2023 BMW R 1250 RS Review [with Premium Package]

December 22, 2023

With Associate Editor Jonathan Handler occupied with building the Ultimate Motorcycling BMW R 1250 RS Project Bike, I thought it was a good time to revisit the stock RS. Well, okay, not quite stock. We procured a 2023 BMW R 1250 RS with two of BMW’s packages—the essential Premium Package ($2900) and the good-looking Style Sports Package ($475)—plus Touring Side Cases ($1395) and a heated seat ($245). All told, the $15,695 MSRP for the standard RS swelled to $21,250.

At $2900, the Premium Package makes sense on a motorcycle such as the RS. Here’s a list of what you get—alphabetically presented, and almost all of them functionally desirable:

Centerstand
Chrome-plated exhaust manifold
Cruise control
Design Option muffler
Dynamic Brake Control
GPS prep
Heated grips
Keyless ride
Quickshifter
Ride Modes Pro
Saddlebag mounts
Semi-active rear suspension
Tire pressure monitor

This is all part of the BMW pricing strategy. BMW starts with a list price in the vicinity of, say, the Suzuki GSX-S1000GT+ ($14,199), Yamaha Tracer 9 GT+ ($15,499), or Kawasaki Versys 1000 SE LT+ ($18,899), and then charges extra for add-ons that are standard on the competitors.

The 2023 BMW R 1250 RS is the quintessential gentleman’s sport-touring bike. The refined ShiftCam-equipped boxer is no slouch, with its 136-horsepower peak arriving at 7750 rpm. However, when you’re in the seat, it’s all about the 105 ft-lbs of torque at 6250 rpm, and the muscle it provides on the way there. The RS is not about high-rpm blitzing through the mountains. It’s a powerplant that prefers to pull, rather than scream, and it does tug with authority from idle on up.

The torque doesn’t just come in handy when working twisty back roads. I found myself on California State Route 223 going fairly steeply uphill out of Arvin in the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley, behind several slow construction trucks and semis with trailers. I twisted the throttle to get by and moved past quickly without shifting out of 6th gear—pure roll-on power.

When you do need to shift, the Premium Package’s quickshifter works smoothly—especially for a twin—and reliably. The cruise control is equally easy to use and perfectly implemented, though the RS hasn’t gotten the radar treatment for adaptive cruise control just yet.

Later, I sent a Relive of the ride to a friend. The route map showed my top speed for the ride, which happened to be at that passing point. My friend shot me back a text, “Who thought it was a good idea to go [redacted] mph?” I texted back, “BMW engineers.” That got me a well-deserved “Ha Ha”. BMW claims a top speed of “over 125 mph” and that proves to be the case.

Ergonomically, the 2023 BMW R 1250 RS is spot-on for sport touring. You’re slightly leaned forward, though not enough to fatigue your wrists or neck. It puts you in a lightly sporting position that encourages you to make time in the twisties while not making life miserable should there be a superslab along the way. The footpeg placement allows for legroom, and if you’re aggressive enough to scrape the pegs with the impressive Michelin Road 6 GT tires, it’s time to consider another mount. Should you need to alter the seating position, BMW offers a tapered aluminum handlebar that is taller and wider, along with various seats.

Putting hundreds of miles on the 2023 BMW R 1250 RS with the Premium Package is pretty much effortless, and it doesn’t matter how the mix of highway to backroads is doled out. The wonderful seat is comfortable in all contexts.

The Premium Package’s Ride Modes Pro allows personalization of the power delivery, as you get to have the Pro mode, along with the standard Rain, Road, and Eco modes.

The Pro mode is all about the sporty end of sport-touring, and is one of the premier features in the Premium Package. While it provides the most aggressive throttle response, the boxer remains smooth unless you are exceedingly sloppy with your wrist. If you need a break, click it into Road mode, and everything is noticeably softened up—good for pure sightseeing.

Rain mode speaks for itself, and there’s a new Eco mode—both of which are standard on the 2023 BMW R 1250 RS. I’ll take a pass on that one. It alters the timing of the ShiftCam for maximum fuel efficiency by reducing power output and slowing throttle response. Yeah, that’s as fun as it sounds. I have a hard time believing anyone buying an RS is trying to figure out ways to save on fuel, and is willing to pad down the power to do it. The only possible use is when you are worrying that you don’t have enough fuel left in the generous 4.8-gallon tank to get to the next gas station, and you want to squeeze the most distance out of every drop.

Running through all these modes, as well as keeping track of RS’s systems, is a snap with the large, sharp, and configurable TFT dash. The Multi-Controller (aka The Wonder Wheel) on the left handlebar and an array of switches and buttons offer intuitive access to the dash and make common changes simple—very well done and the result of years of dogged evolution.

Ride Modes Pro also introduces Engine Drag Torque Control. This ensures that the engine compression when shutting off the throttle for the boxer doesn’t cause the rear wheel to skid—consider it a backup system for the RS’s slipper clutch. In the real world, it works so transparently that it’s difficult to accurately evaluate what it’s doing—it doesn’t get any better than that.

Speaking of slowing down, the 2023 BMW R 1250 RS has two systems to keep you safe. BMW’s Integral ABS Pro, standard on the RS, is cornering-aware and not intrusive. The Premium Package brings Dynamic Brake Control (DBC) onboard. This feature shuts off the throttle when you’re braking. While you may not intentionally be adding throttle, it can be accidentally introduced during unexpected braking situations, and DBC prevents any throttle input when you’re on the brakes. Brembo calipers add to the braking confidence.

In an odd twist, the 2023 BMW R 1250 RS with the Premium Package ends up with a non-adjustable fork and a semi-active shock. As unbalanced as that sounds, it works fine in practice. No matter what semi-active shock setting I selected, the fork was an accommodating accomplice. Part of this is because of the overall friendly demeanor of the RS.

While it certainly is sporty, the harder you push the boxer by revving into the upper midrange and beyond, the less settled the chassis becomes. The RS likes you to run a gear or two high and let the low-to-mid rpm torque do its business. Play by the rules the 2023 BMW R 1250 RS lays out, and it is a motorcycle that can be ridden fast through the corners thanks to its impeccable stability. Impatience is punished with an unwieldy ride, which is why you don’t see a lot of youthful riders aboard the bike—well, that and the price tag. Regardless, a rider who understands the RS can extract plenty of “sport” if it’s not ridden impatiently. The RS is a classic example of “slower is faster.”

The optional Touring Side Cases are fantastic and essential to the RS experience. On short rides, it’s great to be able to take additional layers, a camera, a bottle or two of water, cleaning supplies, or whatever you might need along the way. On longer rides, you have room for plenty of cargo for a week-long excursion. The cases lock securely into the stealthily integrated mounts, yet are removed and installed in seconds. The first time I took one of the cases off, it almost fell out of my hand as I wasn’t expecting it to disengage so effortlessly—superbly done. Should you want to ride sans cases, don’t worry—the photos show how sharp the RS looks luggage-free as a semi-upright faired sportbike.

2023 BMW R 1250 RS Review: Price — Editor Don Williams unexpectedly spotted his sister along the Kern River while testing the 2023 BMW R 1250 RS.

One of the great things about sport-touring is the unexpected. As I was riding north on Kern River Highway out of Kernville in the southern Sierra Nevada Mountains, a flagman held me up at a powerline construction site. Crawling past the activity, I noticed a worker on the side of the road with a PanGIS vest on, ensuring no archeological sites were disturbed. I thought, “My sister works for them. I wonder….” Then, I spotted a ponytail. I looked over and saw it was her. I lifted my faceshield and yelled, “Hey! I know you!” To say she was surprised, she lives five hours away, was an understatement. For the next half-hour, she said to every construction guy who came by, “This is my brother I was telling you about.”

Riding along the Kern River reinforces the nature of the 2023 BMW R 1250 RS on challenging mountain roads. Acceleration is effortless, if not neck-snapping. The RS demands considerable direction in corners; it will go where you steer it, but steer it you must. The chassis is rock-solid at speed on the straights when you wind the boxer up. The quickshifter works well in both directions, and the braking when flying down from the Sierra Nevadas to the San Joaquin Valley is outstanding and intuitive.

I could go on forever about superfluous cosmetic bits or ancillary gismos—yes, the key fob, Design Option muffler, and tire pressure monitoring system all work as intended.

However, the 2023 BMW R 1250 RS is not about the parts—it’s about the whole. BMW has integrated the features so well into the motorcycle that you never think about them as you ride. They’re just there, doing their job of making your ride enjoyable and trouble-free. Sport-touring combines the exhilaration of speed and agility with the experience of seeing the world around you without a solid idea of what might come next. While $20k+ is a piece of change, the 2023 BMW R 1250 RS effortlessly delivers the priceless experiences that are the heart of motorcycle riding.

Photography by Don Williams

ACTION RIDING STYLE

Helmet: Shoei RF-1400
Jacket: Alpinestars Montiera Drystar XF
Gloves: Alpinestars Morph Street
Pants: Alpinestars Raider V2 Drystar
Boots: Alpinestars Radon Drystar

2023 BMW R 1250 RS Specs

ENGINE

Type: Horizontally opposed twin
Displacement: 1254cc
Bore x stroke: 102.5 x 76mm
Maximum power: 136 horsepower @ 7750 rpm
Maximum torque: 105 ft-lbs @ 6250 rpm
Top speed: Over 125 mph
Compression ratio: 12.5:1
Valvetrain: DOHC w/ dual-profile intake cams; 4vpc
Fueling: EFI w/ 52mm throttle body
Cooling: Liquid and air
Transmission: Constant-mesh 6-speed
Clutch: Hydraulically actuated wet multidisc w/ slipper function
Final drive: Shaft

CHASSIS

Frame: Two-section w/ load-bearing engine
Front suspension; travel: Non-adjustable 45mm inverted fork; 5.5 inches
Rear suspension; travel: Linkage-assisted spring-preload adjustable shock (optional semi-active tested); 5.5 inches
Wheels: Cast aluminum
Front wheel: 17 x 3.5
Rear wheel: 17 x 5.5
Tires: Michelin Road 6 GT
Front tire: 120/70 x 17
Rear tire: 180/55 x 17
Front brakes: 320mm floating discs w/ Brembo 4-piston calipers
Rear brake: 276mm disc w/ 2-piston floating caliper
ABS: BMW Motorrad Integral ABS Pro