Motorcycle specifications BMWR 1250 RS 2022 Jet-boat trip

The road can be intense, yet bathed in a certain voluptuousness. When you think sport, it's easy to fall into the category of bloodthirsty roadster or high-octane sports car. Mix a little of both with a dose of tourer, and the result is the R 1250 RS. A subtle evolution of the 1200 of the same name, eager to assert itself and offer an alternative. Often compared to the iconic Honda VFR, the Reise Sport is trapped in the versatility that makes it so appealing. It's time for a little more exposure.

But how? Not easy in a world where Sport-GTs have long since fallen out of favor, in a range where GSs, S 1000 RRs, R NineTs, RTs and K 1600s monopolize the limelight, in an era where joyful riding is rewarded with fines or suspended jail sentences.
It gets on your nerves... The RS feels it, to the point of frowning and rolling its eyes back into its sockets. Formerly symmetrical, wide open as if curious about the world, the RS's eyes have tapered with the 1250, insisting on their presence in a mandibular face.

The rest of the bodywork, shapes and wheels remain unchanged from the 1200. The fork head is THE main styling evolution on this machine. And inside too. BMW has got rid of the speedometer block, with its digital readouts that are not always easy to read. In its place comes the TFT "Connectivity" display, which is appreciable in many ways. Imprisoned in a 6.5-inch diagonal, the pixels energize the colors, the display and the pulse of the RS. Smartphone owners won't want to waste any time pairing their smartphone with the dashboard. Once paired, the thingy is tucked away in your pocket and off you go. Connectivity can control some of the phone's functions, allowing you to listen to your music, answer phone calls, and arrive at your destination with a simplified navigator. All you have to do is download the BMW Motorrad Connected App, program a destination and let the devices do their work.

so, let's roll. Let's do it right. That's what it's designed to do, and it's much more powerful now that the manufacturer has fitted the 1254 cm3 Boxer. With a wry smile, it's one of the lightest of the R series. With a grunt on standby, it boasts 136 horsepower at 7,750 rpm. Strength and conviction, it claims via a substantial torque of 14.5 mkg at 6250 rpm, of which 11.2 are available from 2000 to 8250 rpm. This state-of-the-art Boxer is Euro5-approved for a quiet passage to 2021, without altering its wattage and Nm figures. Vitality is also on the alert, as ShiftCam has taken up residence in the cylinder heads.
With this variable valve timing technique, the flat-twin delivers far more power at low and mid-range speeds. In these operating zones, the intake camshaft pushes the valves according to a partial load diagram, improving the efficiency of the gas mixture and combustion. As the engine approaches high revs, an electro-mechanical guide shifts the ACT via splines. More aggressive, full-load cams take over to ensure power at high revs. A Boxer with two mechanical faces, whose comfort and suppleness are announced to be much improved, with the added bonus of electronically-induced character play.

What voracious motorcycle could do without Riding Modes these days? Hardly any, and certainly not the R 1250 RS. It comes as standard with "Road" and "Rain" Modes, ASC traction control and Hill Start Control. A box to tick on the order form to obtain the optional Riding Mode Pro, a dose of extra programming and voila, there appear the "Dynamic" mode and its counterpart "Dynamic Pro". The latter is specifically configurable.
This Pro extension is very tempting for lovers of driving aids. In addition to the two extra Modes, it adds DTC traction control, ABS Pro cornering response, the new DBC engine brake control and Hill Start Control Pro. And what's that? A hill of +/- 5% and the Hill Start Assist activates automatically when the brakes are applied.

we won't go into too much detail about the options, unless you want to go through four pages of listings. Let's skip the oil cans, the USB cable extension and the polishes and get to the essentials. Shifter, keyless start, heated grips, cruise control, emergency call, saddles of various kinds, LED daytime running lights and lots of "Option 719" custom parts; not forgetting the latest generation of Dynamic ESA adaptive suspension.
Now almost a familiar sight on the motorcycle landscape, semi-active suspensions strive to offer the best possible damping by following their programming laws, road profiles, dynamic rider actions and selected electronic modes. Adjustments are made in milliseconds. A special feature of the Next Generation system is automatic load compensation. Set off on your own, come across a hitchhiker and her backpack, lose the backpack, lose the passenger, come back with the backpack - the bike will sense this on its own and adapt.

You may have noticed that the R 1250 RS has no Telelever front axle. This element, closely linked to the technical evolution of BMW motorcycles, has not been carried over to certain models, including the RS since 2015. Instead, it relies on a large 45 mm inverted fork, a distant cousin of that on the ex-S 1000 RR. The Paralever gimbal is still in place, while a tubular steel structure holds all the technical parts together. How do you stop the machine's 243 kilos? With two 320 mm discs clamped by 4-piston radial calipers, which won't mind the extra 7 kilos compared to the 1200. The rear brake is provided by a 276 mm disc and twin-piston caliper. Since 2020, ABS can no longer be deactivated.
A word of clarification about the close relationship between this sport-GT RS and the R 1250 R - while the former is largely based on the roadster, it benefits from a 15 mm longer wheelbase, for greater stability.

More invigorating, more supple, almost more aggressive, the BMW R 1250 RS takes up the leitmotif of the 1200, ensuring a healthy dose of fun for years to come. A way of looking at fast touring, as so many did in the past and so few do today. All the more reason to welcome its presence.

The R 1250 RS will be available in a range of trim levels.
The Basic version is a darker version, with darker brake calipers, bodywork, frame and rims.
In the Exclusive version, grey takes over the frame and gold the brake calipers.
It's the Sport version in particular that sets the RS apart from the other "colors". The contrast is more striking, with black lacquered wheels, a black-painted frame and an overall bright color. The engine cowling is larger and made of stainless steel.

M.B - Manufacturer's photos