Monday 23 July 2018

I've had the BMW K1600B for the weekend and put about 500 miles on it. AMA


Long and low and wicked fastHey all, I'm a motorcycle journalist that gets to try out new bikes from time to time. I've lost count but it's dozens of bikes over the past 10+ years. Last weekend, BMW loaned me the new K1600B Bagger to take to the BMW Rider's Association Rally near Wellsboro PA. I've put in about 500 miles, a mix of highway and backroads.Here's some quick notes about the bike:The GoodLooks fab in the flesh. Got a lot of compliments. Long and low, like a proper bagger should be.The 160HP inline 6 motor is stupidly and deceptively fast. Pulls like a freight train. Smooth as butterDynamic ESA (Electronic Suspension Adjustment) works. I was in a high speed sweeper and the bike was wallowing. Looked at the dash and noticed I was in Cruise setting. Switched it to Road and the suspension firmed up in time for the next series of bendsBags are great and deceptively large. Fit a 2-person tent, sleeping bag and pad, and camp chair in one with room to spare. Their length was just perfect for the tent polesFit and finish is top notch, befitting a bike of this calibreHandling is great for a bike this size. Weight disappears on the move. This may be the world's first "sports bagger"A nice nose with cool daytime running light pattern, but kinda corporateThe BadNose is a little too "corporate BMW" for my tastes. Wish they had done something more uniqueDash is very informative but complex. But that's true of a lot of bikes these days.Ergonomics are a mix. I'm 5'-8" with a 30" inseam. The legroom was tight (knees bent a good amount) while the reach to the bars was about an inch too much for relaxed riding (it was fine for lean-forward aggressive riding though). At my height, there was glare in the Nav display. I feel like this bike would fit a person 6' tall with a 28" inseam perfectly.Optional floorboards ("footrest plates" in BMW speak) don't have controls. So I only used them on wide-open, empty roads. Not a lot of those in PA/NJ.Nav screen is dim and low resolutionDashboard speakers sound like AM radio.2-person tent, 40F sleeping bag, air pad, camp chair, room to spare.ShinyOptional floorboards would be great with foot controls.Nicely finished rear end.Overall, I'm pretty impressed. This thing can crush the continent and do it in style. Any questions? AMA via /r/motorcycles https://www.reddit.com/r/motorcycles/comments/917we7/ive_had_the_bmw_k1600b_for_the_weekend_and_put/?utm_source=ifttt

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