dadsafrantic said:
i am going to buy a commuter soon and the choice has come to a 2004-2007 fjr or similar years for a bmw k1200gt. who has an opinion on the reliability differences and lifespan of the bikes. also cost of ownership is a big factor in the decision.
thanks,
d
Okay, don't get yer panties in a wad or anything, but just from what you've written...starting off your post, to be exact...neither bike is what you're looking for.
Either you're not expressing yourself well, or your motorcycle mindset is WAY off the mark.
Let me explain -- your very first thought, at least in how you wrote it, is "I'm going to buy a commuter soon...." If you're only looking for a commuter, both the FJR and the K1200 are poor choices. Granted, many, MANY riders (myself included) commute on motorcycles. But buying a GT bike for
commuting purposes doesn't make sense. For the same money you'd pay for a 5 year old FJR or K-bike, you could buy 2 Burgmans. That's assuming that 2-wheel motoring is a MUST for your commute.
Now, if you're looking at an FJR or K-bike for commuting, AND long weekend drives, AND multi-mile vacations, AND occasional forays into the mountains or desert for acts of social hooliganism, then either bike should certainly be considered.
BUT, if you're looking at an FJR or K-bike for driving to and from the cubicle 5 times a week, then you should be rethinking things. You don't have a location in your profile, so there's no way for us to know if you're not going to be able to 2-wheel commute 5 months out of the year because of snow and ice, or you live in the PacNorthWest where it rains 472 days a year, plus how committed you are to pull out the rain or cold weather gear everytime mother nature conspires to kill you.
I hope you take what I wrote with a grain of salt, 'cause I'm not trying to be antagonistic.....just realistic. For pure commuting purposes, there are many better choices than an FJR or K-bike. A late model Toyota Corolla or Honda Civic comes to mind as better choices.
BUT, if you're looking to ride and enjoy a motorcycle for the many things that it can do, from getting you somewhere fast, to cleansing your soul, then a 3 to 4 year old GT bike would be an excellent choice. And of the 2 you mention, the FJR would undoubtedly be the smarter choice, for a fundamental shitload of reasons, starting with cost of purchase to cost of maintenance.
Looking forward to your reply.