SkooterG and his Papa Chuy drank gallons of Kool-Aid.

[beemerdons]

My Son SkootyG and I rode the new BMW K1600 yesterday and we both loved it! Here is my Ride Evaluation from AZ Beemers website: https://www.azbeemers.org/forum/index.php?topic=3171.msg23250;topicseen#msg23250

"Common wisdom is that you cannot teach an old dog new tricks. Well, I spent two hours yesterday on a new BMW K1600 and this elderly puppy is fully in love with the K1600 motor.

Greg "SkooterG" Marbach, my illegitimate bastard Hijo (Son) and his Papa Chuy had contacted Sales Specialist Steve Bittner of GO AZ Motorcycles two weeks ago to set up a ride.

I signed out the new red K1600GTL and SkootyG signed out a new Kawasaki Concours C-14.

Steve told us to have fun, so we rode all the way out to the Lake Bartlett boat launch ramp.

As many of you AZ Beemers know, I've spent decades making fun of K bikes and their riders.

I saw my first K bike at the Missoula, Montana Fairgrounds in 1984 at the BMW MOA Rally.

Here's what I said to its owner: "That is truly the very nicest BMW that Japan has ever made!"

Through the years I have also been quoted as saying: "Anyone that rides a K bike could not have had much of a Mother!"

And at our Road Runner Rallies for the twenty years I have been an AZ Beemers member, I have flipped quarters at K bike owners and said: "Here kid, buy yourself a real motorcycle next time!" But man oh man, am I ever eating my words now!!

This six cylinder engine is an absolute marvel of motorcycling perfection. So very immensely incredible and powerful, with guts and horsepower that ramp up like a rheostat on an electric.

And handling is out of this world, this machine is as flickable as my BMW GS moto is, WORD!

I'm going to opt for a K1600GT machine, due to my liking a more "FJR posture" while riding.

Greg and I set up our appointment with Steve by his GO-AZ e-mail: [email protected]

But you can also contact him by phone at 480-609-1800 or fax at 480-398-2530

https://www.goaz.com GO-AZ BMW Shop is located at 15500 N. Hayden Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85260

Postscript: We'd not give the Concours C14 to our worst enemies, what a dog of a motorcycle!"

 

[idealistix]

It's a beautiful bike, but it looks HUGE. How does the slow speed handling compare to the FJR? Does it have a reverse gear, like some of the other BMW K bikes?

 

[beemerdons]

It's a beautiful bike, but it looks HUGE. How does the slow speed handling compare to the FJR? Does it have a reverse gear, like some of the other BMW K bikes?

https://www.technical-specification.com/2011-bmw-k-1600-gtl-specs-engine-features-and-overview Guten Morgen Herr idealstix, Here are the specifications for the new BMW K1600GTL, in the article is a link to the K1600GT bike, which is der Motorraden that Papa Chuy is buying.

It does not have a reverse gear, however I ride with K1200LT owners all of the time and I have never seen any of them even use that reverse gear. This bike truly handles at low speed just as well as my FJR and my BMW GS's handle. It is truly an incredibly nimble motorcycle.

GregM-SkooterG is a high performance rider, he's just like Fairlaner but without the cigarettes. SkootyG will be here soon with his seat of the pants ride analysis. He wakes up around 10am each day!

 

[marcusorelius]

Sooo Heir chuy, you vell be shot for wearing das yamaha colors on our fine deutch motorbike!

 

[beemerdons]

Sooo Heir chuy, you vell be shot for wearing das yamaha colors on our fine deutch motorbike!

Ha! Mark, you and SkooterG think alike, that's exactly what GregM said: That Hans und Dieter from Berlin would shoot me in both kneecaps with a Luger Parabellum 9mm! Mein Gott im Himmel!

 

[Geezer]

That looks like some tasty Kool-Aid.

 

[101stpathfinder]

Sooo Heir chuy, you vell be shot for wearing das yamaha colors on our fine deutch motorbike!

Naw... It is a sign of a open mind !

Don, I never would have considered even READING this post, but for the Dakar I acquired

right in your own neighborhood. At first the Kool-Aid left a bitter taste, but now....... what

a stablemate for the FJR. Has there been a backing off of the delivery date on the Tenere?

The Horse power sucks on the Dakar, but the balance is amazing. Shedding 200 lbs can be

quite fun at times. I still need the FJR for pounding though.

I am looking for #3 to take over 2-up rides so I can leave this FJR for LD rides only.

Taking the aux fuel off all the time is a drag. Going to check out the numbers on this

machine.

 

[beemerdons]

Sooo Heir chuy, you vell be shot for wearing das yamaha colors on our fine deutch motorbike!

Naw... It is a sign of a open mind !

Don, I never would have considered even READING this post, but for the Dakar I acquired

right in your own neighborhood. At first the Kool-Aid left a bitter taste, but now....... what

a stablemate for the FJR. Has there been a backing off of the delivery date on the Tenere?

The Horse power sucks on the Dakar, but the balance is amazing. Shedding 200 lbs can be

quite fun at times. I still need the FJR for pounding though.

I am looking for #3 to take over 2-up rides so I can leave this FJR for LD rides only.

Taking the aux fuel off all the time is a drag. Going to check out the numbers on this

machine.

Hello Tony, great hearing from you again! Glad to hear you really like your BMW Dakar. Did you ever join the F650 Chain Gang Club? They are a very active BMW Club with a lot of Dakar Owners.

I canceled my Super Tenere order three weeks ago. The bikes are now not supposed to get here until November, if they even arrive then, and I simply got tired of waiting. I have new bike fever!!!

I have BMW GS's in the garage that'll do everything that the Super Tenere will do, so I am not hurting for dual sport moto machinery. I do think that D & H Cycles and the Super Tenere are great!

 

[ionbeam]

I'm sure that I would really like that bike, but I won't be buying a (new) one any time soon. "A base MSRP of $23,200. An additional destination charge of $495 is not included in MSRP" and my local BMW shop says, "BMW K1600GTL 2012, New, JUST IN $26,340". That is nearly list for TWO new FJRs. By the time you look at registration, tax, service and insurance it is just too much $$.

I recognize that a K1200LT is a different bike, but damn, my friend had one that often did not bring him home from a ride. The up side is that Max BMW (North Hampton, NH) has a good tow plan.

 

[doug5551]

GregM-SkooterG is a high performance rider, he's just like Fairlaner but without the cigarettes.

LOLZ... :clapping: :clapping: :clapping: :lol: :lol:

 

[FJRBluesman]

SkooterG and Bemmerdons would say, "Ich fahre wie eine alte Dame jetzt!"

 

[beemerdons]

I'm sure that I would really like that bike, but I won't be buying a (new) one any time soon. "A base MSRP of $23,200. An additional destination charge of $495 is not included in MSRP" and my local BMW shop says, "BMW K1600GTL 2012, New, JUST IN $26,340". That is nearly list for TWO new FJRs. By the time you look at registration, tax, service and insurance it is just too much $$.

I recognize that a K1200LT is a different bike, but damn, my friend had one that often did not bring him home from a ride. The up side is that Max BMW (North Hampton, NH) has a good tow plan.

Brother Alan, Everyone has a story! Here is my story: I have 500K+ miles on BMW's and they have never failed to bring me home from a ride, not once! I did have to replace two diode boards out on the road on my R90S and a clutch on my R1100GS I abused down in Baja California, Mexico at Scorpion Bay riding the sandy beaches; but both the R90 and the GS got me back to mi Casa de Stanley; I also had to clean plugs and points really often on my /2.

Here is the most important story to me: My motorcycling life over the last 48 years has never been about money, just the incredible enjoyment that motorcycling has brought to me!

 

[ionbeam]

...Brother Alan...stories are just like assholes, everybody has one and they usually stink, just like yours...and they have never failed to bring me home... my motorcycling life over the last 48 years has never been about money...

You are more than welcome to buy me K1600GTL, I promise to love it, care for it and ride it as much as possible.

It's ironic that Pete has to ride home on the back of his wife's HARLEY when his BMW fails to return to the barn. One of those low rider Harley types that has been lowered even more and has a 4"x4" pad for the pillion. The sight of his 5' 2" wife riding 6' 3" Pete on the back of her lowered low rider is something you will never forget.

 

[beemerdons]

...Brother Alan...stories are just like assholes, everybody has one and they usually stink, just like yours...and they have never failed to bring me home... my motorcycling life over the last 48 years has never been about money...

You are more than welcome to buy me K1600GTL, I promise to love it, care for it and ride it as much as possible.

It's ironic that Pete has to ride home on the back of his wife's HARLEY when his BMW fails to return to the barn. One of those low rider Harley types that has been lowered even more and has a 4"x4" pad for the pillion. The sight of his 5' 2" wife riding 6' 3" Pete on the back of her lowered low rider is something you will never forget.

Mi Amigo Alan, this definitely shows my age. After buying my two Yamaha RD400's in Fall of 1975, I bought a 1977 Yamaha XS750D, silver in color and an immensely fun bike to ride; and trouble free except for one single isolated incident.

I was at Sturgis Bike Week in 1979 and lo and behold the universal joint on my Yamaha three cylinder bike fractured at the far West end of Sturgis, North Dakota Main Street. My buddy Tiny towed me to the far East end of Sturgis to the Yamaha shop behind his H-D Shovelhead for another U-joint; a simple 15 minute fix! Can you believe the ribbing I took from the Harley Faithful! My ears are still ringing!

 

[ScottyUSN]

Here is my story: I have 500K+ miles on BMW's and they have never failed to bring me home from a ride, not once!

Those numbers are hard to argue with.

That K16 must handle A LOT lighter than she looks like she would.

 

[Blind Squirrel]

Don,

I have a bonafide kool aid drinking buddy that owns a K1200 GT. He said the K1600 is heavier and does not put out significantly more power than the 1200. He said he will NOT be upgrading to the 1600 from the 1200. Can you enlighten me on the differences between the 1200 and 1600?

 

[beemerdons]

Here is my story: I have 500K+ miles on BMW's and they have never failed to bring me home from a ride, not once!

Those numbers are hard to argue with.

That K16 must handle A LOT lighter than she looks like she would.

On my /2 I did have to stop and clean the plugs and points regularly on a cross country ride to Jasper, Alabama to visit my old Army Buddy Ronnie Philips and when I rode the /2 in the Three Flags Classic of 1976; I also carried spare diode boards for my R90S and my BMW R80RT, and they had to be replaced on both bikes on cross country trips; I ruined a clutch riding deep sand on the beach on my R1100GS between San Ignacio and San Juanico, Baja California Sur, Mexico; but I did limp it home to Chandler, taking steep grades in third gear.

I would call up SkooterG and ask him to post up his personal thoughts and riding observations on the K1600, but he gets so damn cranky if gets awoken before 1000 hours. You know how testy those Annapolis Naval Academy Graduate Officers can be!

 

[TomInPA]

You can tell Skooter likes it cause his ears perked up.

Nice ride papa chuy! Is this coming north for the Wheaton scramble?

 

[beemerdons]

Don,

I have a bonafide kool aid drinking buddy that owns a K1200 GT. He said the K1600 is heavier and does not put out significantly more power than the 1200. He said he will NOT be upgrading to the 1600 from the 1200. Can you enlighten me on the differences between the 1200 and 1600?

Hi Blind Squirrel, As you saw in my first post, I've never been a big fan of the K bikes. I have been riding BMW's continuously since I bought my first R60/2 from my German landlord in March of 1969 while stationed in Augsburg, Germany in the US Army.

However, this six cylinder K bike really excites me. I would think that your buddy is right, the K1600GTL is much heavier; that is one of the main reasons that I am going with the GT, to save 60 lbs. and I like the "FJR Riding posture" of the GT a lot more!