Ok guys here’s the feed back I promised.
I rode the Honda Goldwing and it’s an excellent touring bike, but it felt too big and looked ostentatious. This BMW K1200 LT is something else. It is big & heavy, but not in your face and it handles in the bends like a sports bike (well nearly). The smooth power delivery and ABS brakes are awesome. I went on a 340 mile trip on Sunday covering back roads, motorways and through Dublin city traffic. The first 50mile or so was a bit intimidating, but as I got use to the weight and developed confidence, things just got better and better. I was hitting 110 mph on the motorway and it was rock steady, this thing wants to eat miles. Under 5 mph you have to watch out, she will drop like a stone if you hit that front brake with a slight turn of the front wheel. I was getting 52.1 miles to the gallon, which is very good considering the type of mixed riding I was doing.
It has all the usual features you would expect from a touring bike – ABS ,Crouse control, heated grips, heated driver & passenger seat, gear indicator, stereo system etc.
What about my trusty America I here you say. Well she is staying; they are two completely different bikes. The BMW is a bike to eat continents while the America is a bike to eat a country (Ireland anyway). The BMW has all the bells and whistles, but the America has a character that no other bike can match. So for the moment both bikes are staying in the stable, whether I will has enough straw to feed both we will wait and see.
I will post picture during the week.
