P106
RIDE REVIEW I 2026 BMW R 1300 RT
P106
RIDE REVIEW I 2026 BMW R 1300 RT
spring rate for both front and
rear via two modes: Road and
Dynamic Pro. In Road, the chas-
sis geometry is conventional and
relatively flat for stability and
comfort. In Dynamic Pro, the rear
rises, the steering head angle is
sharper to give a sporty nose-
down stance.
But it's not just an electroni
-
cally controlled chassis and a
more powerful Boxer engine.
BMW engineers have been work
-
ing overtime on the RT. The new
LED headlight—Headlight Pro—is
a technical marvel featuring 47
small LED lights that respond to
speed and cornering. When riding
slowly in town, the beam is low
and turns with the lean angle. At
normal road speeds, the beam
is projected further and remains
lean-sensitive, increasing further
at motorway speeds.
BMW has clearly spent count
-
less hours in the wind tunnel,
too, as the new RT gets a new
electronic screen, small wind
deflectors above the mirrors, and
even manually variable side wind
deflectors, allowing more or less
air to flow over the rider. There
are even neat little cylinder cov
-
ers to prevent your shoes from
getting wet and dirty in the rain, a
request from smartly dressed of
-
fice workers who didn't want their
Italian designer shoes to get dirty
on the commute to work.
Side cases (27 liters each)
come standard and are easy to
operate and remove. You can
opt for the variable luggage
system, which can be expanded
from 27 liters to 33 liters via a
manual knob inside the cases.
The panniers feature an interior
light, and the left case includes
a USB-C charging port. If you
want more storage, there are two
top cases (39 liters or 54 liters),
with the larger having a heated
rear backrest for the pillion. The
pillion has more room and more
comfort than before and not just
an optional heated backrest, but
also an optional heated seat and,
wait for it, grab rails. No, I'm not
joking. There's a neat little smart
-
phone compartment within easy
reach atop the 6.3-gallon fuel
tank, which is ventilated to pre
-
vent your phone from overheat-
ing. It seems they have thought
of everything.
Three riding modes are
standard–Road, Rain and
Eco–with Dynamic and
Dynamic Pro as optional.
Traction control (DTC) and
lean-sensitive ABS with
engine-brake assist (MSR)
are also standard.
