2009 BMW K1300GT Print E-mail
Story & Photos by Bob Stokstad
Once outside of Munich, the first thing you notice is the roads - smooth ribbons of polished asphalt that wind through rolling green hills, connecting compact clusters of farm houses. No potholes! Next, it dawns on you that you haven’t seen any cops lurking. It’s not that you want to break the law - you don’t have to exceed the speed limit (a generous 100 km/h or 62 mph) to enjoy motorcycling on these curvy country roads, even if riding BMW’s K1300GT. In fact, a gentler pace is better for soaking in the scenery - a mix of well-tended fields, forests, barns and onion-topped churches that are the staple of postcards and coffee-table books.
ImageIn such terrain the roads do not come easily. The Austrians have invested heavily in constructing bridges, tunnels, overhangs and turn-outs that local transport requires and motorcyclists enjoy. Best of all, they’ve built autobahns that keep the heavy traffic off the scenic roads. The toll booths on the best alpine passes aren’t a frustration or an annoyance because it does cost money to build and maintain these roads. Why not help support what you enjoy? Our neglected infrastructure in the U.S. is the reason why you notice how good the European roads are.
Touring in Europe is necessarily confined to warmer months and late August is prime time. All types of motorcycles appear in abundance on these classic roads. While Japanese, Italian and British bikes are common, you will note the occasional Harley-Davidson and a trike or two. But BMW twins dominate the scene. The GS, outfitted with aluminum boxes and packing enough stuff to go “The Long Way ‘Round” is the iconic travel image here, just as shown in the BMW brochures. Sportbikes carrying riders clad in well-worn race leathers, sans luggage are most evident on the mountain pass roads and around the cafes at the summit. Looking good is as important here as anywhere else, maybe more so.  
The K1300GT I’m riding was introduced in the U.S. in the spring and received excellent reviews from the journalists who tested it at the intros. But what’s it like to ride this 640-pound sport-tourer with 160 ponies under the tank around the Austrian Alps? Well, it’s not bad... not bad at all. Most important, the 1300 handles very well. There’s plenty of clearance in the corners, and leaning it over to get through the corner is practically effortless as steering is neutral, with only a little body English and a slight pressure on the bar needed to change direction quickly. The three-stage adjustment on the rear suspension has been expanded to include not only Comfort, Normal and Sport damping settings, but also independent preload positions for a solo rider, a rider with a passenger, or even a rider, passenger and baggage. Because you can change some settings while riding, it’s easy to experiment and find one you like.
ImageErgonomics are excellent. I’m six-foot-seven and was able to ride all day without pain after setting the adjustable seat height at maximum (okay, I had to take a foot off the peg every so often and stretch to keep up the circulation, but that’s been the case on every bike I’ve ridden). A little chilly on an early morning start? No problem; just switch on the heated grips and the bun-warmer in the seat. Playing around with the power-adjustable shield to minimize wind noise showed that it worked just fine for me at its lowest position. This bike came moderately loaded as far as optional accessories were concerned. It had cruise control, but I didn’t use it. I’m sure I would have if I was riding from Kansas to Iowa, but not from Kitzbuhl to Innsbruck. In addition to the standard ABS, there’s an ‘ASC’ option which keeps the back wheel from spinning if you get greedy with the throttle coming out of a corner. This feature could be as important in cornering on a wet road as ABS is in braking on a straightaway.
The LCD screen displaying all the data I might want to know was easily readable even when hit with direct sunlight, and scrolling through the data by pressing the “info” button on the left handle bar is entertaining if you get tired of the scenery. Luggage capacity is enormous, especially with the larger of the two available top cases. But Imageyou have to be careful not to pack the cases too tightly; if you do, you’ll get that sinking feeling of never again seeing your gear when you push the ‘open’ button and it won’t release.
The outstanding feature of the K1300 GT- sheer power - is the same as it was for the K1200 GT, just that now there’s even more of it. This fuel-injected in-line Four with double overhead cams, four valves per cylinder and 13:1 compression ratio is redlined at 10,250 rpm. It’s a smooth powerband that provides an exciting moment whenever you whack the throttle at any rpm. Or so it seems. Snap it open at 60 mph in 6th gear (4,000 on the tachometer) and feel a kick in the pants. But that’s still true up at a buck-20, as a little testing on the autobahn showed just before returning the bike to BMW’s Munich fleet center. I had it up to 135 mph and it was still pulling when I decided it was enough for now. I’m sure there’s something in the instruction manual that says you’re not supposed to wick it up this much when carrying luggage, but the machine felt absolutely solid and secure at this speed. The test that amazed me the most, however, was raising the windshield while cruising at the ton. The shield remained stable as I raised it, but part way up I felt myself sucked forward by the low-pressure pocket it created.
ImageWhat may seem strange is that this motor, genetically engineered for the autobahn, is also a joy when touring the back roads. Acceleration is exhilarating in any gear - more power for passing is always a good thing - and yet you can motor through town at 30 mph by dropping down only one gear. This versatility is what makes this bike a true Gran Tourismo with the cojones of a crotch rocket,.
Nearly 25 years ago I had the incredible good luck to join a small group in Europe whose only function was to organize an annual ride for itself, each year in a different place. The members, then as now, live in Germany, Switzerland and Italy, and represent a wide variety of occupations and lifestyles. Classic bikes (R90S, R100RS), modern hardware (R1200 RS, 1200 GS, K1200GT) and a Harley-Davidson are what they ride. Over the decades many have retired, a few are approaching 80, and eating well has become as important as riding. Several have Imagemore than one motorcycle or access thereto, which means that the lone “ami” has always had something to ride on the tour. That’s how I happened to ride the K1300GT this year, the K1200GT three years ago, and a K100RS when they first came out in the ‘80s. This opportunity to ride BMW’s newest motorcycles on a European tour traces back to that stroke of luck many years ago and the friendships that formed over the years of riding together. Motorcycling has a way bringing out the best that life can offer.
 
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