| Author | Message | ||
     Corporatemonkey |
Today I was out running errands on the bike. While out there was a large brush fire that shut down I5, so I figured I would waste a little time checking out new toys. I made the mistake of heading to a BMW dealer. As I pulled up to BMW Northwest (the Fife WA location for the locals) out comes a sales guy. THE SAME SALES GUY I GOT MY BUELL FROM. How strange it that. He retired from the Buell/HD game, but got bored, now he is out shilling BMWs. Well we spent some time going over the 2007 K1200GT. Except for the sticker shock, it is very tempting. I didn't ride it, for fear of bringing one home. Anyone spent time with one? On another note I think my Buell was mad at me for looking at toys. It snorted at me on the way home. | ||
| Danger_dave |
Zo - you vish to izolated fwom ze expearience of ze motozikeling. Vhy is dis zo? | ||
| Corporatemonkey |
Two words: Long Distance I have come to the conclusion I really like to travel long distances. 500 mile days on my bike start to become work. My Buell loves roam the city, not the country. | ||
| Danger_dave |
Valid reason - but a Ulysses lets you take ANY road and is a lot more fun? | ||
| Corporatemonkey |
I have come to realize as cool as the Uly is, it is not for me. Now if they make a new ST using the new Rotax motor, I might be swayed. Interesting tidbit. I had a look over insurance/maintainence costs for the BMW. They were surprising lower than my Cityx. The only big service is the 18k service, it priced out ~$900. The rest were quite reasonable. Insurance was about 75% of what I pay now. That I can't figure out. The bike has 2x the power, over 2x the cost, more plastic, etc... Insurance make no sense sometimes. | ||
| Danger_dave |
I think it comes down to - Who would steal a BMW motorcycle? ;-P | ||
| Zenfrogmaster |
I made the same "mistake" a couple of months ago. The dealer here was fantastic - informative, no pressure, offered to let me ride any bike on the floor. I had an R100RS back in 1978, and the new R1200S just felt right. Thankfully, sanity returned and I didn't plunk down $20k! It's still tempting, though... | ||
| Supafast |
My friend took out a K1200R and said it was faster than her brain! lol! She loved it and wants one too! | ||
| Not_purple_s2 |
Insurance is all statistics. The BMW maybe more expensive if recked but BMW bikes may be statistically less likely to be wrecked. Mostly, because it appeals to more experienced and responsible riders. I think the same applies to Buell as well, though I'm sure we have more hooligans than BMW. | ||
| Jaimec |
The BMW also gets an insurance break because it has anti-lock brakes. That, and the GT is considered a "Touring" bike, not a "Sport" bike. I know... I have a K1200LT. Almost twice the weight of the XB12Ss and a helluva lot more plastic to get destroyed in an accident as well as costing almost twice as much at retail. Yet I pay more for insurance for the XB12Ss than I do for the K1200LT. | ||
| Djkaplan |
If I ever get a Beemer, it's definitely going to be a boxer. I applaud BMW for offering such a wide variety of engines (via Rotax, too), but it's only the traditional boxer layout that appeals to me. The R1200S has everything that appeals to me about XL powered Buells.    | ||
| Johnnylunchbox |
If hte k1200gt strikes your fancy, you might want to look at the new Concours14. At about 13000 with ABS it's a steal. | ||
| Lake_bueller |
I recently test rode the new GS from BMW. It may have been the best bike I've ever ridden. A go anywhere, do anything machine. The only reason it didn't follow me home...almost $20K with the bags  | ||
| Xl1200r |
A buddy of mine was all set to buy a K1200GT - his finger was on the trigger, and then he rode a Honda ST1300. Bought the Honda 2 days later - According to him, the Honda was 98% the bike the BMW was at 65% of the cost (He rode both extensively, I've ridden neither). Bottom line, BMWs are for sure nice bikes, but overpriced. It's up to you if you're willing to spend all that extra cash for something that's just a little better. Personally, I woudln't blame you if you did ;) ...and the new R1200S just felt right. ...The R1200S has everything that appeals to me about XL powered Buells. I rode this bike about a year ago - what a FANTASTIC machine. I remember on the demo ride just winding it out in first gear - the thing pulled hard, and when I went for second gear...you guessed it... the front wheel came back down. I hadn't even noticed...lol A 122hp air-cooled 1200cc twin? How can you go wrong? | ||
| Court |
I've got a silly question . . how many folks have ever REALLY bought a motorcycle based on insurance rates? I'm trying to recall if I have ever checked rates, not that I shouldn't, BEFORE I bought. Buying, at least for me, has always been an act of passion. | ||
| Djkaplan |
"...how many folks have ever REALLY bought a motorcycle based on insurance rates?" Can't say I ever bought a motorcycle because of insurance rates, but I can definitely say I've not bought a motorcycle because of insurance rates. | ||
| Jaimec |
Exactly. My friend almost didn't buy his Ulysses because every insurance company he spoke to gave him STUPID rates. I forget who he finally ended up with, but once he found a REASONABLE rate, he pulled the trigger on the bike. Right now, I ALWAYS check the rates before I buy. I've gotten a little wiser with age, I think. Bottom line: I don't buy a bike BECAUSE it has a good rate, but I WILL pass on a bike because it doesn't. | ||
| Bake |
I have to admit sometimes lusting for something more tourish myself as we do at least 1 big road trip each year. I have my R set up as good as possible as a touring machine but it still lacks. Often wonder if I'd be better off with a Uly. | ||
| Danger_dave |
>>Buying, at least for me, has always been an act of passion.<< Devine Brown style? | ||
| Mikej |
Yep, haven't bought something because of the rates. | ||
| Akbuell |
Having just returned from a ride to Laguna (Pr Rupert, B.C. actually; I don't count the ferry ride) about 500mi a day is a far as I want to travel in a day, even in a car. One thing that did surprise me on the trip was the number of negative comments from BMW owners and friends of BMW owners concerning the price/reliability ratio, and the "difficulty" of dealing w/dealers and parts availability concerning warranty issues. | ||
| Jaimec |
As a BMW owner myself, I'm surprised. Especially since BMWNA seems to be CLOSING dealerships rather than opening them lately. | ||
| Hexangler |
I too was tempted by a K1200RS, came to my senses, and bought my dream bike XB12R...No regrets. Hex. ps. I'd consider a GeezerGlide for long distance. | ||
| Xl1200r |
One thing that did surprise me on the trip was the number of negative comments from BMW owners and friends of BMW owners concerning the price/reliability ratio, and the "difficulty" of dealing w/dealers and parts availability concerning warranty issues. The same buddy who bought the ST1300 had a 1984 R80RT that he brought to a BMW dealer to have the carbs synch'd. When he picked the bike up it was spilling oil out the left rocker box (which had a brand new gasket on it). He told the guy and he came out to drive it back to shop to tighten things up, and the bike barely started because the choke cable was all fudged up. They ended up having to keep the bike another day and gave him a loaner because they couldn't even get his to run. This place is supposed to be a premier BMW dealership (oh, aren't they all...). I understand it was an old bike and problems aren't always detectable, but how can you let a bike leave your shop in that condition? It literally ran worse than when brought it there. I think dealers are just generally bad across all makes. I was surprised when my Chevy dealer handed me a $100 gift certificate because of a little complication about replacing a scratched wheel on my brand new car. I still won't get me car serviced there, but I'll sure buy from them again. | ||
| Corporatemonkey |
"...how many folks have ever REALLY bought a motorcycle based on insurance rates?" I nearly didn't get my Buell because of the rates. It took many days of research before I found insurance that I would consider reasonable. At the time Progressive wanted 2800 a year. Jaimec, you mentioned they are closing dealers? Is this a good thing, or a bad thing? Are they honing the brand down to the core supporting dealers, or is business in a downturn? Xl1200r, I have looked at the Honda st1300. I agree it is close, but until yesterday I never realized how throughly BMW's are thought out. You could spend all day going over the little details, I like that. Much in the way I like that my Buell is built like a locomotive. Then the final interest is the dealer level. I have been into a few BMW dealers over the years, and they all seem to be on the ball. I haven't gotten that from a lot of multi-brand dealers. As a younger person, most dealers refuse to allow test rides. That is a deal breaker. Buell/BMW have factory policies about this, I like this. | ||
| Jaimec |
My local shop recently had their franchise pulled because they weren't the big boutique style dealership BMWNA wants these days. Never mind that they have nearly a quarter of a century of experience working on the bikes, that they kept me up and running on three different Beemers for over 300,000 miles and that I've NEVER had to take a bike back because they did something wrong. I'm afraid I've been spoiled because I expected ALL dealerships to be that way. Imagine my RUDE awakening when trying to find decent service for my Buell! I even started bringing the Buell to the BMW shop but they really aren't equipped to perform the service (not to mention not having any SAE tools). He's still open, and still working on Beemers. I figure as long as he's there, I'll hang on to the K1200LT. BMW seems to think I should haul the bike all the way into Manhattan for service. They really are pretty clueless. I haven't heard many good things about the service department in Manhattan either. Anyway, I think it's a case of Corporate Envy. BMW sees what Harley Davidson dealerships look like and they want the same thing, never mind that BMW's market share is a tiny fraction of Harley's. | ||
| Jackbequick |
Xl1200r, Are you around that ST1300 from time to time? Does it have a mechanical gear noise when it is running that sort of overwhelms everything? My son had one for awhile and I couldn't stand to listen to it. Sounded to me like something was wrong with it but I was assured that it was the characteristic sound of those V4 Hondas. My son has moved on to a Gold Wing since, he was looking for more room and comfort for two up riding and he got that but he misses the "sportiness" and "commuter ability" of the ST1300. Jack | ||
| Ezblast |
Court - I did - thats one of the reasons I was looking at singles - low maintenance and insurance. GT - JBOTDS! EZ  | ||
| Xl1200r |
As a younger person, most dealers refuse to allow test rides. That is a deal breaker. Buell/BMW have factory policies about this, I like this. Same here - I bought my first street bike (2004 Sportster) when I was 20. My HD has never turned me down for a test ride. The BMW shop down the road says no way until I'm 25. Sorry, I don't want the bike THAT bad... Are you around that ST1300 from time to time? Does it have a mechanical gear noise when it is running that sort of overwhelms everything? My son had one for awhile and I couldn't stand to listen to it. Sounded to me like something was wrong with it but I was assured that it was the characteristic sound of those V4 Hondas. The bike is basically silent. I haven't ridden it (yet), but all I can hear is a slight "whine" I'd say with the engine...it's just kind of sits there and purrs. Boring if you ask me. That said, I rode a new Interceptor a couple months back, whose engine is closely related to the ST1300. Again, very queit down low, but got a nice roar at about 7,000 rpm. I don't recall any mechanical noise aside from what I would have expected from a DOHC water-cooled multi. I don't recall loving the engine, but I didn't hate it either. It defiately didn't annoy me to listen to though. | ||
| Corporatemonkey |
Jack, If Honda was using a similar gear cam driven v4 configuration that they used on the late nineties VFR (interceptor), then yes. Some people really like the gear cam noise (like me). I have always wanted a last generation VFR. |
