words: Greg Leech; pic: Ellen Dewar
BMW’s march to the top of the sportsbike table has been quite remarkable. With offerings like the bike’s ultimate street sportster, the K 1300 S, and the all-conquering S 1000 RR, the mob from Munich can lay claim to ownership in the ‘prestige performance’ sector. Okay, that’s not an official category, but you watch it become one in the very near future.
But wait, there’s more.
We reckon you can add yet another category that may not appear on the official sales sheets – that of ‘sophisticated streetfighter’. Indeed, The BMW’s K 1300 R only enhances the brand’s reputation as builder of state-of-the-art sporting hardware. Want some applied mathematics? Well, the K 1300 R is the most powerful naked bike BMW has ever built, making 127kW (173hp) at 9250rpm and 140Nm (103.1ft-lb) at 8250rpm. Got the picture?
The bike comes with a heady arsenal of electronics. As standard you get Quick Shift, which allows clutchless changes in throttle-on situations. It’s a little lumpy around town, but, when pushing on, it’s simply wonderful, with changes slick and seamless.
ESA II also comes in standard trim. This allows the rider to vary the damping on the two spring struts, preload on the rear springs and the spring rate at the touch of a left ’bar-mounted button. Optional and fitted to our Quickfang bike was the Traction Pack, which entails ABS, ASC and RDC. Yes, acronyms confuse us too, so here’s an explanation: ABS is anti-lock braking, ASC stands for Automatic Stability Control and RDC is Reifendruckontrollsystem – acronymic German for Tyre Pressure Control. It all adds up to a nicely balanced traction control system, adding $2235 to the standard price of $24,190.
So, the thing is very sophisticated, but the story of this bike is that engine.
It’s a wailing banshee of useable crazy power when the moment is right, and a comfortable sophisticated tourer when the going demands practicality. Yes, the K hits the brief in a remarkable fashion, doffing a respectable hat as the constabulary eye it with a view to revenue-raising, as it simultaneously muffles a Bavarian-accented, maniacal laugh. And who doesn’t love an angel in public and a dynamo in bed?
THUMBS UP
– Smart, useable rider aids
– Prodigious power everywhere
THUMBS DOWN
– Quick shift takes some getting used to
– Masculine, but pretty it’s not
SPEX
ENGINE
Type: Liquid-cooled, 16-valve, in-line four-cylinder
Capacity: 1293cc
Bore x stroke: 80mm x 64.3mm
Compression ratio: 13.0:1
Fuel system: EFI
TRANSMISSION
Type: Six-speed, constant mesh with Quick Shift
Final drive: Shaft
CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR
Frame type: Bridge-type cast aluminium
Front suspension: BMW Duolever, fully adjustable (ESA II)
Rear suspension: BMW Paralever, fully adjustable (ESA II)
Front brakes: Twin 320mm discs with four-piston calipers (ABS)
Rear brakes: Single 265mm disc with twin-piston caliper (ABS)
DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES
Dry weight: 217kg
Seat height: 820mm (790mm option)
Fuel capacity: 19lt
PERFORMANCE
Max power: 127kW (173hp) at 9250rpm
Max torque: 140Nm
(103.1ft-lb) at 8250rpm
PRICE: $24,190*
Test bike supplied by: BMW Motorrad Australia
Warranty: 24 months/unlimited kilometres
*Manufacturer’s list price excluding dealer and statutory costs