I made an error in the previous post indicating I would be reviewing the BMW K1600 GT. The bike I actually departed Kissell Motorsports with was the GTL version. More features, more luxury, more of everything. And this motorcycle was probably the most dramatic change from my Vespa GTS 250ie ever. And again, in almost every respect.
The past couple days I’ve been looking over notes scribbled on 3×5 index cards, on my iPhone, and examining memories triggered by the numerous photos I made. Still searching for the story of this motorcycle, what it’s like to ride, what it did to me. Yes, I think it did something to me but can’t quite put my finger on it. Perhaps I’ve not put enough miles on it and should plead a case to Craig Kissell to borrow it for a few more days. After all, the typical K1600 rider will be thinking in terms of thousands of miles.
It was a beautiful couple days of riding. Photography and riding are always at odds and the K1600 GTL wants to go and not dilly dally on the way. By force of will I would transcend whatever magic the BMW was trying to spin on me and bring the motorcycle to a halt to pursue other interests. I swear I cannot pass a lone tree in a field. And we have a lot of them here in Pennsylvania. Big trees in the middle of a field were there to give a team of horses or oxen a shady place to rest at lunch time.
With gas prices so high some farmers are returning to draft animals. I don’t except John Deere to be shutting its doors anytime soon though.
Weird. I’m talking about the most modern BMW motorcycle, draft animals and John Deere tractors. Just what the marketing group was hoping for.
Steve:
I wouldn’t know where to begin. Firstly I wouldn’t have the nerve to stop just in case it fell over. As long it is under power it wants to stay upright.
I wonder if the transition is worse from a 250 GTS to the GTL, or whether a GTL rider would have a problem switching over to the GTS as a service loaner.
As a dedicated Vespa rider, you are surely very brave indeed
bob
Riding the Wet Coast
So Steve, the manure truck collects the manure from the farms….I get that, then what? Take it to the fertilizer factory? Or just create interesting riding situations….?
: )
dom
Redleg’s Rides
Colorado Motorcycle Travel Examiner
bobskoot: The bike is definitely big and heavy but for some trick of engineering it wasn’t nearly as difficult to maneuver as I thought it would be.
The transition from Vespa to K1600 is a matter of skill, experience, and training. The other way round is purely ego I suspect. I jumped off the BMW and onto my Vespa to go home and it was like I was as free as a bird…
Charlie6: This particular farm is milking over 1000 cows and has some hundreds of replacement heifers so a lot of manure is collected. They truck it all over the valley to spread on the thousands of acres of land they use to grow corn, grass and alfalfa. Farmers across the Chesapeake Bay watershed probably wish there was such a thing as a manure factory to take care of this stuff.
That concludes our agricultural lesson for today.
You need one of those GTLs.
I am not a particular fan of the K series, for me the R1200RT was the biggest bike I ever laid my hand on or for lack of better terms: rested my butt on. I found the transition from F650GS to a 1200cc motorcycle quite a bit scary, but thinking of going from Vespa to a 1600cc, wow, that is brave. Looking forward to your definition of amazing.
PS: manure factories do exist 😉 you can through manure in a big enclosure, let the bugs do some work, produce lots of methane gas, which when cleaned and dried, can make a great alternate energy source for gas and fuel. That’s what the company I work for does 😉 no kidding.
Looking forward to your next post Steve. The K bikes have a different pulse than the R’s do. Actually I stated that incorrectly. The R bikes have a pulse. 😉
Your lone tree image is one of my favorites from your collection. Where’s Christina?
Ok I’m hooked! I can’t wait to read the review. Although I have no real interest in owning a bike this large it does make me lust in my hart.
Guess we worship the same subject 😉
http://m.flickr.com/#/photos/rogierwillems/5721790808/
Smiles across the wires,
Rogier Willems
Send from my iPhone
I can’t wait to read your review. I just test rode a K1600 GTL and compared to my old 33 year old R100/7 it was a very demanding bike. The brakes, the throttle, the balance were all super fine tuned — the slightest touch got more action than anything I had ever ridden before. It was also the smoothest, most powerful, most stable and most comfortable bike I ever rode. Even though usually I only ogle vingage bikes, I can’t stop thinking about it….
SonjaM: It is a big jump to the 1600. Most noticeable in the slow speed stuff.
Methane digestors! Just what everyone wants next door. Not sure why that particular operation isn’t exploring it. They certainly have enough raw material!
Mike: The RT and K1600 definitely feel different and I think your pulse analogy is accurate. Will delve into that idea. Thanks!
Ghost Writer: That landscape could definitely use a Christina. Next time I’ll put the self-timer on and assume the role.
Low Buck Rider: Lust for a motorcycle is a terrible place to be. I’ll try and dissuade you with my review.
Rogier, What a great shot. Where did you make that picture?
Anonymous: Having recently ridden a BMW R100/GS I know exactly what you mean about the K1600 GTL in comparison. Night and day. While the K1600 isn’t the most powerful motorcycle I’ve ridden (last week I had the chance to take out the Ducati Diavel which nudges past the BMW by one horsepower or so) but it is definitely the smoothest operating machine I have ever experienced. Your observations about it being super-tuned are right on.
I’m hoping to get to the first part of the review sometime this week.
The exact location should be visible on the map on my flickr page. It’s taken in the Netherlands in the city named Sittard.
Steve: LOVE the lonely tree photo. I’ve been thinking of making a calender of “Lonely Trees,” across four seasons of course.
SonjaM: I once took a test ride on a Boss Hoss, an exuberant experience I will never forget. However, 650 about the size I prefer, after 48 years of riding.
I prefer to ski boat to a cruise ship. Made the mistake of taking Katie for a ride on a borrowed GTL. She fell in love with the accomodations. This is going to be a problem in a few short years. Oh, well.