Tell me about the 2nd generation K1200GT

First question - is the K1300GT a significant improvement? Is there anything about the late K1200GT that keeps it from being a mileage conquering touring beast?

Since no one else wanted to bite first I guess I will.

You'll find the 13's with less mileage because they're newer. Also more expensive.

The 2nd gen 12's need to have the cam chain tensioner upgraded along with a chain guide and jump guard. 13's already have them. Most used 12's will have them by now too but it isn't a free BMW upgrade so will have been done by the previous owner.

12's have turn signal buttons on both handlebars (left on left side and right on right side). 13's have different turn signals much like the standard Japanese bikes. There's also rumors that the newer controls have reliability issues.

12's and 13's can suffer from final drive failure. Not all of them, just some. BMW in most cases will not cover it so your bank account will have to.

13's have a bit more power, obviously, but it isn't as if the 12's don't have enough.

13's have a revised transmission that shifts smoother.

13's come in a nice red color that 12's didn't and side fairings are a bit different around the BMW emblem.

I'm happy with my 12. Just installed a Booster Plug to fix the fueling issue at the 2600-3200 RPM range that made the throttle snatchy. It now runs smooth at lower RPM's. Most 13's don't have that issue. It's due to running lean (that the factory didn't seem to think was a problem). Both bikes will get in the mid-40mpg range if ridden respectfully. If ridden hard they'll be in the 30's.

If I'm missing anything someone else will chime in.

Magazine reviews say the 13 handles much better in the twisties. This may not be a concern to you. My buddy had both, and supports that the 13 was better. He's on a k16 now.

I've ridden both, but not in a situation where the differences were noticeable to me.

[QUOTE=hogate3821;811431]The 2nd gen 12's need to have the cam chain tensioner upgraded along with a chain guide and jump guard. 13's already have them.
[/QUOTE]

The jump guards were not installed on new bikes until late 2010 or early 2011.
I checked both of our 2011 K1300Ss and they do not have the plastic jump guard.
It's on my to do list.

Dave, nice job.

Air box I think was an issue on some 12s. I have what the previous owner says was one of the first 07' models and knock on wood have not had an air box issue.

Final drive failure I believe also affects the R-Bikes.

As for shifting, it helps if you preload for up shifts and only give the clutch a quick partial pull. I personally would not want to purchase a 1600, I like a high revving engine. The bike is wicked fast regardless and gets phenomenal mileage for the performance it returns!

I am thinking that I may have a need for an Interstate cruising bike and the cost/value of the K1200GT frankly caught my attention.

How critical is the cam chain issue and how much is the upgrade?

Both bikes have an electronic cruise control as standard don't they?

I am no stranger to final drive issues, having replaced 2 over the years. That issue has made me seriously think about jumping ship to a Triumph.

I bought the tensioner and installed it myself for my K12GT, after paying a dealership to install the one on my (now sold) K12S. If I remember right it was around $125. There are directions on this forum, took about 1/2 hr. The jump guard hasn't been done yet, will wait and get it done when the valves are checked during the winter months. I know that it is also fairly easy to do if you are into home wrenching.

Yes, they both come with electronic cruise control, power windscreen, heated grips and seats, factory color matched bags and optional trunk. My wife appreciates the seating position, and I'm finding the GT is nicer for the slab, but miss my "S" for regular non-slab rides. The problem for me is that there seems to be no one bike that does it all, and with college age and soon to be college age kids, one bike is all I get right now. Not that I am saying the GT isn't a fun bike to ride, just have to work harder in the corners where the "S" would just flow right through.

[QUOTE=PirateJohn;811981]How critical is the cam chain issue and how much is the upgrade?

[/QUOTE]

I personally know 6 people who had the cam chain break on their K1200GT and K1200S. It's costly when it happens so the upgrade is important.
I don't remember how much the upgrade cost.
I-BMW.com is a good place to get information on this. The site is mostly K bike owners.

[QUOTE=PirateJohn;811981]
Both bikes have an electronic cruise control as standard don't they?[/QUOTE]

You'd think it was standard on the 12 but it's actually an option. Almost all if not all the bikes were equipped with that option though so you'd be hard pressed to find a bike without cruise control.

Triumph has its issues too, just like any other bike. And like stated before you can not find one bike that does everything well.

I salivate over a K13S, would love to have one. They don't come with cruise control which is very nice to have when you're slabbing. You can put a real cruise on it but you're spending roughly a few hundred bucks to do it. I've seen it on other forums.

The GT is a really nice bike with a really poor seat. It may be comfortable for some all the time but after about 250-300 miles it's pretty uncomfortable to me so after about 450 miles I was really ready to get off the bike. You'll need to spend $500-700 to get a nice custom seat.

The jump guard is pretty much a necessity. I bought my bike used from the local BMW dealer and it has had all the upgrades done including the airbox. You can do it yourself or help the local economy and have the dealer do it for you.

The later 1200s had the updated tensioner, but you'd still need to do the jump gaurd if it had not all ready been done. I chose an 08 GT as it was what I considered the sweet spot of these bikes. By that year, most of the issues of the 1200 were sorted, it does not have the servo brakes and has the more familiar (to me) BMW style turn signal switches. I did the jump guard myself, its a pretty easy job to install.

[QUOTE=Lee;812029]I personally know 6 people who had the cam chain break on their K1200GT and K1200S. It's costly when it happens so the upgrade is important.
I don't remember how much the upgrade cost.
I-BMW.com is a good place to get information on this. The site is mostly K bike owners.[/QUOTE]

The guard cost about $8.00. BMW says to replace the the cover bolts as they are one time use. They cost about $43. The install is easy to do. Takes about 1-1 1/2 hr or less.

Thanks guys! We will see how the next few months go. I definitely need a new toy to take my mind off of the last year ;)

[QUOTE=PirateJohn;811326]First question - is the K1300GT a significant improvement? Is there anything about the late K1200GT that keeps it from being a mileage conquering touring beast?[/QUOTE]PJ, just finished a 8 day 3.3K road trip on my '08 K1200GT. My first 'long' trip on the GT. I ride solo but carry quite a bit of stuff. I installed ergo-mods (bar risers, Suburban Machine peg lowering devices and a Sargent seat) for added comfort. Daily mileage ranged between 350 and 600. The bike performed flawlessly and the comfort was very acceptable. These are not Goldwings and Goldwings are not sport bikes but the 2nd generation GTs are, in my opinion, a near-perfect compromise.

As I ussally folow the F series ,I don't know about the wedge K. What years was the 1 gen and the 2 gen machines?:ear

[QUOTE=eugene;824866]As I ussally folow the F series ,I don't know about the wedge K. What years was the 1 gen and the 2 gen machines?:ear[/QUOTE]

If my brain is working on 1/2 cup of coffee...

I consider the brick engine K12GT bike to be first gen and in US were '02-'04 production years.The LT was the last bike to retain that engine platform

The first wedge engines came out in the US in 2005 model year as the K12S and the K12R.
The GT was a 2006 model, so it's the 2nd gen. Then they upped it to the 1300 in 2009 models