Text: Robert Smith • Photography: Robert Smith, Kevin Wing
As I sweep through the delicious medley of flowing curves that climb to Fairfield Ski Resort just outside Flagstaff, Arizona, I run through my mental checklist. Power delivery: smooth; brakes: smooth with a nice bite; gearshift: crisp, yet smooth; clutch: light and smooth…damn it - my critique of BMW's new K1200GT is starting to sound like a beer commercial!
Smooth Operator
But that one word - smooth - keeps popping into my head no matter which aspect of BMW's new sport-tourer I'm considering. The 1157cc motor has none of the occasional harshness of its more powerful iterations in the K1200R and S. Its bodywork is designed to slip stealthily through the air, and its progress on all but the roughest roads is, with the ESA electronic suspension adjustment on its 'comfort' setting, anything but rough.
GT Reborn
The new K1200GT, with its transverse in-line four-cylinder powerplant, replaces the previous longitudinal-engined K1200GT, which traced its lineage back to the K75 and K100 'flying bricks' of the mid-eighties. No question that the long-stroke 1200 mill was showing its age: rubber mounting was needed to damp out its buzzy vibration; the bike was ponderous and relatively underpowered against the new class of Japanese sport tourers; and there were some reliability issues.
The new GT is a blend of the running gear from the K1200S modified to suit its new application, and the luxurious appointments expected of a top-flight touring iron. Comparing specifications with the K1200S, the GT is surprisingly similar: the engine uses the same valves, throttle bodies and compression ratio as the S, but with the single snorkel intake from the K1200R instead of the S's dual snorkels. Presumably, changes to the camshafts are therefore mostly responsible for the GT's milder 152hp output, compared with 167 for the S and 165 for the R. Overall gearing is also taller to provide more relaxed highway riding.
The similarities extend to the 5-gallon fuel capacity, Evo Paralever and Duolever suspensions, and the dual 12.6' front and single 10.4' rear brakes. The wheels, however, are different: elegant, cast-magnesium alloy with five pairs of spokes replace the S model's spiral spoke design. The rear hoop is narrower, at 5.5', to take a 180/55mm tire instead of the 190/50 item on the S. The GT's steering angle is also a slightly more relaxed 4.5' of trail. But those are the only acknowledged differences in the technical department.
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For the complete article of the riding impression(s) and technical specifications, please purchase the November/December 2006 back issue.
