At the end of May 2023, we published spy shots of what appeared to be a pair of BMW R 1300 GS bikes roaming on public roads, mostly undisguised. Both shared a lot of the same features. One was more accessorized than the other, showing off such features as the inclusion of a rather robust-looking engine guard. Adaptive radar is also evident, which isn’t surprising but is still nice to see all but confirmed with photographic evidence.
If a picture is worth 1,000 words, then what about a video? While the photos we shared were quite clear and even provided a brief glimpse of the cockpit, the one thing that still photography can’t do is give you an accurate representation of how something sounds. Snap the most breathtaking shot of a bird in flight, and you still have to imagine what its call sounds like. The same is, of course, true for motorcycles.
Naturally, most riders want to know what any given bike they’re interested in might sound like. Is it a nice, throaty rumble? Is it a weird, high-pitched burbling sound? Does it sound like there’s valve chatter and it’s going to blow up at any moment? That last question usually only applies to used bikes, of course. However, the fact remains that auditory cues can strongly influence your feelings about a motorcycle.
So, to help the greater international motorcycling community-at-large, the fine folks at the Austrian moto publication 1000ps have shared just such a video of the upcoming BMW R 1300 GS, complete with nicely recorded audio of what it sounds like. Have a listen with your best headphones, please.
All the pieces are coming together to give us a better picture of what to expect when the new BMW R 1300 GS finally rolls out at its global premiere. Incidentally, in late June 2023, BMW celebrated the happy occasion of its millionth boxer-engine-equipped GS rolling off the assembly line in Munich. At the same time, the OEM also announced that the R 1300 GS will make its worldwide debut on September 28, 2023. If you haven’t already marked your calendars, now is the time.
