Really wanting an in-line 4 tourer again

[satxbiker]

I used to own a 2010 K1300GT. I really loved the engine on that bike. It had all the power of a super sport but was comfortable and came with luggage. I was lucky enough to get a new bike last year and I now have a 17 R1200RT. Now don’t get me wrong, the RT is a great bike, but in my opinion it just cannot match the power and sound of my old GT. Being only 5ft 7in and female going with the K1600GT was out of the question. I even test rode an FJR but the bike made me feel like I was doing the splits.

Ok so that long winded speech was to ask does anyone else miss having an in-line 4 as a touring option? Why oh why did BMW feel the need to get rid of the perfect touring bike and replace it with something so heavy and large?

 

[weschmann]

Ok so that long winded speech was to ask does anyone else miss having an in-line 4 as a touring option? Why oh why did BMW feel the need to get rid of the perfect touring bike and replace it with something so heavy and large?

Because the long and short answer of the matter is the market sales just didn't support the cost of production and profit. If their daily production gateline falls short of a full days production requirements, for an foreseeable future it becomes a losing exercise where finished product builds up in crates stacked up in inventory. Runnng full production equals unsold finished product. Running short shift means not paying for daily expenses incurred in labor and physical plan equipment. Either way, unsustainable!

 

[jammess]

I thought the same thing when I got my FJR but it is a kind of get over it kind of thing because the gas tank at first does seem a bit wide. The Russell seat made a huge difference and I can ride non-stop between fillups with no stops in between with the 6.6 gallon tank at 47 mpg so can't complain. In fact the FJR is the only motorcycle I've ever owned that I can ride like that all day no problem and I've owned more than a few BMWs. To be able to ride between fillups at my age (75) with a bad back is something I thought I could never do again but surprise.

 

[92232]

I used to own a 2010 K1300GT. I really loved the engine on that bike. It had all the power of a super sport but was comfortable and came with luggage. I was lucky enough to get a new bike last year and I now have a 17 R1200RT. Now don’t get me wrong, the RT is a great bike, but in my opinion it just cannot match the power and sound of my old GT. Being only 5ft 7in and female going with the K1600GT was out of the question. I even test rode an FJR but the bike made me feel like I was doing the splits.

Ok so that long winded speech was to ask does anyone else miss having an in-line 4 as a touring option? Why oh why did BMW feel the need to get rid of the perfect touring bike and replace it with something so heavy and large?

I also had a K1300GT and loved it. I don't know why I got rid of it but I did. I now ride a K1600 GT, I am only 5ft 5in with a 29 in inseem. BMW does make a comfort seat for the GT which is lower than the stock seat. It is wider for the bums and works well for me. This might be something to check into.

Bill

 

[PGlaves]

I suspect there are a number of K1300 bikes out there and some are for sale. If that is your bike of choice why not try to find a good low mileage used one?

 

[akbeemer]

I have a Yamaha FJR and it is a great bike. Plenty of power, handles very well, inexpensive to buy and maintain compared to many other bikes and an exceptional record of reliability.

 

[BC1100S]

I have a Yamaha FJR and it is a great bike. Plenty of power, handles very well, inexpensive to buy and maintain compared to many other bikes and an exceptional record of reliability - except its not a BMW.

Sorry, I could not resist.

I had a conversation with one of the high mucky-mucks at BMW where I said that the company didn't make a bike for me anymore - the 1600 was physically way bigger than I wanted and the R1200RS, while very nice, didn't have the four cylinder, dial-up-any-speed-you-want-and-keep-it-there-all-day feel that I love about my K1200S. I got a blank stare in return.

As already suggested, the OP should look for a good used K1300GT.

 

[mikegalbicka]

The Russell seat made a huge difference and I can ride non-stop between fillups with no stops in between with the 6.6 gallon tank at 47 mpg so can't complain. In fact the FJR is the only motorcycle I've ever owned that I can ride like that all day no problem and I've owned more than a few BMWs.

Did you put a RDL on your BMW's? I can do the same on my 07RT with a RDL. Have ridden a few 15 hour days only stopping for gas and snacks with no problem.

 

[akbeemer]

Sorry, I could not resist.

I had a conversation with one of the high mucky-mucks at BMW where I said that the company didn't make a bike for me anymore - the 1600 was physically way bigger than I wanted and the R1200RS, while very nice, didn't have the four cylinder, dial-up-any-speed-you-want-and-keep-it-there-all-day feel that I love about my K1200S. I got a blank stare in return.

As already suggested, the OP should look for a good used K1300GT.

It is amazing how many people assume the FJR is a BMW. I suspect that if I covered the Yamaha emblems with Rondels it would fool most people. I have four BMWs in my shop at the moment, but do not believe my affinity for the brand means we have an exclusive relationship.

 

[BC1100S]

I...do not believe my affinity for the brand means we have an exclusive relationship.

I've tried to have similar conversations with my wife. No need to go into how THAT exchange ended.

 

[dlong]

satxbiker...I feel your pain. I traded my beloved '09 KGT for an '18 RT. With over 75K miles and desperately in need of a (second) final drive rebuild, clutch, and new suspension, I just couldn't see putting 5 grand or so into it. The RT is fast, comfortable, and handles great, but the K bike was FAST, comfortable and handled great. If available new, I would not have hesitated to pull the trigger on another. It is the high-water mark of sport-tourers, although not without it's issues. And the most beautiful design of all the modern BMW offerings, IMO.

 

[mikegalbicka]

I've tried to have similar conversations with my wife. No need to go into how THAT exchange ended.

Guess your vows were different than mine.

 

[Rainman48]

I loved my '07 K1200GT for many reasons, but its engine was seriously flawed and BMW was slow to fix only a few of those problems, so I lost confidence in it. Fueling and air box issues that resulted in stalling, dieing, and bucking, endless timing chain issues and supposed fixes, and the flawed clutch that embarrasingly squealed from an aweful clutch cage design, and yes, fear of FD failure. When I retired and needed a reliable touring bike, the new RTW was the clear choice for me. I've never looked back. The KGT was FAST, but nowhere near as nimble as the RT. The RT gives me way more confidence it will do what I ask it to in the corners, and the twin torque down low works for me.

 

[jammess]

Did you put a RDL on your BMW's? I can do the same on my 07RT with a RDL. Have ridden a few 15 hour days only stopping for gas and snacks with no problem.

Yeah, I did on 3 BMWs and have an RDL on my '93 RSL. The RDL on the R1100RSL looks like a Barcalounger but it is comfortable. Reason I have a hard time hanging in from fillup to fillup on the RS is just due to the nature of the beast as in less wind protection and a somewhat harsher ride although not anything to complain about. The FJR compared to the '04RT I used to have is more stable in high cross winds and seems to have a lower center of gravity, all attributes I like and then there is the Yamaha reliability.

This months Rider magazine has a good article about the new Yamaha Niken which is a most interesting motorcycle based on their very nice inline 3 cylinder motor.

 

[BC1100S]

Guess your vows were different than mine.

One of those vows was to maintain a sense of humour.

 

[beemerphile]

I loved my '07 K1200GT for many reasons, but its engine was seriously flawed.

It seems that the K13GT had most of those issues resolved. The used prices on the K13GT's are hanging very high, indicating a lot of demand for the model. Less so the K12GT, which is considered a bomb with a short fuse. Being a poor boy, I don't have much waterboxer or transverse K seat time, but as far as fast and FAST, I get the same impression between my 1993 K1100RS "brick" and my 2013 R1200GS Rallye camhead. The K11 FEELS faster, though with 15 less horsepower and nearly 100 more pounds, I doubt that it is. The twin comes on stronger at the top where most sensible people rarely hang out. The K feels stronger starting at idle.

Which would win a drag race, a K1300GT or a current R1200RT?

 

[1957mpd]

Which would win a drag race, a K1300GT or a current R1200RT?

K1300GT. Not even a contest. The R1200RT is not underpowered; plenty of go. But the wedge, even with the GT's added weight on its back, is just an entirely different ride. 160hp/99 lb/ft vs 125hp/92 lb/ft.

 

[beemerphile]

Which would win a drag race, a K1300GT or a current R1200RT?

K1300GT. Not even a contest. The R1200RT is not underpowered; plenty of go. But the wedge, even with the GT's added weight on its back, is just an entirely different ride. 173hp/103 lb/ft vs 125hp/92 lb/ft.

Wow. I am not mature enough at 65 for one of those. I"ll keep my pokey bikes. Actually, my 60 or so hp R100RS is my favorite.

 

[jammess]

It is amazing how many people assume the FJR is a BMW. I suspect that if I covered the Yamaha emblems with Rondels it would fool most people. I have four BMWs in my shop at the moment, but do not believe my affinity for the brand means we have an exclusive relationship.

Lol..lol..I've been looking for a BMW Rondel the right size to replace the tuning forks but can't find one. Of course doing so might place a hex on the FJR and we can't have that.

 

[52184]

I used to own a 2010 K1300GT. I really loved the engine on that bike. It had all the power of a super sport but was comfortable and came with luggage. I was lucky enough to get a new bike last year and I now have a 17 R1200RT. Now don’t get me wrong, the RT is a great bike, but in my opinion it just cannot match the power and sound of my old GT. Being only 5ft 7in and female going with the K1600GT was out of the question. I even test rode an FJR but the bike made me feel like I was doing the splits.

Ok so that long winded speech was to ask does anyone else miss having an in-line 4 as a touring option? Why oh why did BMW feel the need to get rid of the perfect touring bike and replace it with something so heavy and large?

Your friendly local dealer likely has an S1000XR that would scratch your itch. Or look for a good low-mileage K13GT in the used market; they are out there.

The K13GT is to me a very special iteration of BMW. While the early wedge-K bikes had a multitude of issues, when BMW hired the Ricardo Group to re-engineer many things on the way to a displacement increase a lot of those warts were eliminated. It was amusing to read the road tests in the Japanese-oriented mainstream motorcycle press at the time. Many of the mags simply excluded the K13GT from their sport-touring comparison tests after their counterparts tested the GT and found it to be the cream of the crop in all aspects save one—price. Some of the mags really squirmed to find a way to justify their exclusion of the GT. None of them, save the BMW magazines, found a way to state the plain and simple truth—that the K13GT was the most expensive bike in the S-T array but was worth it, cost be damned. All of that contributed to BMW’s main failure with the K13GT: marketing. BMW didn’t sufficiently promote and program the bikes and then, when they didn’t immediately start flying off the showroom floors, shelved the bike after only two years of production in favor of introducing a porky 6-cylinder S-T bike because...well, because “gee, a six-banger would be really kewl.” And so it was the fast, nimble, razor-sharp K1300GT was replaced with a bike producing the same horsepower, not much more peak torque, and packing a lot more bulk and LB’s.

Personally, I plan to ride my K13GT until there is absolutely not enough of it left to repair or carry on...

IMHO, of course.

Best,
DG