RUST magazine: RUST #44

ADVENTURE
w
THE 1250 GS
After a season on the KTM 1290 I was
then very happy to get a chance to
sample an identical-to-Clint’s R 1250
GS Rallye TE/HP model (new in 2019)
for myself while at the recent BMW
Motorrad International GS Trophy
Female Team Qualifier in Malaga. The
TE sits pretty much at the top of the GS
tree (Adventure models aside), being the
top-spec of five variants the come to
the UK, with upgraded ESA (electronic
suspension adjustment) and DTC
(dynamic traction control).
It would seem BMW has been
canny. With super-stringent Euro 5
looming (01.01.2020) and with their
adv-opposition having been calling
bragging rights over max horsepower
numbers, BMW dealt with both
annoyances in the one upgrade. They
didn’t actually trump the oppo’ on
power – KTM’s 160hp 1290 is a tough
one to better – but the hike from 123 to
136hp has at least put the BMW back in
the frame for super-advs. Not that any
adventure bike needs all this power,
unless you’re given to racing Porsches
along autobahns there’s no need for
even 100hp – which is where Honda’s
Africa Twin lives quite happily. But from
a marketing perspective it obviously
does no harm, more is more.
The extra power comes via a capacity
increase (from 1170 to 1254cc) which
in turn comes via a bore and stroke job
(101x73mm up to 102.5x76mm). Added
to this is a new camshaft setup, called
Shift Cam, whereby one (gentle) cam
lobe bears on the valves during low
engine speeds and a second (more
aggressive) cam lobe then moves in
44
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