Not Wowed By BMW 1600 GT

[1jeep]

Well for me at this point I am holding out to see if Kawi adds cruise to the connie by 2017. if not I might trade in for a bmw just not sure if it will be a 1600gt or r1200rt, after owning Harleys I seem to be "down sizing"

Either way my next one will have cruise, I don't need a radio or nav..had that on previous bikes and it sucked so I stick to the phone.

[maxtog]

Well for me at this point I am holding out to see if Kawi adds cruise to the connie by 2017. if not I might trade in for a bmw just not sure if it will be a 1600gt or r1200rt

If they don't, it can still be added for many, many, thousands of dollars less than the difference in cost between them.  So I wouldn't make that a deciding factor, myself.

[angelo]

Also, the 1600 looks like a whale on 2 wheels..

Haven't ridden a 16, but the BMW RT 1200 looks big, fat and bulky to me.  Then you ride it.  It is surprising to my eye how much lighter it feels and is according to spec sheets.

[1jeep]

I rode a 1600, it wasn't any better performance wise, it did feel bigger though. The 1200 I rode was a GS, which I fell in love with, I have heard how light the RT feels, but they had some serious suspension and head issues over the last couple years.

I have been tossing the idea of doing the rostra cruise over the winter, at this point I plan to keep the connie for at least a couple more years....so far she has been good to me.

[sailor_chic]

The Rostra is a great addition to a great bike. They can be a little tricky to install, but they are worth the effort. There is plenty of advanced knowledge on this forum in the event that you would need troubleshooting advice with the installation.

[dirtwiz]

Just my opinion but I could buy any bike I really wanted if I felt like it. I just could never feel like buying a BMW, especially new. I ride too many miles (18,000) per year and the cost would not be worth it to me. Even if it held together and thats doubtful after 3 years of that kind of riding. I buy slightly used Japanese bikes cheap (paid $8K for my 2011 C14 with 6K miles), set it up for me, ride the wheels off it, sell it cheap with fairly high miles, then do it again. My Connie may be with me longer than my average bike just because of its motor and reliability but without a fortune invested it makes it easy to change my mind when I see a good deal on another bike after 40 or 50K miles. I don't want to have to stay married to a bike (BMW = Be My Wife) due to having too much money in it to dump it (BMW).  It's just me I guess because most don't do this.

[elp_jc]

So if comfort, storage, convenience, quietness, luxury, passenger room, or upkeep costs are important to you, would having a Ferrari be an "upgrade" over, say, a loaded Fiat 500X Trekking plus or maybe a Fiat Freemont Crossroad?

Can't compare a sports car to a mini SUV, regardless of price. But the main point a more expensive vehicle not being necessarily better than a cheaper one still applies. After BMW bought back my loaded 2014 RT, was going to use the $25K+ check to buy a K16GT. But didn't want a huge fairing again, no stereo, and no GPS. You can special-order a KGT without the stereo, but looks like crap, and you still get the same gigantic fairing. Problem is the GT is basically the full touring GTL but without the trunk, therefore hardly a 'GT'. In addition, it has a horribly snatchy throttle (by wire) response that BMW should have eliminated by now. Tranny is also very clunky and noisy. And even 2015 bikes still have lots of issues (some not so minor), so had to cross it off my list. Well, I didn't have a list left. No other bike interested me. And that's when I found out about the Connie, and turns out it's the bike I was looking for all along... and at a fraction of the price of a GT. Problem solved .

[martin_14]

I will respond for Martin, he can correct me if I am wrong

He wasn't saying the 1600GT is faster than the C14 (and it isn't).  Nor was he implying the C14 is like a Fiat and the Ferrari is like a BWM.   He was just saying that it isn't necessarily an "upgrade" when going from a Fiat (less expensive) to a Ferrari (more expensive)- it just depends on what is important to you.  (Which is kinda was I said in my previous posting).

Case in point- the Ferrari probably doesn't have much in the way of electronic convenience (nice stereo, GPS, auto everything).  It probably has a horribly stiff and rough race-car suspension and restrictive, low, stiff seats.  It probably has little in the way of storage or sound deadening.  Probably is only a two-seater.  The insurance and maintenance costs are astronomical.  So if comfort, storage, convenience, quietness, luxury, passenger room, or upkeep costs are important to you, would having a Ferrari be an "upgrade" over, say, a loaded Fiat 500X Trekking plus or maybe a Fiat Freemont Crossroad?

pretty much spot on.

[Beary]

Just my opinion but I could buy any bike I really wanted if I felt like it. I just could never feel like buying a BMW, especially new. I ride too many miles (18,000) per year and the cost would not be worth it to me. Even if it held together and thats doubtful after 3 years of that kind of riding. I buy slightly used Japanese bikes cheap (paid $8K for my 2011 C14 with 6K miles), set it up for me, ride the wheels off it, sell it cheap with fairly high miles, then do it again. My Connie may be with me longer than my average bike just because of its motor and reliability but without a fortune invested it makes it easy to change my mind when I see a good deal on another bike after 40 or 50K miles. I don't want to have to stay married to a bike (BMW = Be My Wife) due to having too much money in it to dump it (BMW).  It's just me I guess because most don't do this.

I do exactly this. I found a very cheap FJR last year that I really liked and planned to keep a while, but someone made and offer I couldn't refuse. I found this connie while I was looking for another FJR and with some reluctance decided to give it a try. It is starting to grow on me. I think I will keep it a while.

Beary

[clogan]

I love my C14, and could not possibly conceive of any reason a person would pay double, or even more than double, for the 1600. No matter what.

On another note, cruise control seems to be very important to many. But for others, like me, not so much. Interstate highway travel would seem to be where CC would be of the most benefit. However, Due to the extremely high traffic volume in my part of the country, I try to avoid interstates if at all possible. And even when on interstates, traffic volume, stop-and-go, prohibits use of CC in many cases. Thus, even though I use CC on my car, I do not miss it on my bikes, and perhaps would rarely use it even if I did have it. Sorta like owning a convertible where it rains 350 days a year.

[xsv]

I had the same bug several months ago.  I really liked their 2015 k1600gt sakhir orange sport.
I was not blown away by it like I should be for a 24k bike.  Wind protection and noise for me was terrible. I too was surprised at the clunky transmission.

I returned a few weeks later and took a test ride on the 2015 r1200rt.  I liked it much better then the gt.  Transmission was much smoother, but I wasnt blown away by power.  Features galore though.

I was halfway considering it when they offered a pitiful trade in value on my 2009 concours.

As I drove away from the dealership I hit the concours throttle hard and smiled.  I am in the search for a bike with more options, but the concours power.  Some year there might be something that fits the bill.

[maxtog]

As I drove away from the dealership I hit the concours throttle hard and smiled.  I am in the search for a bike with more options, but the concours power.  Some year there might be something that fits the bill.

Which options cannot be added to the Concours?  There are so many options, which is one of the best things about the Concours.  It is a very reasonably priced platform with fantastic warranty and reliability, decent power, and lots of included useful stuff that can be expanded and changed with so many third-party products.

Want better lighting?  No prob.  More storage- easy.  Better/different seat?  Check.  Cruise?  At least two good options.  More or less wind protection?  Lots of choices.  Different suspension?  Yep.  GPS?  Slap any one of lots of models using several great mounts or use your phone and never pay for dealer updates or get stuck with something outdated.  Need music or coms?  Who cares about semi-proprietary built-in things on other bikes... just get a Sena (or several others) and bluetooth it up.  Different shifters, pegs, throttle tubes, mufflers, exhaust systems, intakes, racks, defectors, screens, pads.  Lower it, raise it, flash it for more power and response, add tip-over protection, adjust the bars how you like.  Whatever!

Most people can make the Concours what they want.  About the only thing I haven't seen is electronically adjustable suspension (something I personally don't care about all that much, anyway).

[xsv]

You know....you are right.  I guess I have not found the perfect combo.  I returned from a 2000 mile ride to Pike's Peak and my butt and back were a little more sore then normal.

I have gone from stock seat (over 1000 miles in a day) to a Sargent which I could not go 100 miles to the now Corbin.  Added a cruise control, which is now mandatory on any bike I buy.  Added risers and a bigger shield.  Hard wired in GPS.  Stereo and coaxial Heat are stubbed out between tank and seat.  Heat for the jacket liner and stereo for hfi5 earbuds.

Bars probably need to come back an inch to take some stress off of the aging back and the search for the perfect seat continues.

So yes, you are right and the extra 18k I would need to move to a BMW is a hell of a lot more then a seat and bar modifications.  Guess I was looking for something "perfect" off of the showroom.  However, we know how that goes!

Which options cannot be added to the Concours?  There are so many options, which is one of the best things about the Concours.  It is a very reasonably priced platform with fantastic warranty and reliability, decent power, and lots of included useful stuff that can be expanded and changed with so many third-party products.

Want better lighting?  No prob.  More storage- easy.  Better/different seat?  Check.  Cruise?  At least two good options.  More or less wind protection?  Lots of choices.  Different suspension?  Yep.  GPS?  Slap any one of lots of models using several great mounts or use your phone and never pay for dealer updates or get stuck with something outdated.  Need music or coms?  Who cares about semi-proprietary built-in things on other bikes... just get a Sena (or several others) and bluetooth it up.  Different shifters, pegs, throttle tubes, mufflers, exhaust systems, intakes, racks, defectors, screens, pads.  Lower it, raise it, flash it for more power and response, add tip-over protection, adjust the bars how you like.  Whatever!

Most people can make the Concours what they want.  About the only thing I haven't seen is electronically adjustable suspension (something I personally don't care about all that much, anyway).

[stevewfl]

You know....you are right.  I guess I have not found the perfect combo.  I returned from a 2000 mile ride to Pike's Peak and my butt and back were a little more sore then normal.

I have gone from stock seat (over 1000 miles in a day) to a Sargent which I could not go 100 miles to the now Corbin.  Added a cruise control, which is now mandatory on any bike I buy.  Added risers and a bigger shield.  Hard wired in GPS.  Stereo and coaxial Heat are stubbed out between tank and seat.  Heat for the jacket liner and stereo for hfi5 earbuds.

Bars probably need to come back an inch to take some stress off of the aging back and the search for the perfect seat continues.

So yes, you are right and the extra 18k I would need to move to a BMW is a hell of a lot more then a seat and bar modifications.  Guess I was looking for something "perfect" off of the showroom.  However, we know how that goes!

Airhawk R is what you want to sit on.  Its the reason I could do 900+ mile days on my KLR 1 cylinder with knobbie tires coast to coast and back 

[maxtog]

So yes, you are right and the extra 18k I would need to move to a BMW is a hell of a lot more then a seat and bar modifications.  Guess I was looking for something "perfect" off of the showroom.  However, we know how that goes!

I knew going into the Concours that it was not right for me....  but it was the closest I could obtain.  My legs and arms are far too short for such a bike.  Before I ever even rode it a single time I got and installed the equipment to lower the bike, lower the seat, and raise/pull back the bars (and raise my boots).  For me, NOTHING will be right off the showroom floor, ever.  So I guess farkling comes naturally to me

[Conniesaki]

I knew going into the Concours that it was not right for me....  but it was the closest I could obtain.  My legs and arms are far too short for such a bike.  Before I ever even rode it a single time I got and installed the equipment to lower the bike, lower the seat, and raise/pull back the bars (and raise my boots).  For me, NOTHING will be right off the showroom floor, ever.  So I guess farkling comes naturally to me

 

[maxtog]

LOL, well,  I can handle even the C14 fine with just a few mods.... no need to go quite that extreme...

[Bunk]

LOL, you just about made me blow coffee through my nose.

[gPink]

Add a Corbin trunk and you could take it anywhere.

[just gone]

Add a Corbin trunk and you could take it anywhere.

..and have a place to sleep as well. 

(sorry max', I couldn't let Conniesaki out do me when it comes to picking on you.)