My new 1600 GT

I took a 1600GT out for a few hours recently.

Loved....
The engine - silky smooth, very powerful and grunty.

The sound – I bet it would sound even better with a pair of Akra’s though.

The Handling and ride – it’s a heavy beast, but surprisingly nimble and well damped.

The fairing/screen – excellent and really useful electric screen…

The gadgets – lots of buttons to play with.

Hated…
The bloody gearbox - I’ve been riding GS’s for 10 years now. But the gear box on the 1600 I rode, was more clunky and notchy than my old 1150GS, and that one was bad.:blast
They’re not all like that are they:confused: Cause it really put me off liking the bike.
BMW can do good gearboxes. The one on my S1000RR was a peach (and even my GSA's box aint bad)….

:(:(
 
I've not found the gearbox a problem.

Some have reported a drive line snatch at low speed, though can't say it bothers me.

The bike has a long wheelbase and the direct throttle quite sensitive, so on bumpy roads you can find the speed varying as you roll over the bumps.

It is impressively easy to ride at slow speed. I think it is very well designed - a lot of thought has gone onto the features and it is user friendly (central locking, light in top box, etc)

Take it on a motorway, ride at 80mph, drop down to 5th or 4th and accelerate. Then you'll feel the magic ;)
 
Could someone tell me wether my bike 2011 SE bike would have tyre sensor on the bike.

Also wondering wether to fit my auto com to radio and sat nav or try BMW bt

Thank you
 
Bluetooth is very low volume even on max setting.

I wear ear plugs and I can hear the instructions and radio from the bike speakers at 70MPH or less.

BUT i can hardly hear the earphones from the BMW bluetooth unit on MAX volume.
 
Well, I'm impressed now.

Wapping, Are you a riding God. Why am i asking?? Well ,you said, "You'll know when the tyre is shot as it slides " If I was sliding a bike weighing as much as that does , make no mistake about it, I would be SHITTING myself, followed by getting off it and going for a nice long walk to calm down.:augie:bow
 
" If I was sliding a bike weighing as much as that does , make no mistake about it, I would be SHITTING myself, followed by getting off it and going for a nice long walk to calm down.:augie:bow

You can feel it slipping and sliding away. Not the usual squirming of a bike under hard acceleration. It won't hold a line through a fast bend, the worn tyre literally being pulled between a part of the tyre that is gripping and a part that is not, made worse as the tyre has to climb over the pronounced ridge between the worn crown and less worn side...You get: Some grip.... climb....fall over the edge (that's where the problem happens, while the bike teeters on the edge of the ridge).... grip.....

The Metzler has a very pronounced 'crown' from new, which means the tyre yaws (left to right to left) really well. But it wears in a very odd fashion, suddenly going from rubber to inner core in quite a short period. I switched the first front and rear set slightly above the minimum legal limit of 1mm left. The second set I thought I would / could take down a bit further.... BIG MISTAKE..... The wear rate accelerates dramatically thereafter....manifesting itself in a bike that is definitely not behaving itself quite as it should.

Rest assured I will not be making that error again.

Put new rubber on it and normal service is resumed..... a pull to the left.:D
 
You can feel it slipping and sliding away. Not the usual squirming of a bike under hard acceleration. It won't hold a line through a fast bend, the worn tyre literally being pulled between a part of the tyre that is gripping and a part that is not, made worse as the tyre has to climb over the pronounced ridge between the worn crown and less worn side...You get: Some grip.... climb....fall over the edge (that's where the problem happens, while the bike teeters on the edge of the ridge).... grip.....

The Metzler has a very pronounced 'crown' from new, which means the tyre yaws (left to right to left) really well. But it wears in a very odd fashion, suddenly going from rubber to inner core in quite a short period. I switched the first front and rear set slightly above the minimum legal limit of 1mm left. The second set I thought I would / could take down a bit further.... BIG MISTAKE..... The wear rate accelerates dramatically thereafter....manifesting itself in a bike that is definitely not behaving itself quite as it should.

Rest assured I will not be making that error again.

Put new rubber on it and normal service is resumed..... a pull to the left.:D

:blagblah :blagblah :blagblah

Which roughly translates as yes, I am indeed the biking equivalent of the Stig

:D
 
Could someone tell me wether my bike 2011 SE bike would have tyre sensor on the bike.

Someone = Your dealer, for sure. Give them a call, it will justify their fee.

Also wondering wether to fit my auto com to radio and sat nav or try BMW bt

Well, that's up to you.

If you have the radio and the alarm fitted, there is not a lot of room under the seat.

See the 1200GT forums in the US for all sorts of ideas where to fit 'stuff'.

Me, I use a Scala Bluetooth. Seems to work OK and have little desire to jibber to my fellow motorcyclists as we ride along.
 
Thanks for the input hope to see my dealer tomorrow and think I will stick with the autocom for the time being. It looks like it will fit behind the rear seat, I don't have an alarm fitted.

I saw a nice one coming down the M4 today with Remus exhausts on, seemed to be in a bit of a hurry, I couldnt keep up in my Merc van!
 
Seems to be

Quite a no of these low mileage missiles turning up on fleabay

Got to be pretty expensive to run when the enjoyment level is ramped up

Wouldn,t keep my licence for more than 5 mins with one

No way could i keep it down to warp factor sensible

Looks the part though :thumb2
 
5k on both tyres :tears

still....

i'm 20 years too young to buy one....:D:D:D

one day though :D

- it sounds like 2 wheel equivalent of a porsche 928 in its hayday :bow
 
8500 miles so far and loving it. 3x 400 mile days to come riding down to Rome - bring it on!

Fantastic bike!!

Just back from Rome - 5 days of 700+km, 4 days of 600km

I've done 11000 miles in the first year.

Still enamoured

Tyres just about shot by the long hot motorway miles (35'c in Rome, rising to 45'c this week :eek:)

Ridiculous easy to cover long miles at ridiculous speeds.

It is a very well thought out bike with many features which make life easy. I cannot think of another bike which could carry a load of luggage, slice throughout the autoroute all day at 140+kph and then hustle up and down the Gottard pass.



BTW
No need for hi viz jackets as far as I can see
Drivers and riders were very courteous in every country
Riding into Rome was easy and pleasant

I have the address of the best hotel I have ever stayed in, in the most beautiful part of Tuscany if anyone wants to pm me!
 
Nice bike. I prefer the GT to the GTL, don't like all that fake chrome....

I also think its reasonably priced for what it is, after all a loaded R1 is 14k now!!
 
Hi all,

Just thought I would let you know a little about my new bike!

If you haven't ridden one, I suggest you just go and have a ride on one, just to see how nice that 6 cylinder engine is.

After my 800 Triumph, which I must admit I have no complaints about if I was riding solo and it had a shaft drive I would have probably kept the Triumph, the 1600 is like the two 800's put together.

It also keeps my wife happy on the back, but you have to keep your eye on your speedo!

Everything the Goldwing has and it just handles like a dream.

I had a 1200RT previously and although it does everything it says 'on the can' I just find it slightly boring to ride, whereas the 1600 although probably not much difference in output, it just feels a totally different bike.

All in all, I am very happy with the bike and attach some pictures for you to see.

They are not the best pics - will get some better ones when the sun comes out!

David



Monster of a yoke
 


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