BMW K1200LT

I have a 2002 k1200lt. bike rides great but secdual maintance is to high labor and parts. 24k was 1100 you can do three goldwings fo that and have gas money left. AL

LOVE THE BIKE 2005 K1200LT BUT HAD TO REPLACE THE RADIO A KNOWN PROBLEM THAT BMW KNOWS ABOUT BUT HAD TO PAY FOR IT MYSELF. THIS BIKE SHOULD HAVE COME WITH PASSENGER ARMRESTS AND BACKRESTS.

I have wanted one of these since I sold my K100rs 14 years ago. I finally got my K1200LT 3 days ago. Yes very expensive to get repaired. Yes very heavy. After owning a Goldwing 1500se, ST1100 ,Valkyrie interstate and even the VTX1800 . I find it very nimble and well balanced with what ever you throw at it , but I stand 6 foot 3inch and weigh 120 kg. This could be why It feels lighter than the others I mentioned. Most of the maintenance it will need , I will do myself , as I have done on my other 50 or so bikes in the past . That lowers maintenance costs. So all up she Is going to be a lot of fun , with a few dramas at some stage. Most riders will agree that's part and parcel off owning a bike

I am selling 09 LT, because of top heavy character and bulky rear trunk and the fact that side cases can not be separated like RT. It is a car on 2-weels, hard to work on it, and dangerous because of its bulk and weight.

Rob Massina

I have ridden tourers for many years now including a 2007 Honda GL1800.

Prior to that I had a 2002 K1200lt. That model was frankly scary at low speed and I dropped that more than once!!

Thank goodness for the video on how to get it upright again.

What I did to stop this happening as often was have the hydrolic fitted to the bike and was worth the expense, notwithstanding BMW said it could not be done.

I'm currently riding an immaculate K1200LTE which was imported into New Zealand from Canada with 5,000kms by a Kiwi who had been living there. It had two great advantages compared to another 2005 USA K1200LT model I owned. Canadians drive on the left side of the road meaning I didn't have to buy a new very expensive headlight fitting and it was in kilometres as opposed to Miles per hour.

Compared to the earlier K1200LT models BMW changed the fork angle in 2004 from memory and the bikes from then on have been chalk and cheese in handling and feeling as top heavy.

I've just completed an eight day cruise around the South Island of New Zealand with three other motorcyclists covering some 3,000kms and it handled like a dream. The sophistication of this bike compared to my 2007 Honda Goldwing GL1800 came through with things like the electric windscreen, gear shift indicator, surround sound music system and the Garmin Sat Nav system.

I broke my back some five years ago in an elevator crash and spent nine months in a wheelchair while I slowly recovered. The golden key for me to resume riding was the hydraulic centre stand that has allowed me to get back on a two wheeler.

I'm at a loss to understand why the new K1600 series didn't include this fantastic function.

Of interest this trip was the number of tourist photographing and asking to sit on the bike and be photographed at over 50% of the places we stopped! There are significantly fewer K1200lte registered in NZ compared to the Goldwing.

BMW Part prices in NZ are outrageous and it's cheaper to buy off shore in the UK and USA EVEN combining freight and potential taxes at the border.

All in all I seriously rate the K1200lte and I'm enjoying better fuel economy than the Six cylinder Goldwing.

I recently purchased the K1200 two months ago and overall; I am very pleased with it. I have ridden the bike on one trip since I have owned it in the last two months. The ride was approximately 450 miles round trip and was very pleased with not only the comfort of the ride but also not having to stop to take a rest from the ride as I have had to do with some of my previous motorcycles.

The bike is amazing on the interstates and highways but as some of the other reviewers have stated, it does take some care when stopping at a traffic lights. Due to the high center of gravity of the bike, one wrong move and it is not likely you will stop it from going down. However, I believe with a little practice, it will be fine. On the back roads, the bike handles extremely well in tight turns and cornering for such a large bike. Lots of power and very smooth through the gears but I wish there was a sixth gear to go to.

The luggage compartments have plenty of room for a two or three day trip if you are riding two up. The CD changer and radio are pretty awesome as well. Replacement parts should you need to replace something cosmetic, are a bit on the high side of cost. All though there are several other motorcycles out there in the same category as the K1200, in my option this bike is top of the line for the sport/touring models.

Saw this K1200LT at dealer in 2006, took test ride fell in love immediately. loved the feel and looks ,great gas mileage-handles like a dream. Took ride to Idaho from east coast and back,2600 miles,2 weeks in the saddle loved every second. That was the first year-new bike I expected some problems and I did have some issues.

Radiator cap would not hold pressure,coolant blew out overflow bottle all over rear tire...Display screen had burnt out pixel line..These items were fixed under warranty.In 2010,rear tire developed side to side play (1600 miles),10 months out of warranty.I had heard of this issue and hoped it would not happen to me.Repairs came out of pocket, about $250.00-At least I caught it before the seal puked! The bike spends the winters in my living room where i have plenty of time to tinker and do some of the required service.All in all my 2006 BMW K1200LT is expensive to maintain,a pleasure to own, and rides like a dream !!!

When I was living in New Zealand, I had originally the R1200GS. Almost at the same time as buying the GS, I spotted the K1200LT being sold at a former BMW dealership on behalf of a private owner. The first thing that I spotted was the amount of kilometers that it had (71000) and then decided not to go for it. After a while of riding with my fiance on the GS, I noticed that the GS was very uncomfortable and not suited to the task. It was then that we decided to go for the LT after having seen that after 2 months, the dealershipin Christchurch had not sold it on yet.

After a test ride, there was no looking back. It is highly reliable, fast, smooth, well built and having done around the globe on it, it has proven to be the ultimate tourer for 2 up. It is economical, robust and offers everything worthy of a top class motorcycle. I won't change it, I know that for sure.

For long distance touring, nothing better out there. Just completed our third European tour and the bike has never missed a heart beat.

Plenty of luggage space even with pillion insisting that everything must be in a pannier or it's not going!!

A bit top heavy and a bit unstable at low speeds but if treated with respect and low speed manoeuvring is planned in advance then everything should be fine.

Running costs are not cheap but the sheer luxury is worth it.

This was a bike I aspired to. Now a proud owner. Confidence to overcome weight of the bike took time, differing riding style from previous bikes. Once mastered a dream bike, In august 2010 completed my first tour of France and Spain, what an adventure. Had bike serviced before I left on this adventure, the cost I believe to be reasonable. The ride was VG. coped so well in the mountains, even on single tracks and very comfortable. I rode and camped every day for a period of 6 weeks, many miles covered, no problems experienced. now planning and looking forward to next tour.