2012 BMW K1600GT Review

[seruzawa]

Originally Posted by sarnali2

He lives in Utah and rides a 3 cylinder Triumph...what did you expect??

Hey, maybe Triumph should marry two 1050 triples together and have their own 6. Jeez. What a ride that would be.

[12er]

Originally Posted by seruzawa

Hey, maybe Triumph should marry two 1050 triples together and have their own 6. Jeez. What a ride that would be.

now your talkin'

[sarnali2]

Originally Posted by seruzawa

Hey, maybe Triumph should marry two 1050 triples together and have their own 6. Jeez. What a ride that would be.

Even better would be two Rockets, "The All New Rocket 4600"....

It might give Boss Hoss a run for their money...

[12er]

Originally Posted by sarnali2

Even better would be two Rockets, "The All New Rocket 4600"....

It might give Boss Hoss a run for their money...

Sounds like one of the old GMC 305 V6's. My buddy had one in his '62, we swopped it for a 350 and man that 350 looked tiny in comparison.

[Kevin_Duke]

Originally Posted by seruzawa

There's always that initial sales blip for these sorts of things. Even the Rune had one. Whether sales continue is another matter. BMW is asking their users to accept an ~8K jump in price over their own previous GT tourer. Seems a bit steep to me. And I'm talking about actual BMW owners I know. Not internet rumblings. Time will tell.

I hate to inject facts to the discussion, but the K13GT's base price was $18,800. The K16GT's base is $20,900.

[Morbo the Destroyer]

I don't have a dog in the BMW fight, but I sure do see a lot of unhappy owners on the various boards I visit. The themes I consistently see are:

The bikes are needlessly complex.

Service prices are much higher than for comparable bikes.

Quality issues; be they major components like drivelines, corrosion, and paint problems or minor like brackets and hangers that break.

Loss of focus on the core owner demographic (perhaps the inevitable result of expanding their market share).

I've never owned a BMW, so this is all hearsay. They do make a few bikes I'd like to own, but those happen to be their high-end models that cost more than I will spend on a "toy." Their less expensive bikes like the 800 series, IMO, don't match up to the Japanese competition. Not in performance, not in quality, not in service and support, frankly not even in styling.

[seruzawa]

Originally Posted by Kevin_Duke

I hate to inject facts to the discussion, but the K13GT's base price was $18,800. The K16GT's base is $20,900.

NADA guides gave different numbers. I'm not looking them up again but it was ~4K difference.

[12er]

Originally Posted by Morbo the Destroyer

I don't have a dog in the BMW fight, but I sure do see a lot of unhappy owners on the various boards I visit. The themes I consistently see are:

The bikes are needlessly complex.

Service prices are much higher than for comparable bikes.

Quality issues; be they major components like drivelines, corrosion, and paint problems or minor like brackets and hangers that break.

Loss of focus on the core owner demographic (perhaps the inevitable result of expanding their market share).

I've never owned a BMW, so this is all hearsay. They do make a few bikes I'd like to own, but those happen to be their high-end models that cost more than I will spend on a "toy." Their less expensive bikes like the 800 series, IMO, don't match up to the Japanese competition. Not in performance, not in quality, not in service and support, frankly not even in styling.

In 01 when I bought mine they were the only ones offering everything I wanted in one package (ABS, Fuel injection, cruise control, adjustable bars, pegs, seat, windshield, luggage, etc). So for mine it has been pretty solid. I had two warranty claims, one for a stiff throttle cable and one for a seat cover coming loose, all handled promptly. Maintenance is a little high and things are definitely German in construction and complexity. Still I cant be happier with it, fits me like a glove and rides like a dream.

After riding the GS 800 I agree on your opinion of the 800's. Engine was buzzy and the throttle twitchy then factor in the price...

Though with more techno-wizardry going into more and more bikes I'm afraid of most of them. Speaking with my Moto GP buddy his 2010 Multistrada is in the shop more than its out. With monthly recalls on the existing recalls. Add in the Italian version of timely delivery and I dont see a new Ducati in my future.

I dont see a new BMW in my future either. While I loved the sound and was impressed by the features on the K16GT there is just too much to go wrong. While I'm leery of a used LT at least its running the same platform I already own and have grown to trust.

[jmdonald]

In the linear process of bike choice there is a lot of great input in this forum. Keep up the good work.

[Kevin_Duke]

Originally Posted by jmdonald

In the linear process of bike choice there is a lot of great input in this forum. Keep up the good work.

And the discussion continues with this shootout: 2012 BMW K1600GTL vs. 2012 Honda Gold Wing Shootout [Video]