BMW K 1300 S 2016 — Specifications

When Munich decides to strike hard without going through the pure track case, it gives the BMW K 1300 S in its Motorsport version: a road hypersport that claims its competition DNA without pretending to challenge a Suzuki GSX-R or a Kawasaki ZX-10R on the track. Comparison with the S 1000 RR would be beside the point; this 1293 cc inline four-cylinder engine, designed for the German autobahn, plays in another category, that of sporty GTs with a strong temperament.

The engine is the heart of the matter. 175 horsepower at 9250 rpm, 140 Nm of torque available at 8250 rpm, all housed in an aluminum bridge frame where the engine block itself plays a structural role. With 254 kg fully fueled, the BMW K 1300 S is not a sylph, but this weight is justified by the shaft drive and a refined finish. The Motorsport version pushes the cursor a little further with an Akrapovic silencer that lightens the machine by more than 5 kg and releases a few extra horsepower, without easy-to-find homologation certification for road use.

The HP equipment completes the picture: footrests for rider and passenger, specific wheels, quickshifter. These are details that change the feel at the handlebars, not just "sport" stickers. The livery in the colors of BMW's competition department, with its smoked windshield, visually positions the machine without ambiguity. We are far from the bourgeois discretion of a K 1600, but we remain within the codes of the Bavarian house.

For 2015, the price of the BMW K 1300 S Motorsport rises to 20,730 euros, an increase of 780 euros compared to the initial price. In exchange, BMW Motorrad integrates ESA electronic adjustable suspension, stability control ASC, heated grips, TPMS and the onboard computer. This is a substantial enrichment that brings this version closer to a high-tech grand touring package rather than a pure sport machine. The target audience is clearly the experienced rider who devours kilometers at a sustained pace and who wants a motorcycle designed for highway speed without sacrificing the comfort of a long journey.

Lovers of the BMW K 1300 S used motorcycle will find on the market examples from the 2009, 2010, 2013 and 2015 model years, each with its own technical evolutions. The 2015 Motorsport version constitutes the culmination of the range before the gradual phasing out of the model. With a consumption announced at 4.7 liters per 100 km and a 19-liter tank, the theoretical range exceeds 400 km, which is consistent with the machine's grand-route vocation. The maximum speed of 280 km/h remains a catalog figure, but it says something about the real capabilities of the chassis and engine compared to competitors such as the Ducati Multistrada in its Sport version or the Honda VFR1200F.