More Powerful BMW R 1250 R, R 1250 RS Get New Boxer Engine

BMW Motorrad unveiled six new motorcycles at EICMA 2018. Among the lot, the R 1250 R, R 1250 RS, R 1250 RT and R 1250 GS have now been updated with an all-new 1250cc Boxer motor. Of these, the R 1250 R and R 1250 RS are the more dynamic road-going variants. The R 1250 R is the naked roadster, while the R 1250 RS is the faired sports tourer.

The biggest change for both bikes is the all-new larger and more powerful Boxer twin motor. For starters, engine capacity is now up from 1170cc to 1254cc. The gain in cubic capacity, a new exhaust system and other engine improvements, which we will come to later, have helped bump horsepower up from 125PS to 136PS at 7750 rpm, while torque is up from 125Nm to 143Nm at 6250rpm. This jump in performance is also accompanied by the addition of BMW’s ShiftCam (variable valve timing) tech that optimises power delivery across the rev range.

As far as electronics are concerned, BMW has also thrown in Automatic Stability Control (ASC) and Hill Start control as standard. While Rain and Road rider modes are available as standard, BMW is also offering additional riding modes like Dynamic and Dynamic Pro (configurable) as optional extra. Other electronics include Dynamic Traction Control (DTC), ABS Pro, Hill Start Control Pro and Dynamic Brake Assistant offered as standard.

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While the suspension setup on both bikes remain unchanged, you can now opt for BMW Motorrad’s next generation Dynamic ESA electronic suspension package which now comes with fully automatic load compensation. Additionally, the R 1250 R now gets an optional sports handlebar for a sportier riding position.

On the cosmetic front, it is the R 1250 RS that has benefited the most. It gets a new upper fairing with a new all-LED headlamp. The naked R 1250 R still makes do with a halogen headlamp setup. You do get LED DRLs as optional extra though. Both bikes get a 6.5-inch full-colour TFT instrument console with BMW connectivity as standard.

We can expect both the R 1250 R and R 1250 RS to replace the R 1200 R and R 1200 RS in India some time next year.