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BMW manufactures singles, parallel twins, and inline fours, but when riders think of the Bavarian bikemaker, it’s the boxer engine that most often comes to mind.
Like the V-twin to Harley-Davidson or the L-twin to Ducati, BMW derives much of its identity from the opposed twin. That’s true as ever, with the Munich marque recently announcing details for its latest boxer-bound offerings: the R 12 G/S and R 1300 R.
A real G/S?
The R 12 G/S isn’t BMW’s first G/S-badged “Heritage” model. That title belongs to R nineT Urban G/S. Introduced in 2017, the vintage-styled scrambler mimicked the form of the the first-ever adventure bike — the R 80 G/S. It couldn’t replicate the ADV’s function.
The Urban G/S was a G/S by name, not by nature. The Paris-Dakar Rally would have put the model’s cast wheels and Metzeler Tourance Next tires to shame. The same goes for its pitiful suspension travel, at 4.9 inches fore and 5.3 inches aft. BMW knew as much and this time around it designed the new R 12 G/S to make good on the G/S name.
That’s what the model’s cross-spoke wheelset and long-travel suspension suggest. To suit off-road rubber, the 19-inch front wheel steps aside for a 21-inch front hoop. The 17-inch rear wheel remains, but an 18-inch option is available with BMW’s Enduro Package Pro. The fully adjustable 45 mm fork offers 8.3 inches of travel while the shock (also fully adjustable) yields 7.9 inches. All respectable measurements for a retro.
Flanked by those upgraded suspenders is BMW’s air/oil-cooled 1,170 cc boxer. As is the case in the R 12 nineT, the engine produces the 109 horsepower (at 7,000 rpm) and 85 foot-pounds of torque (at 6,500 rpm). BMW includes three ride modes (Road, Rain, and Enduro) but Dynamic Traction Control (DTC) and Engine Drag Torque Control (MSR) also come standard.
While the R 12 G/S seems trail-worthy on paper, there’s no real evidence of the bike’s dirt pedigree. That’s because BMW featured A.I.-generated images in its promotional materials, not action shots of actual riders. It’s an odd move, especially for a brand trying to convince customers of the R 12 G/S’s off-road chops. For that reason, we’ll only know if the model is G/S material when it arrives in Q3 2025.
R for roadster
Where BMW’s range-topping GS goes, its R-variant cousin follows. In 2025, that means a reworked engine, frame, and electronics suite for the new R 1300 R.
The heavily revised roadster earns the same ShiftCam-equipped 1,300 cc boxer that debuted in the 2024 R 1300 GS. The same boxer that now benefits from four millimeters of extra bore (106.5 mm) and three millimeters of reduced stroke (73 mm). The same boxer that produces a claimed 145 horsepower (at 7,750 rpm) and 110 foot-pounds (at 6,500 rpm) — in other words, nine more horsepower and five more foot-pounds than the outgoing R 1250 R. It isn’t the only carryover, either.
Last year, the GS grande shed its tubular steel trellis frame for what BMW called a “sheet metal shell” unit. That frame returns in the 1300 R, albeit with model-specific modifications. Up front, the new structure connects to a 47 mm inverted fork that provides 5.5 inches of travel. Out back, BMW’s Paralever EVO II suspension grants 5.1 inches of rear wheel travel. The German OEM also lauded a new wheelset that nets a combined weight saving of three pounds.
With the R 1300 R, BMW set out to enhance the boxer-powered roadster’s sporting nature. The handlebar is flatter and the footpegs are shifted slightly rearward, resulting in more engaged ergos. The styling is more aggressive, too, with a headlight looking like it received simultaneous blows from KTM and Kawasaki’s ugly sticks. Yes, it appears more “sporty” than its predecessor. It’s just too bad BMW didn’t outfit it as such.
Standard equipment includes three riding Modes (Road, Rain, and Eco), traction control, Engine Drag Torque Control (MSR), ABS Pro, and all-around LED lighting, but many of the “dynamic” features are locked behind paywalls. That goes for the Dynamic and Dynamic Pro ride modes as well as electronically controlled Dynamic Suspension Adjustment (DSA). Even the radar-aided Active Cruise Control (ACC) and Frontal Collision Warning (FCW) cost extra.
While BMW unveiled the model’s $16,595 MSRP, it has yet to list pricing for the Automatic Shift Assistant-equipped trim. That information should become available closer to the R 1300 R’s release in late Q3 or early Q4 2025.
| 2026 BMW R 12 G/S | 2026 BMW R 1300 R | |
|---|---|---|
| Price (MSRP) | $16,395 | $16,595 |
| Engine | 1,170 cc, air/liquid-cooled, eight-valve, flat twin | 1,300 cc, air/liquid-cooled, eight-valve, flat twin |
|
Transmission, final drive |
Six-speed, shaft | |
| Claimed horsepower | 109 @ 7,000 rpm | 145 @ 7,750 rpm |
| Claimed torque | 85 foot-pounds @ 6,500 rpm | 110 foot-pounds @ 6,500 rpm |
| Frame | Steel-tube trellis | Steel, sheet metal shell |
| Front suspension | 45 mm fork, adjustable for spring preload, compression, and rebound damping; 8.3 inches of travel | 47 mm fork; 5.5 inches of travel |
| Rear suspension | Single shock, adjustable for spring preload, compression, and rebound damping; 7.9 inches of travel | BMW EVO Paralever II; 5.1 inches of travel |
| Front brake | Dual Brembo two-piston calipers, 310 mm discs with ABS | Dual four-piston radial calipers, 310 mm discs with ABS |
| Rear brake | Two-piston caliper, 265 mm disc with switchable ABS | Two-piston floating caliper, 285 mm disc with ABS |
| Rake, trail | 29.6 degrees, 4.76 inches | 27.5 degrees, 5.0 inches |
| Wheelbase | 62.2 inches | 59.5 inches |
| Seat height | 33.9 inches | 30.9 inches |
| Fuel capacity | 4.1 gallons | 4.5 gallons |
| Tires | 90/90-21 front, 150/70R17 rear | 120/70 ZR17 front, 180/55ZR17 rear |
| Claimed weight | 505 pounds | 527 pounds |
| Available | Q3 2025 | Q3/Q4 2025 |
| Warranty | 36 months / 36,000 miles | |
| More info | bmwmotorcycles.com | bmwmotorcycles.com |
