The BMW R 1300 GS is finally on sale in India, months after it was launched in international markets. This is a completely new motorcycle, meaning everything from the engine to the chassis is brand new. One look at the new R 1300 GS shows that BMW has made a sharper, slimmer ‘GS’ to take on competition. We pit it against the Ducati Multistrada V4, undoubtedly the sportiest ADV out there.
Design
The Ducati Multistrada V4 is an Italian motorcycle and that is clearly evident from the design. It has got the lines, the proportions and the road presence to walk away with the prize if this were a beauty contest. The aggressive design of the front end, the sheer size of the fuel tank with the side mounted radiators flanking it and the relatively slim tail section makes it a very good looking motorcycle.
The BMW R 1300 GS looks good in its own way and typical German fashion, the design is a mix of form and function. It looks slimmer than its predecessor, the R 1250 GS while retaining the ‘GS’ silhouette. This is quite clear when you look at the prominent beak, the shape of the fuel tank and upswept tail section. Not to mention the Boxer engine’s cylinder heads that stick out on either side of the bike, making the R 1300 GS instantly recognisable.
The quality levels on both bikes is good and there’s little to fault in this department.
Features and suspension
For the sake of brevity we shall focus on the top of the line variants in the case of both bikes. The Ducati Multistrada has all-LED lights, keyless ignition, multiple ride modes, traction control and the facility to customise individual modes. For example, you could set the engine power to full, even in the ‘Road’ mode, if you wish to do so. The Multistrada V4 is also the first motorcycle in the segment to feature radar based adaptive cruise control and blind spot detection.
The bike also gets electronically adjustable suspension at the front and rear. It makes light work of changing the preload and damping characteristics of the suspension. During our test we found the suspension does a brilliant job of isolating bad roads from the rider while offering incredibly communicative handling.
The BMW R 1300 GS uses an evolved version of BMW’s telelever and paralever suspension. It makes the side ride quite plush but not as soft and cushy like the R 1250’s. The new suspension and the smaller dimensions of the new GS have also given it more agility and it doesn’t mind being hustled around corners.
The BMW also gets electronic suspension adjustment, electrically adjustable windscreen and multiple ride modes and traction control settings. It also gets adaptive cruise control which makes it convenient to cruise on the highway and vary speeds as per the flow of traffic.
Engine and performance
The BMW gets a 1,300cc, liquid-cooled, boxer engine. It makes 145bhp at 7,750rpm and 149Nm at 6,500rpm and is linked to a six-speed gearbox. While this engine is larger in size than the Ducati, it is the Italian that makes more power at 170bhp from its 1,158cc V4.
However, its 125Nm at 8,750rpm figure is much lower than the BMW’s. The Ducati’s engine also needs to be revved higher to access its peak power and torque. These engines are clearly as different from each other as chalk and cheese. Also, note that both engines require 95 octane fuel or higher to run smoothly.
Hardware
The BMW has a two part frame, with the rear subframe bolted on to the main frame. The bike comes with a 19-inch front and 17-inch rear wheel setup. It gets either alloys or tubeless wire spoke wheels, depending on the variant.
The Ducati employs an aluminium monocoque frame. It too has the same wheel sizes as the BMW and also gets the option of alloys or wire spoke wheels.
As for the braking hardware, the Ducati has 10mm bigger discs at the front, however, the GS has a 25mm larger rear disc.
Prices and variants
The BMW R R 1300 GS is available in the following variants - GS, Triple Black 1, Triple Black 2, GS Trophy and Option 719. Prices begin at Rs 20.95 lakh.
The Ducati Multistrada V4 can be had in these variants - Standard, S, Pikes Peak and Rally. The starting price of the bike is Rs 21.48 lakh.
