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Test Ride a next-gen BMW K1200GT

6K views 17 replies 10 participants last post by  aa3jy 
#1 ·
Rumor has it that BMW of Atlanta will have the K1200GT available for test rides this weekend:

Well gang,....if you're in Daytona you may have the opportunity to test ride the new R1200S. That is not confirmed yet,...however you will be able to ride the new R1200GS Adventure and K1200GT for certain. And for you Atlanta folk,....BMW NA will be doing test rides at the IMS Galleria show March 17,18,19th

I will post some pics and maybe even a ride report at a later date as the BMW NA demo trucks happen to be parked here for the next week


I might even have a ride report to make the good Dr foam at the mouth and come out of hiding,......hahahaha!!!!!!

__________________
Bobby Wooldridge, Jr
BMW Motorcycles of Atlanta
 
#2 ·
Rumor no more. I just got off the phone with Bob, and the K1200GT will definitely be at the IMS show for demo rides. They just performed the 600 mile service on it and it's ready to go. Bob hasn't ridden it yet, but he has reports from the people who have that it is a great machine. May can't get here soon enough. ;)
 
#4 ·
K1200GT demo rides

What really erkd me..was the demo rides where booked all week long during Bike Week..however 2 bikes where sitting pretty doing nothing and I know they have a fleet of 'em for their VIPs up in there NJ headquarters covered parking lot.....................
 
#6 ·
ATL show

sportrider said:
Hmmm...wonder what the wait list will be like? I plan on going Saturday - anyone else?
I'm going Friday but the show doesn't start until 4P. You know ATL traffic! Trying to do a test ride in traffic at Friday rush hour would be horrible but I'll do it anyway if possible. Hopefully there won't be a crowd that early.

If you are going to try a test ride, be sure to bring your gear. It will NOT be provided.

Doug
 
#9 ·
#10 ·
IMS Atlanta Test Ride

There's good news and bad news relating to my "test ride". The bad news is I didn't actually get a chance to ride. I had a couple of shots at it, standby and a reservation, but wasn't able to be there at the appointed time. A bummer. But the good news is I did get to see both of the GT's, the "white" and the gray and here are my observations. The glacier white color is acutally a mother of pearl that is very attractive in person. The gray is, well gray. Sitting on the bike was very comfortable, flat footed and handlebars in the perfect position for me, which was all the way up/back. I really liked how light the bike felt, really wished I could have taken the ride. It looks better in person and the fit/finish is flawless.

I spoke with the guy who did get to demo the bike and he was comparing it to his LT, pros and cons. His comment was that the bike was MUCH lighter than his LT and that it had gobs of power, almost scary limits. If you get the chance, take the test ride.

Bottom line, it sold me. It's the bike I'm going to get when funds permit.
 
#11 ·
Loggiebone said:
I'm going Friday but the show doesn't start until 4P. You know ATL traffic! Trying to do a test ride in traffic at Friday rush hour would be horrible but I'll do it anyway if possible. Hopefully there won't be a crowd that early.

If you are going to try a test ride, be sure to bring your gear. It will NOT be provided.

Doug
Did you get a chance to ride it?
 
#15 ·
My first post on this site. I was at the Atlanta show and went with the intention to ride the GT! I sold my RT-P I used for off duty work to get the GT! I like so many was unable to get on the list. There was two at the show and one for demo rides. I followed the GT on an S and was happy to see how it performed two up! The lucky winner was a current owner of an LT. Not sure what his overall opinion was as he seemed to still be soaking it all in when we got back from a very, very, slow 17 mile trip!
I did play with it and was able to start it and sit on it for a minute! It sounded and felt like the S as far sitting there! I also played with the one in the show room a lot! I found only two things that disturbed me and I hope some one here can ease my weariness, as I am getting the first one I can get my hands on with the options I want!

1st: Both the handles / grips were loose to include the clutch and brake assembly, the entire assembly would rotate almost a half inch. There is a small metal bracket that connects the handles to the bars at the bottom with a rubber washer on both sides. Very different than what I am used to seeing or feeling. This may be a preproduction issue or a problem with the bike not being assembled correctly at the dealer. regardless it seemed like it would lead to a reduced feedback from the steering too me.

2nd: The center stand. I have ridden or at least taken all the bikes off and on the center stand and was very surprised to find how easy it was to put the bike on the center stand, taking it off is another story all together. I am 6' 155 lbs (skinny) and I struggled with it and even after doing it several times found it to be something that will look funny at the gas station as you struggle to get it off at the very least. I may not have done it right but even the BMW staff there at the show had a hard time with it! I know the K bikes are not balanced on the stand like the RT and the weight is up forward but you can still ride them off the stand on some of them. Not this one it seems at least not with my skinny tail.

Any feed back on these issues would be appreciated! Finally, my apologies in advance if my first post here is to long or off key from what is wanted here. I am adding a link to a FJR forum where there are several pictures of both the GT with and without the side bags and of my riding buddy on his FJR. Many people compare these two bikes and we will put them head to head every weekend as we almost always ride together and go on longer out of state trips every other month. If our new bikes, my GT and his FJR ever get here and any updates on when that might be are also welcome!

http://www.fjrforum.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=6341
 
#16 ·
I left out a detail in my first reply and this is my second attempt to post this so if it shows up twice sorry!
The walls mounted on the side of the GT are basically the same size as the S but look very diffrent. There is a triangular indention at the back of the fairing which in my humble opinion would be a great place to fill with the dark reflective decal and would do wanders for visibility and do a great job of breaking up that wall on the side. I will probably take some of the materail to be cut to look like a vent like the one on the FJR and put it on my GT when it arrives!
 
#17 ·
The bike was a pre-production bike so hard to tell if there were any issues as a result. The left grip assembly was loose as well as the throttle cables needed adjusted when I rode it on Friday. That's just maintenance...there is no problem. The control assemblies that are used on the GT are the same ones that have been around for several years and they are trouble-free.

The centerstand is just an item that takes some getting used to. Many people smaller than you handle them with ease. It's a leverage thing. For me, to take it off the center stand I bias the left side and push with my left leg while "rocking" the bike forward. It just takes practice.
 
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