Rphoto Posted August 2, 2009 Author Share Posted August 2, 2009 Picked up our K1300GT Tuesday. Thanks to everyone who provided input. After coming off a R1100RT and putting a few hundred miles on the GT, we found some niggling differences which were easily (if not inexpensively) remedied. We found the more aggressive riding position to be too much for our 55+ year old bodies. Plenty of room fore and aft, but the high, back-mounted pegs and low bar took their toll. A quick order to Suburban Machine and within 2 days we had peg lowerers and a handlebar riser. What a difference! Riding position is now similar to an RT but with more seat space 2 up. The Suburban kits are exquisitely engineered and easy to install. We added the large 49L top case and the built-in padded backrest is horribly designed. It provides padding at shoulder/upper back level but no support in the lumbar region. It also forces the rider to sit too upright. We are sending it to an upholstery shop to remove the padding so the riders back rests against a uniform surface. Other than these issues, the GT is a dream. It has unlimited torque. The salesman said to use 2nd in most situations to launch the bike and it can easily tool around town in 4th or 5th gear. 6th pulls from 50 mph up like a freight train. Downshifting to pass is purely optional. Here is a link to some pictures of our bike. The 4th one is not ours -- grabbed it somewhere off the net, but it shows the hooligan capabilities of the bike for those so inclined: http://gallery.me.com/remphoto#100461 Rob M. Link to comment
chrisolson Posted August 2, 2009 Share Posted August 2, 2009 The salesman said to use 2nd in most situations to launch the bike ... Congrats on the bike ... but honestly, that suggestion sounds a bit strange, never heard that before. 1st gear isn't a stump puller so I don't understand the logic. You'd think the designers/engineers of the bike might have a bit more insight to the situation. And yes, lowed pegs, handlebar mods and a low Sargent seat make a world of difference for me on my GT. Link to comment
smiller Posted August 2, 2009 Share Posted August 2, 2009 The salesman said to use 2nd in most situations to launch the bike sigh... Link to comment
RedHot Posted August 2, 2009 Share Posted August 2, 2009 This has been very interesting. I haven't read all of it but the bits and pieces are good. Thanks for the input. Link to comment
motoguy128 Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 The salesman said to use 2nd in most situations to launch the bike sigh... I'd ask him if I could get a discount then for it only having a 5 speed tranny! I personally would save my clutch and learn and little throttle and clutch control. I've ridden plenty of bikes with better pwoer ot weght ratios, shorter gearign and wheelbases tha nthe K1300GT... like ZX9R, GSXR1000's Ducati 996... it's really NOT that hard to control all that torque or power. Actually it's a lot of fun!!! Link to comment
VinnyR11 Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 Picked up our K1300GT Tuesday. Thanks to everyone who provided input. After coming off a R1100RT and putting a few hundred miles on the GT, we found some niggling differences which were easily (if not inexpensively) remedied. We found the more aggressive riding position to be too much for our 55+ year old bodies. Plenty of room fore and aft, but the high, back-mounted pegs and low bar took their toll. A quick order to Suburban Machine and within 2 days we had peg lowerers and a handlebar riser. What a difference! Riding position is now similar to an RT but with more seat space 2 up. The Suburban kits are exquisitely engineered and easy to install. We added the large 49L top case and the built-in padded backrest is horribly designed. It provides padding at shoulder/upper back level but no support in the lumbar region. It also forces the rider to sit too upright. We are sending it to an upholstery shop to remove the padding so the riders back rests against a uniform surface. Other than these issues, the GT is a dream. It has unlimited torque. The salesman said to use 2nd in most situations to launch the bike and it can easily tool around town in 4th or 5th gear. 6th pulls from 50 mph up like a freight train. Downshifting to pass is purely optional. Here is a link to some pictures of our bike. The 4th one is not ours -- grabbed it somewhere off the net, but it shows the hooligan capabilities of the bike for those so inclined: http://gallery.me.com/remphoto#100461 Rob M. Tons of responses, but Moshe knew the solution in the very first reply.... "Well, at the end, only one opinion matters, and it sounds as though she was pretty clear about her preferences... -MKL" Good luck. I'm in the hunt for a new bike myself. Fun time. Link to comment
smiller Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 I've ridden plenty of bikes with better pwoer ot weght ratios, shorter gearign and wheelbases tha nthe K1300GT... like ZX9R, GSXR1000's Ducati 996... it's really NOT that hard to control all that torque or power. Actually it's a lot of fun!!! Yes, and the K-GT bikes have a little solenoid thingie that pops out and limits throttle opening in first gear below a set rpm (you can't feel it at the twist grip but it prevents the throttle butterflies from fully opening when engaged.) Some like to shim or remove this for that extra... err... little something. I saw one thread where a rider who performed the mod later went in and put it back to stock because he was experiencing an excessive tendency to wheelie. Think I'll be leaving mine alone. Link to comment
motoguy128 Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 I've ridden plenty of bikes with better pwoer ot weght ratios, shorter gearign and wheelbases tha nthe K1300GT... like ZX9R, GSXR1000's Ducati 996... it's really NOT that hard to control all that torque or power. Actually it's a lot of fun!!! Yes, and the K-GT bikes have a little solenoid thingie that pops out and limits throttle opening in first gear below a set rpm (you can't feel it at the twist grip but it prevents the throttle butterflies from fully opening when engaged.) Some like to shim or remove this for that extra... err... little something. I saw one thread where a rider who performed the mod later went in and put it back to stock because he was experiencing an excessive tendency to wheelie. Think I'll be leaving mine alone. I think I remember reading that the ZX-14 somehow limits full throttle in 1st and possibly second gear as well for the same reason. Probably not a bad idea. Link to comment
pbbeck Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 Other than these issues, the GT is a dream. It has unlimited torque. The salesman said to use 2nd in most situations to launch the bike and it can easily tool around town in 4th or 5th gear. 6th pulls from 50 mph up like a freight train. Downshifting to pass is purely optional. I don't know what town you live in! I can't tool around town on my 1200GT in fourth or fifth! Second (maybe third) gear in town. Fourth on open roads. Fifth and sixth are for freeway and open highway only. Link to comment
Rphoto Posted August 4, 2009 Author Share Posted August 4, 2009 Other than these issues, the GT is a dream. It has unlimited torque. The salesman said to use 2nd in most situations to launch the bike and it can easily tool around town in 4th or 5th gear. 6th pulls from 50 mph up like a freight train. Downshifting to pass is purely optional. I don't know what town you live in! I can't tool around town on my 1200GT in fourth or fifth! Second (maybe third) gear in town. Fourth on open roads. Fifth and sixth are for freeway and open highway only. I'm not exaggerating about this. Fifty in 6th is smooth and it pulls hard with a twist of the throttle. I use 3rd for slow turns onto streets (where I used to use 2nd on my old RT and also VRSCR). I read somewhere that the k13GT has the torque curve moved downward. Any other K13GT owners have input on this. Link to comment
smiller Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 I use 3rd for slow turns onto streets The 1300 has a few more ft. lbs. of torque but really, 3rd seems kind of high for such slow speeds. It'll pull it but I think a lower gear would be better for the engine. Link to comment
RedHot Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 I'm no expert, but I test rode a K1300GT yesterday and in town was mainly in 2nd or 3rd and out on the fun country rodes, I was in 4th. The only time I felt the need to go to 5th was on the little bit of highway that we did. The only ODD thing that happened. I was taking off from a stop light, actually started moving and the bike died!! It was odd! I didn't slip the clutch and kill it or anything like that. In fact it was such a "soft" kill that I didn't even realize it had died, I just quit moving. Very odd. Does anyone know what could have caused that? It started back up and off I went. Just a fluke? Link to comment
tcshooter Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 no this seems to be an issue with the new GT's, mine has stopped twice while comming to a stop sign. That and the switchgear issue seem to be the new bugs for the K1300 series. Link to comment
smiller Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 There are several reports of unexplained stalling regarding the 1300 on the K-Bike.com forum but so far only seems to affect a very small number of bikes. Same thing as in your case, the engine just shuts off for no apparent reason (always at slow speeds, either coming to or accelerating from a stop) then restarts with no difficulty. It is odd. I don't think anyone has come up with a reason yet. Link to comment
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