There are journey bikes, after which there are Adventure Bikes, with each capital letters and a capital idea firmly lodged in your thoughts. Throughout the a long time, BMW Motorrad has labored exhausting to maintain its unique Gelände/Straße spirit intact by means of a number of iterations. Fans can (and can) argue over how effectively it is finished, however it’s tough to disclaim that it is managed to remain high of thoughts within the class all this time.
BMW is not the one sport both in or out of city, although. KTM is nothing if not aggressive, so it naturally introduced the battle to BMW within the premium journey section as effectively. While the GS might need the historical past, the 1290 Super Adventure R is right here to maintain BMW on its toes.
Sure, you may say that BMW was all the time going to proceed to develop the GS platform till it reached its current completely reimagined R 1300 GS form. But evolution would not exist in a bubble, and is often influenced by exterior components.
Racing is at its most enjoyable when it is a shut competitors, not when there is a single chief and everybody else simply queues behind them. In that spirit, let’s have a look at which mega journey bike wins the specs battle on paper, we could? Please word: All specification info is supplied by the producers.
Engine, Power, and Torque
| 2024 BMW R 1300 GS | 2024 KTM 1290 Super Adventure R | |
| Displacement | 1,300cc | 1,301cc |
| Engine Type | Air and liquid-cooled boxer twin with BMW ShiftCam (double overhead cams, chain-driven) | 75-degree liquid-cooled V-twin |
| Power | 145 horsepower at 7,750 rpm and 110 pound-feet of torque at 6,500 rpm | 118 kilowatts (about 158.2 horsepower) and 138 newton-meters (about 101 pound-feet) of torque at unspecified revs |
| Gearbox | Six-speed gearbox | Six-speed gearbox |
With BMW Motorrad’s ground-up reimagining of its flagship GS, the brand new engine developed for the R 1300 GS is almost an identical in displacement to KTM’s tried-and-true LC8 V-twin. It’s a boxer (or flat twin) reasonably than a V-twin, and which configuration you like is essentially all the way down to your private desire.
On paper, the R 1300 GS is barely down on horsepower as in comparison with the 1290 Super Adventure R. At the identical time, it has 9 extra peak pound-feet of torque on faucet than the 1290. The undeniable fact that KTM would not listing the revs for both its peak horsepower or torque figures can also be not terribly useful.
The energy is so shut, it is tough to find out a winner till we discover out what every of those unhealthy bikes weighs.
Round One Winner: Draw
Chassis
| 2024 BMW R 1300 GS | 2024 KTM 1290 Super Adventure R | |
| Frame | Two-part design with a primary body, a confused member engine, and a bolt-on rear subframe | Powder-coated tubular house body |
| Front Suspension | EVO-Telelever | WP XPLOR 48mm entrance fork |
| Rear Suspension | EVO-Paralever with single-sided swingarm, central WAD spring strut, and adjustable spring preload | Fully adjustable PDS monoshock with an exterior handwheel |
| Wheels and Tires | Cast aluminum 19-inch entrance and 17-inch rear wheels on the bottom and Triple Black; cross-spoked 19-inch entrance and 17-inch rear wheels with aluminum rings on the Trophy and Option 719 Tramuntana. Tires are Metzeler Tourance Next 2. | Wheels are tubeless spoked aluminum items by Akront with an O-ring seal at every nipple for additional airtightness, with a 21-inch entrance and an 18-inch rear wheel. Tires are Bridgestone Battlax Adventurecross AX41s. |
| Brakes | Front brakes are a pair of four-piston BMW-branded Brembo radial calipers with 310mm floating brake discs; rear brake is a single two-piston floating caliper and a single 285mm brake disc | Front brakes are a pair of Brembo four-piston mounted calipers with 320mm discs. In the rear is a single 267mm brake disc. |
| Other notes | The 1290 Super Adventure R comes with a WP steering damper fitted as commonplace gear. |
In the chassis division, the R 1300 GS comes with a separate bolt-on rear subframe, which may come in useful within the occasion of harm. One benefit of a bolt-on subframe is that if one thing occurs to it, you solely have to exchange it reasonably than a whole bike body as a result of it is a separate (and cheaper) piece.
Suspension-wise, it looks as if it is extra a matter of desire than a transparent case of 1 being miles higher than the opposite.
In phrases of wheels, the R 1300 GS affords a selection of both solid or spoked wheels in a 19-inch entrance and a 17-inch rear dimension, relying on what sort of driving you propose to do. The 1290 Super Adventure R comes with tubeless spoked aluminum wheels in a 21-inch entrance and an 18-inch rear dimension.
Tires are each respectable adventure-focused choices, and the true query right here is as soon as once more private desire reasonably than one thing quantifiable. Both the Metzeler Tourance Next 2 and the Bridgestone Battlax Adventurecross AX41 have their devoted followers.
In the brake division, it is Brembo vs. Brembo, with the KTM having barely bigger entrance brake discs and the BMW having a barely bigger rear brake disc. However, the 1290 Super Adventure R comes with a inventory steering damper, which the R 1300 GS doesn’t.
Round Two Winner, by a hair: 2024 KTM 1290 Super Adventure R
Dimensions
| 2024 BMW R 1300 GS | 2024 KTM 1290 Super Adventure R | |
| Wheelbase | 59.8 inches | 62.1 inches |
| Suspension Travel | Front: 7.5 inches; Rear: 7.9 inches | Front: 8.7 inches; Rear: 8.7 inches |
| Seat Height | 33.4 inches | 34.6 inches |
| Curb Weight | 523 kilos | 487.2 kilos dry weight (the one official weight given). Since the gasoline tank holds 6.1 gallons, and since a gallon of gasoline weighs about six kilos, it may possibly maintain roughly 36.6 gallons of gasoline. That means it weighs no less than 523.8 kilos on the curb; in all probability a bit extra with all different fluids on board. |
| Fuel tank capability | 5 gallons | 6.1 gallons in a particular three-part gasoline tank |
The 1290 Super Adventure R has a barely longer wheelbase than the R 1300 GS. It additionally has 8.7 inches of suspension journey entrance and rear, which is larger than the 7.5 inch entrance and seven.9 inch rear suspension journey provided on the R 1300 GS.
However, the BMW is barely extra accessible to a greater diversity of riders with its 33.4-inch seat peak. The KTM, against this, has a 34.6 inch seat peak, which is over an inch taller. Seat peak by itself is not all the pieces, however it’s one thing to remember.
Although KTM provides an unhelpful dry weight and never a curb weight, a bit basic math exhibits that the curb weights between the 2 ought to be roughly the identical. The KTM may be barely heavier, however not by a lot.
That negligible weight distinction may additionally be value it because the KTM’s three-part gasoline tank carries a full 1.1 gallons extra, which may make a major distinction in your journey.
Round Three Winner: 2024 KTM 1290 Super Adventure R
Electronics and Other Features
| 2024 BMW R 1300 GS | 2024 KTM 1290 Super Adventure R | |
| Electronics Suite | Four experience modes as commonplace,dynamic traction management, engine drag torque management, dynamic brake help, hill begin management, dynamic cruise management, and tire strain monitoring (RDC). | Motorcycle stability management, lean-sensitive cornering ABS, offroad ABS, tire strain monitoring system, self-canceling flip indicators, experience modes together with offroad, offroad traction management and ABS, cruise management, KTMConnect bluetooth connectivity |
| Lighting | LED | LED |
| Display | 6.5-inch full-color TFT sprint | 7-inch scratch resistant TFT sprint with a six-way illuminated change dice on the handlebar |
| Other options | Phone pocket with an built-in USB socket, so you do not even want a cellphone mount for those who’re not planning to have a look at your cellphone whereas driving anyway. Adjustable footpegs. Adjustable windscreen. |
BMW continues to make a big selection of packages out there on the R 1300 GS, however they’re all choices and usually are not included a normal gear. To maintain issues so far as we may, we included solely inventory options when tallying up this showdo
Round Four Winner: Once once more, the 2024 KTM 1290 Super Adventure R simply barely edges out the R 1300 GS competitors.
Price and Warranty
| 2024 BMW R 1300 GS | 2024 KTM 1290 Super Adventure R | |
| MSRP (US; examine along with your native BMW seller for those who’re in one other geographic space) | $18,895 |
US pricing not out there on the time of writing. However, the UK value is £ 18,199, or about $23,169. For what it is value, US pricing for the 2023 1290 Super Adventure R, which is principally the identical bike however with completely different paint and graphics, began at $20,299. We’d anticipate the 2024 to be priced barely larger than that. |
| Warranty | Three years or 36,000 miles within the US; could range by area elsewhere on this planet | KTM North America affords a 12-month guarantee throughout the board on all its R fashions; could range by area elsewhere on this planet |
Both on its MSRP and on US guarantee phrases, the winner is obvious. However, there is a dialogue available about whether or not the KTM’s value is larger as a result of it contains extra commonplace options, or the BMW’s value is decrease as a result of many options that individuals may need are solely out there as choices reasonably than fitted as commonplace.
For instance, the BMW R 1300 GS affords DSA, however that is an possibility and never a normal characteristic. It’s a factor that might be very good to have certainly, however it prices additional.
Round Five Winner: 2024 BMW R 1300 GS
Overall Winner: 2024 KTM 1290 Super Adventure R
The 2024 KTM 1290 Super Adventure R’s base value prices a bit extra, however with the bottom bike, you arguably get a bit extra bang on your buck than with the bottom 2024 BMW R 1300 GS.
However, it is value noting that if manufacturing unit customization and options are extra your bag, BMW affords a number of packages filled with extra options at extra prices. KTM affords its justifiable share of paid choices as effectively.
If you might have particular concepts in thoughts for what you need in your subsequent massive journey bike, your outcomes could range primarily based on what options you need, and what extra prices these options incur from both producer.
We Ride Bikes, Not Spec Sheets
While having primary info in thoughts is useful, none of what we have advised you right here immediately can inform you how you may really feel when driving every of those two bikes. If you are significantly contemplating both a 2024 BMW R 1300 GS or a 2024 KTM 1290 Super Adventure R as your subsequent bike, we would recommend that you simply do your greatest to get a check experience on each bikes and see what fits you greatest.
Maybe the ergonomics on one swimsuit you higher than the opposite, or maybe one bike carries its weight in a means that you simply significantly dislike. There’s no technique to know for certain till you throw a leg over and spend no less than a bit time within the saddle.
Our greatest recommendation to you, for those who’re significantly cross-shopping these (or actually any) two bikes, is all the time to hunt out a check experience on each earlier than making choices and forking over your hard-earned money.