billy1 said:
I have ridden GW for 25 years. I sold the 2005 GW 3 years ago and tried to kick the MC habit but can't. SO I am looking and have discovered BMWs in my looking and just not sure about the transisition. I know the ride of the 1800 and have no expereince with LT. Not sure how to get a test ride. Also why would I want to make the change?
Bill
Bill,
Welcome.
There is a huge amount of threads on this site comparing the GL11800 to the K1200LT. Using the search function, and various search terms you should be able to dig 'em up.
Test Ride: BMW has been the leader in offering test rides. Generally better to ride a bike into the dealership, but if you just ogle a bike, unless things have changed you should be able to get a test ride. The K1200LT, being a discontinued model, may be a little different because dealers won't have a "demo" model.
Another thing about test rides, it is hard to get a good feel of the BMW on a short test ride. I think it took me about 8000miles on the K1200LT before I fully "got it" with respect to quirky BMW low speed handling, and how it will respond if you push it a little in the curves.
Why change? Again, this has been hammered to death in past posts, but reliability, cost, maintenance issues aside, the reason to switch is the ride.
I've ridden a GL1800 for a week with my wife riding pillion. She liked it, but not hands down over the K1200LT. (Her GL experience did get me to add passenger floorboards and arm rests.) There are many pillion riders who express a preference for the K1200LT.
For me the GL1800 was very nice, smooth, comfortable, and sterile. I thought that the 1800cc's of the GL would make the Honda seem much more powerful than the 2000 K1200LT I have owned since new. No so, the passing power, get up and go, throttle response of my 2000 KLT was every bit as good in my opinion, it just uses more RPMs. Think of the sound of a racing engine, cranking out rpms.... the K1200LT doesn't come alive until it is wound up, and the engine loves it.
Handling: again the Honda was very respectable in my opinion, better than I thought it would be (my previous experience on a Gold Wing was a GL1500 and it was a dog in braking and handling, the GL1800 was much better). That said, the BMW just feels more solid and more responsive in cranking the twisties. I've run, two up, with sport bike enthusiasts in the tight mountain curves, and while the K1200LT certainly isn't a sport bike, it can stay with 'em pretty darn well, and you won't feel like you riding on the edge. I don't think the GL1800 comes close to feeling like that.
How young and sporting do you feel? If you just ride the highways, and want comfort the Honda is great. If you want to feel exhilaration the K1200LT is more likely to get you there; oh yeah, the K1200LT does the highways mile after mile just as comfortably as the GL.
Have fun.