In motorcycle parlance, ‘Bagger’ is a term used to describe a large touring motorcycle that is equipped with panniers or hard luggage, perhaps even a top box.
Typically, Baggers also have concessions to style and aesthetics, such as a ‘slammed’ rear end or enhanced bodywork and paint – it’s a significant market share and now BMW is getting in on the action with the latest K 1600 B – for Bagger.
Original Models
The K 1600 GT and GTL models were released in Australia in 2011 and they set a benchmark for performance in luxury touring bikes, but they were ‘pure’ tourers, without the styling cues that sets the Bagger market apart.
Now, that’s all changed, and what a fabulous motorcycle the new model is.
At its heart is a four-stroke oil and water cooled, in-line six-cylinder engine with 4-valves per cylinder that displaces 1649cc.
It’s an exhilarating powerplant that produces 160 horsepower and 180Nm of torque at 5,250rpm.
That power is fed to the rear wheel via multi-disc oil bath clutch, a sure-shifting, crisp six-speed gearbox and very direct lash-free shaft drive.
Chassis To Match
It’s all slung in a chassis that is as equally well performed. The suspension is proprietary BMW, with a Duolever front end and central spring strut. The main advantage of this system is that ‘fork dive’ or compression of the front suspension under hard braking is virtually eliminated.
The rear suspension is BMW’s Paralever set up and it works in perfect harmony with the front. Both systems are electronically controlled, and their settings are switchable on the fly.
Tipping the scales at 344kg fuelled up and ready to ride means stopping this high-performance monster requires serious braking power too.
That’s handled by twin 320mm fixed rotors with 4-piston calipers up front and single 2-piston at the rear – all with lean angle optimised ABS.
Best of the rest
The rest of the raft of high-tech throughout the machine is equally impressive. From the high definition TFT display and the huge array of information and infotainment options it supports, to the 3 fly-by-wire riding modes that accommodate ‘Rain’, ‘Road’ and Dynamic’ settings. There’s a hill-hold option, Industry best cruise control, adaptive headlight, self-cancelling indicators, a slip control clutch and many more features to add to safety and comfort.
It also has an array of luxury inclusions like heated seats, heated grips, an adjustable power windscreen, an outstanding navigation system and impressive infotainment and phone integration.
Value for money.
With a base price of $41,125 the K 1600 B is at the upper end of the luxury motorcycle market. The test bike has optional Manhattan Metallic Paint ($350) and 719 Forged Wheels ($2,500) fitted as well, but it’s a bike that you get what you pay for.
A bike that stacks up well in Queensland conditions with fabulous performance, class leading technology, safety enhancements and great comfort throughout.
My Editor, Mick was originally going to write the Quick Spin on the BMW R18 Classic but the Sydney lockdown put the kibosh on that plan and after he managed a few short work rides the machine was trucked up to Brisbane.
Sure enough, while it was in transit Brisbane suffered the same stay home fate.
So the black Bavarian sat in my garage for the best part of a week while I had plenty of time to get to know all of its settings, buttons and inclusions.
It was very well detailed and polished by the time the curfew did finally break up north and eventually I did get out and got amongst it - and just like the R18 First Edition ‘Standard’ tested in HEAVY DUTY # 175, I found the bike is very enjoyable to be aboard.
It has a great engine, very relaxed manners, a good level of inclusion and overall comfort (with one or two exceptions). It’s a feel-good machine with a ride and ergonomic that has a definite old-school appeal.
Standard v Classic
The most obvious differences between the first R18 we tested (let’s call it the ‘Standard’) and the Classic are the touring inclusions, some extra ride and safety accoutrements and a more conventional-looking exhaust system. The bulbous fishtail styling of the Standard was easily the most contentious part of that bike. This example is fitted with much more orthodox cylindrical mufflers with what BMW calls an ‘elongated end silencer’.
The Classic has also been fitted with a fatter front wheel. The Standard runs a 120/70 19” front while the Classic has a 130/90 16” - and the difference is steering quickness and cornering ease in noticeable with the smaller diameter hoop. It doesn’t seem to have had any effect on Freeway stability or rougher surface riding as the bike remains very well planted and stable on the road. Enjoyably so - and it still tips in very confidently within the limited lean angles that the bike offers. Both bikes have 180/65 B16 rear rubber.
The Classic is fitted with compact foot boards and like the Standard’s mid control pegs, touching them on the deck is a reasonably regular occurrence in normal riding.
But you don’t buy a R18 for canyon carving, its clearances are similar to an older Softail or a Fat Boy Lo, but what it does do well is roll away most Australian conditions with pretty good comfort, style and top-notch tech.
As with most windscreens, above average height riders will need to fit a taller unit from the get-go or look at extending the standard screen to get below the buffeting. I found the easiest fix on the test bike was to simply remove it. And it is very simple to remove or replace via two levers on the light bar and the locating sockets on the top of the fork legs.
Big Foot Blues
The other issue that Mick and I both had with the bike was to do with our rather large boots on the relatively small footboards. Whilst the boards do add a degree of cruising comfort and mean that one’s feet can be slid further forward than with the pegs, the combination of footboard and its proximity to the horizontally opposed cylinder mean that there isn’t a lot of room for the gear lever – and we both had issues fitting our big hoofs ‘around’ it. If it was our bike, we both would go back to the Standard’s peg arrangement – which worked perfectly. Smaller shoe sizes probably wouldn’t even notice it. Only a test ride would tell.
Otherwise, this bike works really well. I really like its presentation, lines and look, but most of all I like the big Bavarian Boxer and its drive train.
The 107.1 x 100mm bore and stoke displaces 1802cc and delivers 91 horses at 4,750rpm with a very respectable 158Nm or torque ant 3000 rpm. Most of those peak numbers are available from much lower revs too.
It’s a very strong-feeling power plant that is quite smooth throughout the rev range – but still has enough vibration to remind you that you are sitting on top of a very large twin, especially at idle where if you take hands off the bars the whole front end rocks from side to side with the engaging pulse of the big donk.
The gearbox is crisp and precise, and the exposed shaft is my preferred method of any final drive. It’s solid, direct and slop and lash free in normal operation. It can be made to rattle, but it needs a dedicated effort to make that happen, whilst it’s virtually maintenance and adjustment free, doesn’t need regular lubrication or won’t break if it encounters an errant rock or stick. The bright metal exposed shaft and universal joints on the R18s are quite visually interesting too.
Solid
Its solid road manners are in part due to a 1731mm wheelbase, 57.3° rake, 150mm trail – and the quality 49mm forks (with 120mm travel) and pre-load adjustable monoshock rear (with 90mm of travel).
Mounted to its double cradle tube frame, they offer a reasonably firm, but comfortable ride, one that is well suited to the upright riding position. BMW claim a minimum range of 290km from its 16 litre fuel tank and the saddle is comfortable enough to make that viable without stops. The saddle height is 710mm in running order and a lower option is alvailable.
Even with the footboards it’s still a mid-controls style with no option to move them forward because of the very attractive big lungs hanging out each side of the engine. But in concert with the wide pulled back handlebars sitting on 80mm rear set risers it feels somewhat like riding your favourite spread out, knees-in-the-breeze machine from the 70s or 80s … but better – much better.
Because … Tech
It also has high tech and safety enhancements that those older machines simply couldn’t fathom.
The cruise control is the best I’ve used on a motorcycle. It has ‘resume’ or ‘set new speed’ options from the toggles on the left hand switchblock. The three switchable riding modes ‘Rock’, ‘Roll’ and ‘Rain’ adjust throttle response and ABS also from a button on the left-hand block.
The trip computer functions and displays are skewed a little differently from American cruisers, but still offer an array of information from the digital display mounted in the compact analogue instrument dial with its proud ‘Belin Built’ declaration inscribed on the face.
At 365kg wet the Classic is 20kg heavier than the Standard, part of that is the large leather saddlebags which aren’t lockable – but do come with a handy removable inner bag. Part of it is the windscreen and part is the traditional cruiser/tourer light bar with an array of effective LED driving lamps. Adaptive lighting is available as an optional extra. The reverse assist – it will back-up with the starter motor - helps mitigate the extra weight.
The ABS equipped twin 4-piston front brakes with 300mm floating discs and single 4-pot rear with 300mm disc pull the bike up quickly and confidently with minimal lever effort.
From the way the security fob is built into the key, to the way the cylinders point in different directions, the BMW R18 classic is a different kind of touring bagger to pretty much everything else in the marketplace currently – American or Metric – but what it does, it does most enjoyably well.
If you are a bit of a black sheep looking for a different style of ride, it’s well worth a closer look.
Specs
Test Bike BMW Australia Price: From $30,864 Engine: Air/oil cooled two-cylinder four-stroke boxer engine with two chain-driven camshafts above the drive shaft. Bore x stroke: 107.1 mm x 100 mm Capacity: 1,802 cm³ Power: 67 kW (91 hp) at 4,750 rpm Max. torque: 58 Nm at 3,000 rpm Compression ratio: 9.6 : 1 Gears: 6-gear shifting claw transmission in separate transmission housing Secondary drive: Drive shaft Wheelbase: 1,731 mm Castor: 150 mm Steering head angle: 57.3° Tyre Front : 130/90 B16 Tyre, rear: 180/65 B16 Brake, front: Twin disc brake, diameter 300 mm, 4-piston fixed caliper Brake, rear: Single disc brakes, diameter 300 mm, four-piston fixed calipers ABS: BMW Motorrad Integral ABS (partially integral).
There have been several European motorcycles featured in HEAVY DUTY over the years, Italians, Brits - and now, a German.
We were out by the Island waterways, cruising around the area between Brisbane and the Gold Coast.
Spook was riding the new BMW R18 for our photo shoot while I was on his bike. We stopped at some lights and as we pulled up he said, “You know, the riding position is just like my old Triumph Tiger.”
“Of course it is,” I had to agree.
BMW calls it a “riding experience that is as cultivated as it is emotional.” That’s a bit too much hyperbole, but either way, I really enjoyed my time testing this motorcycle - and its ergonomics.
I was very comfortable with everything about the machine, and to be fair, I was actually a little ‘emotionally invested’ too. This bike took me to a very happy place, no matter where I rode it. It is not perfect, but it is a joy.
First Impression are …
At first, I thought this was an example of BMW attempting to copy machines from Harley or Indian, but the more I looked into it, the more I found that it was actually a case of paying homage to their long and storied heritage and models like the classic R5.
From its unique swooping exhausts to the exposed shaft drive, to the slab-sided coffin tank, the styling cues come straight from 1936. But they have evolved into a well-performed, modern cruiser. The double-loop steel-tube frame and rear swingarm complement the styling too, as does the way the swingarm surrounds the rear axle transmission in ‘authentic’ style.
At its heart is an all-new, ‘old-school style’, air-cooled, ‘Big Boxer’ motor displacing 1802cc (110cui) with its 4 overhead valves per cylinder operated by push rods.
BMW claims it’s the biggest, most powerful Boxer engine ever, producing 91 horsepower at 4750rpm and 158Nm of torque at 3000rpm, with more than 150Nm on tap between 2000 and 4000rpm. Its 107.1 x 100mm Bore and Stroke are slung in a package that tips the scales at 345kg fully fuelled and it all adds up to a machine that is quick off the line with very good roll-on power and a delight on the open road.
It will happily purr along the boulevard at 50km/h in top gear or roll away distance at Freeway speeds with nothing but a pleasant pulse from the engine transmitted through the wide, cruiser handlebars that sit on small risers.
When we did stop at the traffic lights the side-to-side motion of the handlebars caused by those massive pistons going back and forth was reminiscent of an older Harley. The sideways kick that the whole motor gives when you start it up is substantial, and quite rewarding. “That’s ‘Powah!’” The EFI proved faultless.
The drive train is equally impressive, with a slick and sure-shifting 6-speed gearbox and a lash and slap free final drive. The hydraulically activated single-disc dry clutch is light and precise.
Mixed Opinions
Opinions regarding the aesthetic of the exposed shaft drive and its universal joints were somewhat polarising, but I really liked it, along with the fact that it’s among the best I’ve tested - up there with the exemplary performance of the latest Rocket 3R’s for direct feel.
It also has a starter motor driven reverse gear option similar to that on a Honda Gold Wing. I didn’t employ it at all during the test, but lighter weight operators might find it useful.
Same with the other underlying tech. BMW calls its various systems MSR and ASC. It has Hillstart control, that acts like an automatic hand brake when stationary. I rarely employed it, but I did cycle through the three fly-by-wire ride modes available. It has ‘Rock’, ‘Roll’ and ‘Rain’ modes that adjust throttle, engine,braking and traction control responses exactly as you would expect the names to indicate. It’s a really good system that is changeable while moving.
Amongst its many features, the Automatic Stability Control system and MSR (Motor Schleppmoment Regelung) prevent the rear wheel from slipping as a result of abrupt throttling or downshifting. The ‘anti-hopping’ clutch is opened mechanically to prevent rear wheel skip. The system also prevents breaking traction on hard acceleration.
It all can be switched on or off via a button on the right-hand switch block if a burnout or other hijinks are on your agenda.
Naturally it has ABS on the excellent linked braking system with twin 300mm discs up front and single rear. Both sets have fixed 4-piston callipers. They are simply superb brakes.
Forward Thinking
Several of our riding buddies bemoaned the fact that forward controls are not an option, due to those massive ‘jugs’. But like the H-D Low Rider S or a Sportster, I quite liked its sit-at-the-dinner-table riding position. It made it easier to get a little bit of weight off-board to compensate for the bike’s limited lean angles. Unlike Harley, BMW doesn’t specify lean angles in their technical data, but they would be similar to that of a Fat Boy, or perhaps even a Fat Boy Lo. It’s very easy to get the large ‘Hero’ blobs on the foot pegs on the deck. They touch down well before any of the other hard parts.
The 49mm telescopic forks and cantilever rear suspension work in concert with its 1731mm wheelbase to give a sure footed and very comfortable feel on the road. The rear suspension is adjustable for pre-load.
The saddle is also comfortable for a long stretch and there will be taller seats and a wide variety of customising options available once supply chains recover from the Pandemic. Exhausts from Vance & Hines to Saddles from Mustang are available to order. As are touring accessories, bags and windscreens – which are fitted as standard to the ‘R18 Classic’ model. High Standards
The standard equipment on this bike is of a high order to begin with.
The headlight is unique and very effective. The test bike was fitted with optional adaptive lighting which has additional LED elements in the main headlight that are activated by banking angle. They shine down closer to the road when cornering. The other lighting is all LED and high tech. We did find the rear indicators that are set inside the brake and running light stalks a little hard to see in bright daylight. That was about our only gripe with the bike.
The circular instrument cluster features an analogue speedometer display and integrated indicator lamps that are “invisible” when not illuminated. It offers a wealth of information such as a digital gear indicator display and as well as the data from the integrated on-board computer. Trip meters, fuel consumption and a heap of other functions. It also has a prominent “BERLIN BUILT” inscription on the dial, as do the brake and clutch reservoirs, in case you forget the origins of this delightful motorcycle.
That’s indeed how I found the BMW R18 First Edition. Delightful. From the keyless fob to the kick of that enormous donk. It’s an entirely viable alternative in the Heavy Cruiser market with a heap of history behind it.
Back on the coast Spook summed it up, “The other bikes I’ve ridden for you, I couldn’t wait to get back onto my Breakout, I’m quite happy to ride this one.” If you know our pal Spook, that is very high praise indeed.
WHEELS & TYRES F Rim: 3.5 x 19 Wire Spoked R Rim: 5 x 16 Wire Spoked
SUSPENSION Front: 49 mm telescopic Rear: Cantilever
Frame: Double-cradle steel frame with screwed-on underbeams Spooks Second Opinion
Riding the BMW R18 Cruiser I have ridden a few bikes and a couple for Dave's articles, but this one was very different.
I usually can't wait to get back on my Breakout, but this time, not as quickly. The R18 was something new to me, and I was keen to spend more time in the saddle.
There were several passes around a bend or roundabout throughout our time together, looking to meet specific criteria for the shots.
When it came time to relocate, usually I would jump back on my bike. This time I gave my keys to Dave and stayed aboard through some different riding situations through the canefields and a run on the freeway.
I can see what BMW is trying to achieve, and I think they have a genuine contender for this segment. The nimbleness of this big bike was great.
After changing riding style to accommodate the boxer engine, it really started to grow on me. Rock-solid through corners and change of direction under constant throttle, and surprisingly agile for a big bike.
There are three standard riding modes Rain, Roll and Rock, with Automatic Stability Control, reverse assist and Hill Start Control function. I tried all these modes briefly but personally settled on Rock, which gave me some additional poke.
I tried the reverse, but a little unusual for me at this stage. I am sure I would get used to it, but having ridden heavy bikes for some time, I tend to avoid the situations requiring it. I found the instrumentation very easy to see and use.
The most significant difference I found with this bike to others I have ridden was the acceleration. The R18 was happy to get up and go at the slightest invitation. Very smoothly, but quickly.
This performance, along with a very positive set of anchors, made me feel very comfortable with the machine's capability. Not my perfect fit, I do love my Breakout as you may have heard, but certainly worth a look if you are in this market segment and in my opinion, VERY BMW.
Options fitted to test bike: $3330 First Edition pinstriping and chrome package $0 Adaptive headlight and daytime riding light $75 Lockable fuel filler cap $155 Hill start assist $605 Headlight Pro $385 Passenger kit $340 Heated grips $1500 Reverse gear $365 Anti-theft alarm
R18 MRLP $25,000 Options and Packages (extras) $6,755.00 Dealer delivery & on roads $2,409.28
Total rideaway price (based on Sydney, 2000): $34,164.28 (as tested)
In answer to the question I'm asked quite often is....the HP2 Megamoto is my favourite of all the bikes I've tested.
It has 113 usable ponies and 115Nm of torque in a package that weighs 179kg dry. It hauls. It also has the lightest front end of any big motorcycle I've tested, truly feather light steering.
When all that is combined with the excellent stability afforded by the 1,615mm wheelbase and the tubular steel space frame the adrenaline is not only about the acceleration - but the speed it
can carry into corners and the ease with which it negotiates them.
It's a tall, big man's lump of a motorcycle, but it is impressively light and nimble to chuck around. It dares you to be extreme with it and it turns it all into a most rewarding experience.
Woo-hoo! I made another cover!
The mag turned up in my mailbox today and I had no idea it was a collector's edition! :-)
Submitted the words to the K1600 Test and the Speed Triple Test - and thought the Ed on the Speedy was going to be the cover. It's still a big thrill.
The expedition to the launch of new BMW K 1600 GT and GTL was a real ‘Yin and Yang’ affair.
The days spent travelling to and from Northern NSW were a bit of a drag, with cancelled flights and hours waiting in Airport ‘limbo’.
The Press release and ride were exactly the opposite: interesting, fascinating, great fun and quite exhilarating.
Amongst the keepsakes I brought back from the expedition is a Boarding Pass for a Flight that doesn’t exist, but all that pales at the recollection of these spectacular machines.
Right from the off it’s worth pointing out that this is one of the most expensive, fully optioned motorcycles on the market, but it’s also one of the best motorcycles on the market – particularly if hi-tech pushes your buttons, or more accurately, you like pushing hi-tech buttons.
‘Best’ is a long bow to draw I know, particularly if you’re in the ‘as long as it’s got an engine, handlebars, two wheels and a seat - it does me’ brigade, but the K 1600 series bikes really are technological marvels that provide a wonderfully efficient and relatively safer means of riding.
SETTLED IN
When we (the NZ Press contingent) arrived at the Peppers Resort at Kingscliff NSW it was mid afternoon and conditions were mostly sunny, with temps in the early 20’s.
We had time for a stroll around the resort and the endless golden beach before settling in to the information sessions held in the conference rooms.
The show opened with a presentation by BMW Motorcycle Manager Tony Sesto. He gave us a quick outline of where BMW had been, is at, and where it is going.
I found his reference to Dr Diess’s (Motorrad head honcho) speech at Intermot 2004 most interesting. The good Doctor drew a line in the sand and talked of a ‘global repositioning’ and ‘changing BMW’. I recalled reading the context of the speech when I was researching the KIWIRIDER test on the BMW R1200 S not long after, thinking ‘so far so good’. That was further reinforced with subsequent rides on the HP2 Megamoto, K 1300 S and several GS 1200’s.
So it was that I arrived at this launch as something of a re-enthusiast of the marque I thought had lost its way in the nineties (I rode some dull bimmers back then) - but has since be re-found.
The new 1600’s are the next step in their evolution of dynamic riding machines. And like all the BMWs I’ve thrown a leg over lately - dynamic they are.
Following Tony’s presentation, Miles Davis, the Marketing Manager took the mic and gave us an overview of each bike. It took quite some time to run through the overview, such is the list of standard features and the amount of adjustment, information and data available from each bike.
Question time followed and by the time we were done and headed out to dinner we were chomping at the bit for the big test ride.
TEST RIDING.
We got to sample exactly how dynamic the new K sixes are on a group ride through the Northern Rivers back country of New South Wales.
The Northern Rivers district sprawls from the Clarence River and Grafton, northwards along the coast to the Tweed River and the Queensland border. Big country, partly rich alluvial plain, bordered on three sides by the weathered spurs of the Great Dividing Range, meandering, like the many rivers, to the coast.
As such, the eastern-most part of the continent in early winter is an ideal region to sample a varied mix of road and riding conditions, with many of the same attractions, and hazards, as riding in New Zealand.
Thirteen K 1600s, with examples of both models (and four colour schemes), a GS 1200 and two support vehicles left Peppers Salt Resort after a quick ride briefing from Miles.
We did a short leg on the super-slab down to a Coffee stop at Byron Bay where the large fleet of expensive bikes drew a crowd of multi-coloured cheesecloth and tote-bag wearers away from their sifting around the beach.
Caffeine levels boosted, Hippies enlightened, we passed back over the Coast highway and made our way inland towards Lismore.
We ran in reasonably heavy traffic all the way too, but once we got through Lismore and further west, the roads and the countryside opened up, and so did the throttles.
We skirted the foothills and ranges in an arc that took is back to the north into Queensland, via the Border Ranges, before heading south east again towards Murwillumbah. Then it was back to base through the excellent twisties of the Gold Coast Hinterland.
We clocked up around 450km on a great variety of roads. From open plains with fast sweepers, to tight mountain descents, from rickety timber bridges to super-highway and the bike nailed all of it.
Much of the last 50km was in pitch black on mountain roads – so we could see just how well the adaptive headlight works.
It was a brilliant ride – on a brilliant bike. Parts of it were quite Unzud-ish, particularly the twisty, winding roads through the Border Ranges and their lush, sub-tropical rainforests dotted with tree ferns. The main difference in riding was significantly (a lot) more double lines than here, while the hot-mix, rather than chip-seal, is generally easier to trust.
The day featured regular photo stops for Lou Martin’s images and employed the corner-man system faultlessly till we lost one on the very last leg back to base in the dark – but then the GPS came to the fore and we were all back at the Resort by pre-dinner drinks.
It was down to about 16c in the ranges, 21c on the valley floor, and the day was mostly a bright overcast, but it was a truly outstanding blat on a fabulous machine.
HOW FABULOUS?
Refer to the paragraph regarding ‘best’ above.
Take the luxury and accoutrements of a Goldwing and the downright schtonk of a Concours 14 and put them in one package.
160 ponies and 175 of Mr Newton’s Meters. A Rocket III tourer is the torque daddy of production bikes and it has 203Nm, so the six is up there.
The acceleration isn’t the ‘rip your arms out of their sockets’ of a modern hypersports, it is hauling 319kg wet (306 dry), which is reasonably light for an ultra-luxury tourer, but still a considerable mass.
It produces very rapid progress nonetheless and the torque of the six cylinder engine is a remarkable thing. Disengage the Traction Control system and it will easily power stand, just on throttle – no clutching needed.
More real-worldly is the way you can be barrelling along at touring speeds, come to a 40kph country school zone for example, slow down to 35kph, and then back up to touring speeds without any need to change gear. It pulls without lugging, smoothly and quickly back to where an autobahn would be handy - in no time.
The BMW telelever and paralever suspensions work beautifully. We did some pretty good runs through twisty mountain roads along the NSW border and the bikes handle sports type riding with aplomb. The big torque, solid handling and confidence inspiring ABS have me looking for the thesaurus in search of another word for ‘dynamic’.
It’s a big, fast, great handling motorcycle, ‘a rider’s machine’.
Inclusions and features we can only gloss over – the detailed press release and technical notes that came in our ‘goodies’ pack is 45 pages long. We have that .pdf – and over twenty minutes of video, including excerpts from the presentations and some ride video on the KR web site (keyword: K1600). It’s worth checking, just for how good they sound.
The highlights of the inclusions will even take me over the Ed’s word count but there are some standouts.
The Aus and NZ markets get the bikes delivered with ‘all the fruit’ included. ABS, Traction Control – ESA2 (push button suspension adjustment) all standard. The only obvious extra to add is your choice of GPS.
It has the most sophisticated ride computer and is the first bike I’ve seen equipped with a ‘mouse’ to operate it. There is an extra ring on the left hand switch block to click and scroll through the myriad of functions. It even displays tyre pressure on the dashboard.
The adaptive headlight really does shine around corners. Dark mountain roads are beautifully illuminated, particularly with the GTL’s extra driving lights, but the GT’s are still quite brilliant too.
Style-wise I found them to be attractive luxury tourers to look at. The luggage is top notch - in terms of capacity, appearance and function. Easily removed for a sports ride – and don’t believe this unit won’t keep up on a sports run. It’s got some real hurry up. Best windscreen I’ve used too.
SPECIALS
These Ks really are special (geddit). They eat big distances for breakfast - at a very rapid rate and really do live up to the dynamic tag when the road gets interesting. They have fruit on the fruit and a very comfortable, stylish package to deliver it in. The 24 litre tank gave well over 300km between stops and I found the saddle comfortable all day.
The six is only a bit over 60mm wider than the K1300 four. It’s still a large bike, but in no way is it ponderous. It’s just wicked.
If a stand out in hi-tech motorcycle efficiency pushes your buttons, talk to your BMW dealer about the new K 1600 series bikes.
