Costs of keeping a BMW K1200GT

[Computer Nerd]

I was chatting with a K1200GT owner at Honda of Hollywood today, and he was just getting his bike back from it's second service. (12,000 mile)

He said this one was $289 and the 6K one was $235.

That sounds pretty reasonable. I forgot to ask if any of those included a valve lash. The conputer diagnostic can tell you if it needs it.

Those prices seem in the ball park of the Honda. However, he said brake pads are multi-hundred dollar ordeals, since they have sensors in the pad!

He also said that he had backed into an obstacle, and cracked the painted lid of one of his bags, and just the lid was $500.

So, parts look like they will be spendy on that bike. But tune up costs themselves seem pretty reasonable. (Provided you don't need any parts)

He really liked the ST by the way.

 

[Chris Parker]

Sounds really reasonable to me, in fact, maybe too good to be true... I thought that those prices on the K bikes should be a little higher than that, but that maybe because of having to actually do a valve adjustment, not just check clearances.

The KGT has more to check from an electronics standpoint than the ST1300 at a service interval (like he said, brakes with sensors on them and now the new Anti Skid Control feature is another layer to check on - althought the brakes on 07 models are now non-servo assisted...). The Can-Bus system does a lot more on managing the electronics than on the Honda and is really a more sophisticated setup, more to check and diagnose faults/error codes about with this bike... I think it is a sweet bike and really is THE bike for doing triple digits anywhere fast in comfort.

 

[Scarman]

I love that bike and if it was more in line with the ST pricing, I probably would be riding one. Not that I can't afford the $22K, but I can't swallow spending that much on any bike especially when the ST or FJR can be had for almost half that amount. It is a beautiful ride and on paper it looks like it should perform very well.

 

[allandry]

I was chatting with a K1200GT owner at Honda of Hollywood today, and he was just getting his bike back from it's second service. (12,000 mile)

He said this one was $289 and the 6K one was $235.

That sounds pretty reasonable. I forgot to ask if any of those included a valve lash. The conputer diagnostic can tell you if it needs it.

Those prices seem in the ball park of the Honda. However, he said brake pads are multi-hundred dollar ordeals, since they have sensors in the pad!

He also said that he had backed into an obstacle, and cracked the painted lid of one of his bags, and just the lid was $500.

So, parts look like they will be spendy on that bike. But tune up costs themselves seem pretty reasonable. (Provided you don't need any parts)

He really liked the ST by the way.

That's pretty cheap - and I would guess it's not very typical of the maintenance costs. I have a friend here with an '03 K12GT and he has told me he typically spends $500 - $600 for his "big" 12,000 mi maintenance (there are less expensive PM's done every 6K miles).
Al

 

[RTETR]

I have 3 close buddies who have an LT, and RT1150 and an K1200R...

They each spend big bucks for service and so I somehow I have to assume the GT would be no different. Why would the BMW service on the GT be more affordable than any of the other models?

Also, I have a BMW GS in addition to my ST and while it's not as complicted as the other models mentioned it's still more than my ST.

Look at the small items and the incrementals. I know my buddies, as close as they are, do a lot themselves also and don't tell me about a lot of service and costs... it's a BMW owners "thing".

 

[Herleman]

...and every BMW dealer has a complete stock of Scheuberth helmets at $500 or more, but none of them can get replacement face shields. If you scratch the shield, I guess you get a new helmet.

But BMW does one thing I wish Honda would consider. I wish we actually had a choice of colors each year. How complicated could it be to get the robot to load a different paint cartridge every once in awhile??

 

[Chris Parker]

...and every BMW dealer has a complete stock of Scheuberth helmets at $500 or more, but none of them can get replacement face shields. If you scratch the shield, I guess you get a new helmet.

But BMW does one thing I wish Honda would consider. I wish we actually had a choice of colors each year. How complicated could it be to get the robot to load a different paint cartridge every once in awhile??

Yes, the US distributor... Fairchild (formerly Intersport Fashions West) has dropped Schuberth from their line, but you can still get the replacement shields from plenty of online sources here in the US (ExtremeSupply.com is one such place)... and the cost of the helmet in the first place is not $500.00, but closer to 400.00 or so.

I am on my third Schuberth (this one a C2) and I love it.

 

[Computer Nerd]

Hoisting the BMW upside down sounds... like not being able to see the engineering forest for the trees.

I really do like the KGT. And I wish BMW would chill on the gadgetry, and just make a straight foreward motorcycle.

Remember the Top Gear episode when they are testing the M5?

With all the electronics on it was "The most annoying car in the world." And with the M-drive on, (deactivating all the gizmos) it was "The most amazing can in the world."

I wish BMW bikes could be that way.

I would gladly pay $25K for a beemer if I knew that it would have reasonable maint costs, and no gagets. (Sensors in the damn brake pads for instance.)

Ah, well. I'm happy with my ST.

 

[Chris Parker]

Hoisting the BMW upside down sounds... like not being able to see the engineering forest for the trees.

I really do like the KGT. And I wish BMW would chill on the gadgetry, and just make a straight foreward motorcycle.

Remember the Top Gear episode when they are testing the M5?

With all the electronics on it was "The most annoying car in the world." And with the M-drive on, (deactivating all the gizmos) it was "The most amazing can in the world."

I wish BMW bikes could be that way.

I would gladly pay $25K for a beemer if I knew that it would have reasonable maint costs, and no gagets. (Sensors in the damn brake pads for instance.)

Ah, well. I'm happy with my ST.

Just a little note about those gadget crazy Germans and their engineering... back in the late 1980's they bucked the trend and decided to put ABS on their motorcycle line, no one thought to put it on a motorcycle and some raised their eyebrows on that one (Now Honda Goldwing, ST1300, Yamaha FJR1300, Suzuki SV, Harley Davidson (so they could get the CHP contract)... telescopic forks in the 1930's filled with oil, BMW invention... single-sided swing arm, first on 1980 R80GS.

Now Anti-Skid Control, Oil Level Computer, brake pad wear sensors... forward thinking or gadget overkill? We shall see.

Not everything they try pans out... the servo assisted brakes on the 02-06 Oilheads-Hexheads... (I actually like mine)... As to BMW making a straightforward motorcycle, I would submit that they do, they just see it with all those "gadgets" which would be viewed as superfulous by other consumers/manufacturers. I am glad that they attempt to make an attempt at ground breaking technology where safety and comfort is concerned...

And to the post about draining the final drive fluid on the new designs used by the K and R series, the shop manual says that you have to take the rear wheel off, remove the last section of the final drive unit and drop it to drain the oil... actually, there are more than one way to skin a cat... my dealer, TouringSport BMW does not have to do this... they use a syringe and vacuums out the oil... works pretty well, actually. That is if you DO change out the oil at all (supposedly sealed for life because of the Super Synthetic oil installed at the 600 mile service.

Look, BMWs are fine machines because of the thought put into the whole kit... as are Hondas... my ST1300 was THE bike for me to have when I had it... it was BECAUSE it was "not" a straight-forward motorcycle that I bought it (adjustable windshield, heated grips, ABS, etc.). I am glad that Honda has seen to offer up such features in their touring bikes and expect them to go the route of more of what BMW has offered (price probably will reflect that as well - built in Navi, Airbag on Goldwing, electronic suspension the future ST (?)... and finally, brake pad sensors : )

Just my opinion, though.

 

[Computer Nerd]

Chris, sure... those are good points about the BMW's. And they are great bikes. I never said I didn't like them. I just wish, like someone said, that I wouldn't feel like a mobile field tester while owning one.

The ST does have it's features, and gadgets. And except for a few hiccups here and there, everything is pretty refined. There's no heartache involved. (That's the plan anyways)

 

[Vbird]

I'm looking at the K1200R-S to replace the ST(took a deposit today)eventually.Looks like BMW has done away with servo-brakes & added drain plugs to rearend on the '07.Owners are reporting that the valves hold spec pretty well.

 

[Computer Nerd]

You are getting this bike, right?

This is my favorite of the new K bikes. I like the first S, but the riding position is to sport bike crouch.

This RS looks like a great machine.

Good luck with it!