Hardly anything fuels the fire of rumors of the motorcycle scene more than the wait for a new generation of the BMW GS. We have already compiled the known facts and speculation surrounding the BMW R 1300 GS, which will be presented in Berlin on September 28th, 2023.
It is not for nothing that the current boxer GS leads the registration ranking in Germany and in many other important motorcycle markets by a wide margin. The current model interprets the "GS" spirit and capabilities, i.e. the balancing act between off-road and street suitability, more perfectly than any other model in the current market landscape. With each new generation, BMW's developers have achieved the feat of making the GS perform always better in both disciplines that it has been built for.
Consequently, with each new boxer generation, this valuable heritage must be handled with care and the GS concept must be interpreted in a contemporary way. The engineers in Munich are taking their time with the new BMW R 1300 GS, which will most likely be the name of the new travel enduro flagship model, and thus keeping the scene in suspense.
BMW will present the R 1300 GS on September 28th, 2023. That's not long away ahead, which is why one or another detail – intentionally or unintentionally – has already leaked to the press. We summarize here what our colleagues from the editorial offices have researched about the new Super GS. All speculations are based on photos and videos that could be shot from more or less camouflaged prototypes.
1300cc boxer completely liquid-cooled
Let's start by looking into the heart of the R 1300 GS, the famous boxer engine. Here you can expect solutions that have been tried and tested but also a lot of new things being included in this new generation. The ShiftCam variable valve timing introduced in 2018 can be considered a given fact. To ensure the thermal stability of the 1300 boxer, BMW seems to have heavily modified both the oil and cooling circuits. MOTORRAD magazine speculates, for example, that the "precision cooling" introduced with the R 1200 GS (K50) in 2013 will be replaced by complete liquid cooling on the boxer, which is presumably exactly 1,300 cubic centimeters in size. This would also mean that the cylinders of the R 1300 GS would be surrounded by a liquid jacket. A solution that also seems plausible in light of stricter noise regulations.
The BMW developers seem to have made massive changes to the boxer's oil circuit. From an oil viewpoint glass visible on the side next to the "hero's chest", the Stuttgart journalists conclude that a switch has been made to semi-dry sump lubrication in order to counteract the formation of oil foam caused by the pressure pulsations of the Boxer.
The performance data of the R 1300 GS can already be considered very accurate as they come from a publication of the Swiss Federal Office for Roads (ASTRA), which is responsible for the type approvals. According to this, future owners of a 1300 GS can look forward to a peak output of 145.5 hp at 7,750 rpm and a powerful torque of 149 Newton meters at 6,500 rpm.
Frame with light metal elements
Regarding the 1300cc boxer, and as much as the prototype photos of the R 1300 GS already reveal, it can be said that it will be integrated as a supporting element in a completely redesigned frame. The previous tube frame construction made of steel is giving way to a composite one that consists at least in part of cast light alloy components, as can be seen in the photos published by MOTORRAD.
Whether and how much the aluminum frame will reduce the weight of the R 1300 GS is the subject of hot debate in the GS scene. The specialists from the online medium 1000PS put a slimming down by six to 243 kg total weight in the room, which would correspond to the value of the Ducati Multistrada V4.
At first glance, the paralever of the R 1300 GS is even more striking than the new frame. The swingarm appears more complex than on previous GS generations and shorter at the same time. The latter feature fits coherently into the overall concept of the new GS, which appears more compact overall and less massive. Good off-road capability therefore seems to be a very high priority for the 2023 R 1300 GS as well. This is underlined by the fact that a large proportion of the spy shots published so far were taken during off-road tests. It is certain that the tried-and-tested telelever will serve as the front wheel guide on the R 1300 GS.
As far as the suspension elements are concerned, a new generation of the Dynamic ESA electronic chassis can be expected. The always well-informed editors of MOTORRAD magazine speculate that in the future not only the damping but also the spring preload can be adjusted while riding. This would also make it possible to lower the seat height before stopping, as is already offered, for example, by the Harley-Davidson Pan America in the "Special" version with the Adaptive Ride Height (ARH) system.
Basis for ARAS – R 1300 GS with radar
Gut zu erkennen ist auf den in den Fachzeitschriften veröffentlichten Erlkönigfotos der R 1300 GS die Ausstattung mit Radar. Die Einheit sitzt unter dem leicht verkürzten Schnabel. Es war auch nichts anderes zu erwarten, als dass BMW die neue BMW R 1300 GS – standardmäßig oder gegen Aufpreis – mit einer ganzen Menge ARAS (Advanced Rider Assistance Systems) ausstatten würde. Ein Abstandstempomat, bei der R 1250 RT bereits als Active Cruise Control (ACC) implementiert, gilt als Minimalziel. Und schließlich hat die Konkurrenz von Ducati die Multistrada V4 bereits mit radarbasierten Systemen ausgestattet.
BMW R 1300 GS ready for ConVeX?
To what extent the new BMW R 1300 GS will be ready for advanced technologies such as ConVeX can only be speculated by the attentive community. The acronym ConVeX stands for "Connected vehicle to everything" and describes the networking of a vehicle with other road users and other platforms. Technologies such as ConVeX form the basis for future safety systems that proactively warn the driver of dangerous situations and, in advanced stages of development, act (semi-)autonomously. Like its competitor Ducati, BMW has been researching these technologies for years. With the R 1200 RS ConnectedRide, the Munich-based company already presented a test vehicle in 2017.
The design of the BMW R 1300 GS
Even greater than with the technology is the secrecy surrounding the design. What is certain is that the R 1300 GS will once again have a beak. Initial shots of unmasked pre-production vehicles reveal a more compact and somewhat more light-footed appearance than on the previous model. Active aerodynamic components, as BMW had already patented in 2020, are not visible in the images available so far. After Moto Guzzi has already introduced this technology in series production with the V100 Mandello, it is not unlikely that BMW will also equip the R 1300 GS with active aerodynamics in the course of an upcoming model update.
When will the BMW R 1300 GS be launched?
BMW will present the R 1300 GS on September 28, 2023, as part of the opening of the new BMW Motorrad Welt Berlin right next to the motorcycle factory in Spandau. The date could not be better chosen. It is the 100th birthday of the BMW boxer. All interested parties can follow the ceremony via BMW's social media channels.
Touratech accessories for the BMW R 1300 GS
Touratech has accompanied all GS models since the R 1100 GS from the beginning with an extensive range of accessories. It will be the same with the new R 1300 GS. Whether luggage, protection, ergonomics or suspension – the motorcycle accessories from Touratech will also get the maximum out of the R 1300 GS.
