2024 Motorcycle of the Year: BMW R 1300 GS
Motorcycle.com attended 52 press introductions this year. We tested the latest the industry had to offer from every brand. There were plenty of excellent new motorcycles launched in 2024 with manufacturers delivering everything from ground up redesigns to entering entirely new segments, and, as always, displaying BNGs proudly. It was another great year in motorcycling.
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As mentioned with its win in the adventure motorcycle category, adopting an entirely new philosophy when redesigning a flagship motorcycle 44 years in the making takes confidence, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to one’s vision. The BMW R 1300 GS is the culmination of decades of experience building adventure motorcycles and it’s clear with the performance and technology on offer with this latest model. Having finally sized the big GS down, BMW has amplified the real adventure capability of the 1300. The chassis is now more responsive and more rigid than ever and it helps when pushing the machine’s limits off-road or on. Considering the new mill – which we’ll certainly see spread across other models – BMW managed to make it lighter weight, more compact, and added more power. As we put it in our First Ride review, “Losing weight isn’t easy. Dropping weight and adding muscle is even tougher. Yet BMW has managed to pull it off with the GS’s new 1300 cc power plant.”
The electronics on the BMW R 1300 GS haven’t received a significant overhaul, though continue to be well-thoughtout and provide loads of adjustability – and we’re happy to see BMW following in H-D’s footsteps by offering “adaptive vehicle height control” as an option. As it has for some time now, the amount of options on offer from BMW are dizzying but it does give potential owners the opportunity to modify their machines as they see fit whether that be focused on dirt, or keeping the tires on the tarmac. It can be overwhelming, but it does highlight the GS’ versatility as a tourer.
For its advancement in the realm of motorcycling, adventure motorcycling, and within the Gelände Straße family, the BMW R 1300 GS has earned MO’s Best Motorcycle of 2024 award.
Honorable mention
In the past few years, when the staff has had our MOBO discussion it’s been fairly, well, straightforward. This year, we had some long debates and deep discussions when it came to choosing our MOTY. Heck, we even slept on it to give tensions a chance to simmer. It was Ducati’s latest flagship sportbike that mustered up these emotions alongside the BMW. Trizzle had plenty of nice things to say about the Panigale:
First, let me clear something up – the BMW is absolutely deserving of the MOTY award this year. But, in my opinion, so is the Ducati Panigale V4 S. Casual observers may not realize it, but in sportbike terms, this is a wholesale change to a motorcycle that was already cutting edge in the category. For Ducati to flip its own script – and unequivocally succeed in doing so – is huge. When Ducati introduced the Panigale V4 in 2018, it gave us a monstrous engine backed by a chassis that couldn’t handle the job. That’s not just my opinion, but one shared by a lot of journos and owners I’ve spoken to. Even Ducati staff I’ve spoken to, while they may not outright admit it, when reading between the lines they definitely acknowledge it. Each subsequent two-year update for the Panigale has been about making the bike easier to ride, with varying levels of success.
For this new Panigale, Ducati basically left the engine alone. That in itself is a big deal, but to then focus on making the chassis significantly more communicative for the rider as possible by setting aside tradition and swapping the single-sided swingarm for the superior (though less attractive) double-sided swingarm was also big. Combined with the increased flex from the front subframe (which is also significant), the new Panigale handles and communicates better than ever.
But this is all an appetizer for the main course – the electronics. Ducati have been on the cutting edge of tech in the sportbike category, but the new Panigale V4 S takes it to another level. The eCBS system is a revelation in terms of linked braking, and the DVO system, while hard to explain, takes the concept of rider aids allowing the rider to go faster, safer, and for a longer period of time, to a level I didn’t even know was possible. It is, by every measure of the word, impressive. This is just one byproduct of having eight Ducatis on the MotoGP grid for the past several years. The data and the input from all those top-level riders (and world champions) has been distilled into something you or I could buy. That, my friends, is progress.
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Ryan’s time in the motorcycle industry has revolved around sales and marketing prior to landing a gig at Motorcycle.com. An avid motorcyclist, interested in all shapes, sizes, and colors of motorized two-wheeled vehicles, Ryan brings a young, passionate enthusiasm to the digital pages of MO.
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I would not call it mildly updated. It is the best bang for the buck out there until the 2025 Z900 arrives. Great power, torque an IMU, bigger TFT. The BMW did not get a lot of praise as far as I have read.
I'm skeptical, I doubt that if you put a rider on this bike and previous generations, without them knowing which one they are on, at least 50% would get it wrong, after going for a ride. When a motorcycle needs an IMU, TC, etc., it has too much power! My beat up DL650 V Strom, with a few mods, would be able to keep up and even surpass the R-GS in certain areas. With BMW, I'm told, you're also stuck buying option pkg's too! I do NOT want keyless ignition, TPMS, linked brakes, or ABS, variable cam timing, etc. etc.! These bikes are getting to be like most automobiles, no std. trans., no roll up windows, no vinyl seats, or something durable and easy to clean. Also don't want auto stop feature, GPS, auto shut off, squeal to Police feature after an accident or when they need evidence to screw me over, and on and on. My 1994 Honda ST1100 was about perfect. (W/out ABS/TCS/CBS)
Ryan=TROLL