When BMW launched its new R 1300 GS adventure bike last year, it was inevitable that it would be joined by an ‘Adventure’ spec variant sooner rather than later. The two versions have run in parallel in the BMW range for more than two decades, with sales split roughly equally between ‘Adventure’ and ‘standard’ models, and now the R 1300 GS Adventure continues this tradition.
The GS Adventure has always been about creating an even more capable machine for covering long distances and tackling rough terrain. The standard ingredients are spoked wheels, taller suspension and a larger fuel tank, and it’s a recipe followed by the new 1300, which was unveiled to fans at BMW’s Motorrad Days festival, held in the Bavarian resort of Garmisch-Partenkirchen this weekend.
Priced from £18,870, £2400 more than the standard R 1300 GS, the 2025 BMW R 1300 GS Adventure will also be the company’s first motorcycle available with the company’s Automated Shift Assistant (ASA) semi-automatic transmission feature. The system does away with a manually operated clutch but still gives the rider the option to change gear through the traditional foot operated lever, or to have the bike do all the shifting automatically.
As before, the Adventure is closely related to the standard model, with all the aforementioned modifications sitting front and centre. The changes, not least the switch from a 19 to 30 litre fuel tank, sees weight increase to 269kg and overall the GSA looks physically bigger and more rugged than the base version. This is, in no small part, to the new tank design, which is said to offer good weather protection thanks to its width, while a unique feature are the rubberised tank recesses which have been designed to hold ‘utensils’ while not riding – somewhere to put your supermarket meal deal when you park up! The new bodywork also includes an innovative matrix of LED lights, which should give fantastic visibility while riding at night.
While the Adventure has always been a popular choice with taller riders, the adoption of new technology, much of it as optional equipment, should make it more accessible to even more motorcyclists. The standard seat has two settings, 870mm being the lowest, but the adaptive vehicle height function can see the bike dropped by 30mm at standstill and, added to the ASA it has the makings of a machine which is easier to get on with than the numbers suggest.
BMW are offering the R 1300 GS Adventure in four base specification levels with different colour schemes; the standard red and silver bike joined by the blue GS Trophy, Triple Black and the dark green Option 719. The four base machines all have slightly different specs and price tags while, in typical BMW style, the ability to essentially build your own bike. The huge options list includes all kinds of luggage, crash protection and styling parts, as well as upgraded electronics, active cruise control and a host of touring parts including alternative saddles and screens.
Standard equipment includes electronic suspension, dubbed Dynamic Suspension Adjustment by BMW, and of course the latest iteration of the company’s iconic boxer twin engine. The design, all-new in the R 1300 GS, has been critically acclaimed and delivers 145bhp, making it the most powerful production twin in BMW’s history.
