00:00BMW chose their new R1300R naked bike to debut their new variable spring rate suspension technology
00:07at its June 25 world launch in Germany. For a motorcycle's suspension to be truly hard or
00:13soft you'd have to change fork and shock springs, which is impossible to do when you're riding
00:18along. Electronic suspension systems get close to giving the same feel by slowing down the damping
00:24or adding preload, but it isn't quite the same. BMW's variable spring rate technology gives the
00:31same result as changing springs on the move, as well as electronically controlling damping and
00:36rear preload. It's clever stuff that works well and perhaps overkill on a humble roadster,
00:42but it could easily transform a sports tourer or superbike. Elsewhere, the BMW R1300R has evolved
00:49to be quicker, sharper handling, easier to ride and better equipped than ever.
00:54The riding position is sportier without being uncomfortable and it's injected with the kind
00:59of burbling, wind-in-the-teeth charisma that's missing from some of its more polished rivals,
01:04which adds to its appeal.We've seen semi-active damping systems and automatic preload before,
01:10but the ability to change spring rate on the move is novel. Of course, you can't actually change the
01:16properties of a metal spring, but the BMW R1300RS system mimics the effect. At the rear is a normal
01:23shock, but its piggyback reservoir contains a second spring that combines to stiffen the spring rate
01:29when you switch to a sporty riding mode. It has self-leveling preload and semi-active damping, too.
01:36That system was first used in the R1300GS's telelever front end in 2024, but BMW's variable rate spring
01:44tech is new for telescopic forks and a first for a production motorcycle. As the R1300RS forks dive,
01:51oil is sent back up the right fork leg and pushed against the bottom of the fork spring via a piston.
01:58With the spring being squashed from both ends, it mimics a higher spring rate, BMW claim.
02:05The forks also have semi-active damping, but no preload adjustment. The net result is an R1300R
02:12that can be soft for normal road riding, or in the wet, which is apt today, and stiff for sportier
02:18endeavors, depending on the riding mode selected. It works, too. There's a marked difference between
02:24firm and plush in a way that's slowing down the damping, like all semi-active suspension systems,
02:30can't muster quite so effectively. There's more ground clearance when the rear spring stiffens and
02:36preload is automatically added, too. Whether you actually need sub-suspension tech on one of BMW's
02:42most left-field boxer twins is a moot point. For most of our rainy test ride, soft suspension is
02:49the only choice. But on the odd occasion we see dry roads the R1300R stiffens up nicely to carve
02:55serenely through corners. It could also work well on other models like the Race Rep S1000RR or Sports
03:02Touring S1000XR. MCN's online owner's reviews are impeccable glowing for the R1250R, but the R1300RS
03:11engine, chassis and electronics have more in common with the R1300GS. That machine has plenty of 5-star
03:19reviews for build quality and reliability, but some less than glowing comments on paint finishes
03:24and electronics glitches. Priced somewhere between a Japanese sports naked and a European super naked,
03:31the BMW R1300R is decent value for money, especially the SE version fitted with the optional comfort
03:38and dynamic packages. But the costs soon rise when you add more optional extras. The fully loaded test
03:45bike we rode at the R1300RS world launch, June 25, costs pound 18, 640. The base BMW R1300R comes with
03:55three riding modes, engine braking slash traction control, cornering ABS, keyless ignition slash fuel cap,
04:02LEDs, cruise control and a USB-C charger. Superb multifunction 6.5 inches dash was first seen on
04:10the 2019 R1250GS and it's graced most big beamers since doubt it's the R1300RS only form of wind
04:19protection. The variable sprung rate suspension is included in a dynamic package and standard on the
04:25R1300RSE model. From there, the sky is the limit for performance, touring and cosmetic accessories.
04:33The previous R1250R and R1200R were surprisingly fun to ride, even if they weren't the most obvious
04:40sports naked. It was a balanced, sharp stopping machine that was fun to ride and the new R1300R is
04:47more of the same. It's basically a naked R1300GS with the same steel shell chassis, but with sporty
04:55new nose-down bump-up styling and 1.4kg lighter wheels shod with Dunlop SportSmart 3 rubber that's
05:01less confidence-inspiring in the wet than dry. Adjustable handlebars are positioned lower and
05:06further forward than the old machines, but seat-to-peg distance is the same. Keeping the R1300R
05:13on the comfy side of sporty. Although the R1300R doesn't use the GS's telelever front and it keeps
05:19its parlever rear which prevents the bike from squatting too dramatically on takeoff,
05:24something early shaft drive BMWs suffered with. Shafts add weight, but unlike a chain never need
05:30to be adjusted. Using the same 143 brake horsepower, 1300 cubic centimeters shift cam engine as the GS,
05:39RS and R1300RT the R1300R goes like stink. Think of a very fast, big capacity sports naked and the
05:48usual suspects will pop into your head, but armed with the kind of power the twin-cylinder super-naked
05:54class of the noughties would have killed for, the BMW accelerates with venom in the lower gears.
06:01What makes the R1300R so appealing is you get all of this performance with a healthy dose of character
06:06thrown in for good measure. 2. Its boxer engine barks like a race motor, grunts like a cruiser and returns
06:13a claimed 59 miles per gallon. It pitches from side to side ever so slightly when you twist the
06:19throttle, while the shaft drive gently floats as you adjust your speed. Weighing 239 kilograms,
06:272 kilograms more than the GS, oddly, it won't trouble a super naked on track, but on the road
06:33it's quick and precise enough to keep up with anything but can be equally calm and involving
06:38when you want to cruise along and enjoy the scenery. It's the thinking person's sports naked.
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