Thoughts on the BMW K1600GTL

[JamesGoodchild]

I've owned a number of bikes over the years and been riding for a VERY long time. I can say with some authority that the BMW K1600GTL is the best bike I've ever owned in terms of riding pleasure. The ergonomics of this bike just plain work for me. And the power is so smooth.

The bike can best be described as a blend between the BMW K1200LT and the BMW R1200RT. The power to weight ratio is slightly better than the RT and considerably better than the LT. It is heavier than the RT, but handles extremely well and corners amazingly quick. It has the quick detach luggage feature that the RT has and a lower center of gravity than either the LT or RT. It has the touring features of the LT combined with the luxury items of the LT yet manages to shed almost 200 lbs from the LT's wieght. It has the electronic suspension of the later day RT models with some new items added in like throttle by wire.

The bike was introduced in 2011 and each dealer initially only got one bike. The jury is still out on how reliable the bike will be but to date, I've had no real issues with the bike.

For those who have never seen the bike, I've included a picture here.