K1600GT/GTL: First Ride
Dave Swider tests the K1600.
Let's answer everyone's first question right now: "How's the motor in that thing?" The K1600GT/L's six is as intoxicating and character laden as the motors BMW has been putting in their cars since 1933. It's powerful, flexible and smooth enough to make the K75, long regarded as the smoothest BMW ever made, feel a bit coarse. Honest. It's that good. We'll get back to the motor because there's a lot more to this bike than just raw power.
Chassis and suspension
No matter which way the bike's equipped the chassis is perfectly suited to its mission. Suspension is standard Wedge K with a Duolever up front and a Paralever at the rear, though an optional new ESA system brings a new type of shock. The K16's final drive is also new, developed to cope with the prodigious torque this bike produces.
Controlling the suspension is BMW's second generation ESA. First generation ESA controlled spring preload and damping only Second generation ESA adds the ability to change the spring rate through an electronically controlled inner spring and elastomer. When engaged, it actually changes the spring rate for the shock. As the rider switches ESA modes and specifies luggage and a passenger, a higher spring rate is applied, maintaining ground clearance and proper chassis geometry.
BMW has, of course, provided ABS as standard. This version of BMW's linked brakes applies back brake along with fronts when the bar lever is squeezed, but the right foot applies only the rear disc. That should appeal to those that like to use the rear brake when creeping along in parking lots with a passenger or when applying a little trailing brake into a corner.
The front discs are a bit larger than the K13GT's, running 320mm in diameter. Getting rid of speed only requires one finger from any sane velocity. They were easy to modulate, strong and predictable. Braking feel was terrific and lever effort was nice and progressive. Force applied at the bar was proportional to stopping power provided.
Test bikes were equipped with two types of tires: Metzeler Z8s or Bridgestone Battlaxes. Both bikes' specifications use the same tires, so what's put on a bike is up to chance. In our riding sessions, I couldn't feel any difference between the two brands. They both felt planted, even over some pretty significant tar strips. I felt the GT step out a bit over a tar strip, but it settled quickly and smoothly on its Z8s.
Dynamic Traction Control is available as an option on both bikes. It works much like the system on the S1000RR. By using input from a gyro, the bike is able to determine lean angle and control power application and wheel slip. In addition to input from the gyro, the bike compares wheel speeds to determine how much the rear tire is slipping compared to the front. DTC didn't make its presence felt at all, even though we were riding at a fairly spirited pace.
DTC offers three modes for the fly by wire throttle: Rain, Road and Dynamic. It controls the engine and throttle response for different riding situations. These motorcycles will lift the front wheel, despite the inclusion of a front wheel lift control.
I've always found LTs to feel twitchy and uncertain at low speeds and, with the long tiller bars, somewhat disconnected at speed. The GTL exhibits none of this behavior. At low speeds, bar effort is light, but not floppy and offers ample steering lock for parking lot maneuvers. As speeds build, steering effort remains light, but not numb. There's plenty of communication from the tires through the bars, but not so much that it's intrusive. The riding experience is wonderfully refined.
GTL
The GTL is sold with a softer rear suspension than the GT, so I expected my morning riding session to be aboard a wallowing luxo-barge. I couldn't have been more pleasantly surprised. On a freeway leg with the ESA set to Comfort, the ride was plush but controlled. Even in this softer setting, there was enough rebound damping to keep the chassis under control. Larger chassis oscillations were damped in one cycle and short, higher amplitude events like expansion joints were absorbed easily. Switching over to Normal provided a firmer ride with more rebound damping. As the road got tighter and more technical, we were riding at a sporting pace. It eventually dawned on me that there was a Sport mode on the ESA. Sport added what felt like more damping and the ride was nicely taut while still offering excellent compliance. That fact that a 767 pound motorcycle can be ridden in such a sporting style is impressive.
Despite the GTL's relaxed seating position, it's possible to scoot up on the seat and sit forward in a more aggressive position. When riding on tighter roads, this was a welcome surprise...
The full review of these two new motorcycles will appear in the June issue of BMW Owners News.
Dave Swider is a past president of the BMW MOA.
