2025-on BMW R1300RS review: More sporting than touring

The new RS has the same steel plate frame and ally subframe as the naked R1300R – and, like the R, has conventional USD forks (instead of the R1300GS’ Telelever) with a revised Paralever shaft at the back. Suspension options include a stiffer ‘Sports’ shock on the RS Performance model, but the Triple Black comes with top-spec semi-active, with constantly variable damping (customisable between modes) and new ‘adaptive spring rate’ forks.

The upshot is a better compromise between contrary roles of ride quality and handling control – the RS glides with uncanny bump absorption even more successfully than the old R1250RS, smoothing and smothering even the deepest potholes and speed humps. And yet as soon as the pace increases, the RS is tight and controlled, front end sticking with limpet tenacity deep on the brakes.

BMW’s £870 optional ASA – Automated Shift Assistant – turns the RS into a giant clutchless twist-and-go with a pair of servos activating clutch and gears automatically based on factory algorithms and rider mode. Or in manual mode, the rider changes gear by foot as normal (the lever is just a switch) – but still without a clutch (there’s no lever). The bike automatically disengages the clutch at a standstill, so it’s impossible to stall.

Auto mode is smooth, and shifting happens more or less when you want, depending on how hard you’re riding – but it’s rarely exactly when you want, and, as you have the choice, manual mode is mostly preferable. ASA’s low-speed clutch management is impressively transparent, handling the transition between standstill and very low speed crawling with good manners, but still needs a touch of rear brake for ultimate finesse.

Added complication arrives when you want to push the RS around with the engine off – the parking function means you need ignition on, then press down on the gear lever and hold the front brake at the same time to engage neutral. It’s a faff. And if, like me, you have a habit of stepping down on the gear lever while waiting to pull away, that’s why the RS keeps going into neutral at traffic lights!

The seat is flatter and thinner and although BMW claims seat height is 5mm lower, the bit the rider sits on is higher than the 1250. The 1300’s two-way manually adjusted screen is also lower, so overall it’s more sports than a tourer. The 1300 RS doesn’t steer quicker than the 1250; a 190/55 rear (1250 is 180/55) and longer trail maintain stability, but the sportier riding position and front-biased weight balance give the new RS a more committed default riding mode.

There’s no mistaking the 1300cc motor’s enormity of grunt. It fires up without the rocking lilt of old, settling into a smooth, low burble – but nail the linear throttle and the RS utterly eviscerates distance in a barrage of pulsating torque, racking up very big speedo numbers in very short order. 70mph arrives at a lazy 3600rpm in top – gearing is slightly longer than the naked R1300R – leaving lots of room for naughtiness to the 9000rpm redline.

The engine is always densely packed with energy, whether wafting about or squeezed a bit harder. It’s an impressively muscular, yet deeply civilised, unit – and suits a dual role of sports and touring perfectly.

The fuel tank suits touring less perfectly; at 17 litres it’s smaller than the R1250RS’s, but BMW says improved fuel economy compensates. We measure 43mpg for a 160-mile tank range; steadier riding could eke nearer to 200 miles, but matching BMW’s claimed 58mpg takes superhuman self-control.

Being new to the market, it is hard to comment on the overall reliability of the R1300RS, however, knowing it shares the same platform as the GS and RT can give us some insight into any potential items to look out for.

The R1300RS is stacked with electrical components and clever electronics, particularly if the first owner has loaded the bike with extras. There is potentially a lot to go wrong, issues are rare, but that said, some owners have reported problems with the R1300RS's sibling, the R1300GS's right-hand switchgear (mainly water ingress related). It’s worth taking your time when viewing a new R1300RS, familiarising yourself with the new tech and options, not only to make sure you get the best from your new purchase but also to ensure that ALL electrical systems work as they should.

You can read the owners reviews for the previous iteration, the BMW R1250RS, to get an idea of how modern BMW ownership is. Rated at 4.5/5 stars, it's clear the this formula is a winner, we'd expect the R1300RS to continue with the same positivity.

Our bike is the SE ASA Triple Black model with Comfort (heated grips and seat) and Dynamic (semi-active suspension, extra rider modes) packs as standard, costing £17,445. But with extras such as the Touring pack (pannier brackets, but no panniers) plus items such as an Akrapovic can and raised clip-ons, the total price is a salty £20,785.

At that price point, it is one of the more expensive bikes in the sports-tourer category; the Kawasaki Ninja 1100SX, a perennial MCN favorite, is £13,999, and Yamaha's all-singing and dancing Tracer GT+ is £17,004.

For the first time, the RS has optional radar-assisted cruise – set your max speed and it’ll auto-accelerate and decelerate in motorway traffic (don’t snooze; still have to ride it). BMW’s collision avoidance system flashes a dash warning and applies brakes if it detects a slower or stationary vehicle approaching (depending on bike and rider status). But it’s prone to overreact when filtering with, er, ‘aplomb’. Or just turn it off and pay attention.

BMW’s ASA automatic transmission is included with the Dynamic package – servos handle clutch and gearchanges based on algorithms of bike status and rider behaviour. There’s no clutch lever, and the gear lever is an electronic switch. In Auto, the bike is twist ’n’ go – click the RS into first gear and open the throttle. Changes are smooth and happen roughly when you want.

But it’s still an approximation, not your choice. The manual is better, using the gear lever to pop up and down the box. The RS cannot stall in either mode, and low-speed auto clutch management is excellent, but full-lock U-turns and snail pace crawling still need brakes to manage smoothly. I don’t see the point – you wouldn’t automate a guitar solo, so why automate riding? But if you must, BMW’s system is closest to the joy of tap-dancing on a gearbox.

As for other sports-tourer requirements, panniers do not come as standard on the R1300RS, which, in our opinion, should be on a bike calling itself a sports tourer.