Last year I was able to test the BMW R1300 GS for 2 weeks.
It was the road version, with alloy wheels and equipment more road than adventure, and I must confess I was confused as to where BMW was going with its flagship model (see article here). So earlier this season, when I was offered the chance to test the R1300 GSA with the trail-oriented Automated Shift Assistant (ASA) system, I was delighted. Indeed, being able to try out a more off-road version will allow me to concentrate on the adventure aspect and especially on the R1300GSA’s ASA transmission system. And, I hope, sweep away any doubts I still had after last year about the off-road DNA of this legendary machine.
I was supposed to have the automatic GSA for 2 weeks, but a booking error meant it was only available for a week… So I was offered to spend a week on the manual GSA and then another week on the ASA-equipped GSA. Offer accepted.
As I got to grips with the bike, I was distracted by its dimensions and by the numbers.
Because where many people, myself included, get caught up is when we only focus on the numbers, options and dimensions.
Life on board
Once you’ve climbed aboard the 2025 BMW R1300GSA, the bike’s exterior features no longer affect you, and the GS experience begins. First of all, the suspension height adjusts to help you get on the bike. In automatic mode, this height-adjustment system lowers the bike’s ride height at 25 km/h and returns it to normal ride height at 50 km/h. When deactivated, the bike will only change height when stationary. On this subject, I have the same opinion as last year. I’ve de facto disabled this function. I really feel like the bike loses some of its manoeuvrability when it’s low.
Ergonomics are as good as ever and make long rides comfortable. In terms of controls and display, BMW is serving up the same thing that has been found on most BMW motorcycles for several years. The left-hand dial controls everything. Another button gives access to operations such as bubble and suspension adjustment. With more and more options on the 1300GSA, navigation becomes increasingly complex. Not to mention that all these buttons and controls are not backlit. So it’s not so easy to keep track of them on rides that end after sunset.
Phase 1 test: the manual R1300 GSA
During my first week with the R1300GSA, I really liked the bike and started to feel more comfortable with it. As this one had a bit more adventurous tires and protections such as engine shoes and crash bars, I was able to exploit the concept a bit more. When you ride an R1300GSA and take the time to understand the bike and treat it as it needs to be treated, you discover an incredible motorcycle. Handled with care, the R1300GSA can take you far and wide on the trails. On the road it’s a true touring bike and surprisingly agile in city traffic. It’s on winding gravel roads that I found the R1300GSA the least enjoyable. When changing direction at a good pace, the laws of physics call us to order. Indeed, even if the German engineers brilliantly demonstrate all their knowledge with the R1300GSA, getting a 600 lb mass powered by a 145 hp engine to change direction on gravel requires steering that is far from resembling that of a small 250 cc enduro bike…
Phase 2 of the test: the R1300GSA ASA automatic
In the second week of my test ride, I had an R1300GSA equipped with the famous ASA (Automated Shift Assistant) system. This radically changes the driving experience. Imagine a classic manual gearbox, with six gears but no clutch lever. Instead, two little “mechanical arms” take care of everything: one operates the clutch for you, the other upshifts or downshifts.
The result? Two handlebar options. An automatic mode, which lets the motorcycle manage the gears all by itself, a bit like a modern car that always finds the right gear at the right time, or almost… The other semi-automatic mode lets you play with the selector, but without ever having to worry about the clutch. As a result, in both modes, there’s no risk of choking the engine.
On the road, in ROAD mode, the transmission is efficient. Whether accelerating or decelerating, the gears are always well selected by the ASA system. Even if gear changes are precise, I find them “abrupt” and you can feel the mechanical work of the transmission. In other words, you don’t feel the same fluidity as when shifting with the clutch. It’s a far cry from the smoothness and speed of Honda’s DCT system. Still in ROAD mode, the system often put me in 6th gear at 60 km/h. Although the engine, which develops 109 ft-lbs of torque, is capable of picking up easily, the sporty side is a little lacking. For more dynamism, you need to switch to “Dynamic Pro” mode. The ASA system allows the engine to rev higher for a sportier drive.
Now let’s focus on our business.
How does the R1300GSA perform with ASA off-road and in tight manoeuvres? Firstly, in my experience, despite its weight and dimensions, the R1300GSA is one of, if not the best-balanced motorcycle. In fact, it’s very easy to keep it balanced at very low speeds and even at standstill for the most experienced riders.
Precise handling of the controls allows you to manoeuvre the big GS with ease. In the case of ASA-equipped models, you’ll need to readjust your driving skills for low-speed maneuvers that require precision. It’s essential to learn to trust the bike and the fact that the engine can’t choke.Once understood, the BMW R1300GSA with the ASA system goes practically everywhere… Yes, despite its size and weight, I had no difficulty at all in passing rocky sections, climbs, banked bends, and so on.
I also tried to fault the transmission in tough situations, but to no avail… The ASA system works well. All you have to do is control your trajectory, and the R1300GSA ASA will get you where you want to go with ease.
A great traveler.
With all its riding aids, the 2025 BMW R1300GSA ASA proves to be a most complete touring motorcycle. However, by focusing on options that help make the R1300GSA accessible despite its size and weight, it becomes increasingly expensive and less attractive to hardcore adventurers. Those looking for simplicity, lightness, or the famous “less is more” approach will probably turn to other options.
Even if sales of the R1300GS are doing very well, I suspect that the clientele is more travel-oriented than adventure- or dual-purpose-oriented. This is based on what I’ve seen watching the starting lines of events like the Classique Moto Fest. For the past 2-3 years, BMW R1200s, R1250s and R1300GSs have been becoming increasingly rare. Medium-displacement motorcycles, with real off-road capabilities and above all the ability to make long trips, are increasingly popular. Proof of this is the ever-growing offering in the medium-displacement adventure category.
The R1300GSA is an incredible bike, in many ways. But I have the impression that BMW is a little trapped by its emblematic model. Customers buy R1300GSs and GSAs for their Telelever suspension and single-arm gimbal. For the engine that pushes hard, for the ASA system and for all the options that put the R1300GS or GSA in a class of its own.
10-15 years ago, the “big” GSA was the ultimate adventure bike. You’d start with an 800GS and then buy a GSA. It was like an achievement. Today, the world of adventure motorcycling has evolved; the offer is different because the demand is different. Adventure bikers are looking for lighter, smaller bikes. BMW continues to expand its already large GSA, and to help, adds aids to make it accessible. Wouldn’t it be time for BMW to give its R1300GSA the same treatment Honda gave its GoldWing a few years ago, i.e. a slimming down, a youth cure, a kind of “simplification” cure. Even if the R1300GSA remains an outstanding traveler that can take you far, whatever the road conditions, it is no longer, in my opinion, the ultimate weapon for the new generation of adventurers.
Thanks to BMW-Motorrad Canada for the loan of the two bikes and for making this article possible.
