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![]() Boxer Tour
BMW R 1250 GS Rallye X quick spin (May 2023)
BMW's premium adventure tourers pack
a lot of tech into an impressive touring bundle
![]() Though
sharing a version of the
distinctive motorsport colour scheme with its great
granddad, the R80GS of
1980, and the approximate engine configuration, BMW’s
latest-gen GS series is
quite simply a rocket ship by comparison. Even
if you walk back just to
the previous-gen R 1200 GS, the changes are significant.
For
this series the engineers
bumped the engine capacity and went for variable cam-
timing (aka shift-cam in
BMW-speak) which has had a significant effect on how the
thing comes across to
the rider. ![]() To
put it simply, the 1254cc version is an absolute bullet,
claiming
100kW (134hp) at 7700rpm and 143Nm at 6250. They’re
fairly high-stepping
numbers for a boxer twin and give the thing, despite its
near 250 kilo wet
weight, some serious straight-line urge. Top
speed is conservative at a
little over 200km/h, but the real entertainment is in
the low and mid-range
performance, which is truly sparkling. In a way, that’s
in keeping with a series
that started off in a relatively modest way some 53
years ago and has now
become the top-seller in the company line-up. ![]() BMW
arguably invented the whole
adventure tourer class with this series, back in 1980
with the 37kW (50hp)
798cc R80. The idea was essentially a large-capacity
motorcycle that worked
well on-road and to some extent off-road. The
sheer size and performance
of these things mean that only the brave and or the
highly skilled would take one
out on a gnarly track. There are much better (and
smaller) options out there
for that sort of work. However
the pay-off is these
are supreme touring bikes on tar and on made dirt roads.
Performance is more
than adequate and handling is pretty good, while the
relatively long- travel
suspension does a decent job of soaking up
less-than-perfect surfaces. ![]() In
fact the performance is now
at a level where the condition of the tyres and chassis
are critical. As we
discovered, a half-worn rear hoop (a Metzeler Karoo 3)
can have a detrimental
effect on the steering to the point where if you had any
brains you toss it and
get a new one. ![]() Of
course electronics abound,
with a comprehensive suite of rider safety nets,
including ABS and traction
control. The depth of electronic adjustment is
impressive, to the point where
the left switch block carries a rotary ‘mouse’ to help
navigate what’s on
offer. ![]() In the suite is Dynamic ESA suspension – that is,
suspension which alters its damping rates according to the
conditions. Plus of course the rider can determine overall
set-up via the dash. It may be complex, but the
performance is impressive. BMW
offers numerous variants of the 1250 GS,
including the Rallye X in the touring trim you see here.
Pricing
is around $35,000 on
the road, fitted out for, but not including, BMW satnav
and hard luggage. The
latter cost around $1200 and $2000 respectively. BMW
no longer owns the
adventure tourer market as it once did, and that in turn
means the company
works pretty hard to ensure you get a compelling
package, despite the cost.
BMW R 1250 GS
Rallye X Good Not so good ![]() SPECS: TRANSMISSION:
CHASSIS & RUNNING
GEAR:
OTHER STUFF:
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