Tag Archives: boxer

Travel test: BMW R 1300 GS

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2023 must have been a very anticipatory year for BMW Motorrad. Because when you replace the most popular steed in your stable, you obviously don’t want to make a poor impression. Moreover, BMW didn’t settle for a cautious facelift and a few small technical tweaks, but pushed itself to a major makeover. I had the opportunity to test the new 2024 BMW R 1300 GS for a week during a trip to Spain with two friends. The report of that trip will follow. For now: my findings of the GS after 4300 km in the seat.


To illustrate the importance of the GS for BMW’s business figures: in 2023, BMW sold a little more than 209,000 motorcycles worldwide. More than 60,000 of those were accounted for by the ‘big GS club,’ namely the 1250 GS, the 1250 GS Adventure, and the new 1300 GS (which has been on the market since the fall of 2023). You can safely say it’s BMW Motorrad’s cash cow.

I also want to mention upfront that I’m not a member of the GS Haters Club. Okay, it seems like everyone has a GS, making it feel somewhat ubiquitous. But after testing the 1200 GS Rallye and “needing” a new motorcycle myself, I almost bought a second-hand blue 1200 Rallye. Yes, I chose Continue reading →

Review: BMW R nineT

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The sexiest bike of the entire BMW Motorrad range is the BMW R nineT. That’s my conclusion after testing one for a week. Praising words from (mostly non-motorcycling) colleagues, a big thumbs up from a car driver at a traffic light, a spontaneous chat at the gas station. I got more feedback with the R nineT than with any test bike I ever rode.

The R nineT was launched in 2014 on the occasion of 90th anniversary of BMW Motorrad. So it comes as no surprise the nineT has classic looks. Though not as classic as, say, a Triumph Bonneville T100 Black. The Beemer has a modern twist to it and tries to charm café racer and custom fans with its extensive personalization possibilities.

Back to the basics

The essence of riding is what the R9T is all about. Everything that’s not essential went overboard. No frills. While other BMW models are crammed with traction control, mappings, tire pressure control, electronically adjustable suspension and other techno shizzle, the nineT only got a non-switchable ABS. On the other hand it has a stylish design, finished with sweet details such as the BMW logo in the headlight or the embossed nineT logo on the air intake.

The 1,170 cc boxer comes from the previous R 1200 generation, and is the last of the Beemers with this type of engine. It’s not the newest of the newest but has proven its qualities with a long track record. Air-cooled, in contrast to the liquid-cooled flat twins that BMW currently assembles. The gears are a little shorter than on the previous RT and GS, for a more lively riding behavior.

A flat twin also means you’ll experience Continue reading →