BMW K1300R, K1300S and K1300GT test: three Ks apart

Even in the south of France, the month of December can have difficult driving conditions. And that’s good, when it comes time to try the three new BMW K 1300s: a roadster, a sports car and a roadster that are not afraid of anything. !

Clamping by mechanical stop

A characteristic common to the three French K 1300s since "the clamping passes through a mechanical stop, which explains this limited rotation", reveals Patrick Lucas.

The performance of the R remains faithful to its look of thick brute, but it is more docile than its ancestor: the vibrations felt on the R Sport – which will not be declined in 1300 – and the excessive bite of the braking – assisted on the 1200 – have disappeared (read our).

Significant improvements from which the S and the GT – technically very similar – also benefit. On the other hand, the clutch lever remains hard and tiring in the long run … Traffic jams are expected to be physical !

Still in the flow of traffic, new K users will congratulate BMW on ditching its "intuitive" turn signal system: "I turn left, I press left, I turn right, I press right"."A system that has especially annoyed journalists but has never been criticized by our customers", emphasizes Patrick Lucas !

Thus, the Bavarian manufacturer equips its K 1300 – and will eventually equip all its motorcycles – with the conventional left-hand commodo. Good news for new customers … and the press! It remains to convince the pure and hard behemists…

Unlike the S, the R does not come standard with the 6-inch "sport" rear rim and its 190mm tire. So original, the 180 mm rear tire will increase the feeling of agility felt on the R.

Only limit on this subject, the K 1300 R does not give the impression of having the front axle "under the kidneys" as it may be the case on its Japanese or Italian competitors … A simple matter of taste, in truth.

The R – like the S and the GT – forgives its rider a lot, especially in curves, where you can take the front brake or give it a boost without seeing the bike leave its original path. A treat on small roads, even completely unknown to the pilot !

Matthieu BRETILLE – Photos Alberto MARTINEZ

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