Riese & Müller Homage GT Touring in review – A first-class ticket into the trekking world?

With its Bosch motor, 1250 Wh dual-battery system and optional security package with GPS tracking, the Homage GT Touring looks good on paper. But how does Riese & Müller full-suspension step-through ebike fare against the competition in our E-trekking bike group test?

That eBike is part of our big trekking eBike group test. There you can find an overview of the test fleet and all information on the latest generation of trekking eBikes.

A comfortable long-distance all-road step-through wagon – This is how the Riese & Müller Homage GT Touring rides

Riese & Müller are well known for their innovative concepts and premium eSUVs. The Homage is both of the above. As the only full-suspension step-through in our E-trekking bike group test, it’s aimed primarily at trekking enthusiasts who prioritise maximum range and lots of comfort. Using Riese & Müller’s online configurator, we specced our Homage GT Touring test bike with an optional dual-battery system, Nyon display and off-road package. In this configuration, the bike costs € 8,018 and weighs 34.10 kg. After riding the bike on several extended tours, we can tell you how the unique comfort concept works on bike paths, gravel roads and dirt tracks. As soon as you swing your leg over the saddle, you’ll immediately notice the relaxed and upright pedalling position that ensures a good view of your surroundings. The adjustable stem allows you to adapt the riding position to your needs and preferences. Setting off from a standstill, the heavy Homage takes some time to get going but once you’ve picked up speed, it’s the smoothest and most stable ebike in the entire test field. The good-natured handling converts steering input into sweeping curves where the Homage has stoic stability. While at moderate speeds, it’s easy to lean the Homage into corners, at high speeds it takes some effort to initiate turns with the stable handling of the bike. On narrow, winding roads and forest paths, the sluggish character comes at the expense of riding fun.

Down to earth – Riding safety aboard the Riese 6 Müller Homage GT Touring

The Homage GT Touring inspires confidence in most situations. The low bottom bracket integrates you deep into the bike but at the same time requires well-timed pedal strokes to avoid hitting the cranks on the ground when leaning into a turn. The GX build kit comes equipped with Schwalbe Johnny Watts tires, which offer excellent traction in all situations with their aggressive tread. This ensures excellent grip and predictable handling, even on loose terrain. Despite the excellent traction, the heavy Homage requires long braking distances. Moreover, the small 180 mm rotors and two-piston Magura MT4 rear brake calliper offer inadequate braking power. A bike like the Homage, which was designed primarily for long rides in hilly areas and exciting adventures with luggage, should come with 200 mm rotors front and rear as standard. Thanks to the unique frame design, the rack forms part of the bike’s sprung mass, protecting fragile cargo like a bottle of wine or a laptop from impacts and significantly improving handling, even when riding with a heavy load on the rack. However, there’s only so much vino you can carry, because the Homage has a very low maximum payload of 105 kg – the lowest in this group test.

First-class ticket – The high level of comfort of the Riese & Müller Homage GT Touring

With its dual-battery system, the Homage is perfectly suited to epic trekking expeditions. Accordingly, Riese & Müller have worked hard to provide a high level of comfort – in fact, it’s the best in this group test. The SR Suntour suspension with 100 mm travel up front and 105 mm at the rear responds very sensitively, filtering out small vibrations on gravel paths and bigger hits from curbs and potholes, thus ensuring a silky-smooth ride. The step-through frame and dropper post make it easy to get on and off the bike. In this regard, the Homage is only second to the CENTURION Country R2600i, which has an even lower step-through. Unfortunately, there’s also a darker side to the Homage: at 34 kg, it’s really heavy, making it hard to lift onto a roof rack, let alone carry up a narrow staircase. Moreover, the crowded cockpit with remotes for the motor and dropper post, the shifter, the high-beam light switch, the bell and multi-finger brake levers, can be overwhelming at first and takes some getting used to. The shock is concealed by the frame and difficult to reach. We recommend asking your Riese & Müller dealer to help you with the initial suspension setup.

The Riese & Müller Homage offers more comfort than a monster truck wrapped in a Danish bed warehouse. However, manhandling the heavy ebike can be a real challenge.”

Don’t give thieves a chance – The connectivity and spec of the Riese & Müller Homage GT Touring

Riese & Müller’s online configurator gives customers several customisation options. Here you can choose from individual components such as the tires and drivetrain as well as different battery configurations and even a theft protection plan for your new bike. For our test bike, we picked Bosch’s top-class Nyon display, which is packed with clever features like range-based navigation and offers excellent connectivity. Moreover, our test bike comes equipped with Riese & Müller’s optional RX Chip, which costs € 99.90 and connects your bike to the internet, enabling digital services and making it unattractive for thieves. The chip allows you to access the bike remotely, sends alert messages when someone tampers with the bike and track it even if it’s hidden in a basement. The RX package also includes other optional services such as insurance and theft recovery. If you’re after an all-round carefree package, the RX Chip might be exactly what you’re looking for. One of the most striking equipment highlights is the super-bright Supernova M99 MINI PRO headlight with its powerful high beam. It is capable of turning night into day and proved to be the best headlight in the entire group test! If you get the 5 kg rated front rack and matching roll-top pannier for an extra € 169.90, don’t overpack the bag or it will interfere with the light beam. The Supernova M99 rear light also acts as a brake light and is integrated into the rear rack. Unfortunately, the plastic mudguards and flimsy Pletscher Comp Flex kickstand make a loud and very annoying rattling noise.

Tuning tips: replace the kickstand | let your dealer help you with suspension setup

With the power of two hearts – The Riese & Müller Homage GT Touring in detail

When it comes to integration, Riese & Müller rely on several in-house solutions including the wide, adjustable stem, that routes many of the cables straight into the frame and features an integrated display holder. While this ensures a relatively clean cockpit, it fails to match the super-tidy look of other bikes like the Centurion Country R2600i. Two 625 Wh batteries with a fixed rubber protector are integrated into the oversized down tube and can be removed to the side. This setup ensures even more capacity than the dual-battery system of the FLYER Goroc3, making the Homage a very interesting option for touring enthusiasts. A cage mount on the down tube allows you to carry a water bottle. Massive welds in the bottom bracket area connect the frame tubes with the square housing of the Bosch Performance Line CX motor. The Bosch motor doesn’t feel as powerful as other bikes with the same motor on the heavy Homage, even when riding in the most powerful Turbo mode. The Homage doesn’t come with the progressive eMTB mode as standard, but your Bosch dealer can easily perform a software update. However, not even your trusted dealer will be able to change the flimsy spoke magnet for a modern sensor.

The Riese & Müller Homage GT Touring is the comfort champion on long tours and the cargo freight specialist of our group test.”

Riese & Müller Homage GT Touring conclusion

The Riese & Müller Homage GT Touring offers the highest level of riding comfort in our E-trekking bike group test. The good-natured, confidence-inspiring handling combined with the excellent navigation and connectivity features and dual-battery system make it perfectly suited to long rides and exciting tours, even with heavy panniers on the rack. However, the sluggish and cumbersome handling dent its all-round performance, costing the Homage the title of best all-rounder in our E-trekking bike group test.

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For more information head to the manufacturer website

The review of the Riese & Müller Homage GT Touring is part of our big trekking eBike group test “The best trekking eBike of 2021 – 8 modern eBikes for touring in comparison”. We’ve tested four different concepts and eight bikes to tell you what modern trekking eBikes are capable of and which one is the best to buy.

Test bike overview

CENTURION Country R2600i | FLYER Goroc3 6.50 | Greyp T5.2 | Kalkhoff Entice 5.B Advanced + | MERIDA eONE-FORTY EQ | Niner RLT e9 RDO | Riese & Müller Homage GT Touring | Trek Powerfly FS 9 Equipped

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Words: Rudolf Fischer Photos: Valentin Rühl