2024 BMW R1300GS Adventure Review

The BMW R1300GS Adventure has large luggage compartments, continuing the popular R 1250 GS Adventure which is consistently at or near the top of the UK high-capacity bestseller charts both overall and overall. adventure bike segment. This is thanks to its ability to do so much and so well: motorways, B roads, green lanes, tourist doubles. The big GS really does it all with its long travel suspension, 30-litre fuel tank and more. settings that differentiate it from the non-Adventure model.

And 1300? Well, almost everything is new, from the engine and chassis to the amount of technology on offer. Our R1300GS Adventure test bike was fairly sparse in terms of extras, only coming with the Enduro package for extra off-road prowess – our review of the Adventure, equipped with a host of extra goodies, can be found here.

The same spirit of the 1250 models can be seen in the R1300GS Adventure; where is the standard R1300GS A sportier, smaller version of the road-focused platform, the Adventure feels completely different and closer to the 1250 in terms of stature, ergonomics and feel.

Like its predecessor, it’s incredibly balanced at low speeds and even with a high seat height (our test bike had the optional Rally seat increasing it to 915mm) and a wet weight that approaches the 300kg mark when fully fueled and packed with luggage. .

While the engine, chassis and a host of other components are vastly different from the previous generation, the actual result is a car that feels eerily similar in many ways. Comfort is impressive no matter your height, and with a slightly redesigned screen design, wind protection and minimal amounts of turbulence make a big difference – just like this tank, which will offer a range of over 300 miles at the same time. The throttle doesn’t turn too sharply.

That said, it’s a very comfortable ride thanks to the updated suspension, while the engine actually feels sharper and thirstier, which is an odd attribute for a big boxer engine. The GS is still very stable and happy to cruise at higher speeds, but the engine isn’t the quietest in the world.

Although the R 1300 GS Adventure is a far cry from its predecessor in terms of components, the spirit and riding experience seem similar; in some ways a little better, but in others not so much. If you’re looking to buy an R1300GS Adventure and are thinking about keeping it relatively standard, the gains will only be very small in some respects, but if you decide to complement it with a catalog of accessories it will make a big difference. as you can read here in our BMW R1300GS Adventure ASA Review.

While the GS Adventure is a mighty beast in terms of its height and weight, it’s not only accessible and easy to drive, it’s also incredibly comfortable.

The seating position is spacious and comfortable, with the handlebars, footpegs and riding triangle huge, but not too far to reach. Somehow this arrangement allows me to fit a 5’7 frame without any complaints next to the many six footers who are also riding with us. The screen is very effective (if a little short) in terms of protection and lack of impact, while the standard seat also offers a good level of comfort, especially if you’re a little larger due to its enormous size.

This updated long-throw telelever and paralever system works wonders, turning over 500 pounds of metal into a machine that can be driven as softly or as brutally as you like, depending on your mood during the ride.

The standard R1300GS was designed to be more sporty and road-focused, and the Adventure does retain a bit of that spirit; The brakes have plenty of stopping power, the chassis is well balanced and the suspension tuning works wonders, with dynamic spring adjustment providing a softer, smoother ride in the quieter Road mode and a more stable stance when nailing down. down in dynamic mode.

This is a machine that not only compensates for bumps and uneven surfaces, but also happily pushes forward and supports no matter how much weight is placed on it.

The big BMW is built to churn out the miles, and with a combination of motorway, B-road and off-road driving, the R1300GS Adventure tends to sit mostly between the 42 and 46mpg marks, providing a realistic range that will almost take you past the 300-mile mark – and this will increase to over 330 miles in economical driving, where the figure approaches 50 mpg.

But this 1300cc engine still craves a relatively strong rev boost; For a monstrous boxer engine, it’s at its best when it rides a little firmer, which isn’t always necessary for a car like this built to cross continents. He’s more impatient and a little less relaxed than ever before in his hunger for the red line as he jumps from corner to corner.

Another thing to pay attention to is noise; The engine sounds a little more metallic, which is a bit annoying after a long day in the saddle, and also more noticeable than on the previous generation 1250 engine.

The GS Adventure really looks like a quality product, and having seen some of them take to the trails, it’s fair to say they’re built pretty solidly too.

However, the first year of the R1300 platform was not easy for BMW; there have been several cases of electronic gremlins that were not immediately corrected, and our BMW R1300GS long-term test There was also a small problem with the bike.

Although the R1300GS Adventure starts at £18,870, it’s unlikely you’ll see any standard car on the road; even our test bike (which has very few extras) costs closer to the £20,000 mark with the Enduro package and a few other bits fitted.

However, this isn’t all that extravagant when you consider the GS Adventure’s big tank competitors: Rally Ducati Multistrada V4 will set you back £24,195 as standard, while Triumph Tiger 1200 Rally Explorer starts from £18,695.