All Tests – 2013 R1200GS Test: BMW has no shortage of air! – The GS spirit is preserved

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2013 R1200GS test: BMW does not lack air !

All Tests - 2013 R1200GS Test: BMW has no shortage of air! - The GS spirit is preserved

Monster of balance and efficiency, the BMW R 1200 GS ruthlessly dominates the category of maxi-trail type motorcycles … And it is likely to last in 2013, because the very first air-cooled GS is more efficient and versatile than ever ! Test.

The GS spirit is preserved

Aesthetically, the new BMW R1200GS offers itself a welcome facelift: although the general line is unchanged, its sides have gained muscle thanks to the use of sharper-shaped fairings..

The front optic – always asymmetrical – is elegantly redesigned and can accommodate (optional) a daytime running light composed of four leds or a "full led" set (still optional) with integrated daytime running lights (read the last part of our Technical point). The stocky muffler, the beautifully crafted mirrors and the wider and angular "beak" than before also add a touch of modernity..

Hardly open to criticism on the previous model, the finish has nevertheless been the subject of even more care: the materials used exude quality and are assembled with Germanic rigor, while the electrical network is perfectly camouflaged. Nothing drags or sticks out on the new GS and it all adds up to a true premium feeling..

If you really want to cut your hair in four, it can possibly be criticized for certain "rough stripping" aspects such as the welds of the frame around the steering column or the surface treatment of the cylinders. But it is only to assure our readers – who, as everyone knows, are a little more fortunate than the others – that we have examined this new R 1200 GS 2013 in great detail. !

Handlebars in hand, the gaze naturally falls on the new half-analog, half-digital instrumentation taken from the K1600s. Readable in all circumstances and ultra-comprehensive (see the full list of information in the technical sheet on the last page), this on-board console intuitively reveals its multiple functions by pressing the "Info" button or the multi-button with your left hand. -optional controller.

Surprise: the "traditional" separate turn signal controls give way to a "Japanese" switch. The general ergonomics keep the same level of excellence as before: adjustable levers with the bubble whose height varies in a jiffy via a very practical dial, passing by the position "straight back-legs barely folded", it only takes a few minutes to feel comfortable.

This flattering observation continues when the bike is unbalanced: the 20-liter tank has been redesigned to reduce its width at the crotch and the rider seat is also narrower on its front part. Result: the legs are less apart and the arch is significantly reduced: -20 mm with the saddle in the low position (850 mm) and -30 mm in the high position (870 mm).

In practice, if the 2013 R1200GS remains a moderately accessible motorcycle for small motorcyclists because of its large saddle heights (the same as in 2012), the progress is nevertheless appreciable, both at a standstill, at low speed or standing. off-road. Well padded, the saddle is even a little more comfortable thanks to the greater support offered at the thighs.

In addition to height adjustment, this seat tilts more or less forward thanks to a removable wedge, while the comfortable passenger seat can be installed in two positions in the longitudinal axis, so as to increase or reduce the ‘gap with the driver. Smart! Likewise, the higher section handlebar (32mm vs. 28.5mm) swivels ten degrees, allowing the height of the handles to be varied by 20mm.

Always as wide, this handlebar offers a significant leverage for the benefit of maneuverability in small corners. This is one of the first good surprises of this test: despite a weight gain of about 9 kg (238 kg in running order) and 10 mm wider tires at the front (120 mm) and 20 mm at the rear (170 mm), the 2013 BMW R1200GS retains its incredible ability to twirl like a 125 cc !

The big BMW trail remains much easier to take at reduced speed than most of its competitors, thanks to the Boxer’s architecture which allows the center of gravity to "naturally" lower !

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