I miss my K1300S, will I like a K1600 GT Sport?

Just thinking about my 1600.

I think the keyless and central locking functions are really good. Keyless and central locking, makes a lot of sense, more so than maybe keyless on its own.

The top box is big. I do though think BMW missed a truck with it. The side panniers engage automatically with the central locking function, you do not need to connect any wires or plugs. The top box, assuming you want the central locking to function, has a power lead that feeds under the pillion seat to a connector. This means that each time you take off (or put on) the top box, you have to disconnect or connect the lead. This entails taking off the pillion seat (two bolts) and replacing it each time. Why BMW didn’t make the connection the same as the panniers I have no idea.

If you don’t want to use the top box, BMW’s smaller soft bag works really well. The BMW large soft bag is big. You can mount the bags on the luggage rack (in place of the top box) or on the pillion seat.

Take a bit of care lifting the rider’s seat on and off. It is potentially easy to forget that there are two, quite thin, leads that power the heated seat. Get clumsy and you’ll rip them out.

The rear mudguard is extendable, up and down. Fiddle about with it to reduce muddy spray.

The infinitely adjustable electric screen is really good. I, at six foot, have never needed to bolt anything to the top of it nor add any bling winglets.

The small BMW engine guards are a good idea. They used to be an option but may well now be standard.

The standard exhaust is fine, you don’t need all the ‘noisy zortst’ nonsense. All they do is make a noise, which pisses people off and sees bikes banned.

Cheers Wapping. Did you consider a RT? Just looking at the new 1250RT.

Jeremy said:

Cheers Wapping. Did you consider a RT? Just looking at the new 1250RT.

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I had a 1600 and 1250RT. My heart loves the K16, my head loved the RT. Both are great bikes.


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Jeremy said:

Cheers Wapping. Did you consider a RT? Just looking at the new 1250RT.

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No, just the 1600.

I had a long weekend loan of a water cooled GS but didn’t like it. To me it was a Boxer engine trying to be a free revving, across the frame 4. I can see that the RT is not a GS, so the model might suit the engine better.

My first trial run on the 1600, I thought it was awful for the first hour or so. Then, as I got out into the countryside in Essex, it suddenly all made sense. I’ve not looked back since.

Will I buy another one? Maybe, but only if they radically alter it for some new iteration but I think this one, my third, is near enough perfect and a great motorbike. So, probably, not.

I think the measure of a good motorbike is, can you ride it for a month, over lots of different sorts of roads. Anything from motorways, to tiny roads on the Baltic coast of Germany, to the niggly less than perfect roads through the Ardennes, to big open country sweepers. I have been lucky enough to do just that, more than once. I have never been disappointed.

If you do buy a 1600 don’t be seduced in by all the “Put a light in the top box” and “No, don’t do that, put a stop light in it” or, “Do both” shite. Similarly, never think of putting the crash bars that cover the panniers onto the bike, unless you want to (a) Add to the weight (b) Spend money (c) Look like a twat.

Do though buy a foot enlarger for the side stand. The reasons why are obvious.

What could the 1600 do with as standard or a factory fit option?

A socket on the near side of the vehicle, to plug heated clothing into easily. The socket on the front fairing is on the off side, which is not great, though it’s OK for running power into a tank bag. There is another power socket on the off side, down by the suspension unit. BMW were so embarrassed by this, that they didn’t even bother to mention it in the handbook. I only discovered it when cleaning my first 1600. It’s in a useless position, only good for maybe tapping power off or as a socket for a battery tender.

Save a lot of money and get a sorted FJ1200 .. fast and comfy old tech

re 1600,
i have the gt 19 plate,had loads of trouble from abs/ring oil leak,cruise control,and of course the gearbox recall.
ive only put 6000miles on it ,been to germany,scotland etc
2 up the bike is effortless smooth as a turbine,good on fuel etc
heavy ,sometimes 2 up luggage ,car parkes ferry etc,but so are a lot of other machines out there,
yes its a brilliant bike,BUT make sure you buy it with a good warrantee,new or used ,if it was not for the 3years on mine i would not have touched it.
overall each to there own,but it is a good bike.

Thx for all the feedback. I have returned to the light and swapped the Africa Twin for a 1250GSA.

obviously too late to persuade the OP...

if I had the room for two bikes, I'd have a GSA again, but my K puts a bigger grin on my face when I go out! Wapping; re your thing about the power sockets, real easy to relocate those to the nearside (front and back).

Indeed, there’s plenty of room to add the power sockets. You’ve done it; I’m just surprised that BMW don’t or won’t do the same.

Jeremy said:

Thx for all the feedback. I have returned to the light and swapped the Africa Twin for a 1250GSA.

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Wapping said:

Indeed, there’s plenty of room to add the power sockets. You’ve done it; I’m just surprised that BMW don’t or won’t do the same.

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Germans must be left-handed!

This is still one of the neatest installations of additional nearside power sockets:

https://www.k1600forum.com/threads/pdm60-accessory-outlets-clearwater-glendas.3076/

Wapping said:

This is still one of the neatest installations of additional nearside power sockets:

https://www.k1600forum.com/threads/pdm60-accessory-outlets-clearwater-glendas.3076/

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yes, you can't beat it for neat but a lot more expensive and technically complicated than wiring the sockets through a fused cable directly to the battery. Ok if you're running a million other electrical accessories on your bike and you have to have one of those CANBUS controllers to do it but otherwise, prefer the KISS version!!

Decompressing said:

yes, you can't beat it for neat but a lot more expensive and technically complicated than wiring the sockets through a fused cable directly to the battery. Ok if you're running a million other electrical accessories on your bike and you have to have one of those CANBUS controllers to do it but otherwise, prefer the KISS version!!

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He runs his super dooper lights off it, too.

Me? I dangle a flying lead under the seat and control the temperature of my electrical clothing via a Rapid Fire remote ‘troller thing, Velcro’d to the clutch reservoir.