[monster7]

Checking in Harley Rider from way back, been looking at 1600gtl, how many wished they would have waited for next year 1600gtl, thanks

 

[sorchilla]

Initially I was hesitant to get the first year K1600 and was going to wait till the 2nd year but was let my emotions get the best of me. Got my GTL in July and have 15K miles on her and am totally satisfied with my decision. Issues have been minor and IMO and would not have been worth the wait for another year. Considering all the new technology in this bike BMW did an excellent job with the first year production. Most of all the technology had been proven in their cars so it was not a huge leap for them to incorporate into a bike.

 

[JimE]

...how many wished they would have waited for next year

0

 

[DanDiver]

With hindsight, maybe but just to grab one of the used ones that came on the market! I have had -0- problems and love the first run production bike. A few people have had minor defects, but I think that most are trouble free. I took delivery in July and have around 5,500 miles on the bike.

 

[monster7]

THANKS Everyone for the info, 2007 screaming eagle is up for sale, nearly ready for the dark side. I test drove a 1600 gtl in Austin Tx 1 month ago. Having rode Harleys for 45 years you can imagine how i was blown away by the speed and stoping power of this bike. Im 6' 3 so the low seat height was a problem but it was nice to say the least.

 

[Ric]

I was kind of following your train of thought last year. I too rode Harleys for many, many years until I saw my first BMW LT. Fast, sleek and comfortable, but the first ones had some issues and I really didn't like the slow speed handling they had. Well the 2005 LT came out and I took one for a ride and it was all over for me. I fell like a ton of bricks for that bike. I retired and took a new part-time job which in reality was way more of a full time job that left me little time for riding. I sold the LT (huge mistake) but I also knew that BMW was working on a "new" model touring bike that ultimately became the 1600 GT/GTL. Financially I wasn't in shape to buy a first year 1600 and I was hesitant to even take one for a test ride. I was afraid I would like it and have to sell my soul to get one. Well I did have a weak moment and took a GTL for a ride and another ride and another ride. By the 3rd test ride I was hooked and my wife knew it. She asked me to wait until this year to get one which I agreed to and this made her happy because I managed to save up a ton for the down payment from my part-time job. All is now good and I pickup my new GTL in about 4 weeks. Waiting can be a good thing, but at my age one has to wonder how much more time the good Lord has in store for you. Hopefully he will at least like me get in a couple of decent rides on my GTL before he punches my ticket. My only regret is that I missed out on riding a GTL for almost a full year and I wish I could have purchased one last year. So many roads and so little time......

Rick H.

 

[DanDiver]

Life is short and you are dead a long time!

 

[Ruben]

Checking in Harley Rider from way back, been looking at 1600gtl, how many wished they would have waited for next year 1600gtl, thanks

A little background first: When the new generation K1200GT was introduced, I pre-order one, and waited months for it to come in. It just never fit me well, although by the time I decided that, my wife had one too. She's smarter than me, and quickly decided it wasn't for her, and went back to an R1200RT, while I traded mine for another new GL1800 Honda Goldwing (huge mistake!).

She enjoyed her RT, while my 'Wing just sat, and I rode my R1200GS Adventure, which I felt was the best bike ever made, for me at least. When the K1600 series was introduced, I pre-ordered a GTL, and waited, and waited By the time it finally came in, I was "almost" convinced that I'd made another mistake, as the demo GTL bike was by now in, and my first ride with the low seat left me concerned about comfort. My smart wife prompted me to go through with the purchase, as she knew I really didn't like my goldwing at all (only 400 miles on it after two years!). I've grown to LOVE the K1600, its awesome. With a simple seat and windscreen change, it's full boat touring ready, and easily capable of iron butt type rides (not the IB rally, that's a a whole different setup, with fuel cells, and electronic gizmo's galore!). I liked it so much, and my wife liked it so much that she finally traded her RT off this weekend to buy a GTL of her own.

Long winded way, of saying, if in doubt, go for it. At your height, you'll probably want a windscreen and seat change too, but compared to blinging out a typical HD, that's pocket change! :histerica

PS: My beloved R1200GS Adventure has only been ridden once since I got the GTL, the K bike is just that much better in every respect, except for stream crossings, which I don't do much of in Florida :histerica

 

[jetsnboats]

What seat did you get?

 

[monster7]

What seat did you get?

That was one my problems with the test ride, low seat im 6'3 , so should i order high seat and then decide aftermarket or not.

 

[monster7]

A little background first: When the new generation K1200GT was introduced, I pre-order one, and waited months for it to come in. It just never fit me well, although by the time I decided that, my wife had one too. She's smarter than me, and quickly decided it wasn't for her, and went back to an R1200RT, while I traded mine for another new GL1800 Honda Goldwing (huge mistake!).

She enjoyed her RT, while my 'Wing just sat, and I rode my R1200GS Adventure, which I felt was the best bike ever made, for me at least. When the K1600 series was introduced, I pre-ordered a GTL, and waited, and waited By the time it finally came in, I was "almost" convinced that I'd made another mistake, as the demo GTL bike was by now in, and my first ride with the low seat left me concerned about comfort. My smart wife prompted me to go through with the purchase, as she knew I really didn't like my goldwing at all (only 400 miles on it after two years!). I've grown to LOVE the K1600, its awesome. With a simple seat and windscreen change, it's full boat touring ready, and easily capable of iron butt type rides (not the IB rally, that's a a whole different setup, with fuel cells, and electronic gizmo's galore!). I liked it so much, and my wife liked it so much that she finally traded her RT off this weekend to buy a GTL of her own.

Long winded way, of saying, if in doubt, go for it. At your height, you'll probably want a windscreen and seat change too, but compared to blinging out a typical HD, that's pocket change! :histerica

PS: My beloved R1200GS Adventure has only been ridden once since I got the GTL, the K bike is just that much better in every respect, except for stream crossings, which I don't do much of in Florida :histerica

True i spent 2 or 3 thousand on seats and windshiels, thanks for info.

 

[Ruben]

What seat did you get?

I didn't mind the OEM high seat, but I like to ride for really long all day rides without seat discomfort, and I'm fat so tend to wind up sitting on the seat pan of any OEM motorcycle stock seat.

So, I sent my seat to Russell to build me a Day-Long. Wow, what a job they did, built it exactly as I asked, and it's great, and has a great rider backrest.

Corbin had announced that they were building a seat for the K1600GTL, so I ordered one long before my build date approached, thinking I'd use that until the Day-Long got built. The joke was on me, as the Corbin didn't arrive until after I got my Russell back. The Corbin is a pretty good seat too, I've had great luck with them, but riders less than 200 pounds tend to find them too firm. My Corbin is probably the finist quality seat I've gotten from them, works well, even though I prefer the Day-Long. My wife is now using the Corbin, and seems to like it. The Corbin does sit the rider back a half inch farther, and with the rider backrest, tends to crowd my fat wife a bit. Would be no problem if we removed the backrest, but that's a bit of a bother. With the Day-Long, the back rest pops of in seconds, without removing the seat. The Corbin does make reaching the ground pretty easy, as it has a narrow nose leading to a pretty comfortable seating pocket.

Hope that helped.

 

[monster7]

I didn't mind the OEM high seat, but I like to ride for really long all day rides without seat discomfort, and I'm fat so tend to wind up sitting on the seat pan of any OEM motorcycle stock seat.

So, I sent my seat to Russell to build me a Day-Long. Wow, what a job they did, built it exactly as I asked, and it's great, and has a great rider backrest.

Corbin had announced that they were building a seat for the K1600GTL, so I ordered one long before my build date approached, thinking I'd use that until the Day-Long got built. The joke was on me, as the Corbin didn't arrive until after I got my Russell back. The Corbin is a pretty good seat too, I've had great luck with them, but riders less than 200 pounds tend to find them too firm. My Corbin is probably the finist quality seat I've gotten from them, works well, even though I prefer the Day-Long. My wife is now using the Corbin, and seems to like it. The Corbin does sit the rider back a half inch farther, and with the rider backrest, tends to crowd my fat wife a bit. Would be no problem if we removed the backrest, but that's a bit of a bother. With the Day-Long, the back rest pops of in seconds, without removing the seat. The Corbin does make reaching the ground pretty easy, as it has a narrow nose leading to a pretty comfortable seating pocket.

Hope that helped.

Rube thanks for info, it helps with my decisions, im 6'3 230 i have a mustang on my harley , but BMW is completey different my test ride on low seat had me cramped before i got of the parking lot. 12 mile test ride didnt tell me everything i needed to know so thanks for your varying opinuions.