BMW K 1600 Grand America 2024 — Specifications

Riding down a long highway on a summer evening, with six cylinders in line humming at 4000 rpm beneath the tank, is an experience few motorcycles can offer with this density. The BMW K 1600 Grand America is one of those rare machines that doesn’s seek to convince: it asserts itself.

Born in 2018 to meet an American market keen on large tourers with flowing style, this variant of the K 1600 B plays a different score than the Gold Wing and Harley-Davidson cruisers. The Bavarian approach prefers relative compactness to unrestrained American exuberance. The result is a taut silhouette, a diplomatic missile profile with a muscular front end and integrated saddlebags that run cleanly down the flank. These saddlebags, incidentally, have a known drawback for those seeking a used BMW K 1600 Grand America: they are too small for a full-face helmet. The top case largely compensates, but the compromise remains.

The heart of the machine is this 1649 cc inline six-cylinder engine with a 12.2:1 compression ratio, with bores of 72 mm for a stroke of 67.5 mm. Euro5 compliance led Munich engineers to rework engine management, and the result is positive. Torque climbs to 179.5 Nm at 5250 rpm, the maximum power of 160.5 horsepower now arrives at 6750 rpm instead of 7750, which means that the usable range widens towards the bottom. On the road, this translates to an engine that is more available at mid-range, more flexible in town despite the 370 kg to pull. The six-speed gearbox and shaft drive do the rest with this smoothness typical of long distances.

The onboard electronics read like the specification sheet of a high-end sedan. Three riding modes, traction control, active cornering ABS Pro, cruise control, semi-active Dynamic ESA suspension with two damping characteristics, tire pressure monitoring, hill start assist. The 10.25-inch screen accepts shared navigation and motorcycle data display. The revised audio system of the BMW K 1600 Grand America also deserves mention, much better integrated into the fairing than on previous versions. This level of equipment largely justifies a displayed price of 32,015 euros, a question that often comes up: how much does a new BMW K 1600 Grand America cost in 2024? The answer gives you pause, but no direct competitor offers this six-cylinder engine with this technological catalog.

The chassis remains that of the K 1600 since their launch, and no one complains. Aluminum perimeter frame, Duolever fork with longitudinal arms at the front, Paralever monobrach with cardan at the rear. Three 320 mm discs with radial four-piston calipers at the front and two pistons at the rear ensure the braking of a mass of 370 kg. The 750 mm saddle favors accessibility for average builds. The maximum speed is limited to 162 km/h, a deliberate choice by BMW for this grand touring tourer segment. The target is the long-distance rider who devours the kilometers with his music in the background, his heated grips and his electric windscreen; not the track rider seeking adrenaline. Every BMW K 1600 Grand America test leads to the same observation: whether it’s a 2020, a 2022 or the 2024, the fundamental character does not change. A high-tech German tourer that confronts American giants with its own arguments, without seeking to mimic their exuberance. It only lacks an automatic gearbox to convince the last holdouts.