BMW’s RT is the German brand’s dedicated boxer tourer and dates back even further than the GS. RT stands for Reise Tourer (the word reise translating from German as ‘travel’) and has been the definitive bike of its type since the first R 100 RT entered service in 1978.
With its big cosseting fairing, comfy seat and hard luggage options the RT has been a favourite with high mileage riders (including numerous police forces around the world) for almost five decades. That all means the ‘all-new’ 2025 version is a pretty big deal, even if dedicated tourers have been pushed to the fringes of mainstream motorcycles in recent years.
Called the R 1300 RT, it’s based on the same 1300cc engine and novel sheet steel ‘shell’ frame introduced on last year’s R 1300 GS. It is accompanied by an equally new R 1300 R roadster and the R 1300 RS sports-tourer. They all succeed the previous generation R 1250 models and give boxer fans a whole range of new models from which to choose.
There’s not been too much competition for the RT in recent years, with models like the Honda Pan European, Triumph Trophy and Yamaha FJR1300 all falling by the wayside, but that hasn’t stopped BMW from going to town with the latest iteration.
With extra performance, fresh styling, added comfort and improved equipment levels, it is sure to retain the RT’s place at the top of the tourer pile and has a touch more to offer over smaller and lighter competition, such as the Honda NT1100 and Yamaha Tracer 9 GT.
On looks alone it’s obvious the new RT is much more than ‘just’ the old 1250 with a 50cc bigger engine – although that in itself would have kept it on top.
Producing 145bhp, the 1300 delivers an additional 9bhp at the top end when compared to the model it replaces. The new motor adds an extra zip and fluidity to rev, while remaining tractable and characterful across the rev range.
There are two riding modes as standard (Rain and Street, with a third, Dynamic, available as an extra) while our test bike also came with BMW’s new clutch lever-less ‘ASA’ semi-automatic transmission which operates in either manual (just prod the gear lever) or fully auto modes.
The result transforms the RT into some kind of super-fast, super-sophisticated twist-and-go scooter, which effortlessly dispatches distance. Two-wheeled transportation has never been so brisk and effortless, nor engendered such a feeling of superiority.
Sure, that doesn’t quite all add up to ‘performance’ in the conventional superbike sense and, if your idea of speed is noisy drama, you’ll need to look elsewhere. But for near-silent, undemanding, slick, efficient, transport the RT is immensely impressive. Braking, meanwhile, thanks to BMW’s own beefy radial calipers, is super slick and powerful too.
Handling-wise, the new shell frame lowers the centre of gravity, uprated EVO Telelever (front) and EVO Paralever (rear) take care of the suspension (with, again, BMW’s super-slick Dynamic ESA available as an option) and the result is both a super-stable mile-eater and also a far better bend-swinger than you’d imagine, with a composed competence that impresses most.
BMW claim the new R 1300 RT is a little sportier than the old 1250 which is entirely possible, but difficult to sense without a side-by-side comparison. Front-end feel and precision is excellent; its willingness to swing and sway through bends belies its upright style and image, and there are no gremlins or quirks.
Sure, if you want extra sporting poise and engagement, you’d probably be better off with the sportier RS, but the RT still defies expectations and feels lighter (even though it’s not), more balanced, more dynamic and nimbler than the old 1250 without any compromise in stability and comfort.
The new 1300 RT’s riding position is about as regal, protected and effortless as motorcycles get. Don’t get me wrong: it’s no heavyweight Gold Wing or Electra Glide-style ‘full dresser’ with the lumbering, sometimes wallowy ‘sofa style’ that goes with them – the BM’s far too efficient for that.
Instead, there’s a broad but comfortable seat (with various options available) which cants you slightly forward to an upright bar position that’s completely natural and effortless – this may be a 1300cc, 281kg bike but it hides its bulk impressively and seems slimmer and lighter than most rivals.
The rider’s eye-view is dominated by the massive 10.25” TFT dash, flanked by stereo speakers and topped with the biggest and most efficient touring screen I’ve experienced. It is the new touring benchmark and, best of all, that screen is also electrically adjustable and, in the fully raised position, it is immense and allows you to ride visor up at the motorway speed limit with no complaint.
All told it’s probably the most comfortable and effortless touring bike I’ve ridden, although it is not quite perfect. After a day with six hours in the saddle, my bum still ached and its quirky manually adjustable side panels (which are claimed to alter airflow/cooling) seem gimmicky.
The police and emergency services have long loved RTs, which says plenty about its practicality (possibly to the detriment of its kerb appeal) and the new 1300 has more comfort (thanks to its improved screen and other details) and better luggage capacity, thanks to the Vario panniers, which can expand for increased storage space and come with interior lighting and a USB charging port.
As a boxer twin, it’s more manageable than a four or full-dresser six, and therefore a better day-to-day commuter. And with more power, improved suspension and a lower CofG (due to the new frame) it’s nimbler and dynamically engaging on a sporty Sunday ride.
The RT also now has more equipment options than ever. Whether that all makes it supremely practical is down to personal definitions and requirements plus, of course, unlike the hugely popular GS, the RT has no off-road pretensions. But as a high mileage, long-in-the-saddle road bike it’s hard to imagine anything better. It’s also more accessible for shorter riders, which is another feather in its cap.
When it comes to the price and equipment levels the question with the RT, as with many BMWs, should more be ‘How long is a piece of string?’ – for you can have pretty much anything you want, ranging from radar-assisted cruise control and proximity warners to heated grips and seats and semi-active suspension – but often you have to pay extra for it.
In standard form you get plain paint, 10.25” TFT dash, panniers, three modes, electric screen and some other spec which, for me, would be enough, but nobody buys that! On top of that, extra modes, ASA transmission, fancy paint, heated everything, audio system, chrome exhaust, comfort seats and more is available as extra cost options. But be warned, that lot (which you can play with on the online configurator at BMW’s website) quickly adds up.
There’s no getting away from the fact that the 1300 RT is a premium BMW with the prices to match. At the time of writing (July 2025) the new boxer tourer starts at an already sizeable £18,900 in the UK (€24,300 in Ireland) and that’s just the start.
The bike we tested had blue paint, which adds £1500; Dynamic Package (extra mode, quickshifter, ESA), £1450; Comfort Pack (auto centre stand, central locking etc) £880; aluminium tank £320; audio system £1225; auto gearbox £880 – the list goes on. Sure, some can be combined in cost-saving ‘packs’ but it still adds up to near £25k.
But you’re paying for the best bike of its type. The outgoing R 1250 RT was already by far the best tourer on the market and the new 1300 is better still by virtue of its extra dynamism (both from its engine and chassis), comfort and equipment.
If that’s what you’re after: job done. On the slight downside, there’s no denying that, despite its revamped looks, it hasn’t the appealing off-road image of the GS, a bike which also does much of what the RT does. But the 1300 RT is phenomenally capable and refined and, unquestionably, still, the best of breed.
Try one, you’ll be impressed. As all-round, quality, two-wheel transport it’s unmatched… if you don’t mind looking like a policeman!
2025 BMW R 1300 RT Specification
Price: From £18,900 (€24,300 in Ireland)
Engine: 1300cc boxer twin, DOHC, four valves per cylinder, air/liquid cooled
Power: 145bhp (107kW) @ 7750rpm
Torque: 149Nm @ 6500rpm
Transmission: Six-speed, shaft
Frame: Steel ‘shell’ type
Suspension: (F) BMW EVO Telelever (R) BMW EVO Paralever, optional ESA.
Wheels: Cast alloy, (F) 17 x 3.5in/ (R) 17 x 6in
Tyres: Bridgestone Battlax Sport Touring T32 (F) 120/70 x 17, (R) 190/55 x 17
Brakes: (F) 2 x 310mm discs, BMW four-piston radial calipers, (R) 285mm disc, BMW twin-piston caliper. Cornering ABS
Weight: 281kg (wet)
Wheelbase: 1,500mm
Seat height: 780-860mm
Fuel tank: 24 litres
Fuel consumption: 58mpg (claimed)
Service intervals: 6000 miles/12 months
Warranty: 36 months unlimited mileage
Contact: https://www.bmw-motorrad.co.uk
Words: Phil West
Photos: BMW/TooFastMedia
