Who bought a 1600 as their first HEAVY bike?

[froggy]

In same boat...er motorcycle.

My current ride is a 02 RT. Past mechanic with a love for the sound of unique engines,my heart wants that sweet 6. But my knees like to drag and the RT allows me to do it. Some will say keep it and buy the mighty 6, sorry, already have a 85 K100 that my kids and i turned into a naked so not gonna have 3 bikes.
So what i want to know is...what do you think of your ride now. Its only been a few weeks but Im sure you have ridden it and know if you made the right decision.

 

[Doc_Shaw]

So after weighing all the pluses and minuses of the RT and the K1600....the RT ticked more of the boxes in my book.

So of course.....

View attachment 54353

I went with emotion.

Passion has its merits (otherwise we would be driving cars)! After you break in those new tires, go find a challenging road and feel the pleasure of riding a world-class machine.

 

[rudyinla]

My K1600 Joyous and Sad Update after 10 days!

My current ride is a 02 RT. Past mechanic with a love for the sound of unique engines,my heart wants that sweet 6. But my knees like to drag and the RT allows me to do it. Some will say keep it and buy the mighty 6, sorry, already have a 85 K100 that my kids and i turned into a naked so not gonna have 3 bikes.
So what i want to know is...what do you think of your ride now. Its only been a few weeks but Im sure you have ridden it and know if you made the right decision.

I absolutely made the right decision! I love this thing. You can still drag your knee if you like for aure. There are few things funnier than having a guy ahead of you on a Yamaha R* look in his mirrors on the fastest, windiest stretches of Ortega Highway and see the K1600 still behind him effortlessly keeping up and IMO sounding SO much better! The RT can maybe outhandle it, but having had both....I'm not so sure. Mine was a 2010 RT so the 2014+ models may be different. I can't really call it a downside, well maybe I can to a degree, the thing is top heavy. Like really top heavy. At speed, and I mean any speed above 2 mph, it's fine. No effort at all. At zero mph.....it's heavy and for some of us....tall. I can flat floot it but just. I have a confession to make. I already dropped it at zero. Twice. OK...I suck and I admit that. Feel free to mutter disgust. I accept that. I have never dropped a bike at a standstill in 40+ years of riding them, but I've never had a bike like this. I had a Harley Night Rod briefly (I can't ride with those forward pegs!) whatever that weighs and never noticed the weight. The first one caused no damage. Not a scratch anywhere if you can believe that. It was very gentle and I was practicing a pretty dramataic manuever that should have waited until I had more than the 1000 miles on this bike under my belt. I got cocky, dropped it, then I got lucky. The second time was more dramatic and less lucky. I'll go into detail elsewhere at some point if I think it's interesting enough. Not that posting a boring or stupid post has ever deterred me. I just added the Ilium bars and I'm waiting on the panel replacements to bolt it all back up. I have C4 rear bars coming this week too. It kills me to have all these bars on the bike. I'm not even sure if they would have helpd in the second incident. I may take them off and just suck it up if I drop it again. Heaven forbid! Anyway, I'm the chuckle head, not the bike. It is a fantastic machine and is so unique and wonderful, I can not put it into words. If I sound like I'm Blue Skying my experience, I'm not. It is a visceral dramatic, capable ride. I'm not going to comment on any transmission clunk beyond to say, that's hot a clunk it makes. It is the sound of a machine....a wonderful machine. I'm not going to elaborate beyond that. There is no lash on mine. None. I would buy it again in a second. I still love my '15 R1200RWC but it is a totally different ride as you can imagine. A great combo having these two bikes. Feel free to ask me anything, or just tell me I'm an idiot. I'm about to turn 59 years old and nothing really embarasses me anymore. I just wish I hadn't wounded my Black Beauty!

 

[costcoretired]

My K1600GTL is the first BMW I've ever owned, and, in fact, the first one I'd ever ridden. My primary ride was a Triumph Rocket Touring (still ride it on shorter trips) so I was looking to scale down the weight a bit without losing all the muscle. Although 200 lbs lighter, it handles like it's 300 less. The comment about riding the K16 without the bags is very valid; converts it into a sport bike and the handling is beyond great.

 

[sailnride]

K16

Im heading to East TN from N. CA in July
Currently have a K1300GT am considering the K16.
I don't think its a big step up and the comments here really sell
The added wt. as not a big deal and that the bike for its weight is amazingly balanced.
I plan to test ride one at A&S in Sacramento.

Thanks to all for comments

 

[rudyinla]

Im heading to East TN from N. CA in July
Currently have a K1300GT am considering the K16.
I don't think its a big step up and the comments here really sell
The added wt. as not a big deal and that the bike for its weight is amazingly balanced.
I plan to test ride one at A&S in Sacramento.

Thanks to all for comments

Having owned it a while the 1600 is a great bike. A wonderful machine in almost all ways. I won't sugar coat this though....it's a pig at zero mph. For whatever reason they made the balance this way, it seems to be part of the inescapable design trade off of making a super nimble machine. The bike is a monster, in a great way, at speed. It impresses me every time I see it or ride it. Make the move. You won't regret it is my guess.

 

[Dmftoy1]

Im heading to East TN from N. CA in July
Currently have a K1300GT am considering the K16.
I don't think its a big step up and the comments here really sell
The added wt. as not a big deal and that the bike for its weight is amazingly balanced.
I plan to test ride one at A&S in Sacramento.

Thanks to all for comments

If you test ride it you'll buy it. That's how they trapped me. 51k on my 2012 and next bike will be a GTL too.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[37687]

I bought a '13 K1600GT brand new and I still love it. Been riding for 45 years, all sorts of machines, and I wanted a very comfortable sport touring bike (with the emphasis on touring). The straight 6 cylinder engine is something I've never experienced so that was a plus. The BMW is something like 200 pounds lighter than a Gold Wing and it has 165HP (approx) so that too was a plus. The big HD's are in a different class and not my kind of thing.

Yes the K1600GT is heavier than some but it sure doesn't feel like it once you pull away. Take one for a test ride and you'll feel it immediately. The K1600 takes the turns as if it's on rails - very solid and confidence-inspiring. The engine power is amazing, from idle to redline - smooth as an electric motor. Absolutely no vibration. No engine heat. Just ride one...

So I'm starting my 4th year on this thing and I still love it. I bought a 4-yr extended warranty (for about a $1 a day) because it's quite complex. Oil and filter change is simple. Yes you have to have the valves checked at 18k miles but from what I've read they just don't change and you can probably extend the interval. My dealer charges something like $450 for that work and yea that's more than any oil head. Ride one.

This is my 15th motorcycle and it's a keeper. Total comfort. Great power. Quiet, smooth, nimble and lightning quick. Oh, and the sound is nice too.

It's only heavy when you need to push it around the garage.

 

[jr3_esq]

2014 K1600GT (sport)
There is a great deal of talk within BMW community about the heavy weight of the K1600 but when you step outside of the community you find that it is not considered a heavy-weight. A recent motorcycle magazine made a comparison of the new Harley and new Indian touring bikes as a potential competition for the Goldwing with each bike topping 900lbs. The reviewer concluded his review by noting that the lighter K1600GTL could easily compete with these heavy machines.

More crucial than its gross weight is the center of gravity. I moved to the K1600 from a 2007, K1200GT because the center of gravity was compromising my handling of the bike at slow speeds. Talking with my service manager about my concerns, he noted that the only bike he felt uncomfortable moving around the shop was the K1200 (He felt little risk moving the K1600). When I did a test-ride of the K1600, I went into it with the expectation that I needed a smaller bike. I found that the K1600 was less difficult to manage at slow speeds (I even did a U-turn on the test ride) It was all about the weight distribution. The majority of time you do not feel the weight. The nice thing about this bike is that it is as comfortable on the two-lane country roads as it is on the expressway. I like riding with the bags removed and it really handles and feels like a sports bike (This is not a one-trick pony).

With this said, there are times that the weight is a liability. On an incline, I need to use my break to keep the bike from rolling backwards and if the bike leans beyond 45 degrees while at a stand still, I am unable to correct the weight and the bike is going over. Also, I pick my parking with greater selectivity and regularly use the "Rain" mode for tight situations like garages. Nevertheless, most of my riding is two-up and I feel very comfortable with the weight of this bike.

I guess "heavy" is all relative. Said it to one of my riding buds the other day, who also owns an HD Ultra Limited. "The guys that talk about the K1600 being heavy haven't spent any time on a Harley." I, too, came from an HD "full dresser"...Electra Glide Ultra Limited that was also fully customized engine-wise, and about as strong a running HD as you'll find. The K1600 feels like a light weight by comparison, plus the performance and the handling are without peer in the touring group IMHO.

Go from this:



To this:



To this:



You won't b!tch about weight.

 

[franz]

I am also a converted Harley rider. I started out with the RT and moved to the K1600GTL. It's really not that heavy when compared to a hog. The RT was OK but I missed the refinement in a heavy class bike. I don't mind the weight of the K16 at all. It's easy to adjust to and the handling is phenomenal for a 760+ pound bike. My last hog tipped the scales at 940+ and had less than half the power of the K16. I do miss the Harley. Classy lines and sound is unsurpassed. But every time I pass one, I just smile. I'm happy where I am now.

 

[john30856]

Switched to the K1600 GTL

Hi guys. OK, my real question, "Can I/will I be able to ride a 1600 well?" is answerable only by me. I've never owned a bike of that weight. I did ride my brothers HD Electra Glide to the shop for him once and I can't imagine it was lighter than a 1600. Don't take offense but I thought it rode like a pig on a winding road I had to take. Topanga Cyn in Los Angeles if that means anything to anyone. I did own a 2010 RT as well as a K1200S and they were fine. My current ride, a 2015 R1200R is pretty light. I want a tourer for longer distance though. My head tells me to get a 2016 RT but my heart says I want that 6 cylinder! So I'm going to Vegas in a month or so and rent a K1600GT for a week but thought I'd ask if anyone had switched to a 1600 from something 100 to 150 pounds lighter. It seems a lot of people switched from other heavy bikes. I feel weird even asking this. I've been riding for 40+ years BTW. Thanks guys.

I purchased a K1600 GTL a week ago. I had a 2005 R1200RT till then. I always found the center of gravity to be too high on the R1200. I'm 6" tall and never felt I had great ground contact with my feet at a stop. Other than that loved the RT.
The K1600 is awesome, foot to ground contact is good and never really notice the weight once moving, handling is superb. Comfort for the long cruise is very good for me and my rider. As for wieght when at a stop on a hill, just double tap the brake and no roll back, awesome feature. Still getting used to the new bike but so far, super!

 

[K1600_gtl]

Went from a Honda Shadow 600, to my R1200R Classic (about a 520lb bike)... rode that for 4 years and just 4 days ago got a 750lb K1600... YES, it's very heavy at very low speed.. but once I'm moving, it's as nimble as any bike I've been on! Kudos to BMW's engineers on this chassis.

I almost once laid it down while turning right then hitting the brake due to oncoming traffic.. so I decided to spend the $450 and get the protective bars installed... they're not going to protect everything but at least the engine will be saved.

 

[EUGENE]

How did you like the R1200R? Pro & Con? Is you old bike in Portland ,OR:?wave?

 

[K1600_gtl]

How did you like the R1200R? Pro & Con? Is you old bike in Portland ,OR:?wave?

In a perfect world I'd keep both... very different riding experience. The R1200R felt more old school.... a bit more rough around the edges and a lot lighter to maneuver at very low speed... but it wasn't as quick (not even close), and hard on longer rides... very fatiguing. I truly loved it, but I had to pic one bike, and the K1600 was it... it's nearly perfect except for the weight maneuvering around the parking lot.

 

[RBEmerson]

Attached is demonstration of a K1600GT charging up Mont Ventoux, a mountain in France. I've asked Jens how fast he was hitting - he won't say. Search YouTube for videos by jens1600GT for more of this.

I've been lucky enough to take three extended "demo" rides and a two day loan, too. I've also spent a week chasing a '15 RT around the central Alps. I wanted a K1600 but Edelweiss wouldn't do it (but sent two guys out on some sort of bagger(?) HD's - go figure). Based on all of that, I'm quite willing to kill to get my hands on a K1600. The RT would go through the twisties but the buzz and constant shifting... no thank you. The K1600 doesn't buzz, doesn't demand gear jammin', and responds as well to rider inputs as the RT.

That said, either bike demands some skill on the rider's part. I watched, at the dealer, a guy on a K1600 leave the parking lot; he was clearly intimidated by the bike and, I fear, things won't end well. I've seen the same thing with an RT. Things haven't gone well - three drops that I know of.

 

[cpolesen]

GT for me

you won't get a flowery tech explanation from me. I bought a new GSA in 08 and one in 2014 just for the cruise control. I thing both bikes are great. I found myself on more and more blacktop than logging roads. The local dealer hear in Tulsa had a 2015 GT so I took it for a test ride of about 10 miles. I drove back and traded the 2015 GSA. That thing is a hoot to ride and it sounds more sporty than the GSA. I have owned it about a year and still like my decision. The 08 GSA hasn't been ridden in a year.

 

[Woodbutcher]

Define heavy bike. I thought my first heavy bike was an 09 GSA. The K1600 is heavier, but in a different way. I still have both.

 

[RBEmerson]

If the last bike was, for example, a 250cc "learn to ride", a K1600GT is a heavy bike. If the last bike was a Gold Wing with a trailer hitch and lighting under the motor, etc. maybe a K1600GT is trading down in size. As Albert Einstein so wisely observed, "it's all relative."

 

[Woodbutcher]

The K1600 is the first bike I could flat foot though. I started with small dual sports and the engines kept getting bigger, but the ground clearance never changed. The K1600 was so I'd have something different in the motor department. Everything else was a thumper or twin. So cool to have such a smooth motor.

 

[194084]

My 2013 GTL is the first heavy bike I bought but I learned to ride on a 1997 Honda Valkyrie that belonged to my wife's ex (not what you think, he bought it used after previous owner had a minor mishap that scared him out of riding altogether, her ex told me to detail the bike and I was free to ride it around to learn on). After the Valkyrie, I bought a H-D Superglide while deployed in Iraq. I quickly put 25k miles in 2 years on that bike (I did fancy that bike, so easy to ride). Traded that in for the k1600. Although I did check out a 2013 RT and a Ducati Diavel just to make sure. I'd get into trouble with the Diavel so I cross that off. And the RT was a really nice bike but I hated the rattle of the boxer engine, felt cheap and plasticky compared to the solidity of the K1600, Valkyrie and even the Harley. The RT was easy to ride, had better wind protection, felt nimbler than the K1600 but i wasn't impressed at all. So I bought the K1600GTL and I'm still in love after nearly 47k miles.