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Review: BMW R 1250 GS (Baujahr 2019)

A ship will come

24.04.2019

This is a problem: if you have the absolute bestseller for Germany in the program, you can't win much anymore. It just can't be better than no.1. What have the BMW engineers improved on the R 1250 GS compared to their predecessor 1200 GS, and where have they retained the tried and tested? Ring free for testing the new BMW flagship.

Thicker than she looks

If you want to turn a lap around the new BMW, you don't have to walk far in absolute terms, but you still have to go further than other motorcycles. It's a real trum of what BMW has put in place. A compliment to the designers, because of their abundance is not only little recognizable in photos, but also when one stands physically in front of her. It is only at second glance that you can see the tricks BMW has worked with. Example Tank: Various edges, materials and colors conceal extremely skilfully that this component is very voluminous, much larger even larger than the 20 liters of content suggest.
At the same time, one is intimidated by the importance of this krade. Tataaaaa! Germany's most popular motorcycle model from the most popular manufacturer (rated by sales figures) is ahead of us. Aren't we all a bit GS? This perfection in the detail of the motorcycle, this certainty that BMW would never be caught on things like peeling stickers, poor paint quality or other workmanship defects - that's what has been what has been the GS for years.
So, now long enough. Germany is more colourful than expected, and that is good, as always. To be clear: In Germany, a total of 108,300 motorcycles over 125 cc were sold in 2018, of which 7,304 were from the predecessor 1200 GS. This corresponds to a market share of the GS alone of 6.7 percent and with a large lead in first place.
Sun.
Congratulations.
On the other hand, however, the clarity of the figures could also mean that 93.3 percent of all Germans, and thus the absolute majority in the state, do not want or can buy BMW GS (our test bike costs more than 20,000 euros....). In this respect: stay relaxed.

Now Let's Go Here

Let's take a quick look at how we work: we have the strict principle of four. Four eyes look at each test, four buttocks have owned at least every test bike and four brain halves have thought about it. And this in a changing formation (see videos) so that no darlings sneak in here.
When Dietmar selected me as a partner for the GS test, I was surprised at first, because I am definitely not the GS type. Dietmar already. I'm definitely not the boxer type. Dietmar already. I like analog instruments and have made it my life's mission to never read a manual. Dietmar likes to test besides motorcycles and detailed the latest mobile phone types.
As it turned out, this was the ideal composition to be able to illuminate the motorcycle from all sides and to come to a conclusion. It is helpful that we quickly agreed on the main evaluations, which makes the test part of this text short. In a nutshell: The BMW is a great motorcycle. The chassis, for example (electronically adjustable with our tester) is the ideal compromise between long-distance comfort and sufficient handiness. BMW obviously has a secret magic potion, which they fill in the chassis: Once on the road, the GS, which is not exactly lightweight at 250 kilograms, seems to be shrinking in all dimensions: hands-on and precise progress.

The engine: a force

Or the engine: The new version convinces with shift cam technology, in which the camshaft allows variable valve opening times depending on the speed. Result: Enormous pressure at the bottom, up around unrestricted rotational willingness. The 136 hp engine almost seemed stronger in every situation than that of my former 1200 Ducati Multistrada with 150 hp. A small note from Dietmar and me: The BMW's optional and chargeable Akrapovic system is a great way to do without. It doesn't sound good, nor does the sound match the boxer. Puh, at least this one found for rummeckern.
The gearbox: smooth and precise, that's how it should be. Hard for traditionalists: The unmistakable "Kalong" noise when inserting the first gear is gone.

One motorcycle, two opinions

And now, with so much light and so little shadow? Buy or not? Dietmar says it's too expensive for him (@Dietmar: Now among us, you won't have two years, at the latest then you've used it). ;) Otherwise, he is enthusiastic about what you can be, for all his objectivity. In any case, the recent revision would be reason enough to pay for the old model.
Of course, I see it differently. The price is an argument at first glance, and BMW is struggling, especially with the extras. But the competition from Ducati or KTM is not much cheaper, so again this does not attract. First of all, it is too big for me, with my slightly short legs I don't even come up reasonably. Apart from that, the GS is just too perfect for me. I like it when my moped has to work, when I actively lead it and always come back a bit strenuous.
If someone told me that I had overlooked the fact that the BMW would have been driving autonomously all the time during the test - I would believe that.

Our thanks to Bergmann and Söhne for the loan of the BMW.

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