K1600 vs 1250 GSA

[grantmac]

Ok so I’m going to ask the question although I know the answer is all down to personal choice.
Love my 1250 GSA Tripple Black. Great riding position. I’m 6’2 and 100kg. I find the bike is heavy but general comfort riding position is good for someone of my height.
I am not going for the new 1300 but am interested in the K1600 post 2022 model. Interested in the pro’s and con’s from those that have one. Thinking of maybe a second bike or part ex

And yes I have booked a test ride in a couple of weeks time….

 

[DJ123]

Whilst you find the GS weighty -the K1600 is nigh on 80 KG heavier......

 

[Frankh]

Whilst you find the GS weighty -the K1600 is nigh on 80 KG heavier......

But a much lower seat and a reverse gear

 

[DJ123]

Braking, Cornering, picking it up......it still weights more

 

[stonehenge]

Why not a RT?

 

[Wapping]

I have had a 1600 since they were first launched, racking up miles on them.

They are heavy bikes, genuinely benefitting from the reverse gear. That said, the weight vanishes on the move. Though that is not entirely true. You do not want to get the thing pointing in the wrong direction…..

Comfort? All day.

Luggage? More than adequate. The huge top box is heavy, just on its own. I dispensed with using it, then I went back to it, now I have dispensed with it again

Equipment? Everything you will ever need. It weighs enough without adding any bling

Speed? Self evident.

Lights? Tip-top

Tyres? It eats them. 4,200 miles front and rear together. Do not try to do 4,300….

Screen? Fully adjustable, electric

Heated seats and grips? Perfection

Central locking? Genius

Keyless ride? Genius

Engine modes? All make a difference

Very much more popular on the Continent, than here in the UK

Things to watch out for:

Some, not all, can use oil. Nothing to worry about

Keep the radiator clean or it WILL overheat and blow its coolant down the road

Some bikes still have the odd ‘egg beater’ noise. It’s nothing to worry about.

Buy and ride with confidence.

 

[grantmac]

But a much lower seat and a reverse gear

runs on the starter motor doesn't it?

 

[Wapping]

runs on the starter motor doesn't it?

Yes.

 

[grantmac]

Why not a RT?

Never been a fan really.

 

[grantmac]

I had an old (2011) Triumph Rocket Touring. Far too heavy weighing in at 395kg. Useless around any corners because of weight but the foot rests scraped the ground. Sitting position was ok in a straight line but again not great for any bends. I am not a big fan or hairpins or really twisty roads but more the more sweeping ones and covering longer distances (300km) in a day on Continental A and B roads.
Was also going to have a look at the Goldwing .

 

[Doc]

Enjoyed ours but it was the K1600B
Cracking bike and as for the engine

 

[Richie N]

Why not a RT?

I agree, try both?

I’ve been on GSA’s for ten years and test rode an RT last year. It was a cracking ride - I’m not overly mad on its looks but it will likely be my next bike..

 

[fatbaldbob]

Been there, done that in almost identical circumstances; 6’2” 105 kg, went from 1200 TB GSA to a 2018 K1600GT. I found the K to be a tiny cramped bike compared to the GSA. There was also a lot less wind and weather protection, mostly around the knees and legs, even after changing the K screen to a huge aftermarket one. Handle bars were still too low, narrow and too close to me even after having risers fitted. Shoulders, neck and arse ached in less than an hour. It eats tyres as mentioned, the major service will prob be north of £1k when the valves need done. My wife also said she felt a lot more exposed to the weather particularly around the legs and the seat was not as comfortable as the GSA.
Now for the most controversial comment and no doubt many will argue but: I found it underpowered yes it has 160HP but for me to get the best from it you need to ride it like a two stroke and keep the revs up. It’s a silky smooth motor and will pull from low down in any gear but to really get it to go I found myself having to downshift quite often, which I didn’t expect to have to do in situations where the GSA would have pulled away in top no bother. When you do that it will go, but at 50 to 60 mph when going for an overtake there wasn’t enough on tap without dropping a gear or two for a rapid pass. Also when in top it always felt and sounded like it needed an extra gear. The level of kit on it was excellent, luggage, heated seat and grips, reverse etc the list is endless, lights were without doubt the best I’ve ever experienced on a bike. I believe the newer versions have had a few engine tweaks so may go better than mine. Personally I would try and get a long test ride on one before making a decision. Also the depreciation on them is a lot more than a GS. Long story short, for me it was a bad decision and I wanted to change back but dealer wouldn’t even take it back from me as quote “ we already have 4 in the showroom we can’t shift so not interested” I ended up riding it 630 miles which was agony (arse and shoulders) to another dealer (Indian) and traded it for an Indian Roadmaster at a big loss having owned it for only 6 months.

 

[Arsey]

Enjoyed ours but it was the K1600B
Cracking bike and as for the engine

We saw one in the ferry queue at Plymouth a couple of weeks back .
It was a new model and had Remus exhausts.
Sounded the bollox.

 

[grantmac]

How’s your Goldwing?
Also going to have a look at that as option.
Good to have the original Arsey back

 

[Arsey]

How’s your Goldwing?
Also going to have a look at that as option.
Good to have the original Arsey back

Goldwing is brilliant.
Loved it in Germany/Austria this summer. Hopefully taking it to Brittany in a couple of weeks if weather ok.
I now have the workshop manuals for it having bumped into Stever1 when away.
He kindly showed me how to resync the DCT and also reset the parking brake.
The DCT is utterly brilliant and being able to take it back to a new whenever you want is a game changer.
Go try one . Genius bikes.

 

[Wapping]

Yes, it’s basically a normally aspirated car engine, so it likes to rev. It won’t break, that’s for sure.

Don’t bother with any aftermarket exhausts. All they do is make noise, which does nothing for the length of your willy. If anything it reduces it, as folk will say: “He’s a bit of a cock”.

 

[Pepsi]

I’ve owned two K1600’s, they are way better for touring than a GS/GSA but for everyday commutes etc, I wouldn’t say so.

 

[squibb34]

There are some excellent deals around if you fancy a low mileage approved used K16, whichever derivative, as dealers are struggling to shift them. I was an early adopter (aka BMW beta test jockey) & suffered all manner of problems, but I see my old bike has over 60k on the clock now so seems to have treated subsequent owners well enough. I always found the engine sweet, smooth & had plenty of punch, albeit not of the Hayabusa ballistic variety.

Wapping covers most aspects. Cooling is marginal, so keeping the rad clean is essential, as the lower third just catches road muck nicely - it's a tightly spaced 6 so can get hot & bothered in traffic or on say a slow mountain pass. They could really do with twin fans, a bigger rad or a VR6 VVT configuration, but there is little/no appetite for any major changes. The starter motor powers reverse (2017>), via a cable link & a somewhat Heath Robinson worm drive affair, so a bit of an afterthought compared with a GW - a few owners have had problems there, sometimes of the eye-watering expensive variety, but it's not something that is likely to leave you stranded. Another occasional issue is the starter sprag clutch, which slips & fails to spin up the engine, but this usually gives prior warning. The pillion provision isn't quite as luxurious/roomy as it appears & some find the panniers intrude, if that matters.

My take is that the Wing is probably the more worthy grand tourer. Well resolved if a tad 'beige' in character, whereas the K16, at least in GT spec, is a very capable heavyweight sports tourer. The GTL, B & GA all have speed restrictions, as does the GW.

Take a look at the marque forum if you need detail ......... k1600forum.com/forum/uk-riders/

 

[Arsey]

My take is that the Wing is probably the more worthy grand tourer. Well resolved if a tad 'beige' in character, whereas the K16, at least in GT spec, is a very capable heavyweight sports tourer. The GTL, B & GA all have speed restrictions, as does the GW.

Having ridden both the Wing and the 1600 before buying the Wing, ‘beige’ is the last word I’d use to describe the Wing.
The 1600 may have more power on paper for WWW* (see above ) but I much preferred the handling of the Wing, plus of course the DCT was the deal-clincher.And Wings aren’t recalled every 6 weeks









*Wapping Willy Waving