MEM62 wrote:
Doing your own servicing will devalue the bike when you come to sell it. Most looking for a used BMW consider a full dealer history as a must have. Of course, the impact of this on older bikes is diminished.
Not for me. If I see a nice bike that is well looked after, and the owner can show me his maintenance history, regime, receipts etc, I'd take that over a dealer almost every time. I am afraid I don't have the same regard for BMW mechanics as you do. My experience is they work against time, and generally speaking don't go the extra mile.
bandytales wrote:
Not for me. If I see a nice bike that is well looked after, and the owner can show me his maintenance history, regime, receipts etc, I'd take that over a dealer almost every time. I am afraid I don't have the same regard for BMW mechanics as you do. My experience is they work against time, and generally speaking don't go the extra mile.
The reality is, BMW mechanics are being employed to do a job by the garage they work for. They are not your mates just because it's a bike workshop. An independent mechanic will probably take more care, but not always as they are also under financial constraints. The best person to take care of your bike is yourself (if you have the skills). But if your bike is under manufacturers warranty you are stuffed. I always rated CW in Dorchester, but now they are no longer able to carry out warranty work, I will not take my year old bike to them, because if it needed any warranty work, I would have to then take it somewhere else, so they won't get my custom until the warranty runs out.
Levisp wrote:Once again I see double standards between UK and USA. If you look on the US forums lots of folk there service their bikes themselves without infringing BMW warranty. In the US you can service your bike yourself - no problem. They also get 3 years warranty against our 2. Well for the record I'm going to service my bike myself, document everything including photos so I can prove that the bike has been serviced according to BMW specification. I have bought BMW OEM parts and oil and have receipts to prove it. I will certainly for the first 2 years pay for the bike to be plugged into BMW computer to reset service reminders, check for fault codes and any software updates providing they don't charge me silly money. Once my 2 years are up then I will purchase GS911 and do that myself.
Now I know many people reading this will say why bother especially having spent £15K on buying a new bike. My argument is that I'm more than capable and have time to do it. I actually enjoy working on my bikes. I even fit my own tyres have been doing that for years. Also there is a big saving to be had. If my RT LC is reliable then I'm planning on keeping this one and I want to see 120K miles in 10 years. I estimate that DIY servicing will save me between £4000 - £5000 over 10 years. Thats worth having.
Just bought a 2016 RT with 8k miles for just over £10k. Comes with a 2 year BMW warranty and has every option bar the radio. Previous bike was a 2010 GS 1200 cam head also bought used. The RT is the Starship Enterprise compared to my old GS. The DOHC cam engine on my GS was a sweet engine but the LC is on a different planet. My friends who have ridden longer than me said there is not much in it between the 1250 and 1200 (or certainly not worth £10k). Fully loaded new RTs are pushing £20k which is nuts. Get something used from a dealer with a warranty and buy a few bits to make it yours. Take the 50% you probably will have saved and then go spend it on petrol. The K1600 is a cruise missile on steroids that is for going straight with comfy slippers and the roads in the US are more suited to it. The RT is sublime and as my friend who also has one says is the only motorcycle where you don’t get wet ridding. I don’t know how I lived without cruise control. Quick shift and hill assist nice but not necessary. Good luck.
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Last edited by NLC on Sat Jun 13, 2020 6:40 am, edited 1 time in total.
simbo wrote:
I don't use it often to be fair, it's handy for 'average speed cameras' though
Yeah, that and through villages where there is a point to the speed limits. Also useful giving your hand a rest, I suffer from arthritis and RSI in my hands which gets bad if I dont stretch my hand regularly. I dont use it a massive amount but it makes life easier to have. When I hired a 1200LC last year in Canada I also really missed the proper hill start you get on the 1250 that is light years ahead of the earlier version. The gear shift assist I can take or leave, I can shift smoother the old fashioned way, I use it when feeling lazy but often forget it is there.
To the OP: I tested the Yamaha FJR1300 before buying my RT, and I'm glad with the choice I made. Didn't get to really test it in the twisties, but it felt a bit balky. Definitely had the horses, tho'. But I'm always amazed at how calmly and quickly I can flick through twisties on my RT, and that is a non-negotiable quality for me in a bike. Don't think the K1600 would keep up, and would be a speck in the RT's (terrible) rear view mirrors.
Absolutely cannot understand how anyone would want/pay for shifting assistance. Kinda misses the whole point, but I gotta say, when you're putting in consecutive 600 mile plus days, the cruise control (my first) is a must. Plus, it's safer since it keeps your eyes on the road, rather than trying to periodically read your speed on the often illegible (!!!!) instrument panel - which is a separate danger. Of course, it lets you alternate hands and rest your right arm and hand, too and also varies the pressure thru one's upper back if you one-hand it. A tip, Simbo? When not convenient to use the cruise control, if you move your right hand outward so that it's half on the stationary bar end, it allows you to untighten your grip and the twist tension on the throttle, doesn't react to dips in the road, and keeps your speed more steady than free-handing it. Only took me my first 40 years of riding to figure that out.
PeteM wrote:
Yeah, that and through villages where there is a point to the speed limits. Also useful giving your hand a rest, I suffer from arthritis and RSI in my hands which gets bad if I dont stretch my hand regularly. I dont use it a massive amount but it makes life easier to have. When I hired a 1200LC last year in Canada I also really missed the proper hill start you get on the 1250 that is light years ahead of the earlier version. The gear shift assist I can take or leave, I can shift smoother the old fashioned way, I use it when feeling lazy but often forget it is there.
+1. Especially in villages and average speed control. Also when doing long stretches so you don’t kill your fuel average and gives my wrist a break from a snowboard injury.
Last edited by NLC on Sun Jun 14, 2020 8:14 am, edited 1 time in total.
bandytales wrote:
Not for me. If I see a nice bike that is well looked after, and the owner can show me his maintenance history, regime, receipts etc, I'd take that over a dealer almost every time. I am afraid I don't have the same regard for BMW mechanics as you do. My experience is they work against time, and generally speaking don't go the extra mile.
It is not a case of regard for the mechanics. It is just the way that the market works with respect to the impact of residual values. Although if you have seen some the bodges I have by home mechanics you would be wary of any bike that been home serviced. Many are competent and capable - many more are not.
I priced a bike £2,000 below dealer used retail - and the potential buyer tried to knock me down still further (£250 below dealer trade-in offer) because it did not have a dealer warranty as well as a fully stamped service book.
No pleasing some people..
MEM62 wrote:
I like the K1600 but it is not suited to the type of riding that I do most often. (Some commuting, leisure rides and touring. It certainly would not cope with some of the roads we like to enjoy on our Spanish tours)
I would appreciate the extra power of the K1600 once in every 20 rides - but I appreciate the lower weight of the boxer RT on every single ride.
beemerboy9 wrote:
I would appreciate the extra power of the K1600 once in every 20 rides - but I appreciate the lower weight of the boxer RT on every single ride.
I really think 1 up, the 1250 is a match for the RT in terms of power to weight (in fact I think it is better than it...by a smidge). In terms or Torque to weigh the 1250 is about 3Nm down.
When you factor in the benefit of a lighter bike in terms of handling and manouverability, the K1600 is knocked out apart from the long mile munching motorway runs, when the bigger bike could feel better. The we come to the feedback of the engine. Some believe the in-line 6 is amazing. I find it truly soulless.
The bottom line is I might...just might appreciate the 1600 once in every 200 rides.
