K1300s

[Scotsrich]

I’m seriously considering trading in my Sprint GT for a BMW k1300s.

From my viewpoint the Sprint is a heavy lump (that’s coming from someone who had ZZR 1100’s for years) and the problem it the weight seems really high. To the extent it’s seriously a struggle to pull away in a straight line at low revs if I’m 2 up. Okay I’m not the strongest of guys but as I didn’t feel the same with the Z I can only assume it’s the bike.

Anyway I can’t find a bike in any dealers nearby to even try and I don’t know how it will be 2 up. This is important as most of my rides are with my OH. Neither of us are svelte and the ZZR was a bit cramped. That was one reason I got the Sprint for the extra seat room. I’d hate to have to buy online without even having sat on one but if you guys have had any experience I’ll at least know whether to look at something completely different or not.

Has anybody had one? Does anyone know what it’s like seat wise? Is the seat longer / shorter than the Z? (This is probably one of the defining factors in whatever I buy, sad tho it may sound)
Is it a comfortable pillion?

Cheers.

[KungFooBob]

Sounds like you'd be better off with the K1300GT

[PitaNaanRoti]

Go see Si Forder at Vines - although its a bit of a trek for you.

[Rockburner]

A BMW K1300 is going to feel just as heavy as a Triumph Sprint, but it'll be down to how you feel about how the weight is distributed.

Get a test ride from someone.

[the_priest]

I'd give you my K1200R for a spin, but you are a bit north of me I think. I find weight lower down than the Sprint, I had a 955 Sprint RS and the K is more stable at lower speeds, but the K does spin up quickly and the weight disappears. It is not a small bike, bigger than the Sprint, but perhaps a better ergonomic layout. You would love the IL4 seamless power, really is an easy bike to ride slowly and fast. Test ride is a must though. The forum is helpful and gives good pointers.https://eurokclub.bike/index.php

[Hot_Air]

I’ve test ridden a K1300S and found the weight well-balanced (low centre of gravity). But I’ve not tried one with a pillion.

If you’re interested in a K1300S, I’d also recommend test riding a VFR1200. It has Honda’s magic trick of making the weight disappear, the 1200 V4 engine is a peach, and second-hand versions can be terrific value for money.

[Couchy]

I’ve had a K1300S, bought for two up duties. It felt fine on the move but they are a big heavy bus. Can get a proper move on and very comfy for me as the rider and pillion who was 5’4 and 8st. Never felt cramped and the weight does disappear on the move. Also used a GT version and they are great once moving, like a super fast sofa But both are bigger and heavier than the sprint. Why not try an adv bike ?

[rodbargee]

1300s is a heavy bike but a great ride front ends very sure footed and the seats good might be snug if your both big ish they also fit in a vito!

[Flux]

I've had a K1300s from new in 2011, there's a reason I've still got it, outlasting every other bike I've ever had by a long way. It's fuckin' ace! We originally got it for european tours (2-up), replaced a Gix 750 (great bike but not the ideal tool from a pillion perspective), since we've had a camper (2014) we no longer have the desire to ride to the destination but always take the BM with us in the van. Compared to my race bike it seems a big beast to load into the van but you soon get used to it. Yes they're heavy but that's what makes them feel so planted, I also love the telelever forks some folk complain of a lack of feel, but you very quickly get used to the front end and the forks not diving like traditional ones is great with a pillion on the road.
These bikes are also very long and therefore stable, but I've never had anything that feels so good on hairpin bends.
There's 2 seat options, I went for the low seat (short arse 5'8") identified by only one slash/indent on the side of the seat compared to 2 on the standard seat and for me it's ideal.
Every time I've looked at changing the bike I come to the conclusion I'm just spending money for something that certainly from a pillion pov won't be as good.

[Scotsrich]

I’ve kinda gone off the idea of the 1300s. I think it would be swapping one problem for another.

So the window shopping continues.

I’ve got a test on a 900 Tracer GT to tomorrow, we’ll see how that goes. Just sitting on it it seems quite good.

I also had a test ride on a 1200 GS booked tomorrow as well till I got home, measured the back gate and realised it won’t fit

I suspect I might have that trouble with a lot of adventure style bikes as it’s only 910 mm opening.

There’s definitely a shortage of s/h bikes out there but the good news is I should get £4K for the Triumph.

[Beancounter]

1300s is a heavy bike but a great ride front ends very sure footed and the seats good might be snug if your both big ish they also fit in a vito!

Did you pour that into the van?!

I’ve kinda gone off the idea of the 1300s. I think it would be swapping one problem for another.

So the window shopping continues.

I’ve got a test on a 900 Tracer GT to tomorrow, we’ll see how that goes. Just sitting on it it seems quite good.

I also had a test ride on a 1200 GS booked tomorrow as well till I got home, measured the back gate and realised it won’t fit

I suspect I might have that trouble with a lot of adventure style bikes as it’s only 910 mm opening.

There’s definitely a shortage of s/h bikes out there but the good news is I should get £4K for the Triumph.

Can you not widen the gate?

Assuming it would fit, would you not consider an R1200RT?

[Scotsrich]

Latest...if you’re not bored yet.

The Tracer was a nice bike and if I was buying a bike for solo riding I’d have bought it there and then.

Unfortunately my OH doesn’t fit on the back. To put it bluntly either the seat is too narrow or her arse is too big (I’ll leave you to guess). She doesn’t hold on normally which is fine but she can’t get her hands on the side handles which she uses when I’m braking. So that’s out which is a pity as I liked the bike.

So the other option is the GS which I’m going to test a week on Friday. I’ve put a deposit down on it purely to keep it for me.

I can see 2 things I can do regarding the gate. Either enlarge the opening which means cutting stone pillars or see if I can get the bars narrowed. There are conflicting opinions on the net but it has been done. I think 35ml either side should do it. I’ll have a word with my local mechanic.

Of course I could also look elsewhere. I had a quick look at a Tiger 800 XRX and that seemed a contender, plus it’s that bit narrower.

[Mr Moofo]

1300s is a heavy bike but a great ride front ends very sure footed and the seats good might be snug if your both big ish they also fit in a vito!

Did you pour that into the van?!

I’ve kinda gone off the idea of the 1300s. I think it would be swapping one problem for another.

So the window shopping continues.

I’ve got a test on a 900 Tracer GT to tomorrow, we’ll see how that goes. Just sitting on it it seems quite good.

I also had a test ride on a 1200 GS booked tomorrow as well till I got home, measured the back gate and realised it won’t fit

I suspect I might have that trouble with a lot of adventure style bikes as it’s only 910 mm opening.

There’s definitely a shortage of s/h bikes out there but the good news is I should get £4K for the Triumph.

Can you not widen the gate?

Assuming it would fit, would you not consider an R1200RT?

Would it have not been easier to put the van on the K1300s?

[mangocrazy]

I can see 2 things I can do regarding the gate. Either enlarge the opening which means cutting stone pillars or see if I can get the bars narrowed. There are conflicting opinions on the net but it has been done. I think 35ml either side should do it. I’ll have a word with my local mechanic.

I have similar problems where I live, except the aperture is narrower (870mm at the narrowest point) and it wouldn't be a question of cutting pillars but removing a course of brick (or two) from the wall of the terraced house we live in. All the bikes I own (except the 350LC) have had their bars modified for this reason. It does seem to be a trend that bar widths are increasing all the time - I blame the surge in popularity of Adventure bikes for this. Not only do you have wider bars to contend with, but bar muffs, lever protectors and other add-on goodies. It's just an easy way to increase leverage at the bars to provide reasonably responsive turn-in on overweight barges to my mind...

Even my 150kg KTM Duke had unfeasibly wide bars as standard. The dealer I bought the bike from removed about 30mm from each side which improved matters substantially, but your best bet is probably to start trawling through the Renthal catalogue.

[Scotsrich]

That was a blast from the past, I’ve had 3 bikes since I first made that post.

In the end I bought a set of Helibars for the 1200 which enabled me to squeeze it through without modification.
I could have bought narrow bars from Wunderlich (substantially cheaper and better looking) but they were out of stock when I bought the bike.

When I got the 1250 I had it dropped off at my maté’s across the road where I transferred the bars onto it. Rode proudly over the road, tried to get it in the back gate only to find the engine bars were too wide. So I still had to get the gate modified. I took the easiest option of putting the gate posts behind the pillars and making a wider gate.

The 1250R fits through but I’d still have had to modify the gate from original as it’s a tight fit even now allowing for not folding the mirrors in.

Can’t really blame the house builder as for normal use it would be fine for 99% of the time.

I’m really envious of people with garages that can just ride straight in or out.

[Beancounter]

I have similar problems where I live, except the aperture is narrower (870mm at the narrowest point) and it wouldn't be a question of cutting pillars but removing a course of brick (or two) from the wall of the terraced house we live in. All the bikes I own (except the 350LC) have had their bars modified for this reason. It does seem to be a trend that bar widths are increasing all the time - I blame the surge in popularity of Adventure bikes for this. Not only do you have wider bars to contend with, but bar muffs, lever protectors and other add-on goodies. It's just an easy way to increase leverage at the bars to provide reasonably responsive turn-in on overweight barges to my mind...

Even my 150kg KTM Duke had unfeasibly wide bars as standard. The dealer I bought the bike from removed about 30mm from each side which improved matters substantially, but your best bet is probably to start trawling through the Renthal catalogue.

I'm inclined to agree. I put some Pro-taper bars on my 1150GSA and it didn't feel as nice to ride but was a lot easier through traffic (until you put the panniers on).

Mountain bike bar widths are very wide too. A day's training with Jedi led me to start narrowing my handlebars.

[Count Steer]

I blame the surge in popularity of Adventure bikes for this. Not only do you have wider bars to contend with, but bar muffs, lever protectors and other add-on goodies. It's just an easy way to increase leverage at the bars to provide reasonably responsive turn-in on overweight barges to my mind...

Leverage? Sorry, I just find that funny. You don't need to go to the gym before you can get a GS to tip in you know. Also, lengthening the bars decreases sensitivity - in one sense ie you need more arm movement for the same effect, but yes, also an erg or two more of force. I've found the bars to be a tad wide on a couple of bikes but that was down to riding position..I'd have been happy with 1" off either end and I don't suppose I'd have built up a sweat turning them or needed power steering fitted.

[Mr. Dazzle]

I guess it's probably more complicated than all that and also quite different from person to person?

Longer bars mean more leverage, but you also have to move them further and so on. They also put your arms, which are also levers of course, in different places/orientations and hence its gonna be different for every rider?

If you try to twist and object (like opening a jar) you tend to put your hands close together right? 'Cause it puts your arms/shoulders in a more "powerful" position.

[mangocrazy]

I blame the surge in popularity of Adventure bikes for this. Not only do you have wider bars to contend with, but bar muffs, lever protectors and other add-on goodies. It's just an easy way to increase leverage at the bars to provide reasonably responsive turn-in on overweight barges to my mind...

Leverage? Sorry, I just find that funny. You don't need to go to the gym before you can get a GS to tip in you know. Also, lengthening the bars decreases sensitivity - in one sense ie you need more arm movement for the same effect, but yes, also an erg or two more of force. I've found the bars to be a tad wide on a couple of bikes but that was down to riding position..I'd have been happy with 1" off either end and I don't suppose I'd have built up a sweat turning them or needed power steering fitted.

Oh dear - I appear to have unwittingly earned the wrath of the GS-ers... My comment wasn't a pop at any bike in particular, but rather the whole Adv bike market sector. However, if the cap fits... Adv bikes to me seem to be 'normal' bikes pumped up to the max on steroids - bigger, wider, taller, more imposing etc. etc. I'm sure that bar width on these type of bikes is scaled to fit with all the other super-sized dimensions, but the net effect is to provide extra leverage which does make turning the bikes on the move more easy. Not really quite sure why you found this comment funny?

My experience of bar width affecting steering was based on the original bars on my (lightweight and very svelte) KTM Duke 690. On my very first few rides I found the handling very accurate and precise, but just a little nervous and twitchy. After a while I figured out that I was using the same degree of bar inputs that I normally use on bigger, heavier bikes (Aprilia Falco, VFR750) that had narrower bars and it was in fact me that was making the bike nervous. Once I'd fitted bars that were similar in width to those on the other bikes the 'problem' disappeared.

I'm sure that manufacturers of Adv style bikes factor in bar width as part of the equation to achieve a suitable combination of stability at speed vs. responsive steering (along with weight, steering geometry, wheelbase, head angle etc. etc.), as well as getting the overall look of the bike right.

That's if you can ever get the 'look' of an Adv bike right, of course...

[Horse]

I guess it's probably more complicated than
If you try to twist and object (like opening a jar) you tend to put your hands close together right? '

Err no. Because the lid is on the jar - couldn't get much closer than that.