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Predictable

podsobinski

New member
Cycle World magazine and their editors are so predictable. Always picking the newest and fanciest bikes as their top 10 bikes in the latest issue of their magazine. The BMW GT as sport touring and the GTL as touring bike is the best example. Cost be damned the Kawa 14 undercuts the GT by almost $10,000 depending on accessories and is very close to the GT in all aspects. The LeadWing has been tried and true and refined for 30 plus years while the Beemer is new and will have some teething problems. . . No matter they always go with the new models without any practicle considerations.l
 
So Far, So Good for AZ Beemers Club #89; no problems whatsoever in first 10K miles!!!

AZ Beemers has three K16 platforms in our club and we have now totaled up 10K+ miles.

Enrique - K1600GT, KenE - K1600GTL and Don Stanley with a K1600GT have collectively put 10,000 miles on our K16's without a single incident of trouble. I cannot say that about the other 3 BMW's in my garage: My F800GS, my R1150RT and my R1100GS were all back in the shop with less than 3K on them for warranty problems, not this K1600GT!
 
Cycle World magazine and their editors are so predictable. Always picking the newest and fanciest bikes as their top 10 bikes in the latest issue of their magazine. The BMW GT as sport touring and the GTL as touring bike is the best example. Cost be damned the Kawa 14 undercuts the GT by almost $10,000 depending on accessories and is very close to the GT in all aspects. The LeadWing has been tried and true and refined for 30 plus years while the Beemer is new and will have some teething problems. . . No matter they always go with the new models without any practicle considerations.l

Yes, never mind that it performed better, has a load of innovative features that others will follow, and has twice the features of the other (excluding the wing).

They do test on the performance and features, not the price. I've ridden a C14 and have looked at them very closely. They are disposable compared to the quality and attention to detail of BMW motorcycles. Thats why BMW is more expensive. You get what you pay for.

The Wing should be in it's own class because it's not trying to be anything but a Wing. It's big, bulky, and has a ton of gadgets....if your willing to pay for it.

You can get a C14 for about $15k. You can get a 1600GT for about $22 (if you order one that doesn't have a load of GTL options). That's $7k. If you equip the C14 with just a few items to make it comparable it will cost you closer to $17k.
 
The editors consider the almighty advertising $$ when handing out those awards. My guess is BMW is going to dole out a ton of money letting everyone know how vonderbar their new bike is. Being awarded Cycle Worlds's best in class can't hurt. I sense some mutual back scratching going on.
 
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The Connie is no comparison to the 1600. Quite frankly it is no comparison to the RT which in my opinion is a better tourer by far. The Wing? Well it is just old and the new model is nothing but the same bike with a bit of freshening. The Wing still has that horrible manual windshield and a CB. Yes the CB, that new modern technology of the 21st century. If I was a fan of Smokey and The Bandit or BJ and The Bear I would love having a CB on my bike.

When it comes to touring motorcycles nobody has what BMW does which is a second to none lineup of the RT and 1600 in it's 2 configurations. There is the FJR, ST, Wing, Connie, Norge and VFR but none if those have the creature comforts available the BMW has available.

I would normally agree the bikes mags are in the take but in this case the mags got it right. They have gotten it wrong picking the Connie the last two years.
 
of course the beemer is a better machine than any harley, wing or concourse

still, i'd rather be on any of the last 3 if i was to break down on an extended trip..
especially with a first year production machine.

on an extedned trip, you're in the "yo yo" mode.

("yo on yo own.")

dealer netwoks, doncha know.

re: cycle world, welcome to the real world, gents.
 
The C14 has nothing on the K16 (except price). I have a buddy who wants to sell his C14 for the K16. There are many reasons, but vastly superior suspension is one.

I like the GW, and if I wanted a super tourer, I would still consider it an option.
 
I think the different bikes have their own place in the market like cars have. The Connie is the Camaro SS-Mustang GT (good performance at a relatively moderate price). The Wing is the Town Car-Deville segment leader (that is falling fast) and the K1600 is the BMW M Series or Mercedes AMG segment representative.
 
I think the different bikes have their own place in the market like cars have. The Connie is the Camaro SS-Mustang GT (good performance at a relatively moderate price). The Wing is the Town Car-Deville segment leader (that is falling fast) and the K1600 is the BMW M Series or Mercedes AMG segment representative.

I like the analogy :lurk
 
still, i'd rather be on any of the last 3 if i was to break down on an extended trip..
especially with a first year production machine.

on an extedned trip, you're in the "yo yo" mode.

("yo on yo own.")

dealer netwoks, doncha know.

re: cycle world, welcome to the real world, gents.

Kawasaki dealers ain't exactly falling out of trees..
 
Haven't ridden a K1600 yet but I did have a full season on a new Concours last year.

I never came to like the C-14. Fast? Sure, but it ATE tires (4000 miles on the front OEM), felt HEAVY and unmanageable at slower speeds and I came to hate the riding position by mid-summer. Leesrt described it as disposable- rather appropriate, I think.
THE greatest complaint I had was the poorly controlled fueling between accel and decel. Tried as I might, I couldn't make the transition without getting a jerky response, even after installing a throttle tamer. Cathy complained about her neck hurting after longer rides- never happened with the previous K1100RS.
Bye-bye Connie.....


Went back to a K100RS until I decide which way to go (K1300S or K1600GT- yeah, I know that they are very different)
 
The Connie is no comparison to the 1600. Quite frankly it is no comparison to the RT which in my opinion is a better tourer by far. The Wing? Well it is just old and the new model is nothing but the same bike with a bit of freshening. The Wing still has that horrible manual windshield and a CB. Yes the CB, that new modern technology of the 21st century. If I was a fan of Smokey and The Bandit or BJ and The Bear I would love having a CB on my bike.

When it comes to touring motorcycles nobody has what BMW does which is a second to none lineup of the RT and 1600 in it's 2 configurations. There is the FJR, ST, Wing, Connie, Norge and VFR but none if those have the creature comforts available the BMW has available.

I would normally agree the bikes mags are in the take but in this case the mags got it right. They have gotten it wrong picking the Connie the last two years.

Hey the CB ain't dead yet. There are K16GTL owners falling all over themselves installing J&M handlebar CB units with expensive adapters (and a $250 antenna!) to get it to work with the GTL's audio system. Breaker breaker...
 
Gtl

I have 4653 miles on my new GTL. Problems? nope, none. I considered a connie, no dealers would let me ride them, and thier suspension flat out sucked.

I considered a gw, well, I didnt want a 10 year old bike, of course no dealers would let you ride one of those either. the cb is a joke on the honda, no matter wich version you buy, it has the cb controls, now, if you want them to work, you get to pay another 1000 bucks for the cb unit. Do i use one, nope, but they are nice for instant traffic backup info. other than that, i see no use for it either.

Did cycle world get it right, you betcha, them and every other mag out there.

I would lay odds honda will get off thier conservative butts and have a whole new gw, with all kinds of honda firsts, just like they did in 01 with the single sided driveshaft etc... I bet thier best new trick will be an electronically adjustable windshield.

Should the gt/gtl be put in an "M" series, you betcha, the bike moves and moves quick, it has enough torque to leave it in 4th gear all day long, you can let the clutch out in 4th gear and move right up to 90. try that on a lead wing.....

my favorite article was the ny times write up.

There is no better 700+ lb bike out there for handling, stopping, acceleration, suspension, gadgets, you name it.

BMW should get some more product out there, they have great products (for the day and age) and dealers cant seem to get enough new product to sell, so along with advertisement, they need to build more bikes. they have less than 1 percent of the worlds bike sales yearly.

just my 2 cents worth, and I am really glad i got the gtl. cuz i only wanted to buy one bike to do everything.
 
I have 4653 miles on my new GTL. Problems? nope, none. I considered a connie, no dealers would let me ride them, and thier suspension flat out sucked.

That is what I wrote, nice to see confirmation. The suspension on the C14 is soft and spongy, and it doesn't have strong enough springs to handle a 'large' man. It is the #1 complaint from my C14 buddy.
 
1600cc's???

you've got to kidding, right?


Now when they come out with a 3 liter machine that can do 250 MPh and 0 to 120 in 1.5 seconds, Then maybe I'd consider one...

Like with the new caddie that has wipers that won't lift off the windscreen above 180 MPh, being able to travel at well over 200MPh safely is a super critical factor for anyone to consider when buying transportation!

:tongue-in-cheek:


RM
 
Good responses

Great discussion from everyone. My experience (48 years) has led me to believe the BMW is the best and does justify the expense as long as you use it for what it was made for. . . i.e. a great long distance machine no matter what model especially the R and K series bikes. If your going to pay the big bucks and your going to use it (5,000 miles or more a year) get the best. Too many people pay the bucks and those machines sit in the garage way too much and don't get used. Why not buy the Jab alternatives then? Cycle World never gets that. . . looks like I have matured out of that magazine and am ready for something more Consumer oriented, critical, practical etc. You can have my GSA when you can pry my dead hands off it. But I will stick with my cheap disposable DR650 since I only use it around our small town and dirt rides a couple times a year around Utah and Colorado.
 
I think the different bikes have their own place in the market like cars have. The Connie is the Camaro SS-Mustang GT (good performance at a relatively moderate price). The Wing is the Town Car-Deville segment leader (that is falling fast) and the K1600 is the BMW M Series or Mercedes AMG segment representative.

You left out the RT.... what would that be?
 
they shoulda compared it to this

http://www.smartcycleshopper.com/motorcycle-reviews/2011-triumph-thunderbird-storm-review/

one thing the triumph guys (and like me, several have beemers) say about bmw's is that they are like too perfect appliances lacking in driver feedback.
..
i like my r1200r but i love my bonnie.. more of an emotional than a technical thing.
...
i'm thinking bmw might consider a retro/classic line as well as a high tech line as triumph does... fwiw, triumph does seem to be on a roll.

i'd love to see a state of the art r69s or r90s. (abs/esa/fuel injection, etc.).

of course, i'd also love to see a state of the art '57 chevy. :)

just sayin'
..
:bolt
 
http://www.smartcycleshopper.com/motorcycle-reviews/2011-triumph-thunderbird-storm-review/

one thing the triumph guys (and like me, several have beemers) say about bmw's is that they are like too perfect appliances lacking in driver feedback.
..

..
:bolt

Sort of have to disagree with that.

The true appliance was my gold wing - totally souless.

The GT was solid and stable but did communicate very well

The RT was also a good platform, the GSA is all about feedback

Everybody has their own interpretation of ride quality
 
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