If there is one thing that BMW is known for, it is its touring motorcycles. These are mile-munchers that can do it day in, day out, and at speed. The Bavarian company has earned its reputation by churning out these premium sport tourers over several decades. Today, however, the market for sport tourers is shrinking because sport tourers do not have the practicality or versatility of adventure tourers or crossovers. Still, the ones that survive do because they offer a rare combination of speed, agility, and comfort that you will not find anywhere else in the two-wheeled world.
Why Is The Sport Touring Segment Shrinking?
A cinematic shot of the 2026 GSX-S1000GT+ with a passenger, luggage, and the sun setting over the oceanSuzuki Cycles
If there is one common complaint among people everywhere, it is that roads are not always perfect. So it makes more sense to those who like to explore with their motorcycles to get themselves an example that will deal with broken tarmac or dirt without batting an eye. The crossovers might use the same kind of wheels and tires as sport tourers, but they have long-travel suspension and an upright seating position. Adventure tourers take it a step further by offering options and tires suited to both tarmac as well as dirt. This versatility among these other genres makes it necessary for today’s sport tourer to offer similar levels of versatility if it is to compete.
BMW Remains One Of The Two Manufacturers With Multiple Sport Touring Choices
2025 BMW K 1600 GT corneringBMW Motorrad
With the segment slimming down, it is no wonder that most manufacturers offer just one sport tourer based on the traditional design, if at all they offer one. Kawasaki is one manufacturer that offers two different sport tourers: the Ninja 1100 SX and the Ninja H2 SX SE. BMW takes it a step further and offers three different sport tourers, and they cater to different tastes within the sport touring segment. You can have something that is quite close to a sportbike, or you can have a full-size tourer that likes to go around a corner despite its size and bulk.
There Is One Model That Stands Out Among The Others Because Of How It Marries Opposing Concepts
2026 BMW R 1300 RT front end close-up studio shotBMW Motorrad
Luxury and practicality are not concepts that go hand in hand, but BMW has managed to equip one of its touring models with both of these virtues. As always, it has leaned on technology for a solution, beginning with a completely new chassis, an updated engine that offers an automatic gearbox as an option, and even advanced optional electronic suspension that has no equal in the class.
The BMW R 1300 RT Automatic Is The BMW That Makes Luxury Feel Practical
An accessorized BMW R 1300 RT parked on an urban street, rider and pillion admiring it, front third quarter viewBMW Motorrad
The R 1300 RT exists in a segment that seems to be shrinking, that of the luxury sport touring motorcycle in the traditional format — although there are many options otherwise for those who love speed and comfort. That means it mirrors the shape and look of a sports bike but is far more comfortable and relaxed so that it can perform its duties as a tourer. Of course, BMW has given it its own spin with a unique suspension, engine layout, and styling. Still, when you spec the R 1300 RT with the optional automatic gearbox, you get a luxury tourer that is comfortable all day on the highway, nimble in the twisties, and compact enough to feel comfortable within city limits. It is the BMW that makes luxury feel practical.
A Premium Price For A Premium Product
2026 BMW R 1300 RT SaddlebagsBMW Motorrad
The base price of the R 1300 RT is $22,645, but we are considering the model with the automatic gearbox here that pushes the price to an even $30,000. The gearbox on its own is a $1,000 optional extra, but you cannot purchase it without one of the optional packages, which is why there is such a large difference between the base price and the automatic. Still, you get a whole lot more convenience for the money, and not just in terms of not having to shift gears or using the clutch in stop-and-go traffic. You can count this BMW among the ones that earn their premium price.
The Boxer Engine Has Enough Torque To Keep Up With Large-Displacement V-Twin Tourers
A rider cornering the 2026 BMW R 1300 RT along a canyon road, cinematic rolling shotBMW Motorrad
The R 1300 RT shares its powertrain with the R 1300 GS, which is an adventure motorcycle, but BMW has managed to make it equally useful in both applications. It is a pleasant surprise that it even has the same state of tune, which is 145 horsepower at 7,750 RPM and 110 pound-feet of torque at 6,500 RPM, which makes it the ultimate touring bike for real-world riding. This boxer twin engine displaces 1,300 cc, has an exceedingly short stroke, and has a compression ratio of 13.3:1. In addition, it has a DOHC setup with variable valve timing on the intake valves.
The Automatic Gearbox Option Transforms The Experience
A rider casually riding the 2026 BMW R 1300 RT on a beautiful city road, front fascia cinematic shotBMW Motorrad
The base R 1300 RT has a six-speed manual gearbox. A quickshifter is an optional extra, but like the automatic option, you will be able to add it to a package rather than add it as a standalone accessory. The automatic gearbox is the most interesting option, however. There is no other option with the same form factor as the R 1300 RT with an automatic gearbox, even as an option. The closest one can come to it is a Honda NT1100 DCT, which is a crossover and is decidedly on a different level in terms of performance and luxury.
2026 BMW R 1300 RT rear 3/4 shotBMW
BMW uses the same six-speed gearbox as the manual but uses an automated manual setup, which guarantees reliability. There is also the option of switching it off and taking full manual control back whenever you feel like it. It must be noted that there isn’t a physical clutch lever, so the gearbox will downshift automatically even in manual mode to protect itself — this is a bike that is easy to ride and trust. A driveshaft completes the driveline, which makes it a great option on truly long rides.
A Reinvented Frame Distinguishes It From The R 1250 RT
BMW R 1300 RT taking a sharp cornerBMW Motorrad
The R 1250 RT had a steel trellis frame holding everything together, but BMW has opted for a big change with the R 1300 RT. This is a diamond frame, also known as a twin-spar frame, and it uses the engine as a stressed member. The main advantage of such a frame is the lighter weight. The bolt-on rear subframe is an aluminum lattice tube frame, and BMW has chosen to fit it with the Evo Telelever and Paralever suspension, making it a great combination of logic and luxury on two wheels.
2026 BMW R 1300 RT side shotBMW
What that means is that there is a wishbone front, and at the rear, there is a single-sided swingarm with a link-type monoshock. The R 1300 RT offers 5.8 inches of suspension travel at the front and 6.2 inches at the rear. It is a similar story with the brakes, which are dual 310 mm discs at the front paired with radial four-piston fixed calipers, and a single 285 mm disc at the rear with a two-piston floating caliper. A 17-inch alloy wheel setup shod with radial tubeless tires completes the chassis.
This Is A Large, Comfortable Tourer
The R 1300 RT might be one of the touring motorcycles that is fast, comfortable, and surprisingly practical, but it is still a large motorcycle. It is 87.7 inches long and 38.2 inches wide (including the mirrors). The wheelbase measures 59 inches, and the standard seat height is 32 inches. This being a luxury tourer, there are different seat heights as well, ranging from 30.7 inches all the way to 33.8 inches high. The large fuel tank holds 6.3 gallons, and it weighs 620 pounds wet.
The Features List Is Second To None
2026 BMW R 1300 RT dash in action with speakers in viewBMW Motorrad
The features list is where the R 1300 RT can truly go toe-to-toe with any other motorcycle in this segment. It starts with the 10.25-inch TFT screen, which has Bluetooth navigation as standard. Other standard features include keyless ignition, tire pressure monitoring, heated grips, a charging port for electronic devices, cruise control, electronic suspension, and linked brakes. Also standard are a by-wire throttle and a six-axis IMU, which means you have all the safety features you would expect from a premium motorcycle, including cornering ABS, traction control, and engine braking control. Also included are ride modes.
2026 BMW R 1300 RT front fairing close-up detailBMW Motorrad
The options list is a mile long. We have already mentioned the two-way quickshifter and automatic gearbox are on this list. Also on it are front collision warning, lane-change warning, adaptive headlamps, adaptive cruise control, and an audio system upgrade. The dynamic chassis adaptation is also an optional extra, and it not only monitors and changes the damping in real time, but it also does the same with the spring rates and ride height, making it one of the most advanced systems of its kind, and the R 1300 RT quietly sets the benchmark here.
‘Practical Luxury’ Is A Term Familiar To A Few Other Models As Well
Rider and passenger on a BMW R 18 TranscontinentalBMW
If you want luxury and have an eye on practicality, BMW has a couple of options as well. There’s the R 18 Transcontinental, which is a full-size, full-dress tourer with an extremely practical base price that buyers should consider before buying an R 1300 RT or a Gold Wing. It also has a few quirky touches, such as the power reserve meter and the Rock and Roll ride modes, that give it a unique character. Its weight and performance might work against it, however.
BMW Motorrad
There is also the BMW K 1600 B. This might not have the kind of pillion comfort that the R 18 Transcontinental offers, but it is at least as comfortable as the R 1300 RT and offers just as much luggage space with its hard saddlebags. It also has a very reasonable base price that might make it the best value in the segment, one of the smoothest inline six-cylinder engines in the world, a massive power output of 160 horsepower, and unique features like the double-wishbone front suspension and electronic automatic leveling for the suspension.
Source: BMW USA
