BMW’s iconic GS marque has spent 35 years perfecting the combination of touring and off-road capability, and the latest liquid-cooled R 1200 GS is arguably the best one yet. For 2017, BMW has announced some significant updates to its R 1200 GS, with an eye on the many ways its customers use the bike.
Read our Snapshot Comparo of the BMW R 1200 GS & KTM 1290 Super Adventure.
Overall changes include Euro 4 certification, with unchanged output and power figures. The optional Riding Modes Pro package adds Dynamic, Dynamic Pro, Enduro and Enduro Pro ride modes, Dynamic Traction Control (lean-angle sensitive traction control), Hill Start Control for easy hill starts, and ABS Pro (cornering ABS). Dynamic ESA “Next Generation,” BMW’s latest Electronic Suspension package, is also a factory option. It not only provides continuous, real-time damping adjustments, but also performs automatic self-leveling to account for load variations.
Read our Adventure Shootout of the BMW R 1200 GSA, KTM 1190 Adventure & Yamaha Super Tenere.
The big GS also got a bit of a facelift, with “revised ergonomics in the knee area” to be more comfortable when standing on the pegs in off-road situations, and small touches here and there such as new winglets, trim pieces and metal radiator shrouds.
It’s safe to say that plenty of R 1200 GS owners never take their bike off-road…but at the same time, there are lots of riders who outfit theirs with full crash protection and go on multi-day off-road adventures. To address the uniquely dual nature of the R 1200 GS, for 2017, BMW will offer two style packages: the Rallye and the Exclusive.
The Rallye package, as the name suggests, is designed for the aggressive off-road rider. It features increased spring rate (“harder suspension”), with longer spring struts and extended travel for the rigors of hard riding. Rather than the standard two-piece seat, it has a one-piece flat Rallye seat, a short windshield, radiator and frame guards, wide enduro footpegs, cross-spoke wheels and optional knobby dual-sport tires. It also comes in a special Rallye livery, with Lupine Blue metallic paint, BMW Motorsport coloring on the tank, black drivetrain and Cordoba Blue frame.
The Exclusive package, on the other hand, is aimed squarely at the touring GS rider, with a comfortable two-piece seat, a splash guard on the front fender, and sophisticated livery with Iced Chocolate metallic paint, Monolith metallic matt gas tank side panels, Agate Grey metallic matt frame, black drivetrain and gold-finished brake calipers.
US pricing and availability have not yet been released.
