One way to prove the worth of an adventure bike is to pit the motorcycle against nature. With that in mind, BMW sent a team of four riders to each ride the all-new 2024 BMW R 1300 GS from Chile’s Pacific Coast to the face of a volcano nearly 20,000 feet above sea level—in 24 hours. Rather than build one-off editions of the new GS, BMW simply mounted Metzeler Karoo 4 tires on each bike and set the adventurists loose.
The objective was the Andes’ Nevado Ojos del Saldo, the highest volcano in the world. The team—Italian Extreme Enduro Champion Michele Prandelli, BMW Motorrad Development Manager Christof Lischka, Metzeler Test and Technical Director Salvatore Pennisi, and Motorrad magazine’s Karsten Schwers—practiced on Sicily’s Mt. Etna before heading south of the equator. The route took the four BMW R 1300 GS adventure bikes through the fearsome Atacama Desert and scenic Circuito de los Seismiles. Road conditions included rocks, sand, ice, and snow.
Needless to say, we likely wouldn’t be hearing about it if they weren’t successful.
“With this extreme ride up to more than 6,000 meters, the new BMW R 1300 GS has shown what it can do and what it is made for,” Lischka said. “It masters off-road and adventure riding as well as a sporty pace on tarmac and long tours, even in standard trim with off-road tires. It was important for us to emphasize these core competencies of the new GS once again with this expedition. I am delighted that we were able to take on this challenge with the new R 1300 GS and mastered it with flying colors. On such adventurous rides, the new GS has already demonstrated its great off-road expertise in standard trim and shown what it can do in extreme situations.”
Although Ultimate Motorcycling Associate Editor Jess McKinley didn’t climb any volcanos, he did test the 2024 BMW R 1300 GS late last year.
