How comfortable is the K1200LT???

[BANDMAN1]

I have a K1200RS right now that I absolutely love. My wife also loves to ride but only as a passenger. I know that the LT can carry more in it's cases so how much more comfortable is it than the RS. I also know that it is a tough comparison because it is two different riding positions but any help would help me. I do want to ride one but any out there have an RS and went up to the LT? I'm still going to keep the RS sports car.:dunno :dunno :dunno

[razman10]

No RS here, but FWIW I have to say that the LT is most comfortable motorcycle I have ever ridden. I have ridden Harleys, Hondas, Aprilias, Kawasakis, etc and by far the LT is most comfortable.

:bikes

[r11rs94]

No RS here, but FWIW I have to say that the LT is most comfortable motorcycle I have ever ridden. I have ridden Harleys, Hondas, Aprilias, Kawasakis, etc and by far the LT is most comfortable.

:bikes

Hi Razman, the second Rhode Islander in 2 days. Are you an OSBMWR?
If not check out www.OceanStateBMWRiders.com. :thumb
Sorry about highjacking your thread bandman

[jgarrard3ATL]

I have a 2K K1200LT. When people ask me to describe it, I usually say it's a tank on blade skates. :-)

While I haven't had too much experience on other brands, my only other "child" is a 1997 Kawi Vulcan 750, I have found the K machine to be extermely comfortable. I am using a mostly stock configuration, including the original seat.

I have gone more than 400 miles in a single day, a 12 hour trip, with little to complain about. The only negative thing I have found is that the foot pegs are a little hard on my 6 FT-plus frame. There are lowering kits, but I like to canyon carve, believe it or not!, on the Panzer and don't want to sacrifice performance. The only discomfort I find is on 3 hour or more drives and manifests itself in a pain in my right knee. This, again, is probably caused by high compression on my long legs.

One thing that you do want to do is give yourself some time to adjust to the weight. Tank reference hyperbole aside, both the K1200LT and Goldwings are extremely heavy and you want to give yourself as much time as you need to adjust to the weight.

Oh yeah, one other draw back, if your 850 LBS K1200LT ever falls over--it will happen--getting it back up on two wheels is a spiritual trial.

See my "druken cow" post for the joys of that process. :thumb

[DarrylRi]

I have just got to believe that you'll get a better response with this thread moved over to the K Bike area.

[brickrider]

When non-riders ask me do I get tired and sore after riding to distant places, I respond by saying that the K1200LT is like riding in the most comfortable convertible car you've ever driven, with the top down.

The '91 HD Ultra Classic was quite good and a distant second best, but simply cannot compare. I can sit on the K-LT and do 300+ mile trip legs all day long. I put a set of fold-out highway pegs on it. In addition to the usual highway foot position, by placing the back of the leg just above the heel on the pegs, the back muscles can be stretched and much tension relieved. Just 5 minutes every hour in this position makes an immense difference.

I also installed a trailer hitch, without the electrical wiring. I do not pull a trailer - never will. Ever seen those extra luggage carriers on a pickup truck that plug into a Reese hitch? I had a metal shop make a bolt-on carrier out of aluminum just big enough to fit a good-sized duffel bag. Same concept, and it unbolts from the hitch in 2 minutes for local & short trips. All the heavy items get loaded down there, keeping the weight low. Suggest you do the same. That way, she will have more room for more of her stuff, and maybe you can beg for a little extra space beyond the shower kit-sized bag that you're allowed to bring. :thumb

Go for the LT. Won't be long and you'll notice the RS sitting in the garage more and more...:laugh

Ride Safely,
BrickRider

[SugarHillCTD]

I have a K1200RS right now that I absolutely love. My wife also loves to ride but only as a passenger. I know that the LT can carry more in it's cases so how much more comfortable is it than the RS. I also know that it is a tough comparison because it is two different riding positions but any help would help me. I do want to ride one but any out there have an RS and went up to the LT? I'm still going to keep the RS sports car.:dunno :dunno :dunno


Ya' know- I have been wondering about that too. When we get the chance, we are going to test ride both an LT and a GW. Looking to do some longer trips in the future and our '93K-RS "ain't gonna cut it"

[john1691]

I got an RS first, wanted my wife to ride with me more, so added an LT. The riding position of the LT was too upright for me, and the wider seat actually made my wife's bad hip worse. While the LT is great all day comfort, I tend to enjoy a more "spirited" ride, and so traded the LT for a '05 K1200S. I turn 42 this week, so maybe in 20 years or so I'll look for another LT................

[Beemerider03]

My 03 LT seemed quite comfortable until I took it on a 400 mile trip. I came to the realization that I need a different seat and Drivers backrest. I was hopeing to install risers but they are not available for the LT. I am considering trying an Air-Hawk pad before spending the $400 - $600 on a new seat. I am definately installing a drivers backrest from BAKUP though.

[riderR1150GSAdv]

I had an '05 LT and it was extremely comfy to ride. I did 3 1000 mile days in a row from CA to S.FL and I was tired but not more than normal. The bike gets great gas milage, as high as 62MPG and never below 50 MPG.. It is a big bike and requires a bit more attention at parking lot speeds. It is an amazing travel machine and does twisties very well too. So FWIW, I'd go for it. If I had the $$, I buy another one.

[gdrdoc]

I traded in my '98 Honda Shadow with 56K miles on it and bought a 2005 K1200LT. What a big difference. It's like going from a VW to a Caddy!!.. My wife and I enjoy the comfort of it's smoothness..even at 100 MPH. We did take an 5 hour ride and upon our arrival, we were not tired. I bought a backrest at the same time we bought the bike and it's a lifesaver.
On the other side of the coin, yes, the bike is big and heavy if it falls over and we have done it three times. It takes both of us to lift it. Not for one person. This minor compared to the luxury this bike provides.

Gary

[carockwell]

What sort of damage occurs from a parking lot tip over?

[jgarrard3ATL]

What sort of damage occurs from a parking lot tip over?

You are in luck. Unfortunately, I'm an expert with two tip overs--one at speed and another standing still.

If you look at the extended right and left side of the front end of a K1200LT, you will see protruding rubber bumpers. Underneath these, there is a steel support bar to absorb the impact of low speed falls. Based upon my experience, these typically get scratched, at least on the rubber, where they hit.

Secondly, the biggest damage is to faux chrome plastic bars that run the length of the hard side cases. The plastic is pretty thick and, at least in my case, neither it nor the case broke. However, the fake chrome trim, a plastic film was scraped off.

Also, if you hit hard enough on the right hand side, the brake lever will likely be bent, Luckily, it can usually be bent back with a pair of channel locks without issue.

Lastly, depending upon the level of intercourse with the asphalt, your mirror might pop-off. The first time this happend, it freaked the hell out of me. I just bumped it with my side. (My butt is not THAT big.) :-)

Both mirrors are attached to protruding posts and the mirror unit pops out and in with just a little effort. I think the idea behind this bit of hokey engineering is to prevent the mirror from being crushed in an impact. Aside from scratches, it seems to work.

(I can't believe I know this much about this topic. Time for another ERC. :-)

Hope this helps.:bolt

[bkmosch]

I bought a '99 with 82k miles on it from a Honda dealer. I really didn't know much about them other than they are generally reliable, long-lived, etc. So, I was happy... basically anyway. But, I was a little concerned about how harshly the front-end seemed to feel going over bumps. I didn't have any experience with a luxury tourer to compare it to. I kept putting off checking out the front suspension. Also, when going on trips I wasn't too comfortable in the seat. I'm 6' 1-1/2" and 210 lbs. Within 45 minutes I was shifting around and really wanting to get off to give my butt a rest. I'm suspecting the previous owner put on a lowered seat since it doesn't seem to have much padding, but I've never been around anyone who would know. I'd like to sit on another LT to compare. While at Sturgis this year (I trailered it up from Florida), I bought a nice, wool-covered foam and gel pad to sit on, and that has made a world of difference. Now I just have to get the suspension figured out. In a recent post in the K-bikes section, I describe how last week I went over a pothole on a freeway exit and it slammed the front suspension hard (bottomed out). But I think that was only because there is something wrong with the front shock (sagging, lost charge, or ?). I don't know what the history of the bike is, so I'm suspecting it still has the original shocks. Daytona BMW service said that the originals are usually ready to be replaced at 36,000 miles. So now it's parked until I replace both front and rear shocks (and whatever else I bent up front). So, to tell you the truth, I really don't know how comfortable an LT really can be even though I've put 22,000 on mine. I'll let you know how it feels after replacing the shocks and possibly the seat. I'm already looking forward to a huge difference.

So the point is: if you buy used, know what has been changed and what condition things are in before you ride it and make a conclusion about how comfy that model is.

- Brad

[davealan42]

if you haven't changed the shocks already, put on Ohlins - great performance difference from stock. Very happy with doing that on my 2000 LT with 22K mi., 5 years ago. Now I have another LT after a few yrs of not, an '08. Seat is NOT as comfy as on the 2000! I have been reading these posts to see what people think and are doing about them.

[RABlvmy88]

I love my LT, but at 50 I have some of those *&^%* problems 1/3 of us older guys suffer from. So lets be truthfull, the K1200LT seat is too curved and after 2 hours or so it puts pressure on just the wrong place.

But the fix is easy. I took the seat to a custom seat shop, they flattened out the profile of the seat and put in a gel pack. Now I can ride 4+hours without a challenge.

I am 6'1" with long legs, use the seat in the higher position, but owned a goldwing and I just like the riding position of the K1200lt. It is simply the most comfortable bike I have ever owned or ridden.

Good luck.

Bob

[rocketman]

Comfort? Well, I just did a 200 mile this weekend exploring some nice back roads, 5 hours in the saddle without hardly ever getting off, so comfy I slept thru almost the whole ride! :lol

RM

[clgennone]

I recently bought an 05 LT with less than 9000 miles. It has been updated w/Wilburs suspension and a Kontour seat. In a word, it's fantastic. I find it much smoother to ride than my 03 RT, more comfortable and the wife will ride for hours. The only thing I find having to get used to is its considerable weight. But then once underway, it's not an issue.

[BANDMAN1]

I asked this question a while ago and received many responses. My wife did a thing to her hamstring so riding on the KRS was very difficult. I asked her if she still wanted to ride and she said yes!!! Sooooooo to do this the KRS was not going to go to make room for the LT. What I did was - I kept the RS and also bought the LT. Great Move! The LT is a fantastic bike for two up long trips. The RS is my "Sportscar" While I've put 700 miles a day on it, the RS is a blast to ride. I'm now happy and my wife is happy. Down side is that it takes double the wax to keep them looking pretty. I just love riding!!!!!!!