2023 R1300 GS is a thing.

[TEWKS]

Heavily disguised (I hope ) but it appears that a new GS is in the works. The frame work is definitely a mock-up cover.

 

More Pictures

[wbw6cos]

Very interesting.

 

Also, why do they blur the faces of the riders?    Will they be recognized in those full face helmets?  

[TEWKS]

 Good question.  Gonna be interesting to see how this thing comes together. A lot of ugly in that disguise.

[fatbob]

They blur the riders faces so they won’t be recognized, captured and interrogated!   

[TEWKS]

Was thinking they being bribed into talking possibly. But then thought some more and that would mean the manufacturer actually leaked these pictures.  Which makes pretty good sense this far out.

 

Why? Well the guy that was just getting ready to pull the trigger on a fresh new face may say wait just a minute, what’s the mothership got going on here? 

[fourteenfour]

I wonder if/when BMW will go to full VVT instead of this in between shift cam method

[Hosstage]

10 hours ago, TEWKS said:

A lot of ugly in that disguise.

A lot of ugly when it gets undisguised...

[TEWKS]

Subjective ugly. 

[WBinDE]

On 6/28/2021 at 5:12 AM, fourteenfour said:

I wonder if/when BMW will go to full VVT instead of this in between shift cam method

 

Shiftcam has the advantage of two completely different cam profiles - timing, duration, and lift; VVT just changes the timing of a "one size fits all" cam. The downside of course is that there's no in-between, it's either using the optimized-for-low-speed cam or the optimized-for-high-speed cam. And speaking as an owner of one, you CAN tell when the shift occurs if you're paying attention.

 

Their cars have continuously variable lift and duration in addition to timing, to the point there's no throttle plate at all: they just restrict the intake valve opening to nearly nothing. The downside is bulk and high part count (and its cousin, reliability). Not so much of an issue on an inline engine in a car (two actuators (one intake, one exhaust) can deal with all 6 cylinders, and there's more room) but a boxer needs two mechanisms for each cylinder, twice, which equals weight and bulk which they certainly don't need. Wait until they develop a camless engine and with electronically actuated valves. There will be howls of outrage from the gearheads, but IMO that's where we'll end up as the last gasp of the internal combustion engine before electrics take over.

[6speedTi]

On 6/28/2021 at 7:12 AM, fourteenfour said:

I wonder if/when BMW will go to full VVT instead of this in between shift cam method

Was thinking the same thing. It's not really variable timing. It's two set positions timing. 

[9Mary7]

On 6/28/2021 at 4:12 AM, fourteenfour said:

wonder if/when BMW will go to full VVT instead of this in between shift cam method

Cause their Vanos system is so bullet proof?......... I hope the Motorrad guys are smarter than the car guys....

[AviP]

Electric! With 300 mile range. Any ICE advances are the equivalent of going backward at this time.

[Hosstage]

 

Is there a future in electric solenoid valve operation, as opposed to using cams? I would have to think it's at least been explored.

[Ponch]

On 7/1/2021 at 10:43 AM, AviP said:

Electric! With 300 mile range. Any ICE advances are the equivalent of going backward at this time.

300 mile range on a bike will be difficult for a bit, but no matter what it's soulless. 

[BamaJohn]

On 6/27/2021 at 6:07 PM, TEWKS said:

Heavily disguised (I hope ) but it appears that a new GS is in the works. The frame work is definitely a mock-up cover.

 

More Pictures

where does one store the come-along (needed when the bike is dumped on a muddy, red-clay path)?

[Dave_in_TX]

On 7/1/2021 at 7:37 AM, 6speedTi said:

Was thinking the same thing. It's not really variable timing. It's two set positions timing. 

It's not continously variable but it is variable between two positions.

[dirtrider]

On 6/28/2021 at 7:12 AM, fourteenfour said:

I wonder if/when BMW will go to full VVT instead of this in between shift cam method

Morning  fourteenfour

 

Probably when they turbo charge it with direct injection with an electric water pump & mechanical purge pump.

 

Why not keep the shift cam system for valve lift & duration change, then add a Variable Valve Timing to that to continually change the valve timing?   Then no reason they can't add a 3rd cam lobe to get a 3 position shift cam. 

 

There is already a production automotive engine set up like the above only the 3rd cam lobe is completely  round to prevent valve opening at all to deactivate the cylinder under certain conditions but no reason that 3rd lobe couldn't be a low lift or different profile.  

[TEWKS]

1 hour ago, BamaJohn said:

where does one store the come-along (needed when the bike is dumped on a muddy, red-clay path)?

 

 

[BamaJohn]

WHAT?!   you mean we're not bulletproof any more?!    Tell me it ain't so.......

[TEWKS]

Yup, It sneaks up on us all. 

[Rinkydink]

14 hours ago, BamaJohn said:

where does one store the come-along (needed when the bike is dumped on a muddy, red-clay path)?

Next “farkle” will be a warn winch mounted right below the headlight. 

[Danny caddyshack Noonan]

Is that rider oversized or the bike slightly undersized?  The watermark doesn't help, but the bike looks a touch smaller than the current GS.

[roadscholar]

\

 

It does look small but I think it's because the rider is just big, the wheels still look like 17 and 19 and seem in the same proportion as 1200/1250's. Here's another shot next to a 1250 for a better comparison but even there the camo is probably helping conceal some of the width.

 

 

It reminds me of one Sunday morning in about 1993 a buddy and I were breaking in his just restored Speedster heading from the SC foothills up to the Parkway at 215 and pulled into an overlook. A few minutes later a tall lanky fellow rode up on a new black motorcycle like I'd never seen, actually pretty bizarre looking. He parked at the other end and got off to check the view so I walked over, saw the roundel and asked what the heck it was. He had a heavy German accent and wasn't real excited about chatting but said he was an engineer at BMW and was over here testing the new (oilhead) GS out of Spartanburg, it was still a year or so before release. Looks pretty mundane now but compared to an airhead or really anything else at the time it was out there.

 

   

[BamaJohn]

Oh, to be 20 again and feel the ever-increasing horsepower between my legs, releasing testosterone (and other hormones) to drive me onward....

I live on a lake and see fishermen pushing the throttle open on their 200HP motors, to get to the next fishing hole, running about 60mph, and wonder "why?".  Tournaments for money, I can understand, but pleasure-fishing, not so much.

Since BMW marketed its first motorcycle, the horsepower has increased with almost every model change, and I wonder where/when the point of "diminishing returns" will happen.  

Just curious: is there anyone here who has ever thought "damn, this wethead beemer just doesn't have enough horsepower for my needs!"?  

[wbw6cos]

13 minutes ago, BamaJohn said:

Just curious: is there anyone here who has ever thought "damn, this wethead beemer just doesn't have enough horsepower for my needs desires!"?  

 

Fixed it for you, John.

 

There is always room for more horsepower; 136hp on the RT is plenty and I would love more.   How much?  Who knows?  Trial and error is always a simple way of finding out.  I will wait to see what the final output for the 1300 will be.   My R 1200 C is 63hp, so a 3rd bike would have to beat 136hp.  I can go ahead and cap it at 175, so anything near there will suffice.  

 

Let us not forget about great stopping power to go along with any decent horsepower gains.  Yeah, good brakes are nice.   

[Hosstage]

You just need more horsepower than your friends have....

[RecentConvert]

More power?   Sure!  Its a transient "need" but when elevation is thrust upon you by unloading the trailer at 7500 feet.  Loading wife and stuff on bike to max weight, and heading straight up Monarch Pass.  What happened?  This thing is gutless!  Why am I only in 3rd gear?  We must have put on weight.

 

These impressions go away as miles at elevation accumulate, just a shock when your last ride was at 800 feet.

[Hosstage]

Some equate more power with being able to use a higher gear when climbing mountain roads, especially loaded two up. That is a bit deceiving. Use of the proper gear to get the motor into its proper power band is necessary, no matter how much power the bike or car has. Hence, transmissions.

Sport bikes make upward of 150 horsepower, weigh under 500 pounds, but will struggle running up mountain roads in 5th or 6th gear, just like a 90 horsepower 700 pound cruiser.

Having said that, more power please!

[lkchris]

So, it is typical German practice to produce a given vehicle for a specific number of years.

 

About 2/3 through that planned period, there is a "facelift" to keep sales going and keep interest up.

 

Then a whole new vehicle is produced.

 

The Oilhead, the Hexhead, and the Wethead were new boxers.

 

The 1150, the Camhead, and the ShiftCam were facelifts.

 

Facelifts are same frame and drivetrain, but styling and engine upgrades.  There wasn't much styling change for the Wethead facelift, but maybe 719 counts.

 

There is also "continuous improvement" like for example the improved transmission for 2017 Wetheads; the 2007 ABS change on Hexheads

 

So, it's time for a new bike to replace the Wethead.  It will be more than just 50cc.  It's likely a major engine redesign.  The first year will be the GS, followed next year by RT and the others. 

 

Same process, repeated once again.

 

Mercedes tends to alternate engines and bodies, that is, the facelift often incorporates a completely new engine, which is then carried over to the new car.

 

Meanwhile, General Motors brags they kept the boat anchor smallblock in production for 50 years.

 

[Ponch]

10 hours ago, lkchris said:

So, it is typical German practice to produce a given vehicle for a specific number of years.

 

About 2/3 through that planned period, there is a "facelift" to keep sales going and keep interest up.

 

Then a whole new vehicle is produced.

 

The Oilhead, the Hexhead, and the Wethead were new boxers.

 

The 1150, the Camhead, and the ShiftCam were facelifts.

 

Facelifts are same frame and drivetrain, but styling and engine upgrades.  There wasn't much styling change for the Wethead facelift, but maybe 719 counts.

 

There is also "continuous improvement" like for example the improved transmission for 2017 Wetheads; the 2007 ABS change on Hexheads

 

So, it's time for a new bike to replace the Wethead.  It will be more than just 50cc.  It's likely a major engine redesign.  The first year will be the GS, followed next year by RT and the others. 

 

Same process, repeated once again.

 

Mercedes tends to alternate engines and bodies, that is, the facelift often incorporates a completely new engine, which is then carried over to the new car.

 

Meanwhile, General Motors brags they kept the boat anchor smallblock in production for 50 years.

 

 

One can still buy a SBC and a BBC. As much as you might think it a boat anchor, it's easier and cheaper to keep than a Mercedes. Owning anything German after the warranty is out is Russian roulette.