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RT or GT


Marc

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Understanding this forum originally created by Cary was BMWRT.com geared towards the twin, I am hoping for some subjective comments regarding the comparison of an RT to a Gt. 
 

I am contemplating a 2013 GT versus a 2014 RT.

 

I have always had the RT’s In The past but may consider a switch to the GT. 
looking for any insight into riding position, lean angles, throttle control etc.   
 

RT has been comfy for me at 5’9” tall with 30” inseam. I do tend to drag the pegs in the twisties. 
Does the Gt have more or less lean?

which is better for long distance?

I don’t want the gtl based on what I have read as I ride more sporty. 
any insight would be appreciated.  
Thanks. 

 

 

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Wayne Johnson

When i was looking to replace my camhead in 2019 I was contemplating the same thing. The salesmen asked me what kind of riding I do. I club raced in the 70's so i still ride pretty hard at times along with day trips. He said although the Gt would be better for trips that I would be happier with with Rt gay to day so the 19 r1250rt was the choice . Perhaps my back side will disagree as I am two seats in the search to find the right one for me. I might add that you will be buying less rear tires also from what I've heard

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The GT will have quite a bit more weight to deal with. Underway it’s a non issue. The low end torque of that six is awesome as is the sound coming from the pipes. The adaptive headlight on the GT is a gimmick that actually works, that was missed. 
The wet RT gives up very little in overall acceleration, it’s as light as a feather in comparison. Tough but a fun choice to make, either way you’ll be smiling.

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fourteenfour

One other concern, maintenance costs on the GTs are definitely higher than the RT.  The benefits of that six is that it is smoother and like Tewks mentioned that adaptive headlight does work and if you do a bit of night riding it may be worthwhile to consider

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2 hours ago, Marc said:

 

Any insight on the lean angles?

 

0:46 

Not impressive lean angles but a sample of the engine sound.

I think a test ride on both bikes would make your decision much easier.

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I've had four RTs and outside of my 1150 have loved all of them.  Before my wife bought her Spyder we rode two up all the time and while she is tiny, I'm not and loaded down the RTs were just a touch sluggish in the performance department. I bought a 2013 GT in 2016 and the engine is brilliant even loaded with the two of up with all of our crap.  Almost 50,000 miles later and I am still smitten with the GT.  That said I have raised the handlebars a touch, installed an aeroflow windshield and a Russell seat.  I can ride at lose your license speeds all day long on the GT.  Never was crazy about the shocks and went to a set of Wilbers about 20000 miles ago and the bike handles much better.  The GT has plenty of lean angle and with a focus on good lines and body position you can keep from dragging hard parts.  You can feel the weight of the GT in the Appalachians and my GS is definitely easier to ride fast in that environment, but the GT is still very capable in the mountains.

 

I do my own maintenance but it is somewhat complicated.  The engine is a dry sump and similar to a Harley touring bikes, the oil tank resides under the engine.  However there is a external and internal drain plug and its possible/easy to drop the internal plug into the lower oil tank.  Got to love German engineering sometimes.  The major service is due at 18000 which includes 6 spark plugs at $11 each, air filter, removal/cleaning of the radiator (the radiator has to come off anyways to access the plugs and valves)and a valve lash check.  About $1000 at the dealer.  

 

Tires can be an issue for some, the GT tips the scale at 700+ lbs, has a shit ton of torque starting at idle, and 160HP.  It can shred rear tires! I typically get about 5000 miles on a rear.

 

Cant go wrong with either choice from my perspective.  There are plenty of low mileage 1600s that can be had for a cheap price. I would stay away from a 2011 or 2012 model, especially if it has low miles. Quite a few piston issues with those years and for me it's just not worth the risk.  

 

 

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If you are talking high speed twistys from a ground clearance perspective, the RT has slightly more as its lighter weight doesn't compress the suspension as much as the heavier GT. The lighter weight will be easier on tires as well, and the six does love to eat rear tires when ridden aggressively. But I think that's the point of that motor isn't it?:revit:

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Thanks for all the replies, I appreciate the insight. Hopefully some of the color schemes I prefer will hit the market when the new RT arrives next month.  I am hoping that the new RT prompts some trade ins as right now I cannot find what I seek.

I am leaning towards the K1600GT in Blue.

Hope to jump back on here soon!

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Get both!   I’ve got 6 bikes and it’s fun just

deciding which one to ride.   If my wife is going with it’s always the K12LT.   Now there’s a heavy bike, but she’s the ultimate in comfort.   Especially passenger comfort.   

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RandyShields
10 hours ago, Marc said:

I am leaning towards the K1600GT in Blue.

I've had a number of boxers over the years and a '12 GT.  The K1600 is the best and smoothest engine of any bike I've ever ridden, including a 1500 Gold Wing.  Cruising at 85-90 mph out in MT and WY last summer, it barely broke a sweat and ate up the miles.  As pointed out above, heavy and hard to move around the garage, and the weight is only noticeable while underway when trying to keep up with lighter bikes in the twisties of the Appalachians.  Overall, one of the best motorcycles ever made IMO.

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Randy, my old memories and yours and Mike’s positive endorsements have me working trade deals and numbers in my head that weren’t there yesterday. :dopeslap: Marc you should call Max today about this bad Larry before I do! :facepalm: Dang, :ohboy: I fell into my own trap. :classic_biggrin:image.jpeg.282c9684952bea189f977e24af194d4a.jpeg 

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  • Haha 1
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Collectively I've ridden about 150,000 miles on four RT's; 1997 R1100RT, 2002 R1150RT, 2006 R1200RT and currently have a 2018 R1200RT. I pre-ordered a K1600GT in 2011 and put 39,000 miles on it before selling it and going back to my current bike. More than 95% of the aforementioned miles were solo. Both models are GREAT bikes. I agree on your comment about the K1600GTL. I demo rode one when deciding between the KGT and KGTL. The KGTL ergos were similar to a Wing, and the KGTL "tiller" type handlebars made it feel less connected to the front end. The KGT is IMHO is definitely more sporty than the KGTL with respect to handling.

 

Ergonomics on the K1600GT ("KGT") Vs R1200/1250 RT are very similar. So too, the lean angle going through the twisties. The 1600 had a bit more room between rider and passenger. Due to the 140 lb. weight difference, the KGT required more input to the handlebars than on the RT through tight twisty turns but still, the KGT is very maneuverable when carving through switchbacks and very well mannered crawling along in stop and go traffic. . 

 

From my experience, toss a coin as to which model is better for long distance touring. With side cases and top box, luggage/gear carrying capacity is essentially the same. Typically getting anywhere between 45 ~ 50 MPG on either model and with similar fuel capacities, the range between tank fills KGT Vs RT is comparable too. 

 

Riding the same way on the KGT and RT, tire life ranged between 5,500 ~ 6,000 miles on the KGT and between 7,500 ~ 8,500 miles on the RT. Even though the KGT 6-cylinger engine has more torque and horsepower than the RT, there's negligible difference in the ratios of weight-to-horsepower and weight to torque.  KGT: 4.4 lb./HP    RT: 4.5 lb./HP          KGT: 5.44 bl./ft-lb.    RT: 5.8 lb./HP           

 

k1600gt.jpg

20181214_193522.jpg

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I sincerely appreciate the feedback.

I found the bike!!

Today I placed a deposit down on a k1600GT in Blue with 14k miles.

Picking it up this weekend and heading down to Daytona.

 

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Congrats Marc!! I hope you'll enjoy the K16GT. I don't think I've ever heard anyone complain about the bike (except for weight when moving it around by hand or maintenance costs). This has been a really interesting and enjoyable thread. 

 

I thought I'd posted this a few days ago but evidently not but here what I intended to post...

Quote

"And don't miss all the good comments in this earlier thread on the 1600 here."

 

 

Please let us know your impressions and your thoughts of the R12RT vs K16GT when you get some time.

 

Best

Miguel

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I've owned 2 K16's, a 2014 GT and a 2016 GTL and in my opinion based on owning two K16's it is the best bike in it's class and nothing comes close. The RT doesn't come close, no HD comes close and the Honda Gold Wing doesn't come close when it comes to performance and handling. There was no road my K16 couldn't handle from tail of the dragon, to long sweepers, to back country roads to long days on the interstate the K16 thrived on each. The RT is nice but if you want near sport bike performance in a 700+ lb touring bike the only option is the K16. With that said the weight can be a challenge when moving the bike around in tight quarters like your garage or driveway but once the throttle is open the weight absolutely disappears. For two up the K16 is a bit larger bike and more comfortable for two up than the RT so that's a consideration if your wife/girlfriend rides with you. You can't go wrong with the RT at all but in my opinion the K16 is the better bike.

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Love the pic of your RT Miguel. I used to have the 99, that was my first RT and I never looked back. HEre are some of my past R bikes.  Looking forward to my trip tomorrow!

recovered photos 3795.jpg

recovered photos 766.jpg

Oct 06 233.jpg

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Here's the best K16 vs Goldwing I've seen. And yes the BMW wins.... but the last segment two up @ Laguna Seca is classic!!

 

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Nive bikes Marc. have a safe trip and let us know how it turns out. Love th pics of your past R bikes. Cheers. Miguel

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beemerman2k
On 3/2/2021 at 10:48 PM, fatbob said:

Get both!   I’ve got 6 bikes and it’s fun just

deciding which one to ride.   If my wife is going with it’s always the K12LT.   Now there’s a heavy bike, but she’s the ultimate in comfort.   Especially passenger comfort.   

 

 

I'm liking fatbob.  He has great wisdom. :thumbsup:

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On 3/1/2021 at 4:50 AM, Marc said:

Understanding this forum originally created by Cary was BMWRT.com geared towards the twin, I am hoping for some subjective comments regarding the comparison of an RT to a Gt. 
 

I am contemplating a 2013 GT versus a 2014 RT.

 

I have always had the RT’s In The past but may consider a switch to the GT. 
looking for any insight into riding position, lean angles, throttle control etc.   
 

RT has been comfy for me at 5’9” tall with 30” inseam. I do tend to drag the pegs in the twisties. 
Does the Gt have more or less lean?

which is better for long distance?

I don’t want the gtl based on what I have read as I ride more sporty. 
any insight would be appreciated.  
Thanks. 

 

 

 

RT.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 3/2/2021 at 8:48 PM, fatbob said:

Get both!   I’ve got 6 bikes and it’s fun just

deciding which one to ride.   If my wife is going with it’s always the K12LT.   Now there’s a heavy bike, but she’s the ultimate in comfort.   Especially passenger comfort.   


hey I just took my own advice and bought my Buddy’s neglected K1600GT (2013) with 12,000 miles from him!    I guess that makes 7 bikes!    My wife has stated that she wants to try the GT for pillion comfort.     I’m sure my LT will remain her choice.   
 

ciao!  

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