I have been following this thread for a few days now and didn't feel like I had anything to add, keeping in mind that I wrote about my experience with the K1600 GT/L, but some of the posters simply don't know what they are writing about, first among which is Steve. Sorry Steve if you take it as a personal attack, but I also take it personal when somebody throws nonsense at me and expects me to brainlessly believe it.
I have the luck to have tested both bikes a few times in different scenarios and also driving in groups on it or behind or in front. And I own the Kawa. So a few points:
- GT and GTL are the same bike. Changes are the topcase, the pegs (bigger, lower, more forward on the L), the handlebars (more forward on the GT), the suspension (not mechanicaly, just more preload on the rear), the maximum speed (in both cases electronically limited, slightly lower on the GTL), air flaps, seat. That is less than what I already changed in my Kawa, and it is still the same bike than yours.
- the BMW is a terrific bike, both versions tour wonderfully, and the GT will allow more lean angle than the GTL at the expense of some comfort. But if you took the best sportbike and compare it with the Kawa, the latter is about 80% of the former. It really is a great performer, surprisingly capable for a bike this size. The BMW would be 50%, in my opinion. Then, if you take the best touring bike (say, a Goldwing), the BMW would be about as good or better for the driver, but the passenger comfort is clearly lower. I'd put it then at 90% of touring capabilities, whereas the Kawa would be at 70%.
So basically, the BMW is much more touring oriented. I would never consider it a sporting bike in any meaning of the word. Yes, it can corner very well, better than a bike that size should, but it still doesn't corner like a Kawa. And touring wise is not light years ahead. The balance attained by the C14 is really high, whereas the BMW gives away too much on the sport side to earn more credit on the touring side, for my taste anyway. Touring and sport riding and two very different constrains when it comes to design a bike, and noone makes a better job at combining them with so little compromises as the Kawasaki.
I know I'm repeating myself but this is how I see it: if you have a K1600, you'll go on that tour and get to the hotel very relaxed after many km. But if you want to hit the curves you need something else. With the Kawa, you will arrive a bit less relaxed, but you can attack the curves and have fun and only a handful of bikes (given all other factors equal) will pull away (S1000RR and such).
So try stopping to explain us how much more bike the K1600 is. It isn't. It's a different bike that does other things better than the Kawa, but not by that much, and other things worse, by quite a bit.
Last but not least, these are bikes. We buy with the heart, not the brain, so if it makes YOU happy go get it. I had the chance to sample the Honda VFR1200 this week and understood the meaning of "never meet your hero", while right now I'm sampling a Ducati Diavel and I can't find a single reason to buy it, except that I can't stop thinking how much I want to buy it...
