ROAD NEWS
R1300GS SCALES ACTIVE VOLCANO
Barely two and a half months after its world premiere , the new BMW R 1300 GS has proven its hard adventure credentials with unique robustness in South America . From December 6-7 December 2023 , starting from sea level on the Nevado Ojos del Salado - at 6893 metres the highest active volcano in the world - BMW sent a fleet of fully equipped R 1300 GS models into the dirt with a goal of reaching an altitude of more than 6000 metres in less than 24 hours . The climb , which is very difficult for riders , bikes and tyres , culminates in the notorious “ Rock Channel ” on the northern flank of the Nevado Ojos del Salado , where the expedition climbed to 6006 metres in 19 hours and 22 minutes to reach a maximum altitude of 6027 metres . The backdrop for the expedition was the Circuito de los Seis Miles in the Atacama Desert in Chile , the highest active volcano chain in the world , to which the Nevado Ojos del Salado belongs . The four standard BMW R 1300 GS models set off on December 6 at 3.00pm local time from
Bahia Inglesa , a town near the port of Caldera on the Pacific Ocean in the Atacama region , to climb the Nevado Ojos Del Salado . Their destination was reached on December 7 at 10.22am local time . Rolling on Metzeler Karoo 4 tyres , the BMW R 1300 GS models started from sea level on the coast of the Pacific Ocean , followed by the ascent through the Atacama Desert to the Circuito de los Seis Miles and finally to the slopes of Nevado Ojos del Salado on the border between Argentina and Chile . A unique feature of the expedition was the decision to undertake it with standard motorcycles and standard tyres . That means no trickery fitting extra knobbly tyres or swapping the wheels out for more enduro friendly sizes . It was all achieved with the standard 19-inch front and 17-inch rear wheels with factory optional Metzeler Karoo 4 tyres . “ With this extreme ride up to more than 6000 metres , the new BMW R 1300 GS has shown what it can do and what it is made for ,” Christof Lischka said . “ It masters off-road and adventure riding as well as a sporty pace on tarmac and
18 KIWI RIDER