ditto!

 

IMO, H-D yes, Beemer NO!

 

I'm not sure you can compare needing to get a passenger backrest (one single thing, which one would also have to get for a Street Glide given the same constraints) to the wealth of accessories the average buyer would get for the HD, and I know, because I accessorized both of my Street Glides.

But hey, if that's hilarious, glad you enjoyed!

 

Agreed, "different" is what I was after this time around too.

 

I've ridden K1600GTL and it was on my short list. If the new K1600B had some sort of trunk, it would likely be in my garage now.

Plan on testing riding one soon. Guessing I'll get it and the 15 RGS will be gone. I love the RGS, but I think this will be too much bike to pass up. I ride harder than my RG can really handle. I'll be keeping my 03 RKC forever tho.

 

I purchased a 2014 K1600 GTLE last December, rode it for a few hundred miles, and sold it this past April. Had it for 3 months. Fantastic performance, lots of good tech features, but ultimately it was a mismatch for my style of riding, which is basically cruising, with an occasional throttle excursion to get up to speed quickly. I have since picked up a 2015 Ultra Ltd and it's a perfect fit for my kind of riding, and my wife is thrilled about the tour-pack back rest. Also factor in you'll need a new set of riding gear, to include helmet. I did note that the K1600 family are big-time into being "fully networked" while riding: wireless comms, navigation and high tech helmets, and they're not fans of loud stereo speakers. Definitely demo ride the 1600B and think about if it fits your style of riding. If I had money to burn, I would have kept it as a 3rd bike...

 

Two Bikes, from two different worlds.

If you ride at high speeds with a radar detector, and cover 6 or 7 hundred miles
a day to the destination.
BMW may be for you.

That being said, when riding you like comfort, carry a passenger, stop to take a picture or
two from time to time. You may ride at a relaxed pace, and it's the ride not the destination.
Harley might be your Bike.

John

 

dont forget you mentioned needing a stereo upgrade and a tour pack... this i assume will be just the start of your.... " dont need to buy anything for it" purchases..... yes it came across very funny.... enjoy your ride... ride safe

 

Several have said that they think the Beemer is a better long-haul bike than a Harley could be. I've been riding long-haul Japanese bikes most of my life, over 50 years. I like to flog the bike hard and yes, I can ride an 800 mile day, and have done so on my FLHTCU.

The Harley is as good a long-haul bike as any Beemer, or anything else, frankly. When I bought my FLHTCU I had a mission: keep it bone stock, ride the **** out of it, wear it out by the time it is paid off. I have kept that mission, and am now at 34k miles, in a little over a year-and-a-half. I've had very few mechanical issues. Small things, like the gas cap, and an oil leak on the rear rocker box. All easy to fix, and within the "norm" for a modern machine. I would expect the Beemer to be no better, and probably worse. I've owned two Beemers. Both were problem children that had to be band-aided constantly.

I've ridden my FLHTCU across the desert (I live in a desert) at 106f. I've ridden it from Santa Fe to Los Angeles in one day. I've ridden it in pouring cold rain in Texas in October. I use it for daily transportation. And I do all my own work on it. It is utterly reliable, the best long haul motorcycle I've ever owned.

 

As the OP, I rode the K1600B today. What a machine! Really liked how the 6cyl sounded and felt. The hard thing for me was the shifter. Not accustomed to the BMW shifter. The brakes and clutch work really nice. The reverse would be nice at times as well. Over all I'm impressed. Now I need to test ride a 114 Heritage.