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2003 vs 2009 K1200 LT?


malclingan

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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.

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Rich06FJR1300

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.

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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.

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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.

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  • 2 weeks later...

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.

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  • 2 weeks later...

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.

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