BMW GS model launch (2024) First Ride Review
BMW leads the motorcycling industry in South Africa with the most new registrations across its many segments. They are now expanding that lead with three new models and their derivatives. We attended the local launch of these three new models.
Adventure Boss
BMW Motorrad has been in a commanding position within the South African motorcycle industry, garnering over 40% of the local market. Representing sport bikes, road bikes, touring, and classics, adventure machines make up over 22% of that figure, and now BMW is seeking to further entrench and expand that position with its updated range of adventure bikes.
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Although these bikes have already been on sale to customers since the beginning of the year, demand has far outstripped supply, and we have had to wait our turn for a media fleet to be assembled, finally allowing us to have a media launch. It was at this local launch that we were able to swing a leg over these much-anticipated motorcycles and put them to the test the way they are meant to be used.
We headed for the rolling hills and deep valleys of the lowveld to ride the R 1300 GS, F900, and F800 adventure offerings on various terrains, putting our skills to the test.
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R 1300 GS
On launch, we had the pleasure of testing three derivatives of the 1300. We had the base R 1300, 1300 Triple Black and the 1300 GS Trophy. Each of these machines had varying degrees of extra fitment in terms of added packages that ranged from Comfort, Dynamic and Touring packages, which equipped each machine with different features. The offroad biased machines were equipped with cross-spoke wheels and dynamic height adjustment, and heating packages were very welcome, while the road-going lot featured forged rims and sport suspension setups.
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F 900
There was a decent cross-section of 900 models, all with varying levels of equipment on offer. Once again, the offroad-biased machines had spoke wheels and dynamic ride features while the road machines were geared more toward the road with heating and passenger comfort packs. Some of the machines had the new Showa suspension and Brembo brake systems designed for harder offroad use, while the road-kitted bikes had Akrapovic exhaust systems installed.
F 800
The 800's may not have been the star of the show, so to speak, but made for the most engaging ride offroad. Easy to ride, agile and low to the ground, the F800 made for the better offroad ride but came up short on the longer road sections, struggling to keep pace with the bigger bikes and delivering a buzzing sensation to the hands after a long period in the saddle. It also had the least amount of extra fittings to choose from but this is more than likely to keep the cost down.
The Ride
Our launch route took place over two days across the stunning hills and valleys of Sabie and Hazyview and consisted of two routes: an 80km offroad route and an 80 km tar route. The fleet of motorcycles was divided into two groups, with two 1300 derivatives, two F900 derivatives, and two F800 derivatives in each group. The offroad route machines were equipped with offroad-biased tyres while the road bikes had sport tyres equipped.
We opted for the dirt route first and set out on the 1300 in Enduro Pro mode. Despite its size, the 1300 was incredibly well composed on the rock-strewn tracks. We switched over to an F 900 for the next section and found it was lighter and easier to throw around but comfort levels were not as great as the 1300. We finished off our dirt epic on the F 850, which may have been the lightest of the lot but actually tired us out faster than wrestling the larger bikes down the side of a mountain.
Day 2 got us up early before sunrise for a dark ride through Graskop to Gods Window to catch the sunrise. We then spent the rest of the day plying the twisty mountain roads of the area, once again swapping between the 1300, F 900 and F 850. The 1300 once again came out tops in terms of its out-and-out cruising ability, but the 900 and 850 were not far behind, just being short of that extra torque and features that make long rides that much more bearable.
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Models and Pricing
| R 1300 GS | R 262 000 |
| R 1300 GS Triple Black | R 327 500 |
| R 1300 GS Trophy | R 342 200 |
| F900 | R 242 900 |
| F900 Adventure | R 294 150 |
| F850 | R 228 700 |
* Base prices correct at time of publication. Pricing may vary depending on extra equipment included on motorcycle.
Verdict
BMW has done a fantatstic job on these new bikes. The 1300 is a complete evolution of the big adventure bike and is just so easy to ride in any conditions. The F900 and 800 are true dyed-in-the-wool adventure bikes that will easily live on the dirt as they will on tar. The only problem we foresee is BMW keeping up with demand and consumers picking the right specification for their chosen riding style and environments.
These bikes have so many options, and fitting the incorrect pack or option can make what would be a great bike insufficient for conditions, such as having the more road-biased version when you will be doing the majority of dirt track. We should be getting a comprehensive range to test within the next few weeks where we can take a deeper dive into these amazing machines.
