If you were following the big announcement from BMW Motorrad this week, you would have heard that they unveiled the new boxer engine’s for both the R1250GS and R1250RT.

As they have many times in the past, BMW has engineered a more powerful, yet lighter and more efficient engine. The boxer has a storied legacy, but that isn’t what I thought was most interesting about the public release of these new additions to the boxer line up. To me it was the timing.

Not for nothing (and maybe I’m hopefully reaching here) but in 2004, just before BMW updated the R1150gs to the R1200gs, Ewan McGregor, Charley Boorman, and the boys set out on Part One (Long Way Round) of their Long Way Round series on the previous 1150gs’s. Then, four years later, they rode on the updated R1200gs. Marking a powerful marketing tool for the brand’s new boxer model.

With rumors heavily circulating about the third installment beginning in 2019 and the R1250gs release happening today, maybe this isn’t just coincidence and we don’t have to wonder about what bikes they will be riding on #longwayup

Just some food for thought as many people are rampantly speculating about the bikes of choice for the upcoming installment. Will the boys stay loyal to BMW as they have in the past or with Charley’s commitments to Triumph Motorcycles and Ewan to Moto Guzzi, will there be a change?

In my opinion, today’s announcement is as good as a confirmation that the Long Way Round crew will remain loyal to the BMW GS line up on Long Way Up.