BMW K 1600 B First Ride Review: BMW Shocks, Then Awes With a High-Performance Bagger

acehpol.com - Yes, you detected right: a BMW Bagger. And wherever else would BMW like better to launch their new K 1600 B than at the 77th annual Sturgis motorbike Rally, in Coyote

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For those that ar unacquainted, Sturgis is that the world's largest motorbike rally and virtually everybody shows au fait a Harley Davidson. it's an interesting sight to envision.

One may suppose that BMW selecting to launch a brand new Bagger is foolish as a result of the cruiser continues to dominate the yankee market.




However going right to the guts of Bagger / moving / Full Dresser motorbike country simply could be a superb endeavor, and that i had associate exclusive chance to require a BMW K 1600 B out for [*fr1] each day around Sturgis, with no management or hand-holding, ahead of the national press launch.

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Walking up the K 1600 B you may directly notice many style details that are ported over from its moving relative, the K 1600 GT.

See Also: BMW K 1600 B First Ride Review: BMW Shocks, Then Awes With a High-Performance Bagger

The foremost obvious is that the forepart. The fairing, headlight, film / dash show, and hand controls share constant desoxyribonucleic acid, however as you progress toward the rear, everything begins to vary.

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The chassis was reengineered to deal with BMW's inline six-cylinder engine, giving the K 1600 B a far lower ride height and longer distance.




SAM BENDALL AND STEVE PHIEL
The BMW K 1600 B

The K 1600 B wouldn't be a Bagger while not the long-lasting exhausting shell facet baggage.

to stress seamless style and performance, BMW integrated the rear brake lights, flip signals, and hazard lights into those rear cases, and therefore the lines match up nicely to the first "Concept 101" mock ups BMW free a few years past.


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I in person adore it a lot—it seems like a mixture of that awkward Tetris piece and a evil spirit fang.

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The bags will be barred from a activate the handlebars or via a key lock on every bag.

Storage capability appearance ample, however till I take one out for a correct road trip, i can not speak to their skillfulness.

Just under the luggage lay the monetary unit 4-compliant exhaust pipes. whereas a shade large, the slash cut tips manage to feature the proper aesthetic end to the rear finish.

Aesthetics and style aside, the massive question, obviously, is: what's this Bagger wish to ride? For four hours, I cruised around Sturgis, headed south toward Nemo, and divide to Deadwood and back.

Our route consisted of gorgeous straight main road, sturdy sweepers, and a few tight technical activates a few back roads.
 
Performance and Engine

The K one600 B options constant 1,649cc inline six-cylinder engine found within the GT and GTL models.

The K one hundred sixty0 B puts out 160 H.P. at seven,750 rate and 129 ft-lb of torsion at five,250 rpm.

consideration in at 749 pounds, one may suppose there is a sacrifice in performance, but no. Dead wrong, in fact.

Throttle response is sleek, immediate, and sharp. Shifting is classy courtesy of the hydraulic clutch, and not once did I miss a shift.

From a stop, the K 1600 B rockets to sixty mph quicker than I care to count. seventy p.c of the torsion is offered around one,500rpm, and with simply another twist of the gliding joint, the bike keeps fast.

The model I rode came with BMW's Shift Assist professional, thus blow through the gears with no need to drag on the clutch lever created the K 1600 B feel a lot of sort of a sport bike than a giant, significant Bagger.

as a result of my bike was originated with the premium package, it additionally enclosed BMW Dynamic Traction management (DTC) throttle modes:

Rain, Road, and Dynamic (which ought to simply be known as "Sport"). I wished all one hundred sixty ponies on faucet, thus I left the throttle map in Dynamic mode for many of the ride.
 
SAM BENDALL AND STEVE PHIEL

The read from behind the handlebars

The K 1600 B can raise your pulse and force ear-to-ear smiles.

It pulls exhausting and fast, a thoroughbred shooting out the gates at the thoroughbred race.

It's character is extremely totally different than the cacophony of V-Twins reechoing through the Black Hills; the exhaust note on the K 1600 B is a lot of colorful, and whines at because it spools up to full throttle.

What it lacks in bass, it makes up for in pure performance and a close to silent, vibration-free ride once cruising on at 85mph in sixth gear.
 
Handling

Bagger appearance, moving capability, and sport bike-like performance: the K 1600 B rides like it's on rails.

Turn-in is magnificently intuitive and easy. an easy input to the bars with slightly of body lean and you will forget what quite bike you are on.

Ground clearance on the mid-mount foot pegs is generous, and can be quite adequate for anyone considering this machine.

Those craving for a spirited ride can realize the gamma hydroxybutyrate lean angle once shredding through tighter curves.

The BMW K 1600 B has 2 suspension settings which will be simply elite from the management dial on the left bar.

"Road" and "Cruise" modes ar controlled by BMW's Dynamic ESA suspension and a separate eu.

It works perpetually, adjusting preload and moistening in line with a spread of sensors found on the bike, and the way the bike is being ridden.

to boot, every mode can calibrate for the individual weight of the rider, in addition as take into consideration if you're carrying a traveler, and/or load.

In "Road" mode, the front and rear become firmer, granting a lot of road feel—perfect for a lot of aggressive or spirited riding. for many of my ride I unbroken the K 1600 B within the that setting.

It did a wonderful job at creating the bike feel tight and planted, with wonderful feedback once hustling through broad sweepers and tight corners.

In "Cruise" mode, the suspension softens perceptibly and what was one a taut, sport-touring missile became a rocket-powered cloud capable of interesting bumps and road imperfections.

The "Cruise" setting is precisely what you wish for those arduous days on long main road runs or overwhelmed town streets.

Both modes ar immensely totally different, however having the choice to change suspension settings on the fly provides this Bagger 2 distinctive handling profiles.

A big bike goes to want some powerful brakes to bring all that mass to a dead stop.

The K 1600 B utilizes four-piston, 320mm twin discs within the front and a two-piston, single 320mm disc within the rear.

throughout many exhausting braking tests from seventy mph to a dead stop, I may barely notice the system firming up the front suspension and softening the rear.

i could not "feel" it operating, however I positively knew it had been The ABS additionally presents as terribly sleek with negligible chatter.

as well as that ABS and therefore the ESA, the K 1600 B feels terribly refined.

Ergonomics

Ergonomics will continually be a difficult issue for manufactures, as a result of riders are available in all shapes and sizes.

I'm a tall man—6'5," to be exact—and not all motorcycles work ME. I've return to expect some level of discomfort a method or another, however larger bikes continually work ME higher.

As with most BMW models, the BMW K 1600 B has 3 saddle height options: low, regular, and tall.

My bike was fitted with a tall seat; it felt soft and comfortable from the primary, and remained thus throughout most my ride.

By the tip I detected a bit discomfort, however none of consequence.

However, a few individuals I spoke with UN agency rode out from Kanas town to Sturgis on the K 1600 B aforementioned the Western saddle would begin to expertise signs of "hot spots" round the 100-mile mark.

To date, I've ne'er knowledgeable a Western saddle that matches all posteriors, thus associate aftermarket version would be associate absolute 1st upgrade for anyone wanting to place on serious main road miles.

With the taller saddle put in, I found the mid-mount foot-pegs to be unbelievably snug and confidence-inspiring once it came to dominant and leveling the K 1600 B in slow speed maneuvers, and moreso throughout aggressive cornering.

BMW has additionally outfitted the K 1600 B with a bar that not solely appearance custom, however additionally pulls the controls rearward by a few inches.

The electronically-adjustable windshield appearance nice and that i would suspect it'll work nice for regular-sized and shorter individuals—but even at its highest setting, I knowledgeable right smart wind noise.

once I came the bike, I walked over to the K 1600 GT that was outfitted with BMW's taller windshield.

The mounting points found on the K 1600 B look to be identical, thus i'd not be stunned if they may be ported over directly. (I was unable to induce BMW to substantiate this before publication.)


SAM BENDALL AND STEVE PHIEL

Quite a little bit of kit.

My last gripes with the K 1600 B would be the stock sound system. it is not loud enough at main road speeds after you consider a gardant helmet and defend within the closed position.

But, i believe that BMW can work closely with Harmon Kardon to make a premium audio package capable of rocking AC/DC thus loud you will be ready to wake the dead within the next county.

The BMW K 1600 B starts at $19,995, however my recommendation would be to select a lot of premium options just like the DTC throttle modes, shift assist professional, reverse assist, adjustive headlights, sound system, and main road floorboards.

BMW is taking a chance by dipping their toe into a market dominated by Harley Davidson, however on its deserves, the K 1600 B may be a lovely, performance-oriented Bagger with all the potential one would expect from Bavarian Motor Works.

Harley house owners will not be jilting their bikes anytime before long, however when reproval lots of Harley riders yesterday, several have shown interest in having a K 1600 B in their garage.
 

SAM BENDALL AND STEVE PHIEL
On the roads outside the Sturgis motorbike Rally.
Sam’s Gear

Helmet: AGV AX-8 Carbon Fury

Jacket: Aether Rally motorbike Jacket

Pants: UglyBROS Motorpool

Gloves: Racer Soul Glove


Sam Bendall is associate editor-at-large within the motorbike and automotive business.

he's a person of the many skills, however what matters most to him is his family, his low within the morning, and his liquor in the dark

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