BMW R 1200 GS 2019 — Specifications

For twenty years, the BMW R 1200 GS has reigned over the road-focused adventure segment, and no one seems truly ready to challenge its throne. In 2018, the Munich machine doesn’s shake things up – it would even be a matter of bad taste to touch a mechanical package as accomplished as this. The 1170 cc boxer twin, partially water-cooled since the 2013 redesign, delivers its 125 horsepower at 7750 rpm with the nonchalance of an engine that has nothing to prove. The torque follows the same register: 125 Nm available at 6500 rpm, sent to the wheels via a driveshaft, without the slightest loss of energy in chain jolts. On the road, this translates to a linear, predictable, addictive propulsion.

The 2018 version is available in three levels, including this Exclusive, which plays more the card of prestige than that of raw performance. A dedicated color scheme, a painted logo on the 20-liter tank, stainless steel radiator covers as on the BMW R 1200 GS Rallye, gold brake calipers, and a gray anthracite frame. These are details that appeal to some buyers, less so to others. Honesty requires saying that this finish is more of a BMW R 1200 GS Adventure cosmetic kit than a true mechanical enrichment. For the BMW R 1200 GS accessories that truly change life on board, you will need to open the options catalog and prepare your checkbook accordingly.

Because that’s the paradox of the BMW R 1200 GS in its most dressed-up version: at 16,845 euros, the machine is far from complete. Pro riding modes, the ESA Dynamic pilot suspension with automatic leveling, the Quickshifter Pro, or even advanced traction management remain conditional. A used R 1200 GS purchased with the right packages checked can be better equipped than a poorly configured new one. This is a commercial reality that BMW has long accepted, and that buyers eventually integrate into their real budget.

For 2018, the innovations focus on comfort electronics. The Connectivity cockpit brings a richer, more legible, more modern digital display. An automatic emergency call system is introduced, and additional LED lights complement the lighting equipment. Nothing essential for the seasoned traveler, but additions consistent with the general evolution of the segment. Faced with an Africa Twin that carves its path in the off-road and a Tiger 1200 that moves upmarket, BMW refines the angles without modifying the structure. The Telelever at the front, the Paralever at the rear, the driveshaft: the architecture remains the same, proven, undeniable. The 244 kg, fully fueled, weigh their weight at a standstill, but disappear as soon as you ride.

This vintage is primarily aimed at the great European touring rider, the one who devours the alpine passes on Monday and crosses a forest track on Tuesday, with full cases and heated grips as an option. What engine oil for BMW R 1200 GS LC, what are the best tires for BMW R 1200 GS, how to optimize the BMW R 1200 GS LC stickers to personalize your mount: so many questions that the owners of previous generations already ask themselves, from the BMW R 1200 GS 2008 to the BMW R 1200 GS 2012, and who will find in this 2018 a logical evolution rather than a revolution. The GS does not seek to seduce beginners or track riders. It targets those who know exactly what they are buying, and who never regret their choice.