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GT: everyone loves it; what am I missing?

hcmiller52

New member
This is a serious question. I bought an '08 K12GT new in '08. I've put 8,000 miles on it. The bike performs fine. So does my refrigerator. And my washing machine. I'm not trying to be sarcastic or cute...and diff'rent strokes and all that, but the K12GT is the blandest bike I've ever owned. It's efficient and comfortable. I bought it for serious touring and, for that, it's fine. But, I can't say the bike is much fun. I owned a K1200R and it was an awesome ride, but lousy for two-up touring, a thousand miles at a time. I also have an '02 K12RS, my second one, and it is an incredible machine with lots of spirit and soul and a whole lot more exciting than the new GT.

Does anyone agree with me? Seems ALL I read is how wonderful the new GT is. And it is, just not as much fun to ride as a whole bunch of other BMWs, IMHO.

Curt
 
I've thought a lot about the GT, since I demo'd one a few years ago. While it was impressive, it felt like a bit of a whale, and as you say, it's a bit bland. In fairness to the bike, I did not spend much time on the highway with it, and I do like the Kawasaki Concours and Yamaha FJR (both of which I also find a bit bland) for highway use, and which weigh about the same as the GT.

In a perfect world, I would have a GT for use on trips where I am going to be doing serious mileage into forecasted rain for several days. And I would have an R1200S for trips of shorter length when the forecast is for clear weather.

I think the GT would be more fun with a Remus pipe (but not too noisy a Remus); you'd get a nice rasp out of it.

But, after some recent trips on the 650 Versys, 650 Paris Dakar, and HP2 Enduro, I've been thinking that less is more.
 
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Does anyone agree with me? Seems ALL I read is how wonderful the new GT is. And it is, just not as much fun to ride as a whole bunch of other BMWs, IMHO.

In Mass it is different riding then here in AZ, NV. Here we run 80-100 most all day and that is in the sweepers too. The old saying different bikes for different folks include different parts of the country for different bikes. I would not think my wonderful K13GT would be wonderful in the Swiss Alps. Happy riding.
 
------ I would not think my wonderful K13GT would be wonderful in the Swiss Alps. Happy riding.

I would respectfully disagree - I have not run the alps (but did stay at a holiday inn express)


I have been on rides with very twisty roads with some elevation cnages and I am usually in 3rd just running up thye rev range - the torque of the engine is perfect, the suspension set to Sport provides marvelous hook up with excellent feedback and I could and want to run that all day.
 
The problem is you got spoiled with that K12R ;)
You know, you may have a point. At the time I had the K12R, I also had an R1200S. Both bikes were a hoot to ride for short distances, but as a guy who routinely rides north of 20K miles a year, they fell far short of comfortable for long trips. I also really rely on cruise control, so I needed to go with either an RT or GT. I think the RT probably has a lot more of that subjective "character" than the GT. Now that I have an RS from yesteryear - and it, too, has cruise - I'm asking myself why do I keep the GT. An RT would probably be more fun, if a bit slower.
 
I recently sold my R1200GS because I test drove and bought a used 2003 ST1300 with 19,000 miles on the clock. I've had a GS in one form or another for 14 years and wanted a bike that offered more wind protection and was better suited for long distance.

I had been pondering a 1200GT but just couldn't bring myself to pop the extra money over the ST1300 (which I paid $6500 for with a ton of accessories).

Overall I'm impressed with the ST1300. Don't get me wrong - it's no BMW. The 'build quality' isn't nearly as nice as the BMWs - it's a little rougher.

And surprisingly I think that's another reason why I chose it over the K1200 - it still feels like a motorcycle where the K12 felt a little 'sterile'. The front of the K12 also feels heavy when steering in comparison with the ST.

At some point I'm going back to BMW. I've always liked them and have owned them for much of my 26 years of riding. But for right now I'm enjoying the ST and it suits me well.
 
I hate that there are 4 bikes from BMW using the of K12GT moniker, none of which are remotely related.

I have the pretty one. :clap

5068921479_fdc7634796_b.jpg
 
I still think the brick is the finest BMW ever built. The new inline four engines are just too common - Japanese and Italian bikes all use the same concept with slight variations. Guess I just don't like run-of-the-mill technology.

Now, the inline 6 is something unusual again... I can't wait to see and ride it. Still, the fundamental design problem remains: why use a transverse engine with a shaft drive? 2 sets of bevel gears don't make sense. Why not use a belt?
 
Curt , I Agree with You

I agree with you !!!! But I would not say that the newer 1200/1300 GT is not only a BMW issue. It is a catagory problem.

All the 4 cyl. sport touring bikes on the market are somewhat boring and heavy, FJR, ST, VFR, Concours ......

That is why I selected the 2007RT 3 years ago and happily put 50K mi. on it and now just purchased a new replacement 2011RT.

Lightest, most comfortable, sporty, dependable sport tourer on the market!!!!

Oh, and with loads of character. only my 2 cents
 
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This is a serious question. I bought an '08 K12GT new in '08. I've put 8,000 miles on it. The bike performs fine. So does my refrigerator. And my washing machine. I'm not trying to be sarcastic or cute...and diff'rent strokes and all that, but the K12GT is the blandest bike I've ever owned. It's efficient and comfortable. I bought it for serious touring and, for that, it's fine. But, I can't say the bike is much fun. I owned a K1200R and it was an awesome ride, but lousy for two-up touring, a thousand miles at a time. I also have an '02 K12RS, my second one, and it is an incredible machine with lots of spirit and soul and a whole lot more exciting than the new GT.

Does anyone agree with me? Seems ALL I read is how wonderful the new GT is. And it is, just not as much fun to ride as a whole bunch of other BMWs, IMHO.

Curt

I guess this is why we have "choices" in life. Different strokes and all, but to call this bland? Are you using it the way it was designed to be ridden?

What my point is, with my Leo pipe on and 160hp at hand, in the sport setting,
this bike when put through the paces of aggressive riding, is far,far from bland.

Maybe it is the rider, or your expectations of a Grand Turismo?

Bike to bike comparisons (02 K12RS vs GT) will always have differences, even
within the same models from year to year (08GT vs 09GT).
 
I guess this is why we have "choices" in life. Different strokes and all, but to call this bland? Are you using it the way it was designed to be ridden?

What my point is, with my Leo pipe on and 160hp at hand, in the sport setting,
this bike when put through the paces of aggressive riding, is far,far from bland.

Maybe it is the rider, or your expectations of a Grand Turismo?

Bike to bike comparisons (02 K12RS vs GT) will always have differences, even
within the same models from year to year (08GT vs 09GT).

I used to own the R version of this series and it was a hoot to ride but offered no protection so I went for the GT and got the protection. It's always about trade off, isn't it? The GT is actually fine, in the vein of a big touring bike, and as I said, I've got no problem with what it does - because it does it well - it's just no hooligan or sport bike, that's all.
 
The GT

Seems like a nice complaint to have if you want adventure and personalty in a bike may I suggest a Harley that been "worked on". The GT is built to cover miles in relative comfort with decent handling something it does remarkably well.
 
The OP needs to take his GT out west, away from all the congestion and uber-enforcement and where the bike can be ridden the way it was meant to-- high speeds on deserted winding roads.... Then the bike's "personality" can shine through...

:dance"

GTRider
 
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