I was lucky enough to experience the new 1300 GSA in MC Oslo’s new store tonight, it was literally two great experiences. I’m in no way going to reveal what this will be, but we can see that Kim Harald Jøranli’s smile is big, and so is the store, so this is something to look forward to. This is simply going to be a destination, an attraction and an experience that most motorcyclists will flock to. There’s nothing like this in Norway.
We also had the opportunity to take a closer look at the new BMW R 1300 GS Adventure (GSA) in its new and proper element and it was an equally great experience.
The first impression was significantly adjusted when I saw the bike in real life. It’s considerably smaller than I got the impression when I saw it in pictures for the first time. With a selectable seat height from 79-91.5 cm, the GSA is accessible to a large group of riders and the lowering function makes it even easier to live with for riders who are not so tall. Since I’m no taller than 174 cm myself, I was very excited about this, but all I can say is that above my head it’s not a problem. GSA is well balanced and therefore easy to carry, even though it weighs 20 kg more than the standard version. The GSA is undoubtedly a special machine and it’s packed with cool and thoughtful details not found on the standard model.
This is a machine designed for adventure driving and all functionality is aimed at heavy-duty driving on or off road.
Side panniers and soft bags are accommodated almost everywhere and although the bike is wide and bulky, the proportions are correct, masculine and at the same time slender. The quality of the body profiles and machining is high and actually a pleasure to the eye. This looks really good.
The fixed holders for the side bags are robust but not so dominant that they spoil the bike when the side bags are not attached. It’s easy to hang the bags and the racks keep the load in a firm and secure grip. Very good.
There are lots of small but important and functional details, such as this tie-down bolt that sits in the middle of the seat and enables strapping of loose luggage behind the driver. Really smart and practical. The GSA is based on the standard model so much is the same, 145 hp and 149 Nm, the same instrument and control functions, but a slightly longer damper travel and of course the 30-liter tank make this model something quite different from the standard model, which does not appear nearly as masculine.
The latest from BMW is that the GSA also comes with an automatic transmission that offers technology that creates new and great driving experiences and we encourage everyone to try this technology that takes the driving experience to a new level. People just have to try this and we encourage everyone to take a step forward and a little into the future because this is cool stuff.
The windscreen is also considerably larger than on the standard model, but like this, the GSA also has nine different seat combinations that really allow for personalization regardless of the length and size of the driver. The damping system with telelever and park lever is the same as on previous models and the gimbal solution saves the driver much less and easier maintenance on longer trips. You can choose between four versions, standard, Trophy, triple black or option 719 Like many others, I was quite skeptical when the first pictures were released, but now I’m of a different opinion and just look forward to driving it myself. Take a trip to Kim Harald and the crew, you are guaranteed to raise your eyebrows and the possibility that you go on an ever so small bang is certainly present. If the weather holds out and the frost stays away, we’ll be driving it next week and will then return with a slightly more detailed description of the glory.
This is nice.
