This Luxury Touring Bike Is Making Gold Wing Owners Question Everything
Few baggers are as luxurious as the Honda Gold Wing. Over the years, it has seen off pretty much all of its direct rivals thanks to its ultra-smooth flat six engine, and a host of tech features. The American bikes competing in this space generally offer a different kind of riding experience, and the Japanese manufacturers have all but given up on the luxury touring market. But, that doesn’t mean there are no alternatives.
Some Chinks In The Gold Wing Armor
It really is one of those bikes that is able to justify its premium price tag, but in recent times it has also shown that it isn’t exactly perfect. The current generation has been recalled a few times now. Even though Honda has dealt with the issues in a very professional manner, having your $25k tourer recalled must be a bitter pill to swallow, especially if you chose Honda because of their reliability record.
When you take into account the level of sophistication these bikes have on offer, it is pretty easy to understand why things occasionally do go wrong. All sorts of electronic features are packed into a relatively small space that also just so happens to get pretty hot. But, with the usual Honda reliability removed from the equation, another six-cylinder tourer comes sharply into focus.
The BMW K 1600 B Takes The Fight To The Base Model Gold Wing
MSRP: $25,075
Although this is the most affordable K-Series model, it is still a high-end motorcycle, just like the base model Gold Wing (which is actually more expensive). As one might expect from a luxury tourer like this, pretty much every conceivable comfort feature associated with motorcycles is present and accounted for. But, that is not why you would choose this bike over any of its direct rivals, you would choose it for its incredible inline-six engine.
The K 1600 B Has A Silky-Smooth Inline-Six Engine
Power: 160 Horsepower
As it stands, BMW is the only manufacturer currently building an inline-six motorcycle engine, and when you look at the bike from the front, it is pretty easy to see why. It is a really wide motorcycle. The only reason these engines actually work for the K-Series is because they are all luxury tourers that don’t need to be particularly nimble. The saddlebags are also considerably wider anyway, so the overall width of the bike is actually unaffected.
With decades worth of experience building automotive inline-six engines, it is safe to say that BMW is the right brand for the job, and for a luxury touring bike, this engine configuration actually makes a degree of sense purely because of how smooth it is. Any inline-six is naturally balanced, and this 1,649cc behemoth is also immensely powerful. With 160 horsepower and 133 pound-feet of torque, you will never be left in want of more power, no matter how much luggage you are hauling around.
The K 1600 B Is The Ultimate Highway Tourer
At this price point, you would expect the bike to be fairly well appointed, and the big K-Series certainly doesn’t disappoint. You get lean-sensitive traction control, cornering ABS, cruise control, ride modes, and an unusually wide TFT dash which is very much on-brand for this particularly wide motorcycle. While the electronic features match pretty much every other motorcycle competing in this space, you would be buying the bike for its physical features.
Naturally, the wind protection is excellent and the saddlebags are built into the design of the bike, but its suspension is a key point of difference. It is a little unconventional when compared to other motorcycles, but very similar when compared to the Gold Wing. Indeed, it is just BMW’s version of the Hossack front suspension which they call the Duolever. Both this and the Paralever rear suspension are electronically adjustable and semi-active.
You also get nice-to-have features like heated seats and seats, as well as a reverse assist feature, which you will need. As you might imagine, a bagger with this level of sophistication is no shrinking violet, and tips the scales at 758 pounds. Although quick enough, trying to muscle this big girl through the corners is a fool’s errand. That simply is not what this bike is designed for. It is designed to soak up as many highway miles in one sitting as possible.
With BMW, There Is Always Something Missing
Pretty much every BMW motorcycle currently on the market leaves off something that many buyers actually want, and it can get a little frustrating during the actual purchase process. In the case of the K 1600 B, you get all the previously mentioned features as standard, but if you want a center stand, or a quickshifter, you will need to check an options box. If you simply want the base model, you will need to order it, and wait.
Base model BMWs do technically exist, but you will never actually see one at a dealership unless it just so happens to be waiting for its owner to pick it up. Every bike generally comes pre-equipped with a “package” of some sort, and if you want the bike right away, you will end up paying a king’s ransom for some features you may not actually want. The (admittedly striking) Edition II paint will add a whopping $4k to the base price. This is all good and well until you realize that it will actually push the price very close to the top of the line GTL model.
This is just the BMW Motorrad way, and as you may have noticed, plenty of buyers are willing to navigate this process in an effort to get their hands on one of their bikes. If you are willing to get the base model K 1600 B, it offers exceptional value, and will make the most ardent Gold Wing fans think twice once they see the bike up close. Unfortunately, that value proposition diminishes quickly once you start checking options boxes.
Source: BMW Motorrad
Related posts
Latest Post
No Comments