BMW R1300GS (2024) REVIEW | Two days of extensive testing

Welcome to Bennett's Bike Social, welcome to Spain, and welcome to, you've guessed it, the BMW R1300GS, arguably the most important bike for 2024. This is the daddy, this is the ultimate, this is the GS. Now in many ways, it's come as a little bit of a surprise, because BMW didn't need to improve the GS, it was best selling adventure bike that everybody loved, but they have given us a new GS for 2024, and nothing of the old bike can be transferable to the new bike. Now we've written about this extensively on Bennett's Bike Social, we've got a huge tech spec if you want to check that out. So let me run through some of the details, just to give you a brief overrun of the new R1300GS. It's a completely new design boxer engine, 145 horsepower at 775 RPM, 149 newton meters at 6.5. We've got a completely redesigned suspension, completely redesigned frame, we've got new suspension, telelever and paralever, but now called Evo. We've got a weight reduction of 12 kilograms, that is huge. We've got the full integrated ABS pro, we've got dynamic traction control, we've got four riding modes, we've got full connectivity with a huge 6.5 colour dash. We've got rider aids, we've got optional adaptive vehicle height control, we've got the hand protection, the integrated turn signals in the hand guards. It's huge what this bike is capable of, the list just keeps going on. The rider modes, the suspension, the chassis, everything has been redesigned. In very simple terms, they've increased the capacity of the engine, giving it more power, but reduced the size and the weight of the engine. They've completely redesigned the chassis, again saving weight. There's nothing from the old bike that comes to the new bike. This is lighter, more powerful, more fun than the old bike, in very simple terms. So today we've had a really good opportunity to put the bike through its paces on the road. We've been able to try all the modes from eco, rain, road to the dynamic. There's significant differences between all those modes. Because we've got more power, BMW are able to increase the distances between those modes. Where before, the modes were pretty similar, they would move a little bit, but now when you go from road to dynamic, there's a big step, there's a real noticeable step. It's the same with the suspension. When you go from road to dynamic, the suspension completely changes. It's very much a different bike. We've had the opportunity to really test it in all kinds of scenarios. We've been in the city, we've tried the adaptive cruise control, we've been up in the hills and we've tried the performance. Straight away, as soon as you get on the bike, when I left this lovely hotel, it feels GS-like but not GS-like. So when you look down, you see the cylinder heads and you see the BMW logo and it's a GS. But for me, as a smaller rider, I'm much more secure on the ground. It's much narrower, it's much lighter, it's much smaller. It's less intimidating than the old GS, far less intimidating than the old GS. I mean, how good is this? The old bike was great at covering distance at speed, but the new bike is just so agile. It's almost like, if you're old enough to remember a Megamoto, like a Supermoto GS at times. And it's not difficult either. I mean, the old bike was never difficult to thrash and go faster. But it's even more manageable, lighter. I'm only tickling the throttle, you don't really... I've only got it in Dynamic Pro to get that suspension to just hold itself a little bit more in the corners. Because when you're in the road, there's a bit on the soft side, it's mega windy. I mean, I'd probably just have road throttle with Dynamic Suspension, which I'm sure you could do within the menu. I mean, this thing will probably make you a cup of tea. And then when you kind of get going, you've got familiar switchgear, you've got familiar clocks, it seems all familiar. But then when you gas it, you've got so much more power, it just wants to go. And you don't have to rev it, they haven't tuned the bike for the top end, it's still got that lovely mid-range. And it's so much lighter and more agile. It's really impressive what they've done. As I said, if you rode the old GS, which I did do only a few months ago. And you got off it and you go, what do I need? You don't really need that much. It's such an awesome bike, that's why it sells so well. That's why it's so hugely popular. But BMW have moved the game on and taken everybody a little bit by surprise. Because it's lighter, it's more agile, it's fun, it's lively. It's got this extra zip to it, an extra bit of enthusiasm. You can really throw it around and have some fun. The suspension is really impressive. But they've not just made the GS a fun supermoto. It's still got the practicality. So comfort is another area where the old GS obviously excelled. And this has been carried on with the new bike. But we've also changed the seat slightly. Because you can change the pitch of the seat. You can have it more sporty like a supermoto. Or flatter. You can also do that for the pillion. There's optional seats for the pillion. You can't take the seat off and lower it. So basically when you buy the bike, you decide what seat height you want. And then obviously if you want the lower seat, you go for the row seat or the taller seat. Bars you can change as well. It is like having a custom made to measure kind of bike. So I'm just under 5'7". I've not wanted to have the suspension where you can press a button and change the suspension. So basically there's an auto button. Which is an auto suspension. Which is an optional extra. Whereby when you get below 30th. Basically when you slow down, it takes the preload off the shock. Which means it lowers the seat by 20mm. Now we've got an electric screen. Which the old one never had. That everybody's been screaming out for. In terms of electrics, it's moved the game on a bit. We've got the adaptive cruise control. We've got the lane change warning system. And we've got the front collision warning. Now basically the front collision warning uses the radar. So if it sees an object that you're possibly going to hit. And you're say braking at 40%. The bike knows that you can actually add 20 or 30% more brake pressure safely. Because it's measuring what the suspension is doing. Measuring grip and it's measuring brake pressure. So it'll assist you on the braking. The adaptive cruise control is like we've seen on other bikes. Where it's measuring the gap between you and the vehicle in front. And just maintaining that gap. It just takes, it's just effortless. On the motorway we did a little stint. Got the screen fully open. Set the cruise control to 120km. Sit back and it's easy. The handling is really impressive. And this has got all the qualities that the old one has. But now you've got more lightness. Even easier. And more power if you want it. I mean we're just what are we? Two to four grand. We're tickling the thing. And it's just easy. I don't know off the top of my head. But 43, 42 degrees of lean is like decent lean. And I've not felt the centre stand or side stand pegs or anything touch it. I'm in the Dynamic Pro so that supports the suspension more. And I'm reasonably light. So I'm only like 5'7". So a little update after this morning's ride. We've done three and a bit hours, four hours of riding. Mixture of roads, some fast stuff, slow stuff. Some really slippery, not so pleasant stuff. We've been on the freeway to test the adaptive cruise control. Ground clearance is not an issue. And in the Dynamic Pro there's a real difference between Dynamic Pro and road. You get a much more fun engine. It feels quicker. There's a lot more pep to it. And the suspension is more controlled. Then you've got the lane warning system. Which is basically the little lights that pop up in the mirror when something comes on your inside or your outside. Depending on which side of the road you're on and which lane you're in. It's all these little elements that have just come together to make the GS even safer than before. Even comfier than before. But you've still got that increase in performance and reduction in weight that makes it fun. Personally, I like the look of it. I think it looks great. I really like the cross headlight. I like the styling. We've got this kind of swoop section here. There's so much to the styling. Just little neat pieces like the little handle on the centre stand to make it just easier. The real simple and functional switchgear. Personally, I'm used to BMW switchgear. So I find it very intuitive and very simple and easy to use. A few people have been a little bit negative. But there is a lot to navigate. But I find it quite simple and quite easy. In terms of personalisation. The list is almost endless. You can have different seats. For the pillion, for the rider. Different bars. Different colours. Different spec. Different luggage. Different tail. Different luggage. Different top boxes. Different colours. Different wheels. Different tyres. Literally, you can personalise this bike to exactly how you want. Another neat little function is the adaptive vehicle height control. Which basically, if you select it and you pick it as an optional extra. Will lower the seat 20mm when you come to a slow speed. It basically takes the preload off the rear. Lowers the seat. And then when you get going again, it increases. Again, it just makes it easier for riders of my size and a little bit shorter. But to be honest, I've not really used it. Because with it being so narrow and so light, I've not felt the need for it. That might be a little different when we try it off-road. But that's the end of day one. Tomorrow, we're going to try a little bit of off-road. Only some lightness. So, as you can tell, today is off-road day. So yeah, we've got basically just a tick more specs. So we've got off-road biased tyres. We've got the crash protection. That's quite a drop. We've got a smaller screen that's no longer electronic. So that's just a standard fixed screen. Also in Enduro mode, rather than Enduro Pro. Because I just want to get used to it. But that's the idea. The old GS really had a nice balance to it, to be fair. And it was dead easy to ride. And yeah, this feels pretty much a foot lighter. So yeah, I'll just do a little play. Traction's working. Adjust the ABS. Yeah, I've got off-road ABS. I'll sit down with the engineer in a bit and we'll have a quick chat about what the modes do. So first impressions off-road. The tank feels very different because you're much closer to the front of the bike. You get more over the front. This tank is not intrusive on your inner thighs. It feels lighter. Far less intimidating than the old bike. I mean, I like the old bike off-road, to be fair. I thought it was really simple. A lot easier than a lot of people thought it was. Pegs are really in a nice position. There's nothing kind of intrusive on my ankles. Power in this enduro mode is nice as well. Oh, what a beautiful morning. So we have done some proper miles today. Probably, yeah. What time is it now? I think it's five o'clock and we've still got another 50, 60k to get back to the hotel. Lean angle's a bit more impressive, 44, 47. Yeah, all kind of changeable conditions. And the more you get used to it, the more you kind of... Just little things like getting used to the switch gear and the way this DCT light lights up when the traction kicks in. That's quite cool. But in terms of what BMW have done with the GS is move the game on. They really didn't need to. They only needed to improve the old GS in a few little areas. But what they've done is made it considerably lighter, given it considerably more power, make it more usable, more friendly, easier, less intimidating, added more safety and given you a range of specs that will fit any need. It's hugely impressive what they've done. The only problem now they're going to have is the stampede towards BMW dealers. And I feel sorry for the guys who've got the current GS.