Skip to content
ratio

Best tyres for the BMW R 1300 GS (2025)

The BMW R 1300 GS (2025) is an adventure bike with 107 kW and a wet weight of 237 kg. That’s 451 kW per tonne, in the performance tier. MT-09s, Street Triples, GSs and 600 supersports. A cheap rear is the weak link.

Power-to-weight

451kW/t

hp/t
605
kg/kW
2.2
with rider
343 kW/t
stock rear
170/60 R17

Not LAMS. Over 150 kW/t (or 25 kW for an electric bike), so learners and most provisional riders can't ride it. LAMS rules

Your bike sits at 451 kilowatts per tonne. Reference bikes: PCX160 90, Z650 LAMS 200, Gold Wing 237, MT-07 295, MT-09 451, R 1300 GS 451, Ninja H2 714, R1 732 kilowatts per tonne.

Recommended tyres by how you ride

For a mild, wet climate, ridden solo.

Touring & long trips

Adventure road (90/10)

Adventure bikes need tyres in 19- and 21-inch sizes. A road-biased adventure tyre is the closest thing to a sport-touring tyre in those sizes.

  • Pirelli Scorpion Trail IIIPremium
  • Michelin Anakee RoadMid-rangeTyroola
  • Continental ContiTrailAttack 3Premium
  • Metzeler Tourance Next 2Mid-range

Gravel roads

Adventure road (90/10)

For mostly sealed roads with some graded gravel, a road-biased adventure tyre gives car-like confidence on bitumen and enough bite on dirt.

  • Pirelli Scorpion Trail IIIPremium
  • Continental ContiTrailAttack 3Premium
  • Michelin Anakee RoadMid-rangeTyroola
  • Metzeler Tourance Next 2Mid-range

Also consider: if the gravel gets serious, adventure 50/50.

Serious dirt

Adventure off-road (50/50)

For real dirt, a block tread's grip on loose surfaces matters more than anything a road-biased tyre can offer.

  • Dunlop Trailmax RaidMid-range
  • Bridgestone Battlax Adventurecross AX41Mid-range
  • Pirelli Scorpion Rally STRMid-range
  • Continental TKC 80Mid-range

Also consider: if most kilometres are sealed, adventure road.

What to look for on the sidewall

Sizes
120/70 R19 front, 170/60 R17 rear as standard.
Speed rating
Typically W (ZR). W covers up to 270 km/h.
Construction
Match your rims: tubeless or tube-type.
Life
Expect 8,000–16,000 km from a adventure road rear; fronts usually last one and a half to two times as long.

Your owner’s manual, or the tyre sticker on the swingarm or chain guard, is the authority on sizes, load index and speed rating.

Adventure road (90/10): character

Dry grip
4 out of 5
Wet grip
4 out of 5
Cold & warm-up
4 out of 5
Tread life
4 out of 5
Gravel & dirt
2 out of 5
Comfort & stability
4 out of 5

Things to know about tyres on the R 1300 GS

  • Fit a matched pair

    Run the same make and model front and rear. Tyres are designed as a pair, and mixing them changes how the bike steers and where it lets go. Rears usually wear out first; if you replace only the rear, match the front's model.

  • Scrub new tyres in

    New tyres are slippery until the release agent wears off. Take the first 100–150 km gently, building lean angle gradually, and be extra careful in the wet and on painted lines.

  • Check pressures weekly, cold

    Bike tyres lose air faster than car tyres and pressure changes the handling more. Check them cold, before you ride, against your owner's manual or the swingarm sticker, and add the pillion figure when two-up.

  • Replace by age as well as tread

    Rubber hardens with age even when there's tread left. Check the DOT date code and replace tyres older than about five years, sooner if they're cracked.

Quick answers

What is the power-to-weight ratio of the BMW R 1300 GS (2025)?

451 kW per tonne (605 hp per tonne), from 107 kW and a 237 kg wet weight. With a 75 kg rider aboard it's 343 kW/t. That puts it in ratio's Performance tier for motorbikes.

What tyre size does the BMW R 1300 GS (2025) take?

120/70 R19 front and 170/60 R17 rear as standard. Check your owner's manual or the tyre sticker on the swingarm for your exact bike, including the load index and speed rating, and never fit lower.

What are the best tyres for the BMW R 1300 GS (2025)?

For touring & long trips, adventure road (90/10) tyres. Good options include the Pirelli Scorpion Trail III, Michelin Anakee Road, Continental ContiTrailAttack 3. Fit the same model front and rear.

Is the BMW R 1300 GS (2025) LAMS approved?

No. It's well over the LAMS limits, so learner and most provisional riders can't ride it.

Bikes with a similar power-to-weight

All 65 motorbikes ranked by power-to-weight