[hexer]

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

 

[yerpal]

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.

 

[Arrrr1300]

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

 

[keith1200rs]

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

 

[Arrrr1300]

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

 

[AnyOldIron]

For me it looks like the RS was designed properly. For the R they chopped off the front with an axe.
View attachment 128365

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.

 

[Gareth]

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.

 

[rico]

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.

 

[rico]

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".

 

[Gareth]

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.

 

[ArbOl]

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.

 

[Mick]

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

 

[TheKnee]

I used to get compliments on my R1250RT from old ladies when I parked it!
View attachment 128369

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

 

[Dennzio]

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

Thumbed?

 

[Mick]

I think he means

 

[Tiz]

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

 

[Katshark]

Isnt that the R9T?

R9T is 220kg, I think. Luggage and pillion provision doesn't meet my needs. No ESa etc. I just want a smaller, lighter bike, that I will call an R1000R. BMW are missing a trick. I think we are getting older and the young 'uns don't want a Boxer. I would like to bet that there are 1000s of older Asian people that would part with money for one. Not to mention for women generally.

 

[Tiz]

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

 

[RC65]

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.

 

[Lee F]

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.

Maybe they will have a R1300S