Right at the tail end of the pandemic, BMW Motorrad Philippines decided to overhaul its GS lineup starting with the biggest one: the R1300 GS introduced back in December 2023. But if you’re out on the road often enough and you’re familiar with these bikes, then you’ve probably also noticed that there still aren’t a lot of these 1300s on the road these days. Not even on the regular weekend breakfast rides.
It’s not just a matter of the R1250 GS setting the bar too high. We know there was just a darn good handful of those 1250s that popped up during the pandemic so they’ve become common sightings even outside of weekends. We’re calling a spade a spade here.
What gives? I have a theory, but we won’t get to that just yet. Instead, I’ll talk you through the R1300 GS, which I was recently able to take out for a proper spin. After you’ve read my thoughts about it in this review, we’ll get to my theory. That’s a promise.
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Styling
The R1250’s look had already reached iconic status, especially with the signature BMW headlights, so I think it was bold of Motorrad to shake up the design. I also think the designers got it right for this next generation.
The X-shaped headlight is easily becoming a new signature for the entire GS range, and it was only fitting that this top dog got the same treatment. It works well with the sleeker, sportier physique of the bike. It looks way less macho than before, but frankly, I don’t mind. The way the fairings flow seamlessly from the tank to the beak up front adds some elegance to the look.
Now, the unit I got had Option 719 parts installed. I’ve always been a fan of these accessories, and nothing’s changed after seeing them on the 1300.The brake-fluid cover, the gearshift and brake levers, the footpegs, and even the seat all add a just a bit of flair here and there, so overall it’s a nice touch. This trim also comes with an exclusive Aurelius Green metallic paint accentuated with gold, which is just gorgeous. Green is my favorite color, but I swear this is unbiased opinion. It really is.
The saddle
I had difficulty with the standard seat of the R1250 GS but had no issues with the R1250 GSA Trophy. With the low seat option (800mm or 31.49 inches), this R1300 GS sits right in the middle of those two in terms of ease of use. My 5’6” frame with my short inseams doesn’t exactly allow me to flat-foot it, but I can still straddle it easily enough that I’m okay riding it through heavy city traffic.
That said, I still wouldn’t recommend it. I made the mistake of getting this bike just as rush hour was starting, and riding back home through EDSA was a nightmare. It was tiring to have to keep bringing my foot down every few meters, not to mention the clutch lever was as stiff as any other BMW bike. The only consolation was that the Option 719 seat was plush and wide, so at the very least, my bum was comfortable.
Unfortunately for this one, I wasn’t able to test it out with a pillion rider. But by the looks of it, the pillion seat still looks as comfy as ever. The only ones who might have a problem with it are the shorter individuals who will find the bike too high to mount or the rear footpegs too far from the seat.
Engine performance
As you may have already deduced from the model names, the flagship GS got a bump in displacement from the last generation to this one. The air- and liquid-cooled boxer engine is now up to 1,300cc and now puts out 145hp at 7,750rpm and 149Nm of torque at 6,500rpm. Across the board, that’s 50cc, 12hp, and 4Nm more than the previous flat-twin.
The new R1300 GS does feel like it packs a bit more punch than before, and that’s because peak torque now comes in at 1,000rpm earlier. The old 1,250cc engine wasn’t lackluster by any means, so you might not be able to feel the differences, but they’re noticeable enough if you’ve tried both. I can say so, too, because I was also surprised the first time I hopped on the 1300.
This thing still feels like a sport bike on stilts, and it’s still one of the most powerful bikes out there. It’s still one of the thirstiest, unsurprisingly, with consumption at about 16km/L for combined city and highway riding.
Ride and handling
What I didn’t notice much here were the changes in ride comfort. It still feels as comfy as ever—the suspension just eats up everything in the bike’s path. You can still change the damping through the different ride modes, and you can also adjust the height thanks to the active suspension, but for the most part, ride comfort feels just as good as in the old 1250. Not that it’s a bad thing, but it’s just that BMW had already made a comfortable bike in that one, so perhaps there wasn’t really much room for improvement left.
As far as handling is concerned, it’s still one of the most nimble adventure bikes I’ve ever tried. Don’t be fooled by its size—once you get this bike going, it’s one of the easiest-to-handle motorcycles ever. It’ll flick around if you want it to, and it can bank on winding roads as far as you can go sideways without the boxer engine scraping. It also stops on a dime with its Brembo discs and BMW calipers. The R1250 GS had one of the best braking systems I’ve ever tried on a bike, and the same goes for the new R1300 GS.
But of course, its biggest strength is touring, and that’s where it’s seen (surprisingly) significant refinement. As if the old R1250 GS wasn’t touring-worthy enough, BMW Motorrad decided to improve the windshield even further. Not only has it become electronically controlled, but it also blocks off more wind than before. It has what I like to call these windshield extenders just below it, which protects the rider from even more wind directed towards the handlebars. It hasn’t sacrificed aerodynamics along the way, either, thanks to the new openings on the windshield, and that’s commendable.
I didn’t take the GS off-road simply because I can’t, but I did try riding it on rough terrain, and it’s just a breeze to do so. One thing I did notice is that while the large tank allowed me to grip the bike better when standing up, the center stand kept getting in the way of my left heel. You can adjust to avoid it, but it’s a potential hazard—imagine accidentally stepping on the center stand while riding at speed on a trail. If you plan to take this off road, just take out the center stand entirely.
Extra features
Hmm. Where to begin? There’s still as many toys here as before. Switchable ABS and traction control, adjustable damping, and the BMW phone cradle behind the aforementioned electronically adjustable windshield. It still has all the added features from the 1250 and then some, which is also why it feels like there’s too many to mention.
However, one of the biggest additions here is the new adaptive cruise control. It’s the same system as what we use in cars. Just toggle the cruise control switch to turn it on, and once it’s engaged, you can adjust the distance of the bike from the vehicle in front of you. Using standard cruise control for the first time in a motorcycle is weird enough, but it being adaptive makes it a whole lot weirder. Basically, the bike follows the set speed, and if there’s something in front of it moving slower than the set speed, it’ll adjust automatically and maintain a certain distance. It’ll speed up when it can and slow down when it needs to. Suffice to say, autonomous emergency braking also comes along with that cruise-control system. And to complete the safety suite, there’s also blind-spot monitoring, which is a huge bonus.
BMW Motorrad also added a special display on the infotainment system specifically for track riding. I’m guessing this has been programmed into this unit but for other bikes, so they didn’t bother taking it out when they fitted it onto the R1300 GS. It shows the revs and current speed but adds in what I assume is are meters to measure traction control intervention and braking pressure. There’s also a lean angle gauge that records the maximum lean for presumably that specific riding session. Clearly, it’s for a sport bike, but it’s here, and honestly, it just feels like a novelty piece.
What isn’t isn’t an unnecessary inclusion is the luggage system at the ready. This enables riders to get proprietary BMW top boxes and panniers and install them on their bikes, all of which can be locked and unlocked with a single key. Before I forget to mention, BMW also added the small pocket on top of the fuel tank which is enough for some cards or cash along with the key fob. This was something that used to be exclusive to the GS Adventure.
Verdict
Let’s circle back to my theory. Why aren’t as many people buying the R1300 GS like they did the R1250? It’s not that the bike isn’t good enough or it’s too expensive. Heck, if a lot of riders had enough money to buy the not-exactly-cheap R1250 GSA Trophy, then surely they can afford this R1300 GS Option 719, right? Right. But therein also lies the problem.
Most of the people who can afford a GS probably already have one in their garage. And they don’t have enough of an incentive either to get another or to upgrade. Because the R1250 is still a darn good bike, and if I were in their shoes, I probably wouldn’t bother changing it up, either. The improvements are nice and all, but if you’re upgrading, you’re not even trying to fix something that isn’t broken. It’s just sheer luxury at that point, and not a lot of people have it.
All that being said, if you aren’t a GS owner yet and you just want to finally get that ‘endgame’ bike, I’ll be the one to tell you that this is still everything people have made it out to be. If anything, even if it’s now more expensive at P1.855 million for this non-GSA spec, it still gives you just as much value for your money as before, if not more. If you look at it for what it is, it’s still an excellent bike, and it lives up to the GS nameplate.
SPECS: 2025 BMW R1300 GS Option 719 Tramuntana
Price: P1,855,000
Engine: 1,300cc air- and liquid-cooled flat-twin
Power: 145hp @ 7,7500rpm
Torque: 149 Nm @ 6,500rpm
Wet weight: 237kg
Seat height: 800mm (31.49 inches; adjustable to 890mm or 35.04 inches)
Fuel-tank capacity: 19 liters
Score: 9/10
More photos of the BMW R1300 GS Option 719 2025:
