BMW K 1600 GT test: If I win the lottery ...

Six in a row!

Then such a BMW K 1600 GT will most likely land in the garage and drive it whenever I need a little fun, fast mobility and carving up winding roads. The BMW K 1600 GT is the pinnacle of modern motorsport. Yes, you read that right, there is no bike right now that can offer more in one package. In it, they have combined all the knowledge that BMW can show from the world of cars and motorcycles.

Of course, the question arises whether we really need all this, because 20 years ago people drove very beautifully. True, for fun and motorcycle pleasure it is enough with a pair of wheels and a drive motor between the legs, but in the end it may cost only a tenth of what this test K 1600 GT is worth. But the difference is still there, and it is huge in every way and every detail, and when you recognize them, you are overwhelmed.

Like a seven on four wheels

Just as in the automotive world the BMW 7 Series is a concept of prestige, luxury, driving dynamics and road safety, this GT is a concept among motorcycles. Its inline six-cylinder engine makes 160 horsepower and 175 lb-ft of torque, enough to make you think you don't need anything else. It might even seem nicer to have, say, a 200 (and I don't think that would be a major setback for engineers in the Bavarian capital), but anyone who says they need more power on a bike like this might be wondering rather than getting in the way of their chosen them the motorsport category.

In short, the six-cylinder engine is an extra engine that runs flawlessly because it's angled forward and cleverly mounted in an aluminum frame so its mass isn't felt as it transitions from corner to corner. The transmission runs flawlessly and works great with the clutch. In addition to all the rich equipment, there is also safety (ABS, traction control) and comfort with heated levers, seats and a shock absorber adjustment system at the touch of a button (ESA).

Horses are not thirsty at all

All of this creates incredible coherence between rider and bike while riding, and therefore anything that gets under the wheels means satisfaction. The bike is great on the most winding serpentines, as well as on the track or even in the city. On moderate gas, fuel consumption will also be surprisingly low, hovering around five liters per 100 kilometers, and when accelerating, it rises to six and a half liters.

The incident that happened to me in front of the office garage says a lot about him. A colleague we saw several times who is also passionate about motorcycles met me when I was driving my GT out of the garage and it was raining outside. "Where are you going?" he asked me. When I told him that I was going to Salzburg for a meeting, he just looked at me intently, and you could see in his eyes that he was worried - bad weather, highway, slippery asphalt ... "Hey, come on, take care of yourself, but do you really need to do push-ups in this weather?" "With this motorcycle anytime, anywhere." I turned it away and, putting on my raincoat, immediately after noon drove towards Karavanke in the rain. It washed me all the way to Salzburg, and when it was evening, someone above took pity on me, the rain stopped and the road dried up. Although the road there was a trip, it was a pleasure to return!

Text: Petr Kavčič, photo: Aleš Pavletič

• Basic data

  Sales: BMW Motorrad Slovenia

  Base model price: 24.425 €

  Test model cost: 21.300 €

• Technical information

  engine: in-line six-cylinder, four-stroke, liquid-cooled, 1.649 cm3, diameter of electronic fuel injection 52.

  Power: 118 kW (160) at 5 rpm

  Torque: 175 Nm at 5.250 rpm

  Energy transfer: hydraulic clutch, 6-speed gearbox, propeller shaft.

  Frame: light cast iron.

  brakes: two discs with a diameter of 320 mm in front, radially mounted jaws with four rods, a disc with a diameter of 320 mm at the rear, two-piston calipers.

  Suspension: front double wishbone, 115mm travel, rear single swing arm, single shock, 135mm travel.

  Tires: 120/70 ZR 17, 190/55 ZR 17

  Growth: 810-830

  Fuel tank: 24

  Wheelbase: 1.618 mm

  Weight: 332 kg

We praise and reproach

comfort

excellent information display

top-level equipment

safety

capacity

utility

avdiosystem

range with full fuel tank

price

power consumption