malclingan Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 Looking at both, a 2003 and a 2009 K1200 LT and wondering if one has an advantage over the other? Link to comment
mneblett Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 The LT had a mid-life upgrade in 2005. Better torque curve, different instrument cluster, Xenon headlight, power (electric) centerstand, and a couple more minor things. The later bikes had the advantage of several years of incremental fixes/upgrades, but they are otherwise not that different. I owned a 2000, 2002, 2005, 2006 (long story). My preference would be the 2009 if well-maintained. Link to comment
Rich06FJR1300 Posted November 19, 2014 Share Posted November 19, 2014 bmw modified the cylinder head in 2005, i think mostly to compensate for the added weight of the electric centerstand. They are very heavy bikes, i saw one rider drop one coming out of a parking spot on an incline...very scary how it went down so fast....changed my mind on getting one. Link to comment
mneblett Posted November 19, 2014 Share Posted November 19, 2014 Definitely a heavy-weight, but its management is more a matter of rider experience/skill/ability to make the bike do the work/paying attention so you don't ever get caught off-vertical at a stand-still. I'm 5' 7", with 30" inseam on a tall day, and I was quite comfortable for nearly a decade on LT's. I've seen 6' 2"+ guys who really struggled with the bike. Link to comment
Chris in GA Posted November 20, 2014 Share Posted November 20, 2014 I'm 5'8" and also with a 30" inseam and just traded my 2002 LT in for an new RT. Yes, if you don't know about the motorcycle it can be a handful at parking lot speeds. I dropped it once and it was in my garage. No one was around to see so does it count? It was in the first few days I had it and was rolling it off the center stand and there she went. I was still recovering from a broken elbow at the time so it was best to just let her go. So long as you stop it vertical it shouldn't be a problem. Best brakes on any motorcycle I've ever ridden though. Link to comment
graydude Posted December 4, 2014 Share Posted December 4, 2014 I'm on my third post 2000 LT. The changes from the 1999/2004 to the 2005 are not that significant. It was reported the 2005 and later had the rake increased to help the slow speed handling but I truly did not notice a difference. I've had a 2002, 2006 and my current 2005. The LT is a handful at less than 5 MPH. No question. The LT is scarey on slippery roads but with confidence in your ride can be overcome. The horsepower was increased in 2005 but again, I never noticed a difference. The ABS system was upgraded but the brakes are still linked. At the end of the day, the LT is a remarkable long distance touring bike. I've never ridden a smoother bike. Best of all, the LT's performance allows me to kinda keep up with the RT rider hoons. Link to comment
CoarsegoldKid Posted December 7, 2014 Share Posted December 7, 2014 Best of all, the LT's straight line performance allows me to kinda keep up with the RT rider hoons. Fixed it for you Todd. Link to comment
graydude Posted December 7, 2014 Share Posted December 7, 2014 I like mine better. Hoon snob. Link to comment
Havasu Dave Posted December 19, 2014 Share Posted December 19, 2014 Need to fix your profile too: that's "White Wine" country. Link to comment
azccj Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 I currently have a 2005 K1200LT and I owned a 2001 LT a long time ago. I prefer the 2005 much better. It has some nice upgrades like the power center stand and better headlight. The K1200LT, any model year, is a fantastic long distance bike. Link to comment
mw074 Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 The power center stand is a nice touch for us old timers. Link to comment
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