# Anyone here own a Beemer ?



## crowz (Oct 28, 2006)

I remember my stepdads one and only rule when I got my first new bike from the dealership. I could have anything I wanted...... If I could pick it up from a lay down.

At 5'10 and 130 lbs my first bike was a 450cc suzuki gts. I wanted a much larger bike but thats the biggest thing I could set right if it fell. I wasnt a happy camper to say the least but I learned later he was right.

Its better to get something your comfortable with and can handle and work your way up.


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## thumper_330 (Jan 3, 2009)

Honestly, I'm on my second Beemer and my girlfriend has one as well. As a first bike don't buy a new one! Seriously; you WILL drop it, and the newer it is the more heartache it will cause (ask me about the day I picked up my K1600GT if you want to cry a little...)

My girlfriend's bike is a 2004 F650CS which is a fun little bike. Hers has a lower seat and lowering links on the suspension because she's short... but even I enjoy getting out on that thing occasionally. It has plenty of power on the highway, but has a smooth power band that doesn't come on too quickly in the throttle. Too easy to bounce off the rev limiter though  Little single-cylinder keeps maintenance costs down, and the bike's taken a couple of spills with only broken turn signals... hey, it's her first bike! Very similar engine is in the G650GS. I've also heard great things about the twin-cylinder F650GS... obviously smoother than the "thumper"

Going a bit bigger, GS's are seminal in my opinion. I really did love my R1150GS, but in truth it just didn't suit my riding all that well. The engine had plenty of torque, had a smooth throttle control and felt great at low to middling speeds. However, on the highway it was a bit odd to me. The wide handlebars meant the bike was twitchy at speed, and even more annoying was the fact that 6th gear was so incredibly tall that I had to downshift at 60mph when going uphill or the engine detonated horribly. Passing was also something that needed planning to downshift and settle the bike first.

The current "big bike" in the lineup is of course the K1600GT(L). I must admit I've only had the bike a week and I am loving it. BMW of course do inline 6's like nobody else... and to put one in a bike is genius. Smoothest engine I've ever ridden in my life... but there are quirks and it IS expensive.

What are you looking at? Price? Power? New? Used?


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## porschenugen (Jul 7, 2012)

@thumper: you are correct on the dropping part. I dropped my K1600GT the other day in the middle of an incredible ride north of Stinson beach near San Francisco - sunny, cool day on twisty oceanfront Highway 1.

Pulled into a gas station, pulled a super slow u-turn to get to the opposite side of the pump, wasn't dragging the rear and sure enough tipped it low. Held it for a few seconds on my left leg - but it's 750 pounds (tank was empty) and my leg gave out. Ended up dumping it from about a 45deg angle. I was so angry and embarrassed that I somehow managed to pick the damn thing up by myself. I was lucky not to give myself a hernia or worse.

Damage not too bad, the wife didn't even notice it until I pointed it out, but it looks like a nasty scar to me. 

I'm an experienced rider, but any SLIGHT mistake where you're more than 15 degrees tilted at less than 5mph and there is no way you will stop that beast from going over. Body lean ain't going to counter it.

But while she's moving, my oh my. So far it's all stupid grins from ear to ear when in in the twisties.


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## blchandl2 (Apr 7, 2012)

Everyone does it at some point in their riding career. Next time I bet you power walk it around that slow tight turn. There is a technique to righting a dropped motorcycle. There was a lady who would demonstrate the technique at bike rallies. She embarrassed many large biker dudes with her ability to lift a bike.


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## Bremen Ben (Sep 1, 2008)

After reading this thread I couldn't help but to feel the urge to test the K1600; wife and I headed out to the dealership yesterday and gave it a try. We rode the GTL. 

What an amazing machine! 

The bike looks intimidatingly gigantic with full fairing and three cases, but turns out to be very easy to maneuver. Its low center of gravity seems to help with the ease of pushing the bike around with my legs; I can feel the heft of the bike, but it's very manageable. When it gets going, the bike practically glides through the pavement. It's very difficult to describe the feeling, it's almost like we are "riding" a car.

After the test ride, as we head home on my R1200, the joy I had been getting out of riding my R seemed to have just evaporated. Terrible, we shouldn't have gone to the dealership in the first place. Now I can't shake the GTL out of my head!


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## peteo (Apr 26, 2012)

I have a 2010 BMW R1200RT and my wife has a 2005 BMW R1200ST. Over the years we have had quite a few BMW bikes.


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## chli1976 (Aug 19, 2012)

I have a S1000RR 2010 as race bike and a 2012 for street


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