I've thought long and hard about either a FJR1300 or K1200GT.
Since I went with the FJR (on order), I'll just post my concerns about the KGT.
1) Maintenance. You are bound to the BMW dealership. Even simple procedures such as a brake fluid change require the BMW dealership computer. I simply feel uncomfortable paying $300.00 for a brake fluid change (the procedure is quite involved and labor intensive and cannot be safely done at home because there is no way to check proper bleed down without the computer). BMW's diagnostics are dealership based. The Japanese tend to use on-board diagnostics, so I can troubleshoot my bike at home. If you aren't a DIY'er then this point doesn't really matter.
2) Parts pricing/long-term maintenance. I've got 26,000 miles on my Goldwing. The rear shock is shot. Most bikes will go through their rear shock between 25,000 and 35,000 miles. Since I'm planning on using my FJR for a 94-mile, round-trip commute, I will need to replace the rear shock fairly quickly. The rear FJR shock is a normal shock and I will be able to replace it with an aftermarket item cheaply. The BMW ESA shock is only available through BMW. I don't know the price of this shock, but my bet is that it'll be between $2,000.00 and $3,000.00. For $2,000.00 I could replace the front AND rear suspension on the FJR with Traxxion front fork cartridges and a Penske rear shock -- extremely premium compenents (I didn't even go that high spec on my track bike).
3) I've ridden the early K1200S and it had some truly wonky EFI. However, I've heard that the latest EFI reprogramming on the K-series has resolved all the old issues. I've heard that the FJR's have a lurchy on/off throttle transistion, but because the FJR uses an old-style analog wiring harness, it can use a Power Commander IIIUSB which will allow me to tune the bike to get rid of all the EPA fluffiness.
4) I can't stand the noise that the ESA brakes make.
5) Total costs for me breakdown as follows:
FJR 13000 (taxes+title+all fees): $13,500.00
3-Year Yamaha factory warranty extension (4 years total, unlimited miles): $450.00
Total FJR Cost: $13,950.00
K1200GT (ESA, Heated everything, Cruise): $21,000.00-$22,000.00 before taxes tiltle and all fees. So, a total of about $22,250.00-$23,250.00.
The difference is roughly $8,300.00-$9,300.00. That's enough to buy a 600cc sportbike!
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Points that favor the K1200GT
1) Heated everything on the BMW. You can get heated grips on the FJR, which I'll probably get later (~$300.00). Heated seats aren't available on the FJR.
2) Cruise control. Unavailable on the FJR. If any ride is going to need cruise control, I'll take the Goldwing, that way I can listen to the radio and drink my tea while straight-lining down the highway.
3) Duo-lever front end. For street use, I believe that the Duo-lever front end is better than conventional front forks (although it is unsuitable for track use). The paralever rear end on the BMW will always outperform any non-parallelogram rear suspension (such as on the FJR). Pushed to track speeds, I expect both bikes will wallow like drunk hippos, but for street use, the duo-lever is better able to isolate the rider from road shock and suffers less from bump steer than traditional forks.
4) ~20 more horsepower. On the street, this won't be too noticeable. Because street speeds are limited by poor road conditions, traffic and speed limits (which may not apply to you since you are a LEO), street bike performance is more limited by risk-tolerance rather than machine or rider capabilities.
5) No heat issue on the K-series bikes. The '06 FJR is supposed to be cooler than the earlier models. This is a big point for me, since I had a Honda ST1300 that roasted me alive. I'm glad I have a month to see how other USA riders find the heat on the FJR. If I see one complaint, I'm taking back my deposit on the FJR.
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Misc. Stuff
Brakes: I've read in MCN that the FJR ABS system is limited to ~0.75G of deceleration whereas the BMW Integral-ABS system is limited to ~1.0G of deceleration. Although the new Integral ABS is better than the ABS-II it replaced, I still find it to be quite jerky in its brake-release-brake algorithm. I have not tried the Yamaha system, but I am familiar with the Honda system which is much, much smoother than the BMW system. I'm also not fond of the electro-hydraulic actuation of the BMW system. It has very little progressivity or linearity and it has absolutely NO feel (plus it sounds horrible). It's a great system for inexperienced riders as it's can go to full braking power very quickly (thanks to the electric motors and computer supervision) -- even with a hesitant, novice rider at the controls. However, I have enough track experience that hesitation with the brakes is not an issue for me. Since I'm confident with my braking skills, I prefer the feel and feedback from normal, un-assisted hydraulic brakes.
Styling: Both bikes are a bit conservative. The FJR is bland. The BMW is "different". The '06 FJR has nice fairing openings for frame sliders. You will have to drill the BMW to fit the Power Cup sliders on it.
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Conclusion.
The BMW K12GT is probably the better bike in many ways. However for someone like me who will be putting serious mileage on the bike, it's simply too expensive to maintain. With the extended warrranty, the FJR actually has a one year longer warranty period than the KGT.
The performance difference between the two bikes is so small that rider risk-tolerance (and rider skill) will be the biggest differntial between the two in any contest of speed on the street.
The final issue is price. You can simply buy the FJR and a 600cc sportbike for the price of the KGT. The combination of the FJR and 600cc sportbike bests the single KGT in that you'd have a street bike and a track bike (that would absolutely destroy the KGT on the track). Or you could put the money towards travelling and vacation time on the FJR.
The only thing that would make me change my mind on the FJR is if the '06 is a roaster. If that's the case, I'll pull my deposit and get a KGT.
