BMW K 1600 GT 2016 — Specifications

Six cylinders in line under the nose, 1649 cc that purr like a well-fed wildcat, and 160 horsepower available at 7750 rpm. When BMW released the BMW K 1600 GT, no one really understood why a manufacturer would inflict the complexity of a six-cylinder engine in a chassis that was already substantial. Then everyone heard the engine turning over at mid-range on a deserted national road, and the debate stopped there.

The figure that sums it all up is 175 Nm of torque at 5250 rpm. In concrete terms, you have, from as low as 1500 rpm, a surge that other sportbikes only achieve at their absolute peak. The shaft drive absorbs jolts without a hitch, and the 332 kg when fully fueled handles better than you might imagine, because the center of gravity is carefully worked. The announced top speed of 201 km/h tells only part of the story; it's the way the motorcycle gets there, with no apparent effort, in sixth gear, that truly impresses.

The 2016 version of the BMW K 1600 GT, with technical specifications to back it up, marks a turning point in standard equipment. ABS Pro adapts braking pressure according to the angle of inclination and lateral accelerations, which effectively prevents the front wheel from locking up in curves when you squeeze the dual-disc brakes with four-piston calipers too hard. The modulated brake light, which flashes according to the intensity of emergency braking, with automatic warning at the end of deceleration, is common sense rather than a gadget. Traction control had already been present since 2015 to channel the 160 horsepower. Hill Start Control and Keyless Ride, which remotely manages cases, steering, and ignition, complement a technological package that its direct rivals, Kawasaki GTR 1400, Honda Pan-European, or Yamaha FJR 1300, did not offer at this level of integration.

Compared to the GTL, its more patrician big sister, the BMW K 1600 GT, with a new price displayed at 21900 euros, positions itself as the sporty version of the family. Slightly lower handlebars, raised and recessed footpegs, a 810 mm seat, a less voluminous screen. The riding position leans more forward, without the machine becoming uncomfortable for all that. The chrome finishes of the cases disappear, the top case is no longer standard, but the BMW K 1600 GT luggage remains available as an option, and the list of BMW K 1600 GT accessories is long enough to personalize the machine according to its uses. The double-tube aluminum frame, the Duolever fork at the front and the Paralever at the rear, the adaptive headlight that orients itself in curves, the 5.7-inch TFT screen piloted by an iDrive wheel directly inspired by Bavarian Series 7s. All of this remains identical to the GTL.

The target audience is the grand touring rider who wants to swallow ten thousand kilometers a year without suffering, but who refuses to drive a rolling lounge. Someone who appreciates that consumption hovers around 4.5 liters per 100 despite the 1649 cc, that the 24-liter tank offers correct autonomy on the highway, and that the optional motorcycle K 1600 GT footpegs for the highway transform long stages into an almost restful exercise. On used BMW K 1600 GT models, recent years maintain a sustained value, which says something about the confidence that owners place in the mechanics. The most frequently cited BMW K 1600 GT problem remains the weight when maneuvering in underground parking lots, which is about the only real reproach that can be made of this machine. Six cylinders, shaft drive, high-end electronics at 21900 euros: for the price of a premium displacement, BMW offers something that no one else has put into production in this format.