BMW K1300s - any good?

[G.P]

Toying with the idea of swapping out the old Tiger 800 for a sports tourer for motorway commute and euro trips.

K1300s seems like an awful lot bike for not an awful lot of money. anyone got any experience with them?

[Skub]

@Bigjawa has one,or at least used to.

[Count Steer]

Had something that wasn't a million miles off, the K1200GT and I think Bigjawa has a K12.

I thought it was marv for all the things you list. Loved the engine. Took it on a Flash tour (2-up) and some 'Surrey Scrambles' and it was a bit of a lump in the twisty bits but not bad at all really. (Better than me, to be fair ).

[weeksy]

didn't IanB have one ?

[Mr Moofo]

Toying with the idea of swapping out the old Tiger 800 for a sports tourer for motorway commute and euro trips.

K1300s seems like an awful lot bike for not an awful lot of money. anyone got any experience with them?

I am curious as well, came back from France earlier this year and starrted looking qt them - lots of bike, not a lot of money.
I then started looking at the HP version - but realised it did really have too much HP about it than bolt on carbon

[Horse]

@Rockburner
@the_priest

?

[Whysub]

Had them at work 1200's and then 1300's.

Nice bikes, never had one on our fleet breakdown. Quick, handle well, none too heavy on fuel, and importantly, all day comfortable. The panniers weren't much use for more than a night or two away, they are soft/hard grey ones.

The 17 plate one we had in Scotland did suffer from lots of rust and flaking paint, but think that may have been due to its "custodian" not taking care of it (the London based bikes got rinsed down every day in winter, and still looked good). Maybe a different road salt is used north of the border?

I'd recommend one.

[Count Steer]

There was one oddity when I first got mine. Because the fairing is quite slabby (I assume ) in certain stiff side-winds it felt a bit odd. Even stopped and got off to check I'd not got a puncture one day on the M25. (I'd had a big, faired bike before and not felt the same 'vagueness' is the best I can describe it ). Once I realised that's just the way it is I just ignored it when it happened again.

Some say they're ugly brutes but I don't think so. Even saw a bike parked up at Honfleur and thought ''Ooh, that looks quite handy'....then realised it was the same as mine but without the luggage on.

[Whysub]

Just remembered my brother had a 2007 registered K1200S, the model that had the blue wheels. He had an upswept Motad end can on it, and it sounded so different, not loud, just different.

His did suffered from a wobbly clutch basket, and bought an uprated one from a bloke in Yorkshire. He had made and sold quite a few, so it must have been a not uncommon fault. It did make the engine quieter, and made the lever really light.

Our work bikes were used quite hard, from cold ( I'd never treat my own bikes that way), but when needs must.

[G.P]

didn't IanB have one ?

Ian Had one of these - the R1200S boxer:




I'm looking at these: a 175bhp IL4

[Rockburner]

My brother had a K1200S, I had a K1200R.

I remember test-riding the K1200S when it came out. Rode up the A3 from Guildford at my usual pace, then thought... "I don't remember this dual-carriageway corner being tight.....". Felt like I was doing 80-ish, looked down at the clocks and I was doing about 150-ish...

If you're looking for one, check to see if the steering "balls" have been replaced - and by a BMW shop. The steering "head" is actually 2 ball-joints, because of the Duolever front suspension system (which is fantastic) They eventually wear and the handling makes it feel like the tyres are flat or something similar. It's best to get a BMW shop to replace them because apparantly it's VERY easy to strip the threads in the yokes getting the old ball fittings out. You also need something like a 42mm spanner.... (or larger).

IIRC the 1300 engine had some upgrades over the 1200, including a better clutch basket (or something - I know the clutch was improved). Also (iirc) the 1300 has "normal" indicator switch gear, which is one of the reasons I wouldn't buy one.

I have a funny feeling that the K12S had a slightly larger rake angle on the steering than the K12R, but I might be wrong about that.

I only really got rid of the K1200R that I sold to The Priest (the capitals are justified) because I found the seat a bit of a slab (and so did my pillion), and I found that the Rockster was better suited to the vast majority of my riding (and no slower cross-country), it wasn't worth having both. Otherwise I really liked it, once I'd got used to it (took a few months).

[Rockburner]

@Rockburner
@the_priest

?

FWIW - I don't think I get a notification when you do that. :shrug:

[Whysub]

There was a bloke who used to frequent the North Weald "Run What You Brung" events on a K1200R. One of the quickest bikes off of the line, and the one of the fastest to 60 yards.

[Rockburner]

Oh, yeah - the K1200R was the only bike I've ridden on which would go up a gentle incline while ticking over in first (ie, hand off throttle)

[Horse]

@Rockburner
@the_priest

?

FWIW - I don't think I get a notification when you do that. :shrug:

I have no idea what's supposed to happen.

@Horse

[G.P]

Also (iirc) the 1300 has "normal" indicator switch gear, which is one of the reasons I wouldn't buy one.

Lol

Thanks for the info. Its daft really. My 60k mile 800 Tiger is probably more than capable of another few laps of northern Europe but I suppose it comes down to Too many bikes, not enough time , so why not

[Dodgy69]

didn't IanB have one ?

Ian Had one of these - the R1200S boxer:




I'm looking at these: a 175bhp IL4

That was a cracking looking bike IRL.

[Bigjawa]

@Bigjawa has one,or at least used to.

I have the 1200R sport.

Its a fantastic bike, but the clutch is like an ancient CB900 and the ABS pump needed rebuilt, but I think the 1300 had had both weaknesses taken care of, even if they did take a huge step backwards by replacing the worlds best indicator switches with a normal one.

The engine is ridiculous though, power from any RPM, although they do get mental above 8k, handling is better than I am and the 1300 has an extra 12 bhp over the 12.

I'd want a test ride first as they're a bit different to anything I'd ridden before, but yeah, they're an awful lot of bike for the money.

Just keep it away from rain as the engine paint isn't suitable for an airfix kit and the fasteners rust if they even hear rain in the forecast.

[Taipan]

didn't IanB have one ?

Ian Had one of these - the R1200S boxer:

Love those and wished I'd got round to owning one. The best dressed boxer imo...

[Count Steer]

Love those and wished I'd got round to owning one. The best dressed boxer imo...

Did a France trip with a bunch of people and one had one of these.



V smart but I was surprised how tall it was. It might have been an optical illusion but it seemed taller than a GS. I've got a photo of them side by side I'll see if I can dig it out.