Following on from the significant upgrades to the GS and its Adventure siblings, BMW have now launched new road-focused R 1300 models on the roads of Victoria, where Australian media were assembled to put a trio of bikes through their paces.
Offered in multiple variants across the R 1300 R, R 1300 RS and R 1300 RT, the launch spanned two days on some of the best roads in the country. To put this event into context the similarly boxer powered GS models represent 50 per cent of local sales.
Sharing that powerplant, and with similar outstanding performance characteristics, the R 1300 range is squarely targeted at those who don’t necessarily want an adventure bike. A little ironic too, that BMW sees its own S 1000 range as the biggest potential competitor.
As for the launch itself, after an early morning flight to Melbourne, we arrived at BMW HQ for a quick presentation on the new bikes. From there it was time to hit the road, with the stars of the show.
We nabbed ourselves an R 1300 RS Performance to kick off proceedings. This model held particular interest for yours truly, as it features the same sports touring capabilities as the S 1000 XR, a bike we are massive fans of.
There are four model variants in the R 1300 RS family with the entry model priced from $23,090 ride away. The Triple Black, Performance and Option 719 make up the rest of the range, with the latter topping out at $34,190 ride away.
Each variant features increased inclusions, with the Performance offering scoring sport suspension, a snazzy gold front fork and a higher seating position. At the launch event, all except the base RS came with automatic shift assistant.
It’s a setup we’d previously tested on the GS Adventure, and for those unfamiliar with the concept, there’s no clutch. Instead, there’s a button on the handlebar that lets you switch between full auto mode (D) or manual (M), which lets you select gears with a quick shifter.
On the road, it just makes sense. As we headed for our first destination for a mid morning coffee and what was meant to be a bike swap at historic Gembrook (we managed to keep ours ahead of some more enthusiastic riding).
At the same time, we started to become familiar with the bike. A lot of features, like the brilliant 6.5-inch TFT display, carry over from other BMW offerings. Back on the road, we hit some nice twisty backroads on our way to the Launching Place Hotel for lunch.
It was a nice contrast to the urban crawl we experienced exiting the Melbourne CBD. Switching to Dynamic Pro (ride mode), the torque on offer from the 1300 Boxer engine, which produces 107kW and 149Nm, was immediately evident.
Acceleration is instantaneous and although the motor doesn’t possess quiet as titillating or extravagant a soundtrack as it’s inline four siblings, it certainly gets up and boogies in the low to mid range.
We finished our morning ride feeling pretty positive about the R 1300 RS. It was time for a change though, and we jumped over to the touring beast that is the R 1300 RT. Much like a good burger, this is a bike with the lot.
Every conceivable touring feature you could want is pretty much on this model. It shares its boxer engine platform with the other 1300 models in the range, it just does it with a focus on comfort.
The R 1300 RT comes in four model variants starting with the base which is priced from $39,990 ride away, and there is also a Triple Black, Impulse and Option 719 (which we scored ourselves for the next session), which is priced from $44,990 ride away.
Electric and heated everything, and a pumping stereo kept us happily distracted with a plethora of features to play with, as we made our way towards the Black Spur, an iconic stretch of road in Victoria.
There couldn’t be a better piece of road to test the handling characteristics of the big R 1300 RT. While it looks much larger than its RS sibling, at 281kg it’s just 36kg heavier. That extra weight is evident when driving out of corners, making this model feel less potent.
In saying that, the R 1300 RT is a pure tourer and does everything it should, exceptionally well. With tunes pumping, working the bike in and out of corners, we couldn’t help but ponder how good this bike would be eating up kilometres on big trips, two-up.
A quick check in at our hotel in Marysville and we weren’t done yet. We quickly swapped onto an Option 719 R 1300 R for some sensational riding and photo opportunities just outside town.
We can’t tell you the name of the road as we simply don’t know, nor did we really care, but what we can tell you is that it was a beautiful twisting piece of smooth tarmac, and that the pace was on.
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The R 1300 R is without doubt the sportiest and most aggressive bike in the range, and is pure street fighter. Like the other models, it’s available in four variants, the base priced from $22,200 ride away.
Other choices include the Exclusive, Performance and Option 719. Each model scores different specification to meet riders wants and budgets. On the road, we clicked our way through the ASA quick shifter as powered up and down the mountain.
It was pure joy, with seamless, faultless gearshifts, and the undeniable punch of torque provided by the boxer power plant making for an outstanding ride. From there, we retired to our digs to reflect on our day’s riding.
There was plenty of chat among fellow scribes on the comparison to the S 1000 models, and which was the better option. The next morning brought with it perfect riding conditions, and after a quick fuel stop it was time to go again.
We headed out onto more great Victorian country roads, including a return to Black Spur, before making our way back to BMW HQ. We started on a Triple Black variant of the R 1300 RT and switch between that, the Option 719 R 1300 RS and Performance R 1300 R.
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The difference in seating position on the Option 719 and Triple Black variants, particularly on the R 1300 RT is a much better design for touring than the Performance offering. It’s more complicated to fit a hard pannier and top box to the latter too.
If we were in the market, we would be heading for one of the two aforementioned variants in this model, as we see it as very capable sports tourer. The same scenario exists with the R 1300 R, although long distance comfort may not be such a key factor.
The Option 719 had us sitting in the bike (rather than on it) a lot more, just like the RS, however the Performance’s more sporty seating position and suspension setup allows you to happily throw the bike at corners with anger.
As we arrived back at our final stop, we must admit doing a three model launch had our heads were spinning a little. Each has its own soul and is designed to appeal to a different customer.
The R 1300 RS in Option 719 and Triple Black resonated with us the most, and we will be looking to do a more in depth reviews of these new 2026 models in the coming months. The RT and R will definitely have loads of fans too, the decision is simply which bike.
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There is no right answer in the conundrum of R 1300 R or S 1000 R, R 1300 RS or S 1000 XR. It’s top end performance versus Boxer torque. BMW has truly made getting yourself the right motorcycle a hard decision.
And if touring and sticking to the bitumen is your thing, the R 1300 RT, the one with all the fruit, is a must to test ride and have on your list. There’s an extensive range of luggage options to go with every model in the R 1300 range too.
To find out more about the R 1300 range, you can talk to your local dealership or visit each of the three dedicated web pages for the R 1300 R, R 1300 RS and R 1300 RT.
BWM Motorrad Australia provided our R 1300 RT, R 1300 RS and R 1300 R motorcycles as part of the Australian and New Zealand media launch. Images courtesy of Dean Walters.
