FJR or K1200 GT ???

[ssides]

I recently purchased a Warrior and am now totally back into riding again...wanted to get something a bit more practical without compromising performance and enjoyment. I am considering both the FJR and the new BMW K1200 GT, neither of which I have ridden. Looking for everyone's input and guidance on this, I understand the price difference....just not sure which way to go...

Rode the K1200 S and it is incredible....not sure if the FJR has the same feel... B)

 

[Toecutter]

Rode the K1200 S and it is incredible....not sure if the FJR has the same feel... B)

Mine feels incredible. Never rode a Beemer though.

 

[Feejer/Weejer man]

You pretty much know the answer if you post on a specific site. If you post over on the other site I am sure you will hear different. The owners of both bikes are pretty happy with their decisions.

 

[SoCalMike]

Here's one of the threads on this topic you might want to check out:

FJR vs. K1200GT

On paper they look like equal performers so it basically looks like it's going to come down to cost. Any other opinions are just conjecture since nobody has done a side-by-side comparison...

 

[Getsum]

Or this thread:

https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php?showtopic=5000

 

[charismaticmegafauna]

With the FJR you don't get the "roundel"..... :beee:

 

[Fallen Jim Rides again]

With the FJR you don't get the "roundel"..... :beee:

Nor do you have to pay for it. :erm:

 

[markjenn]

If you liked the K1200S and you're not sensitive on price, I'd wait until the K1200GT is at dealers and you can get a test ride (which are usually easy to get at BMW dealers). OTOH, if you are a value shopper, I think it will be very difficult to justify the extra money for the GT. And I'll give the nod to the Yamaha on reliability - BMWs are good bikes but they're often more fussy.

The FJR really appeals on the value side, but the K1200GT will probably be a little more polished and sophisticated. And it will have the fancy-smantzy front suspension.

The performance and capabilities of the two bikes are likely to be so close that most will make their decision based on the intangibles, particulary whether you like the somewhat overengineered Euro approach that BMW has vs. the value approach of the Japanese. It's not unlike comparing an Infiniti G35 and a BMW 3-series - both fine cars with similar performance, but very different appraoches and they drive quite differently.

- Mark

 

[black mamba]

I've owned three BMW bikes over the years...none real recently. While I appreciate German engineering as well as the next guy, I am very reluctant to consider another BMW. Every one of the bikes I owned had some quirk, or two, that took some of the luster off their ownership. All of them required more maintenance than I liked, and often at, what I considered to be, outrageous costs. Probably the most onerous aspect of owning a BMW, in my book, is putting up with the crappy attitude of their dealer base....plus the fact that there are not too many of them around. I consider the FJR to be the best all-around bike I've owned and, when I factor in all the other aspects of bike ownership and servicing, having the Yamaha is a no-brainer.

 

[Silver Penguin]

I recently purchased a Warrior and am now totally back into riding again...wanted to get something a bit more practical without compromising performance and enjoyment. I am considering both the FJR and the new BMW K1200 GT, neither of which I have ridden. Looking for everyone's input and guidance on this, I understand the price difference....just not sure which way to go...
Rode the K1200 S and it is incredible....not sure if the FJR has the same feel... B)

Is this a coincidence? or did you look inside our garage? We have a Warrior, my FJR and DH's new BMW K1200S. I have yet to ride the Beemer, it's that new.

Jill

 

[ssides]

All great input, I am now hearing that without an order on a 2006 FJR, I may be out of luck....so the search will begin in earnest here shortly. I would love to keep my Warrior but it is hard enough to justify an upgrade....let alone keeping two.... Great Forum and appreciate all the insight.

 

[Silver Penguin]

All great input, I am now hearing that without an order on a 2006 FJR, I may be out of luck....so the search will begin in earnest here shortly. I would love to keep my Warrior but it is hard enough to justify an upgrade....let alone keeping two.... Great Forum and appreciate all the insight.

The pre-order deal was one of the main reasons that DH bought a BMW. He has ridden my FJR and loves it. Even his beloved Warrior was left in the garage when he had the opportunity to take my bike.

We're in the fortunate position of being able to keep the Warrior and have a sport-tourer each, by trading my VStar.

Now, of course I have to get used to riding the Warrior since that's a shared, back up bike. We're going to get an alternate seat for me to use, that will push me forwards far enough to reach the bars and foot controls

Jill

 

[Spinner]

I recently purchased a Warrior and am now totally back into riding again...wanted to get something a bit more practical without compromising performance and enjoyment. I am considering both the FJR and the new BMW K1200 GT, neither of which I have ridden. Looking for everyone's input and guidance on this, I understand the price difference....just not sure which way to go...
Rode the K1200 S and it is incredible....not sure if the FJR has the same feel... B)

Take a look at the fjrowners.com web site. Click on the black box on the home page that says "FJR Info" and find the thread that has a review of the FJR that appeared in a BMW enthusiast web site. It is a very favorable report considering the source. I have it saved on my PC. I'd send it to the FJR Forum but I'm not sure exactly how to do that.

 

[markjenn]

All great input, I am now hearing that without an order on a 2006 FJR, I may be out of luck....so the search will begin in earnest here shortly. I would love to keep my Warrior but it is hard enough to justify an upgrade....let alone keeping two.... Great Forum and appreciate all the insight.

As in past years, once the spigot opens up, there will be a fair number of bikes on dealer's floors, ready to ride off. You probably won't get a screaming deal and you may have to travel to the next city, but there will be lots of bikes. There is always a "shortage" a month before PDP deliveries and a surplus a few months later.

- Mark

 

[OrangevaleFJR]

I didn't sign up for a bike. I bought it off the floor of Apex in Auburn, CA. Roseville Yamaha, Capitol and PCP combined to have 5 in the area for sale. 05's are still showing up new in this area from time to time. One was sold last week in Roseville and they expect to get 2 more 05's.

So...getting an 06 should be easier than the 05 because dealers have learned that to sell them, all they have to do is stock them and they sell fast.

cycletrader.com is a great resource when the 06's hit the floors.

 

[Scab]

+1 on the cycletrader. I never even knew about the whole pre-order thing until after I owned the fjr. I learned about the bike by searching manufacturers web sites. Then, still oblivious to the pre-order thing, saw an ad in cycletrader for a dealer near Atlanta boasting 2 on the floor. Well, I had to go look of course. My son and I snuck over to take a peek in a moment of no adult supervision. I just wanted to see how this thing fit.

While in the dealership, my lovely wife calls me on the cell phone asking where we were and what we were doing. Confession time.

And her reply? "Well, tell them to put it in the truck and bring it home."

Yes, I am married to the PERFECT woman. Eat your hearts out.

...and she's beautiful too. (slightly visually impared, though, which explains her willingness to marry me. I am still hiding her glasses.)

 

[charismaticmegafauna]

Scab, you're nothing if not entertaining.

ssides: "Rode the K1200 S and it is incredible....not sure if the FJR has the same feel"

I rode a K1200 S and felt it was way more performance oriented than the FJR -- seemed geared lower; more accelleration on tap (if that's even possible, or necessary?); and, certainly, more "sport-bike like". Altho, BMW wants it to compete head-on with other "sport-bikes" and, in that, I think it falls a little short. The K1200 S certainly wasn't like the comfortable, competent touring bike (FJR) I rode 150 miles home after the test ride.

Having said all that: IBM found that, historically, customer's purchasing agents seldom regretted paying more for "Big Blue".

 

[ssides]

Exactly, and when they indicated that the K1200 GT would have the same suspension and engine as the 1200S, that got me really thinking. I also visited my neighborhood Yami dealer in SoCal who indicated that the 2006 FJR could no longer be ordered, so I am first on the waiting list....which probably also means I will have to pay very close to sticker....

Any thoughts on other options?

 

[MCRIDER007]

Any thoughts on other options?

Sure, call more dealers and get on more waiting lists. There are probably a lot of dealers in South Cal that "think they have one that may be available". I know a dealer in Oregon that may have 2 if you are willing to drive that far.