BMW K1300GT

EASt

Streuselkuchen
Joined
Feb 19, 2006
Messages
2,060
Location
Minnesota
Bike
S1000XR
Dammit.

I love my ST, but the KXXXXGT line of BMW bikes keep trying to lure me away.

Thank goodness I can't afford them.
 
Joined
May 6, 2005
Messages
1,894
Location
Hebron, CT
Bike
2005 ST1300
I really like it..VERY afraid of the price though:eek::..

The only thing that is needed is the top box to match color...
 

STArnie13

R.I.P. - 2020/07/03
Rest In Peace
Joined
Dec 8, 2004
Messages
324
Location
Wichita, Ks
They might be very good but not for me! With no dealer in the state I won't even consider a BMW again!:03biker:
 

Bones

Your Humble Scribe
Joined
Dec 6, 2004
Messages
4,907
Age
60
Location
western Mass
Bike
2014 BMW R1200RT
STOC #
5575
BMW bikes are getting smacked unmercifully with the ugly stick. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I know, but for what they cost they should make me drool just looking at them. No salivation here, although some of my BMW friends will be soaked...perhaps in more ways than one.

Whatever turns you on.
 

joweb94

Bob Webster
Joined
Aug 12, 2008
Messages
65
Location
Bay Area, California
Bike
MG California 1400
Initial cost, Service cost and lack of dealers when touring in U.S. rules it out for me. I will take a demo ride when available to see if I can find other reasons not to want one.
 

sherob

Old Herder of cats.
Joined
Feb 3, 2005
Messages
3,256
Location
Brighton, CO USA
Bike
21 HD FLHXS (SGS)
STOC #
5294
I really like it..VERY afraid of the price though:eek::..

The only thing that is needed is the top box to match color...
I have a friend that was touring on his GS in CO... his TB decided it loved CO more than TX and bailed... he did stop and retrieve it :D I told him at least it wasn't his final drive... BMW did replace the mounting bracket and TB... :rolleyes:
 
Joined
Sep 29, 2005
Messages
3,508
Location
Spring Valley CA
Bike
2018 Gold Wing
STOC #
6016
OK, let's read between the lines here. BMW upped the CC's, so how fra behind is Mother Honda? One year or two. I am waiting for the 2010's. I just have this feeling about the ST and the Wing. More so the Wing, but it's time to upgrade the ST as well.
 

cali_rider

Metric Bike Renegade
Joined
Aug 17, 2008
Messages
77
Location
california
Initial cost, Service cost and lack of dealers when touring in U.S. rules it out for me. I will take a demo ride when available to see if I can find other reasons not to want one.
I used to think the same way on the service cost but my local Honda dealer want more for a service on my ST than any of the BMW's I have owned. Of course, I may be going back to a BMW soon. Not to sure I am cut out for the ST.
 
Joined
Jan 29, 2006
Messages
14
Location
So. CAL.
Great looking bike and you don't have to add anything, probably on the pricey side but we have spent a lot just adding things to our ST's, can't cost any more to work on then our ST's, dealer just put up a sign that say's $82.00 an hour labor, that is almost the same as the car dealer, that is in SO CAL and it will spread..............
 
Joined
Jan 29, 2006
Messages
14
Location
So. CAL.
OK, let's read between the lines here. BMW upped the CC's, so how fra behind is Mother Honda? One year or two. I am waiting for the 2010's. I just have this feeling about the ST and the Wing. More so the Wing, but it's time to upgrade the ST as well.
Just saw an article that stated that Honda is moveing the Gold Wing back to Japan, it was on TV and it also said that the Gold Wing is the hardest bike to produce because it is very complecated and has almost as many parts as a Honda Civic Automobil, labor cost's here in the US are very high, wow that is to bad................
 

patiodadio

Motorcyclist
Joined
Mar 19, 2008
Messages
218
Location
KY
Bike
ST
I love BMW's but being a frugal (cheap) person , its hard to lay out that kind of cash when the ST is truly a great moto for far le$$.


.
 
Joined
Apr 29, 2006
Messages
1,069
Location
SC
OK, let's read between the lines here. BMW upped the CC's, so how fra behind is Mother Honda? One year or two. I am waiting for the 2010's. I just have this feeling about the ST and the Wing. More so the Wing, but it's time to upgrade the ST as well.
One thing many fail to notice is at what point on the Dyno chart do you get those nice extra HP's. I looked at the K1200GT (not the new 1300 GT) compared to the ST and the ST beats the GT in HP and torque on the Dyno Chart until you get almost Red Lined, which I'm never gonna ride at that level anyway (nor is the average Joe).
 

NCrider

Andrew Seawell
Joined
Jan 26, 2006
Messages
250
Age
59
Location
Trinity, NC
Bike
'05 ST1300A
STOC #
6008
For the price you'd think they would look nicer.

I just don't get it, plain ugly to me.
 
Joined
Dec 8, 2004
Messages
236
Age
56
Location
Greenville, SC
STOC #
5200
One thing many fail to notice is at what point on the Dyno chart do you get those nice extra HP's. I looked at the K1200GT (not the new 1300 GT) compared to the ST and the ST beats the GT in HP and torque on the Dyno Chart until you get almost Red Lined, which I'm never gonna ride at that level anyway (nor is the average Joe).

Howard, you will be interested in knowing that added to the increase in engine displacement of the new K1300GT that they completely reworked the torque curve on the motor... 9000 RPM and under is the meat of the power and above that it starts to fade. Based on what I read in BMW's specs.... this was to answer the question of lower end grunt for two-up riding. Boy, I am tempted.

BTW, I saw Mark's old GT at Touring Sport (and with a decent amount of tread left in the rear tire:))
 
Joined
Dec 8, 2004
Messages
63
Location
Milwaukee, WI
Okay, I'm gonna get on my soapbox here...

[Rant On]

Why would you even consider buying this thing given the following:

1. An increasing number of final drive failures, not related to age or miles driven. Ken Meese lost this year's SPANK rally because of it; Jerry White lost his on the drive home from the same rally; a couple from Milwaukee lost theirs on a 48/10 ride; friend of mine lost his in CO on a vacation this year. OTOH, others have ridden 1000s of miles with no problems. Do you want to take the risk?

The worst part of the issue is that BMW Germany denies that there is any problem and without a lot of pressure will do nothing to make the owner whole financially.

2. A decreasing dealer network - 'nuff said.

3. Expensive service. You can't do much on the bike without voiding the warranty.

4. On top of #3 above, you will probably have problems attaching any non-OEM electrical stuff to it because of their CANBUS system.

5. Linked brakes and ABS have been a problem for BMW in the past and continue to be - touchy and erratic. Don't even think of trail braking in a corner.

6. What happens when you drop this expensive piece of plastic - no tip over wings - and the mirrors, saddlebags and side cowls take major hits, all probably VERY expensive?

Here on this forum, we talk and carp about oil, tires, gas mileage, etc., etc. but we do NOT appear to have major failures that leave people on the side of the road. Even the T-stat issue doesn't leave you stranded.

My '04 ST, Tigress, has 120,000 miles on it. She has been around/across the country 4 times in that period, from +20* to +110*. My dealer (I have a good one) installs tires for me (I buy them from him and he matches prices to SWMOTO,COM) and does the occasional valve check for me. Other than that, I change my own oil and filter (Rotella T and Pure One) What else is there to maintain?

Adding electrical stuff is easy - attach it, wire it, fuse it and forget about it. It works. No hassles.

No question that the 1200/1300 series does LOOK nice and I'm sure it a fine ride, but I'm looking for something that's gonna get me back home - reliably.

[Rant off]
 

Jefro

I ride to Sturgis
Joined
Sep 8, 2005
Messages
291
Location
Kalifornia
I love the features, especially the ESA suspension,
but it sure is homely looking.
BMW needs a great design team like HD has.
HD knows how to make a bike look right.
Jefro.
 
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