Hello any LT riders on ADV i have managed 11000 miles this year on tours (not courier work) looking forward to 2013 let me know your travel plans or lets get our own tour RIDE SAFE
I'll join. I have been neglecting my bike, only ~1,500 miles this year. Work is taking up entirely too much of my time. 2001 LT.
I've been sidelined for a while due to a torn bicep and miss riding my LT. Hopefully in May or June I will take a ride out west.
I bought a 2002 K1200LT back in Nov 2011 that had just shy of 8000 miles on the clock. Some guy was trading it in on a K1600GTL while I was having my R1150R serviced. Needless to say, I was quite happy to pick it up for $8k. Since I've got so many bikes I only put 7500 miles on it last year, with a chunk of that being a three day 1900 mile trip I took. I LOVE that bike. I'm 6'5 and it fits me great.
A lot of folks trading in the LT's for the GTL's....which is a good thing if you want an LT I bought mine last July and really like it. Very comfortable & plenty of power. Leaving an R1100RT I have been somewhat surprised...in ways, the LT handles better, and certainly has more power. Not looking forward to dropping it however
I dropped mine in the parking lot... zero speed and thought the kickstand was fully down. It wasn't and fell against my First Sergeant's Prius. $800 oopsie for me. No real damage to the K1200L(ight)T(ruck) but a small dent in 1st Sgt's front quarter panel.
The design of the kickstand is somewhat less than stellar. It should go further down (or forward if you will). As it is, you have to be pretty careful when parking...make sure the bike is in gear and rolled as far forward as it will go before setting the kickstand. A good idea on any bike of course, but there is not much margin for error on the LT.
I purchased an LT for a cross country trip I was planning on taking and It's been hard to admit but that was a mistake. It is just too damn heavy for me to handle at low speed and in stop and go traffic. Out on the highway and on 2 lane back roads it's great! But the in town handling has become a deal breaker for me. I gave it 10k miles for me to get used to it and it's just not the bike for me. Even being 6'0" and a 33 inch inseam wasn't enough I don't think. If I was 6'4" things might have been different. When Spring rolls around its going up for sale I'm afraid. Probably look to trade on a first gen FZ1, at least that's what I'm thinking currently. But to the fans of this bike, if it suits you, more power to ya!
Stupid question, but what position was the seat in? I'm 6'5 and wish the tall position was an extra inch taller.
Not a stupid question....I switch the seat back and forth quite often. In town it is in the low position but if I'm gonna be on the slab or 2 lanes, I have it in the high position as that feels much better with the seat/bar/peg relationship. In the low position I can flat foot it pretty easily but that doesn't make the thing any lighter and that is my problem. Had a Harley Electraglide as well and had the same problem with it, even tho it is much lower both in CG and seat height. Don't get me wrong, I love tall bikes. XR650r is a perfect fit for me and that thing is what 36 inches tall at the seat? But to be that tall I'm getting the hint that they have to be light. Or at least lighter than the LT and Harley EG. My infatuation with big tour bikes is done, I like the concept behind them but they aren't for me anymore.
I just came acrossed a 2003 K1200LT for a great price. Not knowing allot about the BMW K bikes, I would like to hear if anyone has owned one and how they liked it and what issues should I be looking for before buying this bike?
One of our dear departed club members was a long-time motorcyclist, ex submariner and a great wrench and he broke his foot horsing his LT around his garage.
Wobbliest bike at low speed that I've ever ridden. It's always impossible for me to come to a stop without weaving all over the place and taking two or three steps before stopping. When pushing that bike in the hills, they always feel like they want to just tuck that front wheel and have a nice nap. That said, they sure are comfy.
There is something to be said for that bodywork. I have a 2004 K1200GT....very similar engine/running gear. Once I was southbound on I-25 with a terrible crosswind. Had to lean it quite a bit to maintain a straight line....and was passed by a guy on an LT who was sitting upright and seemed as if there was no wind at all. Very impressive at the time. Oh, K bikes are all pigs when you have to push them around the garage, OY!
What he said. My '99 was positively evil under 5mph. But over that it was sublime. I could turn over 50 mph at a steady 75 mph with the 6-CD changer cranked up. Smooth, plenty of power, very comfortable, a terrific long-range tourer. Not great for around town work. I never had any mechanical issues with mine but you might check to see if the final drive unit has been replaced or worked on. They had some reasonably serious issues with that, particularly in the early years.
Bringing this back from the dead....... Do most of you still own your K1200LT's? Is the final drive failures really an issue or just a luck of the draw? How long does the clutch typically last? I like these bikes but I do my own wrenching and have to admit the acres of plastic looks a bit intimidating. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I have some LT accessories, if anyone is interested . . . Ft. Worth Rack (aluminum rack in place of tour trunk); and BMW leather saddlebag liners. Send me a note if you're interested.
