2017 BMW R 1200 GS Updates & New Style Packages

BMW's 2017 R 1200 GS will be available in two new style packages: Exclusive (left) and Rallye (right). (Photos: BMW)
BMW’s 2017 R 1200 GS will be available in two new style packages: Exclusive (left) and Rallye (right). (Photos: BMW)

BMW’s iconic GS marque has spent 35 years perfecting the combination of touring and off-road capability, and the latest liquid-cooled R 1200 GS is arguably the best one yet. For 2017, BMW has announced some significant updates to its R 1200 GS, with an eye on the many ways its customers use the bike.

Read our Snapshot Comparo of the BMW R 1200 GS & KTM 1290 Super Adventure.

2017 BMW R 1200 GS Rallye.
2017 BMW R 1200 GS Rallye.

Overall changes include Euro 4 certification, with unchanged output and power figures. The optional Riding Modes Pro package adds Dynamic, Dynamic Pro, Enduro and Enduro Pro ride modes, Dynamic Traction Control (lean-angle sensitive traction control), Hill Start Control for easy hill starts, and ABS Pro (cornering ABS). Dynamic ESA “Next Generation,” BMW’s latest Electronic Suspension package, is also a factory option. It not only provides continuous, real-time damping adjustments, but also performs automatic self-leveling to account for load variations.

Read our Adventure Shootout of the BMW R 1200 GSA, KTM 1190 Adventure & Yamaha Super Tenere.

2017 BMW R 1200 GS Exclusive.
2017 BMW R 1200 GS Exclusive.

The big GS also got a bit of a facelift, with “revised ergonomics in the knee area” to be more comfortable when standing on the pegs in off-road situations, and small touches here and there such as new winglets, trim pieces and metal radiator shrouds.

The R 1200 GS got a facelift for 2017, with revised trim pieces and a metal radiator guard.
The R 1200 GS got a facelift for 2017, with revised trim pieces and a metal radiator guard.

It’s safe to say that plenty of R 1200 GS owners never take their bike off-road…but at the same time, there are lots of riders who outfit theirs with full crash protection and go on multi-day off-road adventures. To address the uniquely dual nature of the R 1200 GS, for 2017, BMW will offer two style packages: the Rallye and the Exclusive.

The 2017 BMW R 1200 GS Rallye was designed with the off-road rider in mind.
The 2017 BMW R 1200 GS Rallye was designed with the off-road rider in mind.

The Rallye package, as the name suggests, is designed for the aggressive off-road rider. It features increased spring rate (“harder suspension”), with longer spring struts and extended travel for the rigors of hard riding. Rather than the standard two-piece seat, it has a one-piece flat Rallye seat, a short windshield, radiator and frame guards, wide enduro footpegs, cross-spoke wheels and optional knobby dual-sport tires. It also comes in a special Rallye livery, with Lupine Blue metallic paint, BMW Motorsport coloring on the tank, black drivetrain and Cordoba Blue frame.

The R 1200 GS Exclusive has a comfortable two-piece seat for touring.
The R 1200 GS Exclusive has a comfortable two-piece seat for touring.

The Exclusive package, on the other hand, is aimed squarely at the touring GS rider, with a comfortable two-piece seat, a splash guard on the front fender, and sophisticated livery with Iced Chocolate metallic paint, Monolith metallic matt gas tank side panels, Agate Grey metallic matt frame, black drivetrain and gold-finished brake calipers.

US pricing and availability have not yet been released.

2017 BMW R 1200 GS Exclusive.
2017 BMW R 1200 GS Exclusive.

 

Enduro footpegs on the R 1200 GS Rallye.
Enduro footpegs on the R 1200 GS Rallye.
2017 BMW R 1200 GS Rallye.
2017 BMW R 1200 GS Rallye.
2017 BMW R 1200 GS Exclusive.
2017 BMW R 1200 GS Exclusive.

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