Intentionally add miles to your daily commute? Are you mad?!
Well, call us crazy, but with our new BMW K1600GTL long-term testbike, all we’ve wanted to do is ride. Even to the point of adding mileage to at least one staffer’s already lengthy grind to and from work.
It’s not just that the Big K is luxurious and comfortable, but that it is also thrilling to ride, from the smooth and abundant flow of liquid power delivered by that 1649cc inline-Six to that easy-steering, ultra-precise chassis.
Our well-optioned 2012 Premium-package model was delivered brand-new (close to zero miles) in Royal Blue Metallic paint. We’ve since accumulated more than 2000 miles in short order, and everyone who has ridden the bike has been tempted to warp off toward the horizon.
A few observations: A luxury-touring bike with easily and quickly removable luggage is fantastic (see nude photo…); the flip-out air deflectors at midfairing sides add a welcome cooling breeze on hot days; the Bluetooth interface on our bike offers mildly distorted music sound quality (a bass “crunch”) despite the use of four different brands of helmet-integrated headsets and regardless of volume/tone settings, while external speaker sound remains clear; tire wear characteristics from the Metzeler Roadtec Z8 Interacts (120/70ZR17 front, 190/55ZR17 rear) are excellent—no signs of squaring on the rear. But that may be a testament to how much lean time we have been chasing!
The 600-mile service went off without a hitch (engine oil/filter, final-drive oil change, plus safety checks), but the chrome strip adorning the left saddlebag had come loose. Latter was fixed, no charge, and the first service is billed at 1.5 hours labor, plus $90 in parts.
Best mpg so far is 42, which is nice, because, with a 7.0-gallon fuel tank, mile munching is easy. And you know what else is cool? There is a horizon in every direction. Bummer that work is often as close as we get to it, but there’s no reason not to enjoy that ride, too. Even if you’re only adding a few miles to your commute.
SPECIFICATIONS |
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|---|---|
| Total miles: | 2235 |
| Next service: | 6000 |
| Maintenance costs (including tires): | $218 |
| Repair costs: | $0 |
| Average fuel mileage: | 38 mpg |
| Price as tested (2012): | $25,845 |
