Dirt and Trail MAY 2022

ider aids. The Eco mode is brand-new for the Anniversary
model and in an effort to improve fuel economy, restricts
power to 100 hp and 109 Nm of torque, which is a
significant drop from the peak power (136 hp) and torque
(143 Nm).
With soaring fuel prices eating in to your expendable
income it’s a sensible feature on any bike.
And then… they stuffed this one with ‘Option 719’ goodies.
And we had to do some homework to figure out what that’s
all about:
From BMW: “Ever since 1923, the abbreviation 719 has
represented special, individual customer requests at
BMW Motorrad, which have been created at our plants as
special orders on the basis of great craftsmanship and
a significant attention to detail. We have created Option
719 as a tribute to this production process. Use it to give
various BMW Motorrad models an even more personal,
top-quality touch. Consequently, an abbreviation has been
turned into a quality feature and a promise: the promise
that we will create your individual dream bike at BMW
Motorrad.” So basically BMW makes a bunch of very
beautifully crafted goodies to compliment your ride. And
this one was dripping with billet bling… billet rear view
mirrors, foot pegs, levers, Tappet covers… literally, whatever
your little heart desires.
And you really do need to look twice to take it all in.
Perhaps, not for everyone, but… as the old saying goes
beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Why would this affect the ride you ask…? Well! The new
40 year feels… Better! In just about every way. And despite
the fact that BMW gives no hints as to any suspension or
engine upgrades on the newer model, our lot all agree that
there is just such a refined feel to it. Sure, this bike has a
lot less mileage on it than the Exclusive which might be
a part of it, but we dont believe that its purely a mileage
thing.
That’s not to say that there is anything wrong with the
Exclusive, that is one heck of a machine in its own right
but, the Bumblebee that we rode just felt… proper lekker.
Our lot shared their opinion:
Kyle Says:
I have really come to like the GS. The 1250 motor is way
more exciting and refined than its predecessor. When the
GS1200 had its upgrade to the 1250, it almost felt like that
took a scalpel to the bike and got rid of a lot of weight. The
bike eels lighter andeasier to move around in the garage.
The one thing I always struggled with the GS, was the
weight around the garage. Big bulking and cumbersome.
This is no longer the case. We had two different models in
this test. These two bikes do feel distinctly different.
I did a few tests to feel the difference between the two.
In the same modes andsettings, the 40 year has a
smoother throttle response than the exclusive. The
upgrades have made for an easer ride but havenot stolen
any personality.
Its easy to understand why GS sells so well in SA.
Séan says:
How old were you when you found out that “GS” stands for
Gelände/Straße (German: off-road/road)? Well, sad to say
I was ‘today years old’. In english: Off Road and Street, the
all round motorcycle. I personally own a pristine R1150GS
that everybody keeps trying to buy off me and I still believe
there is no amount of sensible money that could convince
me to part with it -unsensible money?... maybe.