BMW K 1200 GT

Think for a moment about just what the letters GT mean to you. Chances are you're thinking "very quick", or "better than the standard jobbie". Well, many will know the designation stands for Gran Turismo - rough translation "Grand Touring". Either way, the moniker is right on the lire (or should that be euro?) when it comes to describing the latest big bore touring option from BMW - the K1200 GT.

With its roots firmly traced from the K1200 RS, the bike's mission is to supply riders with the comfort of a full dress tourer with the option of a degree of sporting prowess. At the launch briefing BMW Oz staff went to some lengths to point out that the bike is a "sporty" tourer more than a sports tourer.

Now, that may sound a little confusing, but after riding the bike, it is clear what they mean. This is a big, comfy mile-eater. It's not designed to stick it up sports bikes with a little less weight on the wrists a la Triumph Sprint ST and Honda VFR800. No, this thing is no slouch but it is definitely a tourer. Got the difference?

So, having defined the beast, let's look at what you get for the money - a hefty $26,750.

The list is impressive... There's a fairing that not only looks grouse, but also offers fabulous weather protection; adjustable heated grips and seat; higher bars than the RS; luggage rack with hard panniers as standard equipment; an electric screen; integral ABS "partly integrated..." What do I mean by that? Good question. It means that the brakes are activated on the front and rear wheel when the rider pulls the lever. The footbrake, in turn, acts only on the rear wheel. This for mine is the best set-up BMW offers and the brakes work fiendishly well.

There's even a very good cruise control as standard and I used it often on the launch's round trip from Melbourne to Mildura.

The drivetrain has been carried over in full from the RS. There's a claimed 130PS lurking under all that bodywork and most riders will not be looking for more than the GT can offer.

The real power is made in the middle and when things happen they happen with real urge. It's a big, understressed lump that feels like it could tow a caravan, but it's a tad characterless. It's a utilitarian that does its job very neatly indeed. Put it this way if you will - if it were a student, it would be fabulous at mathematics and terrible at poetry...

Chassis componentry is also from the K1200 RS, with BMW's tried and true Telelever front and Paralever rear-end. If you haven't ridden a Beemer with this set-up it's a little hard to get across just how competent the whole deal is. While the front can feel a little remote, the fact is the bike is doing everything right. It's just different from what you may be used to. The trick here is to trust it. Take it from us, once you've pushed a Telelever Beemer as hard as it'll go, you can't help but smile. In short, I'm a big fan.

On the road the bike belies its size. It is fairly heavy at the front at traffic-trickle speeds and lane-splitting requires a good deal of confidence in your measuring ability. This K's pretty wide.

The seating position suits me and the heated grips and seat are ‘must-haves'. They both got a fair run on the wet launch ride. Toasty warm in fully waterproof kit, I couldn't help feel that I was flicking Mother Nature the bird...

Riding the road to Mildura is akin to watching your clothes go out of fashion, but all that free time was filled with fiddling with the bike's attributes. I'm not owning up, but cruise control on a big stable bike allows for some interesting shenanigans and I can attest to the comfort of the pillion seat...

So...
The K 1200 GT is a really stable, comfortable and beautifully finished motorcycle. Fast, smart and reliable, there is a lot to like about the GT. Sure it's not cheap, but it sits well in the Beemer range with the K 1200LT as a conservative big brother and the R's as (more quirky) smaller stablemates.

Fact is, if you like your bikes big, refined, fast and classy, then BMW has the mount for you.