Police and detective shows get the lion’s share of exposure in film and television today, but there was a time when traffic cops also had their moment.
The American TV series CHiPs that ran from the late 1970s to early 1980s, for those old enough to remember, put spietkops on the map long before they became staple characters in Leon Schuster movies. Just to clarify the name for Generation Z, the series was about the California Highway Patrol or CHP. Add a lower case “i” and “s” to that and you get CHiPs completely unrelated from potatoes, gambling tokens and computer hardware.
While Officers Jon Baker and Frank Ponch made the spietkop profession very respectable long before the local bribing mockery it has become, the Kawasaki cruisers they rode were just so supercool. In fact, I still can’t pass a spietkop on a bike without thinking about that series I watched as a pre-schooler.
BMW R1300 RT eats up luggage
BMW did not provide a uniform and a pair of aviators when they recently delivered the 2026 R1300 RT at The Citizen Motoring. Yet I still felt like Erik Estrada when swinging my leg over it. As the successor to the R1250 RT or Reise-Tourer (travel tourer), this luxury touring motorcycle is a modern-day traffic police bike personified, especially when kited with all the optional top box and panniers. And as you won’t need all that space to store fine books, hand cuffs, cones and whatever it is spietkops ride around with, you can pack lots of luggage for you and your pillion on endless touring adventures.
Like the BMW R1300GS, the R1300 RT is powered by an air/liquid-cooled twin-cylinder four-stroke boxer engine. This 1 300cc mill sends 107kW of power and 149Nm of torque to the rear wheel via driveshaft is mated to six-speed gearbox featuring clutchless automated shift assistance. You have the choice to leave it in auto or manually take over the shifting via the gear level.
The bike rides on 17-inch aluminium cast wheels, 120/70 in front and 190/55 at the rear. Stopping power comes in the form of twin 310mm, four-piston radial brake calliper in the front and single 285mm disc, two-piston floating calliper in the rear. It comes standard with ABS Pro which includes fully integral braking function and optimised lean angle.
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Loads of creature comforts
The BMW R1300 RT’s starting price of R392 550 gets you 10.25-inch colour TFT display, keyless ride grip heating and cooled smartphone charging tray. Once you add more creature comforts, you’ll spend more than half a bar. Our tester featured audio pro which brings two huge front mounted speakers to the party, electrically adjustable windscreen, headlight pro, variable luggage system featuring a top box with light which locks as part of the central locking system, heated seat, variable slipsteam deflectors and dynamic chassis adaption.
The latter adds two riding modes, Dynamic and Dynamic Pro. Where the standard Road riding mode provides a softer suspension and balanced riding position, the dynamic modes are for spirited outing. An extended rear damper ensures a steeper steering angle, while harder spring/damping settings lends itself to better lean angles.
These dynamic enhancements, together with its powerful engine, supersharp brakes and the option of manual shifting, transforms the bike from an easy-going tourer into something of a beast. It performs so well through the twisties that you’ll never guess it weighs in at 281kg.
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Weathering the storm
Fuel consumption of 5.5 litres per 100km, which included the spirited action, is very commendable. This will get you well over 400km on its 24-litre tank.
he BMW R1300 RT’s wind and weather protection is simply next level. We were forced to put it to the test on a ride out to Rustenburg which started under sunny skies. The extended wind screen, wind deflectors and new cylinder trim panel in front of the foot pegs helped ride escape a heavy downpour on the way back with little more than two wet jacket sleeves.
If you believe in the adage that it’s not about the destination, but rather the journey, then the superb BMW R1300 RT is definitely for you. Whenever you choose to get there, it will be in the greatest of comfort. Just watch out for the spietkops on your way there.
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