Thinking of upgrading?
I've read a couple of threads, here and elsewhere, started by people who own K1200 S's and are considering moving up to a K1300 S as their bikes get older. After a considerable amount of consideration and test riding we (my wife and I) have recently done just that and thought we'd share our feelings on the matter.
We'd had the K1200 S for about two and a half years having bought it with about 17k on the clock - that having increased to just over 50k when we part-ex'd it for the new one. It was an early K12, late 2005, and came with ABS, ESA, heated grips, Akrapovic and sports luggage. We both loved it which was just as well as the bike is our only transport and we use it all year round. It was, without doubt, the best bike I'd ever owned - reliable (if expensive to maintain), comfortable and very, very quick.
Anyway, what with service loan bikes, recreational test rides, etc. we had ridden quite a few K1300 S's and, although initially I wasn't that impressed, they did start to grow on me. The last four or so we rode we're definitely an improvement and so, pushed firmly in that direction by Charlotte (the perfect wife!) I agreed to relinquish the beloved 12 in favour of a 13.
I should add, at this point, that we did consider other options. As the bike is our only transport, lives outside and gets ridden all year round, it's got to be a BMW and though we've tried other models we really don't get on with them. Charlotte is too short to fit comfortably on a K16 and finds herself sitting too far forwards, also she is concerned that they're to big to filter through traffic, and she doesn't like the passenger riding position of GS's. She finds that the forward position of the rider of the K1200/1300 S leaves her plenty of space on the back and is happy with its abilities in traffic. You may think that this paragraph is a bit wife-heavy but it's been my experience, over the years, that if one's passenger is comfortable and happy then one gets to spend more time on the bike!
Having made the decision we then had to find a bike we both liked. Now for Charlotte this was simple. As long as the bike was a K1300 S with a quick shifter (smoother changes) she was happy. Since I have rarely seen one without a quick shifter that was easy. For me it was a little more difficult, K13's can vary quite a lot in their performance, their suspension behaviour (although, on consideration, that might have more to do with tyres - they do not like worn tyres) and an indefinable 'feel'. The nicest ones I'd ever ridden we're the 'HP Edition' and the '30th Anniversary' edition - both of which came with HP footrests but also had that overall 'feel' I was after. Unfortunately we couldn't justify a brand new one and we'd just missed an ex-demo Anniversary bike (we did have it for a week on loan though
) so we eventually settled on an ex-demo (VAT qualifying) example, first registered in September 2012 and with a little under 4k on the clock.
So we are now the proud owners of a black K1300 S Sport with ABS (of course), ESA, heated grips, TPC, computer, dark tinted screen, etc. etc. we transferred the sports luggage and the satnav off the K12 and we got a rear carrier fitted because Charlotte likes the passenger grip position better. Having had it a month now and covered a little over 2600 miles, here are my thoughts.
The bike is much more refined.
The brakes are a little better - they have a bit more feel.
The suspension is very different, there are changes to the front suspension components to reduce unsprung weight and it is fitted with ESA 2. I'm not familiar with the technical aspects of ESA 2 but the preload settings suit us better (the settings on the 12 we're too soft in 'Comfort' and harsh in 'Sport') and the front deals much better with road irregularities - I don't get beaten up by some of the road surfaces I encounter on the way to work every morning.
Not having an Akropovic can, it is quieter which is strangely refreshing but means I tend to hold it about a thousand revs higher in gears.
The shift assist (quick shifter) is one of those things you think you'd never pay extra for (like ESA) but once you've tried it it is rather addictive!
Traction control is reassuring in the current weather conditions - especially early morning post 'hurricane' when the road seemed to be composed entirely of twigs and soggy leaves.
The seat is weird! It is like no other K13 seat I've sat on. It appears to have a gel insert, or something, which you have to balance on top of - but it's very comfortable.
Engine. Well yes, that is a lot of engine. It's fuelling is MUCH more refined. The popping and banging and general fussing of the K12 (aided and abetted by the Akrapovic, no doubt) was amusing but a bit juvenile at times. This one has flawless engine management. Needless to say, it is quick. It sometimes doesn't feel as quick as the 12 did because it doesn't have those noticeable steps at 4k and 7k revs that the 12 did - it is far more see less in its delivery than that. Don't be fooled though - at higher speeds top-gear roll-on is in a different league. I'd say it's probably 10% quicker and uses 10% less fuel. Can't be bad.
Handling is different too. Now I like big bikes. I like bikes I can move around on and I don't mind having to muscle them through the twisties. The K12 hid its bulk very well but it could take a little persuasion to hold a tight line through a corner. The K13 is not like that at all - the handling is very neutral and it goes exactly where it's pointed. This should be a good thing and I'm sure it will be once I'm used to it but, at the moment, it leaves me feeling a little worried that there is something I should be doing whilst it glides serenely through the bends. It's a little sterile. There is another downside. Let's speak 'hypothetically' here. Say you were cruising on a nice 'A' road at, perhaps, 140mph, the K12 would be feeling very planted and with plenty in reserve. You'd feel you could drive from one side of the continent to the other without any drama. At the same speeds the K13 would not feel nearly so reassuring, it will feel slightly vague and require constant attention. Feasible it is, relaxing it isn't. The K13 does use a different size back tyre, it uses a 190/55 17 rather than a 190/50 17 and it may all be down to that - but I don't think so. I have noticed weird behaviour from 13's before at these speeds but I've always put it down to tyre wear, I look forward to investigating further...
Speaking of tyres, I got another puncture (#5 this year). This time though the TPC or RDC or whatever it's called - the tyre pressure monitoring system, let me know well before it became a problem and I didn't get stranded beside the A34 late at night. Worthwhile addition.
If I had a major gripe about the bike it would have to be the switchgear. Leaving aside, for the moment, the issue of the downgrading from BMW indicator switches to Japanese-style ones, the ergonomics of the new switches are appalling! Gone are the old rocker switches - big, easily located without looking, replaced by tiny push button thingies which you need to (a) find in the first place and (b) look at the instruments to check whether, for example, your heated grips are on and if so, at which setting. Then there is the issue of actually pushing the said buttons - they don't seem to line up with any of my fingers! Not all of them, anyway. Of course they don't seem to work very well anyway but BMW have promised to replace them - once they've managed to make sufficient of them...
Okay, I've gone on long enough. The bottom line? It's a great bike. It is a worthwhile improvement in almost every respect. It is faster, smoother, easier to ride, more comfortable and more economical. It isn't perfect, but what is? If you want to take a bike out on the odd sunny Sunday, I'd say hang onto your K1200 S but if you want to do more than that then go get a K1300 S.
I've read a couple of threads, here and elsewhere, started by people who own K1200 S's and are considering moving up to a K1300 S as their bikes get older. After a considerable amount of consideration and test riding we (my wife and I) have recently done just that and thought we'd share our feelings on the matter.
We'd had the K1200 S for about two and a half years having bought it with about 17k on the clock - that having increased to just over 50k when we part-ex'd it for the new one. It was an early K12, late 2005, and came with ABS, ESA, heated grips, Akrapovic and sports luggage. We both loved it which was just as well as the bike is our only transport and we use it all year round. It was, without doubt, the best bike I'd ever owned - reliable (if expensive to maintain), comfortable and very, very quick.
Anyway, what with service loan bikes, recreational test rides, etc. we had ridden quite a few K1300 S's and, although initially I wasn't that impressed, they did start to grow on me. The last four or so we rode we're definitely an improvement and so, pushed firmly in that direction by Charlotte (the perfect wife!) I agreed to relinquish the beloved 12 in favour of a 13.
I should add, at this point, that we did consider other options. As the bike is our only transport, lives outside and gets ridden all year round, it's got to be a BMW and though we've tried other models we really don't get on with them. Charlotte is too short to fit comfortably on a K16 and finds herself sitting too far forwards, also she is concerned that they're to big to filter through traffic, and she doesn't like the passenger riding position of GS's. She finds that the forward position of the rider of the K1200/1300 S leaves her plenty of space on the back and is happy with its abilities in traffic. You may think that this paragraph is a bit wife-heavy but it's been my experience, over the years, that if one's passenger is comfortable and happy then one gets to spend more time on the bike!
Having made the decision we then had to find a bike we both liked. Now for Charlotte this was simple. As long as the bike was a K1300 S with a quick shifter (smoother changes) she was happy. Since I have rarely seen one without a quick shifter that was easy. For me it was a little more difficult, K13's can vary quite a lot in their performance, their suspension behaviour (although, on consideration, that might have more to do with tyres - they do not like worn tyres) and an indefinable 'feel'. The nicest ones I'd ever ridden we're the 'HP Edition' and the '30th Anniversary' edition - both of which came with HP footrests but also had that overall 'feel' I was after. Unfortunately we couldn't justify a brand new one and we'd just missed an ex-demo Anniversary bike (we did have it for a week on loan though
) so we eventually settled on an ex-demo (VAT qualifying) example, first registered in September 2012 and with a little under 4k on the clock.So we are now the proud owners of a black K1300 S Sport with ABS (of course), ESA, heated grips, TPC, computer, dark tinted screen, etc. etc. we transferred the sports luggage and the satnav off the K12 and we got a rear carrier fitted because Charlotte likes the passenger grip position better. Having had it a month now and covered a little over 2600 miles, here are my thoughts.
The bike is much more refined.
The brakes are a little better - they have a bit more feel.
The suspension is very different, there are changes to the front suspension components to reduce unsprung weight and it is fitted with ESA 2. I'm not familiar with the technical aspects of ESA 2 but the preload settings suit us better (the settings on the 12 we're too soft in 'Comfort' and harsh in 'Sport') and the front deals much better with road irregularities - I don't get beaten up by some of the road surfaces I encounter on the way to work every morning.
Not having an Akropovic can, it is quieter which is strangely refreshing but means I tend to hold it about a thousand revs higher in gears.
The shift assist (quick shifter) is one of those things you think you'd never pay extra for (like ESA) but once you've tried it it is rather addictive!
Traction control is reassuring in the current weather conditions - especially early morning post 'hurricane' when the road seemed to be composed entirely of twigs and soggy leaves.
The seat is weird! It is like no other K13 seat I've sat on. It appears to have a gel insert, or something, which you have to balance on top of - but it's very comfortable.
Engine. Well yes, that is a lot of engine. It's fuelling is MUCH more refined. The popping and banging and general fussing of the K12 (aided and abetted by the Akrapovic, no doubt) was amusing but a bit juvenile at times. This one has flawless engine management. Needless to say, it is quick. It sometimes doesn't feel as quick as the 12 did because it doesn't have those noticeable steps at 4k and 7k revs that the 12 did - it is far more see less in its delivery than that. Don't be fooled though - at higher speeds top-gear roll-on is in a different league. I'd say it's probably 10% quicker and uses 10% less fuel. Can't be bad.
Handling is different too. Now I like big bikes. I like bikes I can move around on and I don't mind having to muscle them through the twisties. The K12 hid its bulk very well but it could take a little persuasion to hold a tight line through a corner. The K13 is not like that at all - the handling is very neutral and it goes exactly where it's pointed. This should be a good thing and I'm sure it will be once I'm used to it but, at the moment, it leaves me feeling a little worried that there is something I should be doing whilst it glides serenely through the bends. It's a little sterile. There is another downside. Let's speak 'hypothetically' here. Say you were cruising on a nice 'A' road at, perhaps, 140mph, the K12 would be feeling very planted and with plenty in reserve. You'd feel you could drive from one side of the continent to the other without any drama. At the same speeds the K13 would not feel nearly so reassuring, it will feel slightly vague and require constant attention. Feasible it is, relaxing it isn't. The K13 does use a different size back tyre, it uses a 190/55 17 rather than a 190/50 17 and it may all be down to that - but I don't think so. I have noticed weird behaviour from 13's before at these speeds but I've always put it down to tyre wear, I look forward to investigating further...
Speaking of tyres, I got another puncture (#5 this year). This time though the TPC or RDC or whatever it's called - the tyre pressure monitoring system, let me know well before it became a problem and I didn't get stranded beside the A34 late at night. Worthwhile addition.
If I had a major gripe about the bike it would have to be the switchgear. Leaving aside, for the moment, the issue of the downgrading from BMW indicator switches to Japanese-style ones, the ergonomics of the new switches are appalling! Gone are the old rocker switches - big, easily located without looking, replaced by tiny push button thingies which you need to (a) find in the first place and (b) look at the instruments to check whether, for example, your heated grips are on and if so, at which setting. Then there is the issue of actually pushing the said buttons - they don't seem to line up with any of my fingers! Not all of them, anyway. Of course they don't seem to work very well anyway but BMW have promised to replace them - once they've managed to make sufficient of them...
Okay, I've gone on long enough. The bottom line? It's a great bike. It is a worthwhile improvement in almost every respect. It is faster, smoother, easier to ride, more comfortable and more economical. It isn't perfect, but what is? If you want to take a bike out on the odd sunny Sunday, I'd say hang onto your K1200 S but if you want to do more than that then go get a K1300 S.
