R1250RS - 2023 MODEL - FIRST RIDE REVIEW 

We have so many animals jumping out in front of us in the states your lack of sufficient shoulders makes me nervous. I love my new RS, and watching these UK RS reviews never gets old. Thanks!

Excellent review, I have a 2019 R1250RS, as you highlighted essentially the same bike, with a few slight modifications. The quick shifter if operated correctly is very smooth from 2nd to 6th up and down. The screen height also has adjustment by switching between the mounting screws which is about 25mm difference. I find it a very comfortable bike for long rides, and the headlights are superb so night riding is a pleasure. The TFT is excellent, the connectivity works once your phone is paired giving media and ride history onto the ‘connected’ app. Overall it is an expensive bike but in my view well worth it. Thanks

Couldn't ask for a more comprehensive review, Just picked it up, Triple Black, thanks! ✌

That Akrapovic sounds great at idle…I really need to switch out my R1250R’s stock chrome muffler out for one.

They could do with repositioning the din socket and the sat nav mount, so you can still see it when you fit a large tank bag. I've had the GS and the R, I'm thinking of getting one of these, or the 1300, next year.

Good review, I’ve had three GSs but now ride a lovely Multistrada V2S, I assure you the Ducati gearbox makes you realise how bad the BMW gearbox performs. The RS would suit most riders who never go off road than a GS, and it’s so much better looking once you get rid of the stock exhaust.

My local BMW. I had the 1200 version and liked it, but moved the satnav cradle up.

It’s more of an update on the 1200 than really moving things on. Some may actually prefer the 1200 as I for one am not a fan of tft screens. Yes you can set them up to show just what is needed but they also put all eggs in one basket. Give me an analogue speedo and a nice clear lcd screen any day. Engine on 1250 is great but must admit I don’t find it night and day better than the 1200 which is already a well sorted and potent lump. The one area where real improvements to me were made as the most important improvements were the more sophisticated dynamic esa. Earlier semi auto esa was ok but damping rates won’t be spot on for everyone. Great, highly under rated bikes.

My 1250 GS is in for a service shortly and after the 1250 and 2 1200GS' I quite fancy a change. I did test ride an RS in 2020 and at the time (it was January so not the best time to try a new bike) I went for another GS as the reach to the bars was a tad too far as I'm a shorty plus the rear view and blindspot was worse because of the reach but I think I'll try another test ride as I could always put some risers on it and at 19.5k another GS TE TB isn't on the cards as my TE Exclusive only done just over 3k miles so it's hard to justify getting another GS on cost basis due to the low miles and showroom condition of mine, but the RS SE is quite a bit cheaper if I don't add the comfort pack (keyless, Heated grips and TPS) the 1250 R just doesn't do it for me as I hate the look of the headlight and instrument cowling as it just doesn't match in with the rest of the bike IMO...hmmmmm I need to book that RS test ride.....

At last, after binning the Lupin Blue option on the 1200 RS which I really liked they've given is a decent colour option, rather than the non discript choices they've stuck with for years which IMO were completely underwhelming. As is typical with demo models that's had the comfort pack, stainless belly pan and ridiculously expensive Akro silencer added to it which in total whacks up the price from sub 16k for the SE by more than 2k😢. The RS SE is "relatively" good value compared to the GS TE which is now circa 19.5k for the triple black colour scheme (like the RS the standard option is rather meh!) It now has the option of the tubular sports bars off the R too now if like me you find the clip ons put too much weight on your wrists. A cracking bike, which the test ride I had recently confirmed. It's not much more than the equivalent R model and to me with the extra wind protection is more versatile and prettier (relatively speaking of course😂)

One point if I may; the calipers were NOT changed back to Brembo due to customer feedback regardless of what BMW inform you of. They were changed due to quality issues with the Hayes (not Haynes! 😉) calipers across all their bike range. The Hayes calipers were two piece in construction (as opposed to the ‘monoblock’ singular nature of the Brembo) and many units regularly leaked at the two halves interface, leading to obvious leaking brake fluid issues. A cost-cutting exercise originally that backfired for BMW. For reference, my 2021MY GSA (now thankfully gone) had many QC issues that I would certainly not expect a near £23k motorcycle to have.

How would you describe the seating position compared to the 1250R

yaknow these reviews r more n more all about the tech. as to the bike.. theyre great is about all. first 10mins of the ride is "Distracted driving" while fiddling with all the wheels buttons an gizmos! how is this any different from cars on their phones or diddling around with their ever larger an larger screens in them??!!. I have several old cars/bikes, some with the tech 10+ years old. but they sit out. theyre not un-cared for or rusty, theyre all up to spec, u can drive em across town or state, they just dont get used much. theyre not flat tires, in the yard abandoned and covered in dust-dirt. anyways they all have various numbers of idiot lights on.. on the dash. for systems that still work just fine. u can fiddle with them, on an off, get them to go away but some u cant. some will come back on in a few seconds, minutes, or next time u start it. Note: check engine light is not one of them, they run perfectly fine, as engines are all cared for maintenance wise. but all the abs, esp, an others i dont even know what they stand for have all gone whack from the environment. and there have been several articles about ktm in particular., and others, having whacky problems, these tft's going whacko getting water in them, or going on an off completely while your driving along. Ive known a long time, electronics are fragile things. they warranty them - for some time- because they have to, but talk to an expert, and complicated small boxs packed full of many small wires to many systems they monitor or work are fragile. give em a few years, an whataya got?. like me... frustration. bewilderment. I care for my things, an they just plllllllllttttt. an warrantys long gone. I was even going to invest alot I figured becos its electronic gremlins in a beloved ol jeep called the dealer what year, nope we dont touch 10+ year old vehicles. goodbye. so hows that?. whats was so bad about the ol dual clocks run off a cable. worked forever. the one single parameters of each abs and tc both have were detrimental to my riding. not saving me, but causing me more danger. abs releases the brakes if both wheels arent spinning the exact same speed. tc cuts the throttle if u whiskey it to get away before an incoming car hits u. there are times when u need to, its an emergency input, not hotrodding an fooling around an it thinks to neuter it!. but I come from kick starting an no rider modes. back then it was rider mood rather then rider mode to how I drove it. an thats the point. I'LL do the driving thanks. because what that taught me was throttle modulation, brake lever modulation. body movement to throttle brake all at once to do what i wanted to.., or needed to do. and if they think these systems will save them, theyll drive carelessly. and slam on the brakes. I see that here alot. every time these squids pull out an while still turning leaning barely feet up and they hammer that throttle- Its TC saving they domazz. I know well not to do that on my ol z1000 with no nannys. none. heall, it aint even got a gear indicator. bike has no flashers. no sos button lol. no rider modes. nothing. knowing what I know, I couldnt sell it to some yung gun without worrying Id be responsible for their wrekt. Id thought to have it crushed at the junkyard. remember airbags were killing kids at first, and they were lauded and lawed into every car immediately by our 'saviors of safety' from ourselves. this widget with a wire will do the thinking and make the decisions for u. u know not to bang electronics, ur Tv, ur Radio around, leave em outside, an just lookit all the systems run into that one lil box right in front of the bike taking all the vibration, sun, wind, dirt, an water. sheesh. and all the where the wires end somewhere on the bike- theyre also exposed to same. along with the wires themselves chafing rubbing vibrating stretched kinked. I dont want a car that drives itself or stops itself either. heall, I dont even like to use cruise control. I dont like quik shifters, theyre always shifting when I dont want them to. I dont need a slipper clutch, cant u learn how to release clutch an go? basic first 5mins of bike training??!!. pretty soon ull be sitting atop a electric bike thats drives itself, stops itself. remember the Ai opponents in video games stuck in a corner running full ahead, cant figure it out?. thats basically it. u want that doing the driving an an making the decisions to throttle an brakes?. then give me a button to turn them off, I dont.

Where you riding backwards on the duel carriage way as everything including an articulated lorry was overtaking you :)