I'm probably the exception, or maybe there's a few out there like me. I have a HD Sport Glide Softail. On a lark, I took a 2023 1250 GS Trophy for a test ride. 6 miles on the bike. I have never, ever made an impulse buy of any vehicle, after a test ride. But in November, I test rode the 20231250 GS Trophy and was back the next morning signing paperwork with a check in hand. It was that good, that decisive, that superior. 2018 To me, the GS Trophy was a Blue , white and red 41st Anniversary 1250 GS, instead of a Triple Black with some yellow decals 40th Anniversary Bumble Bee. No gold rims that corrode and discolor. I was enamored with how well behaved and balanced everything is about the 1250 GS. The test ride sold me, as well as being 6' 5" and how well the 1250 GS fits me. Added a Puig windscreen visor on top of the stock windscreen, and it's helped a lot. I just can't believe how many things BMW got right on this bike, from the factory. I've hardly farkled out the 1250 GS Trophy at all, it's just that good, from the factory. The 1300 GS, though known, wasn't even a consideration or a contender. My GS trophy is so loaded with tech already, it blows my mind. Added a Nav VI, a friend gave it to me, and some Clearwater yellow lights, so I can be seen. The 1250, being in production so long, is debugged. The 1300, not so much, I don't feel like being a Beta tester.... give it 3 models years of production to get it right.

@AmericanAbroad1

5 ай бұрын

Wow great feedback. That’s man. You enjoy that beast of a bike!

When I get on my 1250 gs it’s like getting ready for a serious adventure the 1300 is like getting ready to go to the office . It’s no longer a adventure bike . 🤪

@AmericanAbroad1

8 ай бұрын

I’m taking a test ride in two weeks. I’m interested to see how it feels

@ridicule35

5 ай бұрын

It’s like their F900XR that they now stuck a 1300 flat twin in it. A roadster

Now the 1250 it´s a Classic GS and I gonna keep mine. Perfect video

@AmericanAbroad1

3 ай бұрын

Amen to that!

I agree. I’m staying with my 1250 GS rally, 👍

Yep, sticking with my 1250.

I think the 1300 model is a nice change and evolution to the GS model. I went back and forth on whether I should buy a 1250 or wait for the new 1300. I went through the same dilemma in 2012 when the new 2013 design was being released. I chose both model ending years and didn’t regret the decisions. BMW is in the business of selling motorcycles and for their 100 year anniversary I think the new GS is a great change for their future. I love my 2023 GS and I don’t regret my decision. I’m sure the new 1300 will make their new owners happy too.

@AmericanAbroad1

8 ай бұрын

Yeah it’s completely a personal choice. Some will love the new GS.

@piotrw6279

6 ай бұрын

very indeed

I'm with you... Why couldn't they of integrated the tech but kept the look...

I had r1200gs, I found it sloppy handling, vague and uninspiring although it was a great bike but not for me and sold it after 7 months. I have just bought the 1300gs and I personally find it has a sportier feel, I like the slimmer look. To me both these bikes ride how they look and 1300 winner for me. Great vid though and always good to hear different perspectives

@AmericanAbroad1

Ай бұрын

Yeah I also found a huge difference between the 1200 and 1250. Even big differences between years of the 1200. 1200 to a 1300 is a massive jump in preformance. Love that throttle response

I was skeptical about the looks of the 1300 GS. I was able to see the Trophy and the green one (whatever they call that one) at Barber Motorsports a couple weekends ago. They look better in person. The pics and vids don’t really do them justice. I am excited about some of the new tech, specifically the adaptive cruise and adaptive ride height, since I’m short. I like the idea of the bike being lighter with more hp. That being said, the 1250 GS Rallye that I have money down on just arrived at my dealer. Like you, the 1200/1250 body style has always been my dream bike, and the Rallye colorway is my favorite. I may (read: probably will) end up with a 1300, but I’m gonna enjoy the 1250 for a while first. Good video! I can’t believe I wasn’t subscribed to your channel. I am now.

@AmericanAbroad1

8 ай бұрын

Yeah I’m sure if I rode one I would feel differently. But I’ve always loved the current 1200 and 1259 styling. To each their own. As you can see in the comments it’s very mixed on opinions.

Thanks!

@AmericanAbroad1

28 күн бұрын

Of course! Ride safe!

Love the review, I'll stick with my 1250, In the Looks category the 1250 is way sexier.

@AmericanAbroad1

Ай бұрын

I completely agree. That new engine is a HUGE leap. Don’t get me wrong, it’s the most significant shift I have seen them make in a long time, but the 1250 is just awesome and the looks to bat. Ride safe!

You 100 % nailed it. I think us current GS owners are not the target market. I would have bought the 1300 if it was bigger. It looks like every other Japanese sports tourer. I'll keep my R1250GS Rallye.

@AmericanAbroad1

3 ай бұрын

Thanks man. I love the 1250. A big disappointment is that drive shaft replacement has become a staple of the 1300 without free replacement like the 1250. I wish the 1300 at least extended the life of the drive shaft. Makes sense for a 20k euro motorcycle to have solid quality.

@jimthompson717

3 ай бұрын

I love my R1250gs and was waiting for 1300. I'm going to go on a 5000km tour of the US, this summer, from my home in West Vancouver , Canada. So, I guess it will be on the R1250GS. Perhaps the 1300 Adventure will be a worthy successor.

I have a 1250 and love the cleaner lines and lighter weight of the 1300. For off road use they have the Trophy. I priced a 1300 option 719 on the bmw configurator, $28k. You can turn off some of the tech if you don'tlike it or just buy a Trophy model....I'm not ready to upgrade but gladly will in a year or 2.

That's an interesting point! If many others agree with you there are a lot of new 1250 GS's out there where the prices have been cut in addition to the pre own market. I think many people want the extra horse power too. What year is your GS? I have a RS and this new GS made me take a look.

@AmericanAbroad1

8 ай бұрын

I have a 2019 R1250GS. Extra HP is great and if I jumped on one I would probably really enjoy it. For me the look is the biggest turnoff

New GS more horse power, new tech, slim, clean and fuel efficient.....

Thanks for a god video. love the comfort and the apperance on my 1250 tripple black.No doubt that the 1300 is amazing but if BMW planning to reach out to younger drivers i think the price is crucial.I guess we will se how the sales turn out in the future.

@AmericanAbroad1

5 ай бұрын

Thanks heaps! Yeah I think the price is going the wrong direction also…. For now I’m sticking to the used market

I watched both your videos on the 1300 (first the ride review and then this one). Love the honesty in both of them! I have the same issues as you with esthetics of the 1300 and your comparisons with old Defender and the Honda bikes put the nail in the coffin for me. I am going with the 1250 despite the obvious advantages of the 1300. I figured that if I could get my hands on a brand new last generation Defender for example, I would still be able to enjoy it for as long as I wanted to while still keeping the option to switch to the new version if and whenever I wanted to. This wouldn’t work the other way round however since once the last of 1250s is out of the show room you won’t ever be able to get your hands on a new one again! PS. I know you prefer used bikes but I love the “smell” of new! :-)

@AmericanAbroad1

4 ай бұрын

Thanks heaps man. Yeah and the 1300 doesn’t get the free drive shaft after it fails. It’s just a part you’re gonna have to replace after 80K km. Crazy that they can’t get that issue sorted in a bike this expensive. Because of this I’ll probly move to a ST1200 eventually. But man I love the GS. It’s a dream come true. Good luck on your new bike!

Looks wise I love 1250 for sure , but I guess text wise I like the new 1300 . For me I wish there is an option of the looks of 1250 with tech of 1300 and 1300 engine and also 1300 weight .

@AmericanAbroad1

8 ай бұрын

Yes I would go for that for sure

If you stick with your 1250 because of the reasons your saying, when would you ever upgrade? In 20 years?

@AmericanAbroad1

8 ай бұрын

If they keep making ugly bikes I would go to Triumph or Yamaha. Let’s face it… I really just wanted to play the other side for once because I am such a GS fan boy. For me the design was to far from the character I always loved about the Gs. That’s my main issue

@AmericanAbroad1

8 ай бұрын

Also, Something people are forgetting is the 1250 is a model that is staying around. Its not going away. Just how they have the F850 and new 900. So If I were to upgrade it would be to a new 1250 which will continue to evolve as well. I just don't need the extra power and smaller fuel tank.

Clearly you have not ridden a 1300GS or driven an old Defender or a New one. Yes the 1250 is a great bike, but will look, ride and seem dated very soon. You mention all the tech being a problem for off road, if you look at the options you can spec a 1300 for off road. In reality most GS owners rarely go seriously off road anyway. The Brake warning/intervention etc. can all be turned off, the technology on this bike is on another level . With handling both on and off road improved considerably. The pricing is hardly any different to the old model.

@AmericanAbroad1

8 ай бұрын

Fair enough. But isn’t all the new tech a key reason the bike is different? Yeah fuel economy, HP, torque, but I don’t feel a lack of any of that in the 1250. Also, they took away fuel capacity which isn’t my favorite feature. Many don’t go off road, but also quite a few people give these things a beating off road so worth a mention. I see your point about turning off the auto braking, but then why pay for it? At the end of the day it’s just my opinion. Looks killed it for me.

@19770990

8 ай бұрын

I fully agree!

Also i wish i had chosen manual suspension as i wirry it will go wrong when its older

@AmericanAbroad1

8 ай бұрын

Yeah it is a risk but one that’s well worth it

@austinmatthews347

8 ай бұрын

@@AmericanAbroad1 oh for sure your poodling along and suddenly up comes some lovely twisties 2 clicks onthe suspension rocker and your ride firms up two more clicks and away you go majic carpet ride i kept away from gs for years thinking these gut are all wanabe boreman mcgregors then i tried an old hexhead rt and bang i could see the attraction roll on a few years i tried a gsa 1250 and bang i was hooked its simular to rt but higher and more commanding also rt is to remived from the road gsa as loads of weather protection yet i can see close in front if me during summer i run her with a slipscreen sports smoked screen

I knew I saw this design somewhere else earlier. You're right - that's NC750. Have exactly the same feelings about the 1300. Too small, not aggressive enough for tough terrain. But I guess it was done by purpose to get some new riders that thought that previous generations were "too much" for them. But you can't make everybody happy. Even though I love new tech in 1300 I still preferer the bulky 1200/1250. Great video, subbed!

@AmericanAbroad1

8 ай бұрын

Exactly! It all comes down to personal preference. If the 1300 a better bike? On paper… totally! I’m sure the rider experience is awesome as well, but that look kills it for me. Thanks heaps for the support.

I agree, the 1250 s a superb motorcycle and am not looking to change to a 1300 any time soon.

i dont agree , sorry. The new 1300 gs is an improved 1250 gs. My opinion.

@AmericanAbroad1

8 ай бұрын

Totally fair.

@simons.2948

Ай бұрын

I have to agree the 1300 rocks - so far anyway, but I can see why others love the 1250, I guess we’re lucky to have the choice 👍👍

I have tje dsa rallye 22 my and i agree with you peak gs is late 1250 as most issues ironed out also if i got the 1300 it would be the gsa also i would not pay for electric screen adaptive cc or blind spit mirrors also tje auto lowering suspension would not be on my list.

@AmericanAbroad1

8 ай бұрын

Totally. I am going to test one in a few weeks. Not sure I’ll like the front end feels either

Almost apples to oranges cmmments. The Vario bags on the 1200/1250 are plastic (with decorative aluminum covers). Aluminum bags are upgrades. All the "aggressive comparison" photos are 1250's with crash bars and/or 1250 Adventures. Let's revisit when the 1300 GSA comes out. Agree with the price tag comments. Whew!

@AmericanAbroad1

8 ай бұрын

Let’s see. Hoping they save themselves with the GSA. I still feel the GS without crash guards is still more aggressive looking, I just also happen to have crash guards. But yes…let’s see how the GSA looks

1250 GS => Muscle car. 1300 GS => Mazda Miata ? 😅

@AmericanAbroad1

5 ай бұрын

Looks I agree. Engine on the 1300 is more like a corvette

The gs1300 is a better bike but its not a gs

@AmericanAbroad1

8 ай бұрын

Well said.

Can't relate with the drama of cosmetics... Then again, I have some ugly ones (ZH2, BKing, Super Tenere), so I don't care what looks are from the rider seat..... The 1300 is a better bike, no doubt. The only reasons Im going 1250 over 1300 is no GSA & I won't buy a 1st gen BMW....

@AmericanAbroad1

2 ай бұрын

Fair enough. I did a second video of a ride impression of the 1300. Really changed my mind on a lot of this. Check it out

Small, ugly, cheap looking. Demo bike broke down after barely 20 miles which sealed it for me. 1250 stays and I dont feel like I particularly have an 'old model' The new one is improved in some areas, but as a total package...... no thanks. Its more sport than big GS adv tourer and not at all what I personally wanted but no doubt will be a big hit with short people or those lacking in confidence around larger bikes, in essence a smaller very slightly sharper GS with clever new gadgets. A big leap ahead and worth the money..... ? Hmmm you decide...

@AmericanAbroad1

8 ай бұрын

I agree. Lacking that adventure feel. The 1250 is still sticking around also. So if I upgrade it will be to a new 1250

I also don’t like the new 1300

The 1300 is a better road and off road bike. Irrelevant if you like the looks or not.

@AmericanAbroad1

4 ай бұрын

Completely agree. I have a new video about the 1300

I hate the new Gs1300 look 😢 what a deal breaker

@AmericanAbroad1

6 ай бұрын

Yeah it’s a killer for me, but man after riding it…. The looks bother me wayyyyy less

@navindranv

6 ай бұрын

@@AmericanAbroad1 I need to test ride one myself i guess 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

It is not.

Tally Ho. I Agree Bruv

@AmericanAbroad1

8 ай бұрын

Thanks man. Loved your thoughts

BMW can’t remove that beak can they? It’s such a limitation when it comes to design possibilities. Looks weird. I wish they loose it. 😂

@AmericanAbroad1

8 ай бұрын

Man that’s my favorite part! If you prefer no beak.. im guessing you prefer the Super Tenere or Africa Twin or Pan America

@markgiles8527

8 ай бұрын

@@AmericanAbroad1 Not the Pan America. That looks more weird than a GS. I’m a big fan of the R12 NineT though. See it next year. I’d rather that than a GS. 😁

@AmericanAbroad1

8 ай бұрын

@@markgiles8527 ah yeah totally different class of bike. Nine T great around the city.

no way😂