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Munich Muscle
Buyer guide: BMW K 1300 R
by Guy 'Guido' Allen, Mar 2021
BMW’s first pukka ratbag bike is worth a punt
Over a period of several years, Muggins had been through that corner around 1100 times on/in various transports of delight. And none of them had featured a cop. So the one time I got a flash of adrenaline and heeled the K 1300 R through the turn in a fit of enthusiasm, the world turned blue and red. Fan-bloody-tastic. That little exercise saw me walking for a month or so. It was almost worth it…
Never mind, it just helped to cement the then
freshly-released K 1300 R in the memory as a huge amount
of fun. In my view, this was BMW’s first-ever muscle bike
that was worthy of the title. Yes, I know there was an
earlier 1200 version, but it lacked the animal edge of the
thirteen.
Okay, so what’s under the paint? The 2009 media release
had this to say about the model: “The K 1300 R Power
Roadster is a high-performance riding machine offering a
perfect blend of performance, riding safety and technical
features carried over from the K 1300 S. So while the
drivetrain and running gear are carried over from the K
1300 S, they have been modified in this case to meet the
particular requirements of a large-capacity naked bike.
“The most significant and outstanding considerations in
developing the K 1300 R were indeed to offer the rider
supreme riding pleasure combined with equally outstanding
safety on the road as well as the most sophisticated
design features and an extroverted, masculine look.”
At the heart of the monster is BMW’s laid-forward inline
four – it’s second-gen multi platform and a far less
stodgy effort than the original longitudinal K-series
design. For once a manufacturer avoided the temptation to
heavily detune the performance engine in the premium
machine (the K 1300 S in this case) just because it was
being bolted into a naked bike. Here we’re talking a
claimed 173 horses (yep, that’s a lot) versus 175 for the
S.
Impressively, that power was not only up around 10 over
the 1200, but was developed a little lower in the rev
range. Torque was also up and, to complete the whole
‘omygawd’ experience at the right wrist, the gearing was
lowered a little.
The result? Bike magazine in the UK got a
2.81sec 0-100km/h time out of it, just beating a Suzuki
B-king.
Backing up the engine is a conventional six-speed
transmission feeding through a wet multi-plate clutch. No
complaints there, while the Paralever rear end is
well-tried, causes no handling complaints, and is a
welcome low-maintenance feature.
The odd body work over the front end hid or protected a late version of the marque's Duolever alternative (aka Hossack) to a conventional fork, essentially a twin wishbone set-up with a single shock. Though it 'talked' to the rider a little differently to a fork, It worked well in this application.
(Just as an aside, age and mileage will eventually be something to consider with a Duolever, as there are a number of pivots/bearings which may require a freshen-up.)
On the long, long, list of options on these machines was
an electronic shifter. It worked on the upshifts only and
was a super-slick operation that required no throttle or
clutch input from the rider. I’d have it any day.
Since we’ve got into electronics, it’s worth mentioning
that you’ll find these machines in a wild array of spec.
The very first ones had ABS as optional, but that feature
was later made standard. Non-ABS bikes will be rare.
Performance of the brakes was good and there was a
semi-linked feature from day one. That means you get a bit
of rear brake when you use the front, but rear only if you
use the foot pedal.
You could also opt for traction control and electronic
suspension adjustment. The latter may seem like a gimmick,
but wasn’t, offering a limited number of options that
could be dialed in on the fly, that actually worked.
Suspension rates were well-chosen, offering decent comfort
while keeping the not inconsiderable weight under control.
Sadly the cruise control available on the GT version
wasn’t on this model, though heated handgrips were
standard.
More gadgets? Well, you could also order an on-board trip
computer, tyre pressure monitor and an onboard theft
alarm.
BMW launched this machine as part of a package of three
that included the S sports-tourer and the GT tourer, all
very capable machines. For the local event, we got to ride
them on the road and around Phillip Island circuit. I
subsequently got to keep an R for a week or two.
Just to confuse the story even further, you could also
order an SE variant. This had the trip computer as
standard, a sports screen, plus a different wheel package
with a wider rear tyre.
This is one of the uglier motorcycles BMW has ever designed, which is saying something as I swear there’s an ongoing bet in the company to see who can get away with the most out-there styling exercise. Funny thing is, though, I reckon this is one of those cases where looks only a mother could love kind of works. It gives the R a purposeful air, which it can back up in spades.
Though a big and heavy motorcycle (which actually works in
its favour over a long haul) the R is a serious
performance bike. Good braking and suspension allow you to
bundle it into a corner pretty effectively, with a medium
tip-in speed and very predictable manners. Acceleration is
super strong. Riding one is a big happy experience.
There were some reliability issues at first. The combined
kill/starter switch wasn’t up to scratch on early examples
and was generally replaced under warranty. Also, the cable
from the battery to starter motor wasn’t quite up to the
job and was replaced with a heavier gauge item.
Beyond that you will hear some niggles around mid-range
noise and vibration – fairly high frequency in the
3500-4000rpm range. I can’t say it ever bothered me, but
you will hear some chatter on the web about it. It’s one
of things that people obsess over and I’m not hearing of
any serious consequences.
This is one of those machines which you buy now to enjoy,
with maybe a thought towards hanging on to it. Used values
on motorcycles follow a well-known pattern: they plummet
from new, eventually bottom out and, in some cases, start
to rise. At the moment the R values are still on the
downhill run and it will be some time before they become a
collectible. Nevertheless I’m confident they eventually
will.
In the meantime, you will have a motorcycle that is
enormous fun to ride and should prove to be robust. Just
watch out for those cops…
***
What about the K1200 R?
Much of what we’ve said here also applies to the earlier
1200, built 2005-2008. The reason we’ve concentrated on
the 1300 is it’s the ultimate expression of the concept
and better delivers on the whole ‘muscle bike’ promise.
The differences on the later machine include more power
and torque, shorter gearing and altered frame geometry
compared to the 1200.
Which isn’t to say you should ignore the earlier bike.
Many will appreciate the somewhat gentler manners and they
offer decent value. About $8-9k will get a very good one.
***
Good/bad K 1300 R
Good
Fast
Heaps of fun
Lots of safety nets
Not so good
Bye-bye licence
Complex design
You want fries with that?
BMW offered a baffling array of add-ons and options to the
K 1300 R and the upmarket SE variant. Here they are for
the standard bike, from the 2009 media pack.
BMW K 1300 R
Standard Equipment:
Heated Grips
LED indicators
Factory Options:
Traction package (TPC, ABS, ASC)
Integral ABS (switchable)
Electronic Suspension Adjustment II (ESA)
Gearshift Assistant
Sports package
(incl. Sports wheels, OBC, Sports windshield)
Anti theft alarm system
Automatic Stability Control (ASC)
Tyre Pressure Control (TPC)
Sports wheels
On board Computer
Sports windshield (tinted)
Luggage grid
Comfort seat (not with low seat)
Low seat (approx 790mm - std 820mm)
SPECS:
BMW K 1300 R
ENGINE:
TYPE: Liquid-cooled, four-valves-per-cylinder, inline four
angled forward at 55 degrees
CAPACITY: 1298cc
BORE & STROKE: 80 x 64.3mm
COMPRESSION RATIO: 13:1
FUEL SYSTEM: Digital fuel injection
TRANSMISSION:
TYPE: Six-speed, constant-mesh,
FINAL DRIVE: Paralever shaft
CHASSIS & RUNNING GEAR:
FRAME TYPE: Alloy bridge with engine as a stressed member
FRONT SUSPENSION: Duolever with central strut, 155mm
travel
REAR SUSPENSION: Paralever with integral shaft, single
strut, 135mm travel
FRONT BRAKE: 320mm disc with four-piston caliper, integral
ABS
REAR BRAKE: 265mm disc with two-piston caliper, integral
ABS
DIMENSIONS & CAPACITIES:
DRY/WET WEIGHT: 217/243kg
SEAT HEIGHT: 820/790mm
WHEELBASE: 1534mm
FUEL CAPACITY: 19Lt
WHEELS & TYRES:
FRONT: 17 x 3.5-inch cast alloy with 120/70 ZR17 tyre
REAR: 17 x 5.5-inch cast alloy with 180/55 ZR17 tyre
(190/55 ZR17 on SE)
PERFORMANCE:
POWER: 127kW @ 9250
TORQUE: 140Nm (29.5lb-ft) at 8250rpm
OTHER STUFF:
PRICE: new – Au$21,990 ride away; used – mid-teens for a
good one
WARRANTY: 24 months, unlimited kilometres
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