BMW K1200LT Review

Overall Rating

I've recently purchased a BMW K1200 LT Lux 2007 (CD Changer, heated Seats and bars etc)

I think the best place to start a review on this bike from a bikers perspective is with a few warnings! some I got on the forecourt from another rider who owns one, and some I learnt myself in the next month of riding!

This machine is amazing, and I've rated it highly but first the warnings.

WEIGHT

This bike is BIG, and it's HEAVY.
I've ridden the SV650s (189KG) for 8 years and the Triumph Trident 750 (230KG) compared to the K1200LT's 387KG's!

You have to plan ahead accordingly though the Telelever suspension helped a lot in the one case where I had hammer the breaks on at low speed whilst turning as the front didn't dip like you'd normally expect making it much easier to get my foot down and hold the bike up! - Big plus for the suspension!

When Two up, make sure you get ON first, and OFF last!
Sounds stupid but when I got off to fill the bike with Petrol and the other half wanted to stay seated that was fine, but getting back on the extra weight at the back as I flung my leg over sent the bike falling over,luckily we held it up (took both of us, me bracing legs and her pushing against the pump to do it though)

SIDE AND CENTER STANDS

That brings me to the Side and Center Stands.
The Side Stand leaves the bike standing more upright than I've gotten used to on other bikes, but with the weight of the machine I guess it makes sense, but this means you have to be more aware of parking on cambers.

Likewise with the automated centre stand.
This thing punched a hole through an "Admitably rather shoddy" tarmac drive way and then proceded to lift the bike at an slant so again you need to be careful where you park the thing.
But the Center stand is a god send though! and it can lift the bike, Rider, Pillion and luggage with ease asd is pretty sturdy.

ABS

A quick word about the ABS.
There is a wanring on the front panel saying that ABS doesn't work while the ignition is off.
But unless you read the manual first (I didn't) you don't realise this means you have to pull the breaks ALL THE WAY IN when starting on a hill to get any breaking efect.
(You'll see BREAK FAILUIRE" flashing on the dash until you've started the engine and pulled away and the ABS and Servo assisted breaks kick in)
When it's working the ABS is fantastic as are the breaks, it stops this monster very quickly, that said I do wish I could turn it off for riding in Central London as having the breaks turn off when you have to break across a meter long painted arrow (no grip) rather than have the wheel kick out 2 inches to the side to grip on the road isn't ideal)
Again this comes down to PLANNING AHEAD, something you have to do a lot on this bike, but sometimes needs must.

The final warning is ground clearnance, this thing doesn't have much!
I've bottomed out two up going round an A roadround about at 40 two up.
Country roads are an experience I didn't enjoy as several ruts were acompanied by lound metal screaches, so again you need to plan your route/path and speed accordingly, I'll be taking this across Europe and Spain in May next year so I've yet to see how that works out, going slowly over larger bumps and round them where possable works out well so chalking it down to experience at the moment.

You'll also have the "Triple switch" indicators which took some getting used to but you'll master those very fast.

Onto the good stuff!
Comfort wise this thing is hard to beat, it's like sitting on a Sofa, and as for the passenger, well the other half complained she almost fell asleep it was so comfortable!, ok that's not a good thing but hey! Comfort it has.

The heated sears and grips are amazing, even in the cold rain I found the first setting to be a bit on the warm side through winter gloves, setting 2 made it uncomfortable to hold and I had to switch it down! that will be great in the freezing weather!

The handling once you get moving is great and it feels so confident, it's just a shame the ground clearance is so low but you learn to plan for that, this isn't a sports bike after all.
Acceleration is supprisingly good on this especially if you max out the revs in each gear and (very easy to do with the low 9k rev limit)
It's so smooth you'll have to actually resist shifting up to get the most out of the rev range.

CD player is great and easy to hear with the Screen up even at motorway speeds upto 70 as it adjusts according to speed (this is adjustable).
Above that you'll probably need a taller screen, at 5"11 and the seat on the low setting my head is above the screen and gets some windblast but comapred to any of my previous bikes I can go past a sports bike doing 100 with ther head down with my head held high and feeling as if I was doing 40.
The passenger isn't so lucky though, at least not my girlfriend as she's quite tall, but again with the taller screen this should be fine.

The lights are very good! and the adjustable angle by a knob on the dash is fantastic and easy.
I'll be adding driving lights to this all the same.

There is a map reading light on the dash and floor lighting which are great for fiding the ignition in the dark or getting round the bike when stopped in the dark.

Storage is phenomenal, two helemts in the top box with a few extras and huge paniers and a luggage rack, you won't be short on space.
A vanity mirror and light in the lid of the top box had my Girlfriend in giggle fits.

The Mirrors are fantastic, and easily adjustable not that you need to! I actually had to TRY to get them into a position where I couldn't see EVERYTHING (just out of curiosity)
That said they are large and stick out and account for a good 12" on the width of your bike so if you're going to clip something they will come off.
That said they are designed to do this, held on by 3 screws that clip into spring mounted clips so they come off easily at the slightest knock but clip in easily and don't take damage.
That said on my Lux it was connected to the bike by steel wire so it didn't hit the floor and get run over, not sure if this is standard on all models, but if you don't have it, GET IT!.

The sound of this thing above 3/4k revs is great but even better is when the engine breaking kicks in a these revs it sounds like an Aircraft landing!

The petrol cap is proving to be a bit of a pain...theres a knack to getting it off that I don't have but my Girlfriend has no problem with, probably just me!

Fuel economy is good! 52MPG as long as you don't get silly on the motorway (which took it down to 48MPG), but a tank range in excess of 200miles on a £16 tank of fuel is pretty good especially on a beast this size! (two up no luggage).

All in all a fantastic bike that takes some getting used to and has a few minotr niggles (can't disable ABS, low clearance) but then this bike is a Tourer that excels at long distance touring, it's not a suprise that trying to use it as a comfortable sports bike isn't working so well! but it managers well enough, and it's supprisingly filterable once you get the size of it into your head (and knok the mirrors off a few times).
Especially as with a white lid and the Antenna people tend to see you and move over even when you're still a mile away, it's a very visable machine!