Any reason NOT to buy BMW K1600?

Winged_STer

Winged_STer

Gary Gray
Site Supporter
Joined
Oct 5, 2007
Messages
185
Age
65
Location
Spring Hill, FL
Bike
'20 BMW R1250GS Adv
I have been away from touring for about 10 years and I have the itch bad to buy something and start riding again. I loved my ST1300 but she is long gone and in perusing the classifieds I came across a one-owner 2014 BMW K1600 GTL with 7200 miles on it. It is priced well and the pictures are great. Planning on doing a road trip 3-1/2 hours each trip each way to take a look at it tomorrow. Other than the fact that they are pretty, I really don't know anything about them. Do any of you guys have any thoughts on the subject?


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I have two friends that have them. A 1600 GT and a GTL. They say they love them. I would add you'd probably find more info on the BMW K1600 site than here although I think we have some members here that own them. Let me add that They did have a few recalls in the early and later years so you would want to make doubly sure they are taken care of before you buy. Leaky water pumps, brakes and transmissions I recall.
 
I have no personal experience but Andy (@amorley) of this forum has a 2015 BMW K1600GTS that he has done a lot of miles on.
I am sure that he could offer you some insightful feedback about the bike.
 
I'll check the BMW site but the ST-Owners forum is like home in many ways. Thanks for your feedback.
 
Only experience I have is when I sat on one at a BMWMOA rally. Reminded me of being 10 years old again sitting behind the steering wheel of a 1960s Buick!!!!
The dash/windshield/front of that thing is HUGE!!!
 
One of my riding buds has one and loves it, but he has had to take it in for several recalls. As a matter of fact it's in the shop now for one of them.
 
My latest flame is a 1983 BMW R100RS named Gretel. She is quiet and smooth and pretty fast and very pretty IMO...but holy cow, are parts ever expensive.

Like geeeezzz Louise and the R100RS is an air-cooled boxer twin with no ABS, no on-board galley, restrooms, crew lounge, air suspension system, rider modes, electronic adjustable damping...anything....or even a rudimentary entertainment system and so it is about as complicated as a garden tractor. Now that I have it sorted, its fine - just fine. Oh, I have added a USB charger and it works super - but it cost $8 at the Chinesium store and so I bought two...just in case.

However, and this is not a slam...I'd guess that a more recent Bimmer, especially a six-cylinder liquid-cooled top of the range bahnschtermer is more along the lines of the space shuttle on the complexity scale.

Soooooo.....all I can say is, if that K1600 were under warranty and Uncle Hermann was paying the bills, then no problemo, but if it gets and old and crusty and you take over at cashier's wicket.....it might wind as much more fun to ride than it is to own.

Pete
 
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Winged_STer said:
I have been away from touring for about 10 years and I have the itch bad to buy something and start riding again. I loved my ST1300 but she is long gone and in perusing the classifieds I came across a one-owner 2014 BMW K1600 GTL with 7200 miles on it. It is priced well and the pictures are great. Planning on doing a road trip 3-1/2 hours each trip each way to take a look at it tomorrow. Other than the fact that they are pretty, I really don't know anything about them. Do any of you guys have any thoughts on the subject?
Click to expand...

Go for it! I loved my 2005 ST1300 (STA5) but I am so happy I bought a new K1600GT in 2015. KBiK and I have done 102K miles together in the last six years.

...but I am still on the ST-Owners forum because that is where you’ll find the best sport touring events every north.
 
I have a 2013 K1600GTL, it's been a good bike for me for over 50k miles, my dealer in Ohio (Mathias BMW) tells me a customer has brought one in with over 200k on it and still going.
The engine is a dream and the body panels aren't too bad to remove/reinstall as I did to have them repainted recently, mostly because it doesn't suffer drops too well. :(

Some things to consider, it is heavy and difficult to back up (no reverse till 2016 or 17 I think). It eats up the twisties with ease but if you are on a long interstate haul (especially in dirty air) you'll arrive at your destination fresher on a Goldwing as the GTL is tall and will wander from effects of the crosswinds, whereas the Wing will track much straighter in those conditions... Riding the twisties all day with a buddy on a pre-2018 Wing I will be fresher at the end of the day as he found the Wing more work to push through the twisties. My wife rides with me a good bit and 2up in the stop and go traffic it can be tiresome but like I said in the twisties it is a dream.
Mine has been trouble free for 50k+ miles, mine was a late 2013 manufacture so I don't think it's much different from the 2014 you're looking at. It is however subject to the current fuel pump recall and I'm on the wait list for that. I have and extended warranty (RPMOne) good till 2/1/2024 and I may look at a new Wing or RT to replace it in the next year or so.

HTH,
John G.
 
I’m digging mine. Picked up in January. Only got a little over 500 miles. As far tracking in the wind. Find her more stable than the ST with top box. DB378F3A-BBAD-48D1-9565-815DEA1A59AA.jpeg
 
@Woodchuck and @mlheck have newer ones. Last I talked to them (couple of years ago, they loved them). A couple of guys in our BMW club have them and likewise love them. Only reason I can think of not to pop for one is the cost of owning a Beemer. Once you get beyond that, they are great bikes.
MaxPete said:
Like geeeezzz Louise and the R100RS is an air-cooled boxer twin with no ABS, no on-board galley, restrooms, crew lounge, air suspension system, rider modes, electronic adjustable damping...anything....or even a rudimentary entertainment system and so it is about as complicated as a garden tractor.
Click to expand...
The newer ones have everything you mentioned, even hot and cold running water (you supply the hose) and yes, they are slightly more complicated than a garden tractor. The canbus system alone should keep any normal mechanic guessing for a week or longer.
 
The newer ones have everything you mentioned, even hot and cold running water (you supply the hose) and yes, they are slightly more complicated than a garden tractor. The canbus system alone should keep any normal mechanic guessing for a week or longer.
[/QUOTE]

can bus is just a hi-speed communication line between all the modules so they can talk to each other. Autos have had them for decades.
 
I will never sell my '06 ST (9k miles), but I got an itch in Sept 2019 and bought a one-owner '16 GTL with 1k miles. I've put another 2k problem-free miles since purchase. I researched and learned that 2015 and 2016 are the most reliable, recall-free model years. While you may spend a little more for a '15 or '16, chances are good it will pay you back with problem-free riding. Compared to the ST, the K1600 has so much more horsepower and torque, the electronics are much more advanced (cruise, heated seats/grips, electronic riding modes and suspension, sat radio, navigation and a "wonder wheel" for easy settings adjustments while riding, it's easier to get up on the center stand, and it does not have the heat problem like the ST. You will give up some air protection though because the BMW stock windshield isn't as good as the ST for deflecting air from your arms and shoulders (its good for chest and head though). I think both bikes are solid on the highway. The K bike has a more comfortable seating position and my feet easily touch the ground. The ST is better with seat height adjustments. The GTL isn't designed to allow seat height adjustment, but you can do that with the GT since that's a split seat, where the GTL is a single seat. But you can order a tall seat for the GTL, or you can have it re-worked to add more padding to raise it up to 2 inches.
 
One of my cars was a 66 VW Beetle with 50 hp, and it took myself and my new wife halfway across the USA and back. And you need what to go down the freeway? On two wheels? That VW Beetle had a 1600cc engine. With 50 hp. And what do you "need"?

When I looked at my current bike, I considered the weight. I like to take pictures to share where I've been. But I knew with the bike I had at 570 lbs, I'd already passed up numerous stops simply because of the weight. And the bike you're considering is easily a hundred pounds more.

I've been riding a bike with a wet weight of 470 lbs. for the last several years and 66,000 miles. I've never really considered another bike for those trips. And you are looking at a bike 200 lbs more?!?!?!?!

Why?

Chris
 
2015 and 2016 were the best models made with no recalls that I know of. 2018+ had transmission recalls. Current ones have a "stop sell" due to rider peg recalls. Dealer cannot sell new models until that recall is done on them.

As far as the one you are looking at, I don't remember any negative issues regarding the 2014s. I've had only a coil go bad on mine and it was covered under warranty.

Check out https://www.k1600forum.com/

It is pretty much like this forum with a good group of folks, albeit not as good as the folks here, but close.

One piece of advice I can offer is to read and reread on how to check the oil. Sounds foolish but there are quite a few new owners that overfill the oil level which causes the airbox to fill up with oil and the bike will start blowing white smoke, like spraying for mosquitos. Since the bike has an internal oil sump, you have to bring it to operating temp, then shut it off for 30 to 60 seconds and check it. Otherwise, when cold or if it sat for a while, the oil level will always show low; thus, one will overfill it.
 
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Well, good luck with the test ride tomorrow. Should you come home with a Fraulein instead of a Geisha, half of us will cheer you and half of us will jeer you... :wine2: Either way, the important question is will you ride to NEWSTOC '21 on her? Anybody can go to the regional or national meets, but it takes someone of real class to show up at NEWSTOC. Just sayin...:thumb:
DaBoo, I think I may have a found sucker, I mean candidate for the BuzzBee award...;)
 
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