BMW R 1250 RT 2020 — Specifications

For thirty years, the Boxer engine has been running. For thirty years, BMW has been perfecting its recipe, layer by layer, without ever completely dismantling it to start over. The 2020 BMW R 1250 RT is the result of this patient accumulation: a touring machine that no longer seeks to prove anything, because it no longer needs to. When the Yamaha FJR 1300, the last survivor in the segment, still brings out its muscular four-cylinder engine to play the spoiler, the Bavarian Boxer simply shrugs. It has already won.

The real subject of this evolution is the engine. Not a new engine, but a capacity increase. The bore goes to 102.5 mm, the stroke to 76 mm, and we end up with 1254 cc under the valve covers. But BMW doesn't stop at this arithmetic increase. Shift Cam enters the scene: two cam profiles per intake valve, one at partial load, one at full opening, piloted by an electromechanical actuator that slides the camshaft according to the engine speed. Specifically, this means optimized filling at low RPM, frank power at high RPM, without the usual compromise imposed by a single profile. The figure result: 136 horsepower at 7750 rpm and 143 Nm at 6250 rpm, respectively 11 hp and nearly 20 Nm more than the 1200. Above all, this torque spreads over a very wide operating range, which radically transforms the character of the machine on the highway as well as on winding roads. The announced consumption falls to 4.7 liters per 100 km, which is honest for 279 kg of touring machine.

The BMW R 1250 RT reliability is not a concern for those familiar with the brand, and this generation does not deviate from the rule. The chassis remains as we know it: Telelever fork at the front, Paralever monobrach at the rear, steel frame where the engine plays a structural role. The new generation ESA manages damping in real time according to the load and riding style, a proven system from the GS. The Brembo four-piston brakes on 320 mm discs do the job, reinforced by Dynamic Brake Control which reduces engine torque during hard braking to stabilize the whole. On the BMW R 1250 RT technical specifications, everything is there, coherent, without an identifiable weakness. What can be annoying, however, is that the exterior design has practically not changed. BMW has concentrated its engineers on the machine's internals and left the bodywork as it was. This is an assumed choice, debatable in principle, but difficult to criticize when the form works so well.

What makes a great touring machine is its ability to swallow the kilometers without tiring the rider. In this respect, the 2020 BMW R 1250 RT has nothing to envy anyone. The 25-liter tank ensures serious range, the saddle adjusts to several heights including 830 mm in the standard position, the integrated cases absorb a full weekend, and the aerodynamic protection remains a reference in the segment. The standard equipment now includes hill start assist, Rain and Road modes, ABS Pro and traction control. The options catalog is extensive, an Akrapovic silencer, a quickshifter, Pro riding modes, GPS connectivity, to the most unexpected accessories. This is a typical Bavarian quirk: the base motorcycle is already complete, but the final bill can quickly climb if you venture into the configurator pages.

At 22,490 euros in standard version, the BMW R 1250 RT price is in the high end of the touring motorcycle market. Those looking for a BMW R 1250 RT used will find examples from the 2020 and 2021 model years at more accessible prices, with often reasonable mileage given the typical owner profile: experienced globetrotter, more inclined to long stages than sporty outings. This motorcycle is not for beginners, its size and weight prohibit it, but it is designed for those who make the road their priority playground. The announced top speed of 201 km/h does not summarize its character, which prefers efficient cruising to showboating. It is precisely this that makes it, even today, the absolute reference in its category.