BMW R 1300 RT Style Impulse ASA Review

BMW’s 2025 R 1300 RT full-dress tourer has an ASA automatic/manual clutchless transmission. And it’s amongst the best we’ve sampled. 

Back a century ago, BMW kicked off its motorcycle making with a horizontally opposed engine which they’ve retained to this day. Well, the concept at any rate. And if ever there was a prime example of evolution over revolution, it’s this R 1300 RT model. Beneath it all is an R 1300 GS adventure bike. Only this has road tyres, and shorter travel semi-active suspension. Other interesting safety bits include active cruise control, blind spot monitoring and forward collision warning. 

It uses the same funky shift-cam 1300cc engine as the adventure bike. That pulls heroically in the lower registers, there’s 149Nm on tap, and winds up to around 9000rpm, the extra urge evident from 4500rpm or so. Bank on 107kW to go with that. Up front is the firm’s Telelever suspension set-up (it’s like forks but with a single monoshock in behind) and a Paralever shaft drive system at the rear. The advantage of the former is minimal dive under heavy braking. That said, brakes are linked so front-end dive won’t be quite as evident anyway.

The best assistant yet?

The Automated Shift Assistant will be new to many. We got to ride an R 1300 GS with this system on track and it impressed then. It uses two electromechanical actuators that automate clutch control and shifting of a conventional six-speed transmission. Therefore, this has no need of a clutch lever.  

Some, like myself, might think this as the final solution to pesky quickshifters. Most such devices are too clunky on the downshift. This is way different. The upshifts are great, especially when you take charge. They can sometimes be lurchy in auto when the box is left to its own devices. But the downshifts are seriously good, and I haven’t often been able to say that about many quickshifter devices. The engine matches revs with the transmission during the blip phase and the downshifts are so sweet. Someone had to get it right eventually and these guys have. 

When parked the system selects first, for security. Holding the brake and applying the starter selects neutral automatically. Or you can hold the brake and push on the D/M button to select neutral before moving the bike around. 

Faster than expected

We thought it would be interesting to see how this went versus the mechanically similar 1300 GS that featured a quickshifter on the one we tested. No surprise, they’re almost identical. BMW claims 3.6sec 0-100 but 3.32sec is possible. That’s almost identical to the 3.29sec of the GS. That had a real clutch lever you had to employ to get off the line. This one feeds in the clutch for you, how quickly depending on how much you rotate the twistgrip. Too much and the front wheel paws the air. Get it right and it doesn’t bog off the line.

It was a similar scenario for the overtake, with both the GS and the RT delivering a best 80-120 of 1.49sec. Manual shifting (well, by foot really) delivered slightly better times. Whatever, both of these are blazingly quick considering they’re both twins. And the RT is no ballerina either at 280kg. The GS we rode was closer to 240kg; our RT had panniers and a larger movable fairing, both standard. Whatever, the ASA certainly doesn’t slow things up. Our best emergency stop was achieved with the front brake only at 40m. The rear on its own is sensational, as are the fronts alone, on account of being linked. 

Minor annoyances

I’ve never really quite gelled with the iRide device (or Multi-Controller). You can rotate it or click it like iDrive and there are two other buttons on the left switch block. There are also four shortcut buttons, a sure sign that the system is too complex. And so it is, even with familiarisation. Deep down in the set-up menu is how you reset fuel use figures and we forgot to do that but I imagine bettering the long term average of 5.1L/100km is easy enough. Motorrad claims 4.9 for the GS and RT. Atop the huge 24L fuel tank (range around 480km) is a little key holder where you slot the proximity key which you need to open the tank when refilling.

Other notable bits

Last time I rode an RT yonks ago, I recall that with the screen set at its highest this was a cone of silence. Nothing has changed, so you can ride along without a visor, no tearing up like when peeling onions here. And that makes riding along on a nice day that much more enjoyable. The riding position is just so too while the semi-active suspension we didn’t muss with. It’s nicely controlled without being too firm in Dynamic mode, softer without being squishy in Road mode. Both are appreciated. Steering is slowish but this leans over so gracefully, holding a line like a star.

It has oodles of ground clearance too, despite the centrestand. I recall BMW examples were amongst the easiest to use at one point. Not any longer, this one requires some heft to operate. Perhaps that’s why it no longer grounds out when leaned right over. 

One final thing

The R/T doesn’t come cheap. Fully loaded it has just about everything you could imagine on a bike, including the car-developed safety items. BSM is handy, adaptive cruise even better. With heated everything (grips and seats), special exhaust, manual wind deflectors and ASA you’re looking around $62k. However, you can buy the indent base bike for $44k. Or you can pick up a base R 1300 GS from $35,990 which is one reason they are so popular as an adventure tourer. But not all will need or want its off-road chops, in which case this, with its dedicated road rubber, should also be on your global tourer list. It’s hellish expensive but it’s also a helluva thing.  

BMW R 1300 RT Style Impulse ASA
$61,990
0-100 km/h 3.32s
80-120 km/h 1.49s (42.40m)
100-0 km/h 40.16m
Speedo error  95 at an indicated 100km/h
Engine Capacity  1300cc
Format  Liquid-cooled / fuel-injected / Flat twin
Max power  107kW@7750rpm
Max torque  149Nm@6500rpm
Cylinder head  DOHC / 8v
Gearbox  6-speed
Drivetrain  Shaft drive
Suspension front  USD forks, Fully adjustable
Suspension rear  Monoshock, Fully adjustable
Brakes front  Four-piston calipers, 310mm disc
Brakes rear  Twin-piston, 285mm disc
Safety systems  ABS, TC
Tyre size  f-120/70ZR17, r-190555ZR17
Tyre type  Michelin Road 6 GT
Wheelbase  1500mm
Seat height  780-860mm
Rake/trail  25.8° / 122mm
Fuel capacity  24L
Measured weight  281kg
Weight distribution  f-136kg / r-145kg