A new R1200RT seems to be on the way for 2019! Photo credit: BMW Motorrad
It seems that BMW Motorrad is preparing the arrival of a refreshed R1200RT for 2019, and with it, the German manufacturer will also introduce a new generation of the well-known twin-cylinder Boxer engine.
It’s no secret that BMW is working on a new Boxer engine. After all, the current generation with liquid cooling has seen little to no updates since it was introduced in the market when the R1200GS arrived, and in the meantime, BMW competitors have introduced significant updates in their engines, specifically the introduction of variable valve timing.
That is the case of Ducati with its DVT system since 2015 on the Multistrada or xDiavel, but also Suzuki has done something similar with the current generation of the GSX-R1000 with the S-VVT.
But for 2019 BMW is ready to fight back, and the new generation of the Boxer engine, according to rumors, will gain in displacement from the current 1170 cc to something closer to 1250 cc, and will get a variable valve timing system in order to obtain better performances and at the same time improve fuel economy and reduce emissions to comply with the tougher regulations expected to be enforced when Euro5 arrives in a few years.
This new Boxer engine is now passing through a development phase on the road, and looking at the photos published by Motorcycle.com website, we can clearly see that the engine covers are different than the ones used in the current generation, which seem to confirm that BMW is working on a VVT system and that’s why the engine covers have changed.
The 2019 R1200RT shows the new engine covers and headlight. Photo credit: Motorcycle.com
What’s curious in this, at least at the moment these spy shots are being released to the public, is that BMW is testing this new generation Boxer engine in a full touring bike, the R1200RT.
If we had to guess, we would say that BMW will show this refreshed R1200RT and also a new R1200GS, the most popular model in the German manufacturer line-up, a bike that although keeps showing great numbers in terms of sales, is starting to get a bit low on performance when compared with some of its rivals in the adventure or maxi-trail segment.
As for the R1200RT, it will get some minor touches in its bodywork, mainly in the front with a headlight assembly that gets a sharper design. Also, the rider will be able to access the infotainment system through a new TFT screen, much larger than the one used in the current generation RT and in line with the TFT screens now being used in other BMW models.
To see the new BMW Motorrad 2019 models and the new Boxer engine with variable valve timing system we’ll need to wait for the INTERMOT Cologne motorcycle exhibition in October this year.
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