The Goldwing has been repalced, BMW K1600!

[Leigh Betsch]

I just order a new motor bike. Anyone have one yet? I test drove one on Saturday, WOW!
It won't be delivered until November though. My tool buying will be curtailed for a while I guess.

[Bruce Page]

Is that the new 6 cylinder? That is a beautiful machine!

[dave toney]

I am sure you will love it!
BMW's have always been the ultimate touring bike.
I AM jealous.
Dave

[Rod Sheridan]

Holy cow Leigh, that must be faster in second gear than my bike is in fifth...............Nice machine......................Regards, Rod.

[Scott T Smith]

Leigh, congrats on the new bike! I spent a little over a week in your area with some friends back in '08 on an R1200. BMW's are a great ride.

Scott

[Graham Wintersgill]

Colour me jealous - but of course without pictures it means nothing ;-))

Head over to bmwlt.com for lots of useful info and new ways to spend money.

Graham
ex K1200LT owner

[Leigh Betsch]

yeah, new 160 hp 6 cyclinder. BMW is noted for thier straight sixs in thier cars but I was kinda hoping that the new motorcycle six would be boxer, just because that is classic BMW motorcycle stuff. I had the demo bike up to 115 a couple of times, I think I was in 4th, with two more gears to go! Extreamly quick and agile for a 700lb machine. The best thing though is I could turn figure eights in the parking lot with SWMBO on the back, nice even at low speeds.
I traded a Triumph Trophy for my Goldwing 4 years ago, love the Goldwing for distance riding but really miss the performance of the sport touring machines. The BMW has unbelievable performance, I sure hope that it stall has the comfort to go the distance also. No pics until November though.
Scott, I was down in your country last summer, rode the Dragon's tail.

[Scott T Smith]

yeah, new 160 hp 6 cyclinder. BMW is noted for thier straight sixs in thier cars but I was kinda hoping that the new motorcycle six would be boxer, just because that is classic BMW motorcycle stuff. I had the demo bike up to 115 a couple of times, I think I was in 4th, with two more gears to go! Extreamly quick and agile for a 700lb machine. The best thing though is I could turn figure eights in the parking lot with SWMBO on the back, nice even at low speeds.
I traded a Triumph Trophy for my Goldwing 4 years ago, love the Goldwing for distance riding but really miss the performance of the sport touring machines. The BMW has unbelievable performance, I sure hope that it stall has the comfort to go the distance also. No pics until November though.
Scott, I was down in your country last summer, rode the Dragon's tail.

Leigh, that's a great ride, as is the Blue Ridge Parkway and some other roads leading to the Dragons Tail. I'm headed out to Sturgis on a Road King in about a month. What part of SD are you in?

[Larry Edgerton]

Leigh

Congrats! I have been reading about that bike.

I sold my K1200GT last year because of too many close calls with cell phone idiots, but I have the itch again. Is yours a touring or a sport touring model? I like sport tourers myself. No nubs left on the sides of my tires!

I had a Concours before the GT, and the Connie was a nice bike, but the GT was in a class all of its own. It was so smooth and so quiet at cruising speeds that you had to look at the tach when you went to pass because you could not hear or feel the engine to know if you were in the right gear. {I ride with ear plugs} Never had one problem in 20 some K miles. But when you gave her some fuel, then you knew she was running! I had it to 160 once, all I needed.

Too bad you have to wait so long.

Larry

[Leigh Betsch]

Scott, I'm in eastern SD along I29 south of Watertown. IT's quite a stretch to Sturis from here. I'm thinking about a road trip to Sturgis to the BMW shop there, cause I heard that they may have a blue k1600 I'd like to look at before locking in on the bike color. I ordered mine from Sioux City IA. The nearest BMW dealer is 165 miles in Sioux City IA.
Larry,
I ordered the K1600 GTL which is the touring model. I hope it's got a fair amount of comfort. My last sport touring biike was very unconfortable. The Goldwing is very nice for long trips, we often do 4,000 5,000 mile trips, a 400 mile day is an easy day most of the time I try to do 600 miles a day when we are making tracks. I like to drive 200 - 240 miles between stopping, just for gas. I hope I can still do this with the new Beemer.
My son in law has a Concours 1400. The thing just flys, but 400 miles a day is max, and that's for a young guy! Not enogh comfort for me.
Larry, how was the comfort of the K1200GT? Could you get 5-600 miles in a day?

[Larry Edgerton]

Leigh

I'm an old busted up carpenter, so I notice the comfort thing. The GT was good for 5-600 mile days. That was about the norm unless I was riding alone and could ride the way I like to. Fast. No stops. When alone I did a couple of 1000 mile days with it. I had a detector that was linked to a jamber. Not a maniac, but I would not waste any time either. I put some gum rubbber pads on the tank where my knees hit so I could squize the tank and take weight off of my hands. I have fractured 6 vertibre and straingly enough the slight forward lean works better for me.

I'm down to a 500 Honda SilverWing that I have given away twice, and it keeps coming back. I figure this time I will keep it. Ironically this is the bike that I have ridden the most miles in one day on. We always called it "The Couch". It was a spare that I let people ride, but it refuses to die. Guys would get tired of their sport bikes and ask if they could ride the couch for a bit.
Interesting bike, but slower than my car. Maybe my van!

I'm still hoping to be able to get away from work for a bit on "The Couch" and head out your way, but its not looking good. I'm too swamped for two guys but if I put on a full crew I'll run out of work. Catch 22.

I have been looking hard at the GS 1150's. Would be nice to be able to get away from the cell phone idiots.

Thats a long wait! You are more patient than I.

See Ya.....

Larry

[Leigh Betsch]

Larry, Sounds like your business is picking up, that's a good thing. My first road bike was a 1980 cx500; like to get another some day.

[Chris Walls]

Leigh
I ride a R 1150 GS. The most fun bike I've ever had. Handles nice, quick , enough for me anyway. BMW's are a good ride. Enjoy your new bike.

Chris

[Phil Thien]

I said, "one of the guys on SMC ordered a new BMW motorcycle."

Wife said, "I know where you're going with this, so stop."

See? My wife invented the BMWCycleStop.

[Rod Sheridan]

I said, "one of the guys on SMC ordered a new BMW motorcycle."

Wife said, "I know where you're going with this, so stop."

See? My wife invented the BMWCycleStop.

I'll buy one, my R90/6 has err.........um.............optimistic brakes. Perhaps the first BMW Anti-Lock Brakes, at least for someone like me who doesn't have arm muscles like Arnold.......Rod.

P.S. Our wives must be related. A few weeks ago I was at Felder, and Diann was with me.

I was looking at the edge banding machine, and Diann was getting a coffee. She walked by as I was looking under the hood, and said "no". That got the salesman laughing........Rod.

[Leigh Betsch]

My wife invented the BMWCycleStop.
Better let her know that although the BMWCylceStop has been proven to work they only work once and then they must be repalced.

[Larry Edgerton]

I said, "one of the guys on SMC ordered a new BMW motorcycle."

Wife said, "I know where you're going with this, so stop."

See? My wife invented the BMWCycleStop.

Thats the hard thing for me right now, my wife says if you want one buy it, you deserve it. But I am determined to get my new house built without borrowing. So I am staying away from the Bimmer dealer just now.

Maybe next year........

[Phil Thien]

Thats the hard thing for me right now, my wife says if you want one buy it, you deserve it. But I am determined to get my new house built without borrowing. So I am staying away from the Bimmer dealer just now.

Maybe next year........

So, borrow to buy the bike, and use cash to build the house.

Brilliant, right?

[Shawn Pixley]

I am jealous. I used to have a '59 R60/2 with the bicycle seat. I love to have a new bike, but cell phones, southern Caliornia traffic....!?! Enjoy your bike.

[bob blakeborough]

My first road bike was a 1980 cx500; like to get another some day.

That is a sweet old bike! I have a 78 CX500 that my dad bought brand new that I still use today, although it is currently going the direction of a cafe racer type look.

Enjoy the new BMW man... I actually just bought a 2008 Ducati S2R1000 Monster for my regular user. Loving it!!!

Ride safe...

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