The BMW Motorrad stand at the Motorcycle Live! show was well attended this, most likely because BMW had some important new models on show.

The video shows what the BMW stand looked like for those that could not make it to the NEC! There was a good turnout from the Oxford Section, although we all arrived at different times due to problems on the A34 near Wantage.

The new 2014 RT is one of the most important new models. The old model had never been lower than 2nd in the Rider Power owners survey and the new one looks to be a very integrated design using the new water-cooled engine. The engine, apparently, has a heavier crankshaft and an extra balance shaft compared to the R1200GS. The new bike using ideas from the K1600 models, but the sat nav is not fully enclosed like it is on the K1600. This bike is pretty sure to be fantastic on the road, going by the R1200GS and some members have ordered their’s without even a test drive!

The new R1200GSA for 2014, uses the same engine as the RT with the heavier crank and balance shaft, presumably to help off road running at low speed. The design looks like an evolution of the successful GS Adventure line. It is easier to reach the floor on the new GSA and there is a little coin box in the fuel tank! The feel from the seat is very much what you expect from a GSA, but overall the consensus seemed to be that the design is less well integrated than the R1200GS, for instance the fog lights (now an extra) are low mounted and may be more vulnerable to damage? Nevertheless  it is likely to sell very well. Already some members have been parted from their money!

2013 is BMW’s 90th anniversary and they brought a good collection of machines from the BMW Museum in Munich to the show.

We met up with Simon Pavey on the Off Road Skills stand, now part of the main BMW Motorrad stand. It was amazing how well the water-cooled R1200GS survived a year with ORS in South Wales. Simon thought that the new electronics, which they leave turned on, had helped avoid some nasty crashes with benefits to bikes and riders,  it does show that not all progress is bad and the new technology can make motorcycles more convenient and safer!

Still the old machines have great charm, here is Gaston Rahier’s winning BMW GS from 1985 – the rumour was he had to be hoisted on to the bike as he was tiny and this machine is very tall!