The BMW K1300R counts among most muscular of the moment but made the difference by a technological arsenal except standard: anti-skid with braking and acceleration, electronic adjustment of the suspensions, Shifter, Duo lever, etc what to assert a behavior and exceptional feelings, even if 66 ch. once miss with the call crossed the French border.
BMW K1300R: The complete test
When one speaks about arms race, one does not think necessarily roadster. But time changes, very accelerates! One cannot be any more unaware of the naked motorcycles and the Kawasaki Z 1000, Triumph Speed Triple, Honda CB1000R or colleagues… and above all.
With this evolution of BMW K1200R, the German giant leaves to the conquest new customers by multiplying the smart arguments and shocks: 173 free horses (except in France, 106 ch.), an innovating pack of assistance to piloting and, from now on, a come shifter right of the track. When BMW K1300R makes because the powder, Suzuki 1300 B-King has only with good to be held!
Summit of technology
It is not far time or BMW K1200R, with 163 horses, was the most powerful roadster of the market. But, not more than its muscular line, its performances of high flight were not enough to forge an image near the general public to him.
With which it faults? Tradition GT, too serious image, high price, network with the “top-of-the-range” image step close enough to the “average” motorcyclist? Neither without disavowing the assets nor to sell off its products, the firm with the propeller has put coal today in its oven (excuse the ecologically incorrect term) to catch up with wasted time and to go to drive out on others grounds for already several years.
In its commando of innovations 2009, BMW K1300R asserts a new top of technology; it is what it announces to us (still) handlebar in hand and (always) to pay with the top of the average.
Return to the concessionary resident of Toulon where we had taken possession of K 1300 WP recently tested on bikescatalog. Two specimens of BMW K1300R, sent by the factory three months before marketing, expect us there.
The control units which abound in buttons not yet identified (see “to retain: Well thought equipment”), numeric keypad displaying the data of a rich computer of edge and my hands which are heated already: all indicates to me that the motorcycle which invites me on its board is “full equipped” with the options catalog:
ABS, DRC, ESA II, do not throw any more! Even the Duo lever fork, the strongly inclined engine and the monograms accommodating the hub of a rim to the worked design make strong impression.
First the ASC, understand the anti-skid one, intervenes with discretion.
Whereas the motorcycle remains perfectly online, the 4-cylinders try, has come from almost, to tear me off the hands of the handlebar.
Appointment counts: 14 daN.m of couple, that causes! Even amputated by the 66 horses of the free version, mechanics under the influence of (scandalous) the French regulation preserved a beautiful strength.
The city does not displease with BMW K1300R, even if it is its because of his high weight (243 kg with the full ones), of his important direction and turning radius seeming braked at low speed, one prefers a nimble scooter or an average roadster to him, since it is necessary to leave one ego on side, certainly… As on the GT, the installation of a bearing on the stem of selector of gear box softens the order.
And since it is not very probable that a misfortune arrives to me (I touch the head of the chief), I dare to turn the gas handle into large without waiting until the pneumatic tires go up in temperature. Often criticized by the owners of 1200 (see our Maxitest), the hesitations of the injection, chaotic with low modes, are nothing any more but one bad memory. BMW rectified the shooting; its BMW K1300R makes velvet leg as of 1500 tr/min.
Magic of the shifter
In these rainy weathers, ABS will benefit the user, a serious asset on the slippery pavements. It is however, on road that the large roadster really opens out. With mid–gas or the opened large handle, the shifter cut injection a microsecond, time that the higher report engages.
Magic, I tell you. After having tested it, it is impossible to imagine that this technology, exit of its context petard, does not make school so much it takes part in the comfort of use. We take it along to good rhythm in of the department of back-country. With an appreciably rocked position, footrests moved back and re-installed not to limit the ground clearance, where environment are rather sporting.
The large engine gives the tempo. Impressing by its presence, it makes it possible to roll up without having too much to resort to the box and redoubles intensity starting from 5000 tr/min by distilling a spellbinding music. The arrival of the shifter in option brings a little magic. It is initially necessary to integrate its handling, to forget the use of the clutch to assemble speeds of a simple flick of the foot and to endeavor not to return the hand more.
Sex appeal
When the engine addresses you the 9,000 tr/min, acceleration remains vigorous and the blast pressure hardly deviated (for lack of careenage) lets predict a prohibited speed whatever the committed report.
With the increase in cubic capacity, the valve placed in the exhaust reinforced the sex appeal, Teutonic roadster which benefits from its extremely low center of gravity to completely make forget its weight and to appreciate only its directional stability.
Reinforcing a proverbial stability, the frontal arm lengthened this year confers the same geometry to him as that of K1300S, motorcycle with which BMW K1300R also shares its solid tallies out of aluminum.
Guided by this fork as original as exceptional (since it dissociates the damping of the direction), the motorcycle slips on the bitumen without being concerned with its state. Its suspensions guarantee a constant plate to him, ignoring the marked phenomena of diving to braking and UN ballasting to acceleration.
Shouldered by ABS and its integral braking which distributes the pressure with the lever on the two wheels, this BMW dominates this subject. The feeling with the known as lever is well a little firm, but the optimum effectiveness of deceleration.
Question comfort, the roadster remains in the same line: Germanic! Although one can regulate the suspensions (even while rolling!) thanks to the ESA II of second generation (in option), the unusual absence “of pump effect” reinforces an impression of firmness that the comfort of the new saddle does not contradict, of which only the back part was stuffed. Icing on the cake, the vibrations felt in the handlebar of BMW K1200R are not almost perceptible any more.
For modern man
Lets it imagines its figure, and since it is necessary in passing for a macho, I affirm it to you: BMW K1300R is a motorcycle of man. Not because it is virile to control, but because of the absence of protection (the optional jump-wind cannot make illusion), of the virile omnipresence of its 4-cylinders and its mouth without equal. Optimized, offering security level without equal (and more still if you retain its many options), BMW K1300R is a motorcycle of modern, ripe and considered man.
It is also a typical creature which not only points out to you down town, but also a partner attaching and benevolent on the road; in short, a rare motorcycle which claims in against part of the unquestionable means, 14,220 €, to ensure you of his fidelity. There is nothing without anything.
