How many of you swapped for a K13?

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....After GSA/GS and 80+ K miles I swapped over to K12R.

The bars on the R are wider than S, which I preferred.

Can usually get 200+ miles per tank, unless it thrashed.

Not as comfy as GS, but much easier to filter through tight traffic.

Overtakes like a GS never will and its just soooo much smooooother!!!

52K on the clock and probable worthless - I plan to run in it into the ground.

Will demo the new K13 to see how much different / better it is before I part with 9.5K

I like the White and it also looks very nice in black, very blackbird esk.

Should anyone buy a K you got to fit a set RoadSmarts, as they are fantastic tyre.

Unless track days are your thing.....
 
Going from a GS to a K? Think carefully......recently made a near costly mistake after being seduced by the BHP/newness/looks of a 1200GT on a 08 plate....thought it was great on the test ride so bought it...

Now, a month and a half later its going....if you're used to GS riding (and like GS type riding), its so very different....the K was so like riding a Jap bike in the end....seat was crap after more than an hour, handling is what I can only describe as slightly "knife-edge"? It's difficult to put into words but you get to the end of the ride and you know you've ridden a bike (which I know some people would find a + thing). I came to the conclusion that if your concentration dropped even momentarily on a fast A road the bike could have you on a bend.....

Was also majorly p*ssed off with the screen....tried the standard BM screen, the high BM screen and a Calsci high screen, all of which had issues with turbulence (you're better off putting up with the standard screen).

Oh, and don't both with the £500 BMW topcase that will make the bike feel very unstable at anything over 70/80 mph (worse than a ST1300 in fact)

Friend of mine has a 1200S and loves it so I guess it's just horses for courses...i really wanted to love it but couldn't.

I'll just go back to my 1150GS now, old but terrific handling, glued to the road feeling, good torque range and most importantly for me, high in :D factor.

Also tried a 1200GSA yesterday...very dejected after the ride....rock-hard seat, seemed to be changing gear a lot more than the 1150 and just didn't seem to have the same get-up-and-go the 1150 has.....still, looks quite good I guess!

Marc (wishing you could buy brand new 1150GS's with ABS and no servos!)
 
not aiming to shoot the previous poster down in flames - but my opinion is completely opposite...... i love the GT.

having had an 1100 and 1200 gs since 05 ( and having done a fair few miles on both ) i recently bought an '07 K1200GT ..... in the 6 weeks i have had the GT i have not ridden the 1200 gs once... i rode the 1100 the other day just to give it a run - - but it's on TKC80s and harder to compare to the GT..... although ( both ) GS are great, i am absolutely loving the GT......

just as comfortable, even on long trips, and goes anywhere i'd take my 1200 GS ( road tyres fitted to the 1200 gs )...... the GT filters just as well as the GS in the city, and massively out performs the GS on all other roads except maybe rural / country lanes with crappy surface where you're never going to get over 30mph........

i was also lucky enough to also have a couple of RTs over the past 2 years ( "old shape " ! ) i am only 5' 7 and a half ... and i find the weather protection on the GT 90 - 95% as good as on the RT........

oh, and power rangers now give me the nod ( haven't had that in a few years of GSs and RTs..... )

i did ride a few used 1200GTs before finding the one i bought - - and none "seemed right" but this ones a peach, bar the clunky gear box... ( particularly neutral into first )........

my bike is solid from 1mph to erm - well - "high" speeds with big ( bmw ) top box- i expereince absolutely no high speed wobble / weave...

seat is better than the ( low seat ) on my 1200gs - it's heated and more comfortable - ( but not nearly as comfy as seat on ( old shape ) RT ).....

headlight is better, electric screen is also +.

like i said before - i am very lucky to have more than one bike - - but if i HAD to choose to keep only one bike ( baring in mind i am a big fan of the GS having done lots and lots of miles on them.... ) i would not hesitate in picking the GT every time.... ( if i lived "rural" then maybe i'd pick the 1100 GS ).

i won't witter on ( oops, too late ) enjoy your weekend........

london gsers give me the nod if you see me..... silver '07 1200GT.... black BMW coveralls, silver shoei multitech. :thumb
 
[email protected] said:
Going from a GS to a K? Think carefully......recently made a near costly mistake after being seduced by the BHP/newness/looks of a 1200GT on a 08 plate....thought it was great on the test ride so bought it...

Now, a month and a half later its going....if you're used to GS riding (and like GS type riding), its so very different....the K was so like riding a Jap bike in the end....seat was crap after more than an hour, handling is what I can only describe as slightly "knife-edge"? It's difficult to put into words but you get to the end of the ride and you know you've ridden a bike (which I know some people would find a + thing). I came to the conclusion that if your concentration dropped even momentarily on a fast A road the bike could have you on a bend.....

Was also majorly p*ssed off with the screen....tried the standard BM screen, the high BM screen and a Calsci high screen, all of which had issues with turbulence (you're better off putting up with the standard screen).

Oh, and don't both with the £500 BMW topcase that will make the bike feel very unstable at anything over 70/80 mph (worse than a ST1300 in fact)

Friend of mine has a 1200S and loves it so I guess it's just horses for courses...i really wanted to love it but couldn't.

I'll just go back to my 1150GS now, old but terrific handling, glued to the road feeling, good torque range and most importantly for me, high in :D factor.

Also tried a 1200GSA yesterday...very dejected after the ride....rock-hard seat, seemed to be changing gear a lot more than the 1150 and just didn't seem to have the same get-up-and-go the 1150 has.....still, looks quite good I guess!

Marc (wishing you could buy brand new 1150GS's with ABS and no servos!)
Click to expand...



I know what you mean about the GT.

Last week I had a 90 min demo on the K13S followed by same time on K13GT.

I nearly took the GT back after 2 miles but as it was a nice day.........

Anyway,as I think I said earlier in this thread,I didn't like the GT at all.

The seat felt wrongly shaped,the bars felt too high/close.

The screen was utter crap.

On highest setting just made a load of buffeting,so I left it on lowest setting where it was no better than the screen on the S.

The motor made a high pitched scream,whereas the S,with basically same motor growls. and the handling felt odd,as you say.

But,for me,the S model was an absolute revelation.

VERY comfy with reach to bars/pegs just right for my 6'1" frame.

Perfect FI (unlike K12S I rode some years ago).

And CW Motorcycles were such a pleasure to deal with (unlike my useless local car-orientated BM dealer) and offered me a good part ex on my GSA that I am getting one with all the toys with delivery due end April.

So hopefully have it for June trip to Millau/Tarn/Pyrenees etc.

Went for the faster colour :

<img src="http://img.skitch.com/20090328-taf81rphe4c9xcspkgck8q36h.jpg" alt="02bmw-k1300-s.jpg"/>


And I still have my KTM 950SE,which does everything that the GSA did,if not better,with the exception of removable luggage-but nothing a 30 litre dry bag and tail pack can't cope with.
 
Better pic :

<img src="http://img.skitch.com/20090328-c2b86dbywrrwk56b6ccb4wsc1f.jpg" alt="PqeoJ39-b3f679fd60710cbb09d3221b3d8e517a.jpg"/>
 
[email protected] said:
I'll just go back to my 1150GS now, old but terrific handling, glued to the road feeling, good torque range and most importantly for me, high in :D factor.

Also tried a 1200GSA yesterday...very dejected after the ride....rock-hard seat, seemed to be changing gear a lot more than the 1150 and just didn't seem to have the same get-up-and-go the 1150 has.....still, looks quite good I guess!

Marc (wishing you could buy brand new 1150GS's with ABS and no servos!)
Click to expand...

Exactly the same views as myself.................:thumb
 
lardyboy said:
Your taking your time Arsey aren't ya - not like you !

You gettin rid of the GSA for any particular reason ? :augie
Click to expand...

End of April was first bike in that colour available.


Loved the GSA but just don't use it locally as prefer other bikes so it really only gets used once a year on a big trip.

But I'll take the K13S instead when we go in June to Millau/Tarn/Pyrenees etc and I have my 950SE which does everything the GSA did and more,with the exception of carrying luggage with ease.

I'm taking the 950 in Sept on Magnum's Alps trip so the GSA wasn't going to get much use.

And the K13S blew me away with it's combination of speed/comfort/practicality.


Plus my fcuking brother has bought a GSA,as you know and the bloody things are everywhere now.
 
K13S and GT

was passing bahnstormers the other day and decided that i needed a fag and a coffee so thought good as anywhere to stop. now, i had just been out for the day on my trusty Blackbird having done somewhere in the region of 230 miles. now i love my BB and this is my second one, but for some reason that day, i was suffering with wrist ache and a certain amount of buttt ache as well. Having said that, i had been out with a bunch of others, on a spirited run out, chasing things like KTM950SMs along twisty lanes, so was never going to be a 'relaxing' ride!
So, back to the plot. My first thought on arrival, was that the GT could be the answer to wrist and butt ache (especially with heated seat option:D), but i do like my sporty inline 4s, so could the K13S be that much better than the BB.
To cut a long story short, after a very helpful disscussion with the salesman, i will be going and testing both sometime next week.
They will have to be very good if i am to change tho, to justify the massive extra expeniture. I reckon i could put on an Ohlins, a set of bar risers, and an MRA screen, and have the saddle re shaped with gel inserts for alot less than the change price.............but watch this space!!!:augie
 
Arsey said:
End of April was first bike in that colour available.


Plus my fcuking brother has bought a GSA,as you know and the bloody things are everywhere now.
Click to expand...

:D You dont say !!!!

Love the look of the K1300s but only room for one bike at the moment - haas your brother got that pipe fitted yet ?
 
lardyboy said:
:D You dont say !!!!

Love the look of the K1300s but only room for one bike at the moment - haas your brother got that pipe fitted yet ?
Click to expand...


Dunno,I've been in St Lucia all week.Leaving tonight.


lardyboy said:
Or lemons ;)

Neil still got the Blade then, I've been away for a week so wasn't sure :D
Click to expand...


See above
 
K13 ride

I was lucky enough to take out the K13 GT from Bahnstormers and was greatly impressed. Having read the comments from others on this thread re. the screen I attach a photo of the one they have decided to use - its a much bigger aftermarket (but I forget by whom!)
I was pleasantly suprised by the level of comfort, did not get the dreaded numb bum, and made suprising use of the powered screen depending on the situation and speed (eg up the M3 loads of buffeting from other vehicles so screen right up).
I was also well pleased with that comfortable feeling through the bumpy bits - I pulled out onto a B road and quickly had a Buell on my tail - through the bumpies and twisties he soon dropped back disappering from sight as if I was in a time warp - all to do with the bike and nothing to do with me as I was reading the road from scratch.
And performance... I only own the one bike but am lucky enough to ride plenty of others, so I can vouch for its full-on drive from whatever revs to at least 69mph :toungincheek Low speed no problem pottering through Alton in whatever gear it mattered not, and as the road opened up so it was possible to just open the throttle from any revs in top gear - perfect fuelling.
Weight of the machine and position of controls for me were no problem, (5`8" and 29" but who`s asking?) so it was a great day for thinking long and hard about this true Gran Tourismo. Easy to imagine cruising to the South (Biarritz, not Bognor) in a day and getting off the bike as comfortable as you had started.
Only room for 1 in the garage, but this has certainly made me think long and hard about my choices. If only to have enoyugh room in the garage... declare UDI on the neighbours kitchen, or put up the barracades in the lane or....

5 points for the Tosser who can tell me where I was in the photo (no, I do not have a clue)
 

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