - they just will not call you back or sort anything out

 

@Gareth when I saw one recently I thought it looked rather fat from the front.

 

‘Broad shoulders’, as the female YouTube reviewer enthused over … 😂

 

For me it looks like the RS was designed properly. For the R they chopped off the front with an axe.

 

I quite like the R, looks muscular - a bit Mad Max 😆 RS is a peach thought slightly taller than the R. At least the RS can be specified with a rack, so long as you don't specify the RS Sport.

 

Same! Not interested in trading “up” from R1200R personally (for reasons listed elsewhere) but I thought exactly the same. Both the GS and the RS look “finished” but the R is an overweight afterthought.

 

I did 100 miles on the first day with my bike and received 3 compliments on how nice it looks by people passing when I needed to give my back a break. It’s interesting reading the comments here, my only complaint is the plastic above the headlight looks a bit janky but really like the muscle bike type look of it. Admittedly, it was all younger women that complimented it so maybe that just says I’m just into girls bikes

 

I think don't think many would be complaining about the audience that like your bike.

 

I used to get compliments on my R1250RT from old ladies when I parked it!

 

I have a 25 year old r1150 r that gets thumped up every time I go out.

 

That’ll be Douglas Park then Arrrr1300. There’s a fella called Scott on the service desk, he’s usually pretty helpful and seems to try his best to keep customers happy.

Weird dealership, I get the impression DP just sell the bikes cos BMW make them considering the number of BMW car dealerships they have.

The bike showroom is just an afterthought bolted onto that horrible car service centre.

I found them great right up to the point I decided I was buying one (this was back in 2020) then the process became just a little bit painful. Hard work.

I didn’t go for the demo as I’m definitely not a buyer at the moment. Lack of top box option is a concern, plus the way the configurator is set up just turns me right off.

I do wonder how they keep selling all those 20K bikes. Plenty of folks coming in with their shiny new bikes for a service. I do remember last year they told me that they had no problem shifting the new stuff but that they were running out of space for trade ins – they were really struggling to shift used stock.

 

That’ll be Douglas Park then Arrrr1300. There’s a fella called Scott on the service desk, he’s usually pretty helpful and seems to try his best to keep customers happy.

Weird dealership, I get the impression DP just sell the bikes cos BMW make them considering the number of BMW car dealerships they have.

The bike showroom is just an afterthought bolted onto that horrible car service centre.

I found them great right up to the point I decided I was buying one (this was back in 2020) then the process became just a little bit painful. Hard work.

I didn’t go for the demo as I’m definitely not a buyer at the moment. Lack of top box option is a concern, plus the way the configurator is set up just turns me right off.

I do wonder how they keep selling all those 20K bikes. Plenty of folks coming in with their shiny new bikes for a service. I do remember last year they told me that they had no problem shifting the new stuff but that they were running out of space for trade ins – they were really struggling to shift used stock.

Finance companies have gotten so good at persuading people to buy their bikes (or cars) on loans in the UK, they have made it look the norm, the thing you should be doing. I'm not saying you're doing anything wrong if you buy a bike on finance, but they have gotten so persuasive you have all the folks who would years ago have saved up for a £3000 used bike and be happy with it, now dedicating half their salary to paying off a bike, or else seriously "fearing missing out".

 

Yeah the reality is Rico, that the name of the game is selling people stuff they can’t afford. Many showrooms, anybody who walks in the door is fawned over, given the full treatment and talked through the ‘only so much a month’ deal.

But if somebody who can actually afford what’s on sale steps into the showroom the trick is to get rid of them as quickly as possible in order to get back to peddling finance.

Finance to me just means paying more, unless there’s a super cheap 0-2% APR offer, but I think those days are gone now.

 

Had a back to back test ride last week on both an 1300 ASA R and standard RS. Though better looking the latter was noticeably less sprightly with the full fairing - a different application afterall. But two things stood out completely against expectation. The ASA is a revelation even tho I was sure it was going to be abominable, inwardly shaking my head at the foolishness. Yet it was more enjoyable, and point and squirt intuitive than it ought to be. The absence of a lever is still deeply disturbing for the first 10-20 minutes tho’. Yes the front is an axe job - but. Heading out at 130kph and briefly above on the nearest motorway there was yet more juju. The damned thing had less buffering and chest pressure than the RS. So the droopy headlight and barrage-like upper assembly must be a deliberate design to splice and deflect airflow. It’d need a longer test ride to verify for ingrained R bias - just feels like the RS is a little too ponderous for the city. If true I may need to buy a hat in order to eat it.

 

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

 

I think he means

 

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