In 2004, the Yamaha FJR still had that new car smell, the Honda VFR was still a contender, and the Ducati Multistrada 1000S DS had bodywork from the future. Then, like a meteor, Ewan-Wan Kenobi and his pal Charley took the long way around on a pair of BMW R 1150 GS Adventures and sport touring bikes turned into Oldsmobiles overnight.

The BMW GS became the motorcycle of choice for touring and has dominated sales charts in the category ever since. It was the perfect storm of sorts. As the 20th century ended, a wave of boomers suddenly found themselves not only with empty nests and some expendable income, but also with sedentary middle-manager/middle-aged backs and free time. For them (and even aging Gen Xers like myself), the sit-up-and-beg seating position of the GS fit their dad bods while the bike’s “go anywhere in the world” ethos fed their Walter Mitty souls.

Full Article:

https://www.roadrunner.travel/motorcycles/review-2024-bmw-r-1300-gs/?ref=journal-newsletter