Q How does the new bike feel?
The headline news is the bored and stroked 1254cc motor feels fitter and faster than the out-going 1200 but retains the same off-beat, flat-twin cadence Gs-ers know and love.
But first thing is it’s also louder, firing up with a momentary, rasping snap from the exhaust before settling into a metronomic tickover. Each of the combustion pulses is identical. In comparison, the out-going 1200 is quieter and more muffled and its firing pattern is less regular, missing beats here and there with a lopsided chuff.
Put an ear (or a microphone) to the cam covers though and the 1200 has a distinct whine (at 3100Hz, to be precise) while the new engine is mechanically quieter. This is because Shiftcam reduces valve-train noise with a low-friction camchain and reduced low-rev valve loading, along with noise-defeating structural changes to crankcases and barrels. The new engine is smoother, too — more consistent combustion creates less vibration, especially when cruising. So the new GS sounds nicer than the 1200 and should be less fatiguing on long-distance runs.
But the biggest difference is performance. Going by the seat of the pants, it’s immediately obvious the 1250 has more everywhere, spread over the same revs as the 1200 and the same gear ratios.
And to be clear, the new engine isn’t peakier; there’s no trade-off with more top end for less bottom end. The 1250 just has more: identical rev range, same flat-twin character but now loaded with a tougher, muscular potency and a responsive, growling surge off the throttle.
A drag race at the lights sees the 1250 ahead by a bike length or two (a botched start will put the 1200 in front just as easily). But the 1250’s performance advantage really tells along country lanes — the new GS is faster out of every turn for a given rider effort and gets to cruising speeds quicker. Even over a short journey, the cumulative effect is significant. And enjoyable too.
This gives the 1250 singlegear flexibility — noticeable, for example, at 50mph in top gear and needing to scoot past a line of traffic before the dual carriageway goes back to single lane. On the 1200, it’s necessary to drop a couple of gears to wind it up; the 1250 simply nods its head and piles on the speed. It’s not quite in the Ducati Multistrada or KTM Super Adventure bracket of top-end rush — but the BMW has closed the gap, without sacrificing any of its class-leading bottom end.
So the new 1250 feels faster, is louder where we want and quieter where we don’t and it’s smoother. It’s hard for even a cynic not to be impressed.