09 OR 08 gt

[Kbike]

Looking for some help on deciding on a buying a gently used 08 K1200GT or a demo 09 K1300GT,

I have done allot reading on the difference between the 2 models on all the forums, including the switch warr problems and the engine stalling.

For those who have driven and/or owned both is it worth going for the 09, I am not one who need the extra power but I understand there are some improvements on the 09, trying to find what’s the better move.

The pricing on the two bikes are close and both have around the same warr left, so that is not part of the decision, it really comes down to which one is the better bike and will have less problems going forward.

Coming off a 96 K1100lt, I guess it's time for something newer,

Thanks for the help,
Kbike

[dwestly]

I just picked up a Demo 09 K1300GT at a really good price. If you hustle, BMW is offering $1250 on accessories/apparel as an incentive for purchasing a new bike through the end of September, and it includes demo bikes. I did encounter the engine stalling (read my input on the thread about this), but the dealer was on it immediately and its gone now. I picked the bike up a week ago and the next day rode it 600 miles to the mountains. Great ride, although the seat has to go... Love my new GT!

[Kbike]

dwestly

Thanks for the reply, good luck with the new K bike. I took advantage of the long tour demo available @ BMW a couple of weeks back and loved the bike but also loved the RT I had taken out for a quick demo as well. Not the same power but liked the lighter weight and riding position compared to the K.

With all the problems written up about the new K1300 not sure if I want to jump in or wait, the other option was a 08GT I had looked at but not tested. Wanted to see what I might be giving up on the 08compaired to the 09 version, any thoughts.

With all the problems written up on the K1300 I am re-thinking going for the RT instead. I am coming off the old K1100lt that had everything I needed, (gone, not by choice) I will miss the protection and comfort of the fairing and the radio option was great.

Thanks again
Kbike

[ObiWan]

KBike:

FWIW:

I came off of a 94 K1100 LT, so I understand the difference in feel of the fairing. I had the radio too, but I never used it anyway, so it is not missed. Besides, with iPods and satellite these days...

That said, the K12GT really fits my riding style. I find after a few short months of ownership (I bought a used 06 K12GT after I got the fever in Johnson City) that the bike is great.

I notice more buffeting from the wind, but not enough to be a nuisance. The windscreen could be bigger, but there are aftermarket fixes for that. All around, an awesome bike. Had a chance to do a few laps at Watkins Glen on Labor Day weekend and leeme just say, this thing is a screamer. I was in 2nd and 3rd between 7,000 and 9,000 RPM and I hit triple digits on the straightaway... Interesting the fuel economy seemed to get better running like that!

As I said after: "I now know what the bike will do, the problem is that now I know what the bike will do".

I could not afford new, so I scoured around a bit and got a heluva deal on one with only 4990 miles that I found on E-bay.

So, my $.02 is that really, no comparison from the "nothing wrong with that bike" K1100LT to the Wedge K12GT. What I felt I was giving up (fairing coverage, radio) is more than compensated for by the pure performance and handling.

As far as 08 to 09, I got no idea, but for 6 or 7 HP more, I dunno...

[dwestly]

So far I've not experienced any other issues (other than the solved stalling problem). Granted, I've only got one week and 2k miles on the bike so far, but those 2k were a hard run up and back to the mountains, including two days of riding in the pouring rain. So far, so good...

As for a comparison, I'm afraid I can't help. I came off an 08 R1200GS Adventure, so that's useless as a yardstick...I did have a Honda ST1300 for about a year and can tell you the GT is FAR superior to it (even though I'm a big Honda guy, too).

[Gilly]

Options the same??

Gilly

[Kbike]

The used 08 has most of the options I would need alreadly installed, bar backs. lowered pegs. The 09 it would starting from scratch.

I am hearing from the sales side that people have turned in their older GT's to upgrade to the new 09/10 models because of the new motor and better midrange power, is this true. I guess some like the new grips,turn signals as well, although I still perfer the older style.

I guess the bottom line is: what am I giving up on the performance side if I go for the used 08 compaired to new, if anything.

Thanks again,
Kbike

[Semper_Fi]

Very happy with my 09

Switch gear - yes - both warrantied

Brake Fluid Foaming recall - yes warrantied

Stall - occasionally - I now now when and I deal with it

Do I regret buying the bike - absolutely not, its exactly the bike I wanted and fits me better than the RT did.

:lurk

[dwestly]

OK, where do I get peg lowering blocks for my GT? That's the 2nd change I want to make, after I get rid of the torture rack of a seat!

[Gilly]

Try "Pirates Lair" as a start. There are a few companies making the peg lowering kits. Pirates Lair or Suburban Machinery, I know there are more.

For KBike, it is a tadbit of a stretch to consider the K1300 as having "a new engine".

I haven't ridden a 1300. This is hard for me to describe or explain, I will try;

For some people, every single extra horse power they can get on another person, or extra "inch" of foot-pounds, they will spend gobs of money trying every trick to induce more power. If this sounds like you, then sure, the 1300 probably represents a good deal for the extra power you get, if it only is a matter of spending an extra thousand or two to get that power.
For me, the extra hp/torque over and above what a 1200 offers, not really desireable, I mean the thing at 1200cc is off the wall nuts already. Especially when I personally add in that I dislike the vents on the side, the controls, the reservoirs, everything else other than the performance is a turn-off. (PS I even like the 06-08 lighter silver colored frame, ever notice the wheels on the 09-10 are still light silver and doesn't match the darker colored frame??)
Yeah I would take the extra cc's if I could snap my fingers and suddenly I had a 1300 engine. The rest of the "package" they can keep.
Gilly

[Kbike]

Thanks for the replys, it looks like the 09 has won out over the used 08 GT though, the rebates from BMW and the money back from MOA plus the break on the sales tax made it to good of a deal to turn down.

I thought it over and if I am going to by new bike I should buy a new bike, it seems BMW has made enough changes to the 09 to make a difference between the older GT version and 09. I guess if I am wrong I should find out quickly.

Not sure if I am going to like the new switch gear or not and hopefully the bike I am getting will not have the dreaded stalling problems, but the rest of package is worth the price of admission from what I have seen and felt so far.
Should get the new one sometime next week, see what happens.

Gilly

I see on your sig line you had and sold a K75s, I had the bought the K75s back in 88 and had traded it in on my 93 K1100RS, although I love the RS I should never have sold off the K75s, That was a great bike for its time.

Thanks
Kbike

[Semper_Fi]

Rich - excellent choice :thumb :thumb

Regarding your comment on the switch gear - it felt weird for a couple of rides and then after that it becomes muscle memory.

At least with this you don't do the angry left turn signal when you wanted to hit the horn button.

Post a picture when you get it - the Red ones are the best

[Gilly]

Kbike, yeah the whole K75S/K1200GT was kind of humorous in a way;
I bought the 87 K75S new, BUT the dealer sort of did an unusual thing, sort of like a lay-away plan. I first saw it in the summer of 87, probably one of the last unsold K75S's as they were a pretty hot seller. BUT I didn't want to take out a loan, plus I had just stuck some money into a bike fixing it up and didn't want to replace it right away (it was a 75 H2C Kawasaki 750 triple 2 stroke, aNOTHER bike I shoulda kept:violin).
So, the dealer let me make payments on it and I picked it up in the spring of 88.

Now, the K1200GT, also kind of weird, I got it last August (08), was a left-over 07, but a brand new bike, so I had an 87 that I really took possesion of in 88, and 20 yrs later, an 07 that I took possesion of in 08.

But yeah I really wish I would have kept the K75 also, but really would be a shame to not ride it all that much, I think the guy I sold it to really likes it.
Gilly

[Kbike]

Thanks Semper_Fi, hope your right about the switch gear, but seeing how I bought the blue GT I am not to sure on the "red is the best" thinking yet, one thing you are definitely right about is the:

"angry left turn signal when you wanted to hit the horn button"

Friend of mine just went the other way and picked up a new RT with the old switch gear, used to ride Yamaha.
A lot of cagers are being scared off and trying to understand why his blinker is on and he is yelling at them.

Gilly, interesting timing on your bike change, it sounds like we can start another thread with the "aNOTHER bike I shoulda kept)." comment. I had a 76 Yamaha XT500 Thumper that I sold just before the K75s, I can't tell you how many times I think back to some of rides I took on that bike, loved it. I remember the Kawasaki 750, sound like you always liked the fast ones, that Kaw was quick.

Will post a picture of the new GT when I get her home,

Take care
Kbike

[Semper_Fi]

Saw the Blue GT at Max last weekend. Depending on how the sun hits it, it goes from black to a nice deep blue - very cool

Again congrats on the new bike

:thumb

[bikerfish1100]

only slight feedback for you (in terms of saddle time). my only experience with the newer K bikes is a pair of demo rides. tested a '06 (or so) K12S a few years back, and then took out a K13S the other day. the K12 was quite a bit ahead of the K11 (owned a '94K11RS for about 50K miles). the K13 however really impressed me asa nice step forward from the K12 version. much more linear in its power delivery- the K12 had that strong power hit at 7 grand, which although being a real exhilirating rush, i could see where you would want to be paying close attention to where you are in the power band when riding twisties- an inadverdant power hit mid corner could prove "interesting". not so the K13- it was just a super smooth rocket ship from a bit over 2 grand to way up into the revs. i don't think i ever got above 9K, and red is around 13. one of my impressions, along with "wow, what a fine motor, amazing brakes, comfortable, feels much shorter and lighter and easier handling than it looks- damn, BMW really nailed it with this thing", was "where in god's name would i ever get to really use this motor?" (and i live in CO, where plenty of wide open spaces still exist) The bike would accelerate cleanly from 2K in 6th gear, but then you could easily drop 3 or 4 gears and it just goes like snot!
overall, i was really impressed with the improvements that BMW made on this machine.
i was also impressed with the realization that i could either own that bike, or my license, but not likely both.
btw- i wasn't looking to buy, i just had my F8GS in for recall work, and asked what they had for a demo that i could kill some time on while i waited.

[Gilly]

"where in god's name would i ever get to really use this motor?" (and i live in CO, where plenty of wide open spaces still exist)

I'd only use it between cops. :wave

Gilly

[Kbike]

19926Sorry in posting the always required new bike picture late, took a while but finely was able to her out for a nice run today through the NY Catskills.

Spent a little time looking for place as bikerfish1100 said "where in god's name would i ever get to really use this motor?" and as Gilly said "I'd only use it between cops".

It was difficult to do ether today, police check points, road closures and detours but still a nice day for ride in NY today.

So far no stalling (it did stall on me once when I first got it home and tried to kill me but has behaved since) What a motor on this bike, it is a beast.

Already ordered a replacement windshield, ( Slipstream ) to much wind and noise with the stock one, hopefully the new shield will correct this, getting used to the new switch setup but miss the old system, do not understand why they changed it.

Anyway more to follow if the weather holds up and I get some more riding in before the real cold and snow gets here to stay.

Thanks again for all the advice,

KBIKE