I justed traded in my 05 BMW RT for a 08 Road King Classic. The BMW is a great bike. The only thing wrong with the BMW is you do not have people to ride with.
CW

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ztJ6uQJkBg

TheBMW1200LT has some great qualities,but after watching this I had to go out to the garage and give my HD a bighug.
[sm=icon_quiet.gif]

 

I just did the same with my bike. That vid says it all. People with class ride HD's and........ well........... you know[8D].


Oh yea! How Bout RESALE!!!!!!!!!!! you will lose your butt on the BMW or any metric.

 

In the last 2 years I owned an '05 LT, '05 R1200RT, '02 GL1800, and now an '07 Ultra. I never got comfortable on the Beemers. The LT sits too high and has bad manners at slow speeds. But it does have reverse and ABS...big plus! And most come with heated grips and seat. Power windshield is standard. Power hydraulic center stand was added in '05. But the high profile tank was very confining for me and the my knees always were bent back a bit too much. The RT was a fun bike...very nimble....but again, never fit me right. The GL1800 was for me, the ultimate touring bike. You can't beat the 6cyl power plant. Fast. and plenty of smooth torque in every gear. Very comfortable on the long haul. Reverse is standard. But after 1 year I was bored.

Aaah! And that brings me to the Ultra. Lacks the overall performance and handling (remember, the others have frame mounted fairings) of the others, but has PERSONALITY AND SOUL! And, in my opinion, is the most beautiful of the group. The Beemer and the Wing are sterile. There is an intangible "something" about a bike that has it's roots in a 105 year old company, and still sports a "retro" look. I don't know how else to describe it. But I concur with the advice you have received here: drive each and judge for yourself, because in the end, yours is the ONLY opinion that matters.

Finally, I suggest you post this question on bmwlt.com. I guaranty you'll get a very different array of responses, with less than kind opinions of the Ultra.

[IMG] [/IMG]

 

At least the Ultra looks like a motorcycle, the other two look like big scooters.

 

I test rode a BMW LT before buying an Ultra Classic. I liked the LT's power but the bike was top heavy, it had too much plastic, and my wife didn't like the ergos.

BMWs maintain good resale value. I tend to change bikes often and this is one reason I like the marque. Today, BMW's resale value is on par with Harley, especially now that market correction has brought Harleys in line with book value.

 

I wouldn't bet on top resale value on a KLT.

 

When they finally replace the motor (the new K1200 motor)and they fix seating postion it will once again compete with the Wing.

 

I had an 04 RT and an 05 LT. RT is a great bike, but not good for riding two up. The LT is stable at high speeds and runs all day at any high speed, but like other have noted, it's a monster at parking lot speeds and nothing like the handling on my Ultra.

 

I've owned 2 k1200lt bikes. By far probably the most comfortable bikes I've ever owned. I could ride all day and not be fatigued. I would ride with harley riders that usually would stop about every 100 to 150 miles to stretch there legs and such. My wife loved the seat on the 1200lt much more than any Harley I've owned. The 1200 lt has a 300+ mile range for fuel opposed to the 200+ mile range Harley has. A stock 1200lt if ridden properly will smoke any stock touring Harley in a race. The BMW is a much more refined motorcycle than any Harley. The ergonomics of the BMW is much better for long rides. I once rode an 860 trip in just a tad over 12 hours and did not feel the least bit fatigued when I got off the bike. There is a reason most Iron Butt riders ride these bikes. Never had any major mechanical problems and did all my own service.
Now for the downfalls of the bike. I think in order to handle the bike properly you need at least a 33" inseam as the bike is tall. I have a 30" inseam. With all the plastic trim on the bike it seems like a giant sail making navigation through cross winds somewhat tedious. Slow speed handling (parking lot speeds) are challenging on the pre 05's. You need a lot of confidence in high speed cornering with the bike because of the top heavy feel the bike has. It will corner a lot better than a Harley you just need to build up the guts to go for it. The bike has zero personality and often times on long rides I felt as though I could fall asleep because it's so smooth and uneventful. The side stands on the BMW K1200lt suck always use the center stand.

I'm no longer riding like I used to 6-7k miles a month and that is the reason I no longer ride the BMW's. I'm riding about 1k a month and my Harley RG is just fine for that. The Harley seems to be a little better bike around town in fact handles like a moped compared to the BMW in congested conditions. The Harley has been more than adequate on my short trips of 4 or 500 miles and has been a delight to ride as it has a lot of personality. I will say though, if I was going to do some serious riding and put a ton of miles on I would have to reconsider a BMW.