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Checking out the BMW R 1300 GS up close at a showroom: My observations

The side stand gets Royal Enfield Himalayan 450-like treatment which means people will have a tougher time lifting the motorcycle from the side.

BHPian Jaggu recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Had gone to JSP BLR to look and feel the bike in person. Fit and finish definitely seemed higher from earlier models. Loads of plastic and composite materials added which is going to be a problem. This includes the rear grab handles as well as the relocated knuckle guard indicator set up. The exposed tubed frame look is gone, which to me is the biggest Yuck factor of the bike. Next is the bland rear tail light area. Rest is bearable from a looks perspective. Also, the wheel hub gets a chhapri gloss black finish, which is good for keeping it clean but looks like an afterthought. I would any day prefer a silk/satin finish over this!

Front foot pegs seem like pogo sticks whereas the rear ones look like proper front foot rest types, can they be swapped? The side stand gets Himalayan Sherpa treatment which means, everyone will have a tougher time lifting the bike from the side, especially on the models without the ride height assist thingy for parking.

The blue and white combo of trophy any day over the triple black for this one!

Best features which truly make a difference I feel are:

  • The engine (and what an exhaust note though the end can is small thanks to the bigger box that sits under the bike, more sporty and sorry the deep base is gone)
  • The electric windshield and
  • Oh yeah, the price point

Rest all may not really attract the 1200 or 1250 owners to swap.

I had placed a request for a test ride earlier, hopefully, there will be some updates after that. And definitely would want to wait for a GSA version of this or maybe 1400.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

 
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