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World motorcycle launches are quite a rare occurrence in South Africa but arguably the stars of Intermot 2010 - the BMW K 1600 GT and GTL - have just been showcased to the world’s new media for the past two weeks in the Western Cape.
The bikes launch follows close on the heels of the international launch of the BMW 6 Series convertible from a base in the V&A Waterfront.
If you happened to be in the Franschhoek valley, just north-east of Cape Town, recently you definitely weren’t seeing things if you spotted about 80 German-registered motorcycles being put through their paces by the world’s motoring writers through surely one of the most picturesque regions in the world - motorcycle heaven right on our doorstep!
NOT THE FIRST SIX...
BMW is rather good at making touring bikes but when news of the latest machine, the K1600 GT and its sibling GTL suggested the German motorcycle division was starting with a clean slate and opting for a crossways straight six engine future customers of the marque had every right to be enthused.
Yes, I know a six-cylinder motor has been bolted to a bike before in at least three brands that I can recall: Kawasaki’s Z1300 would have been one, Honda’s celebrated CBX of course, and, not to be outdone, the Italians had the Benelli6, albeit in a limited edition. (Before you hastily write in, I've kept the list down to pure road bikes and excluded racing machinery.)
SUPERTOURER: Taking a break on the False Bay coast during the world launch of BMW's new big-six bikes.
Possibly eager to escape the harsh European winter(!) there was plenty of top BMW brass from the motorcycle R&D HQ in Munich on hand to answer questions about the bikes - the obvious one being "Why have you gone the six-cylinder route?" The answer came from Dr Christian Landerl, executive vice-president for development and model lines, who said:
"First and foremost this engine lends itself so easily to touring," he said. "It's powerful, yes, but we also wanted the bonus of high-end torque and ultra-smoothness that can be so easily extracted from six-cylinder technology."
Developed in Munich and built in Berlin, this particular unit is kept compact by mounting the alternator over the top of the very inclined engine. Indeed, the six-speed gearbox also sits far higher than usually found, yet keeps the bike's all-important centre of gravity where it rightly belongs - low in the frame.
Speaking about the frame (BMW prefers to call it a chassis), it’s made of light alloy in a very rigid, bridge-type, configuration with BMW-familiar Paralever and Duolever elements fore and aft. The main frame weighs only 16kg but supports an engine and gearbox that together weigh 103kg.
Developing 118kW/161Nm, the 1649cc unit is so tractable you can dawdle along at 70km/h in top (sixth) without any hint of snatching from the shaft-drive transmission, then just roll on the power waiting under your right hand. The bike red-lines at 8600rpm, which you might think is a little on the low side, but the gear ratios are so well determined your journey remains entirely stress free whle the kilometres are gobbled up…
Performance figures from the test ride suggest a 0-100km/h time of 3.2sec for the GT and 3.4 for the slightly heavier GTL. Then things just keep on going to a top speed of well over 200km/h - those able to use the German autobahns are surely most fortunate! Fuel consumption was rarely worse than 6.3 litres/100km on the trip through to Hermanus, that from the quite considerable 25.6-litre fuel tank that would quite easily offer a 350km touring range.
The above info is relative to both models, really. The powertrains also remain common and the looks of the bikes are generally similar but in the case of the GTL the seat height is much reduced (to 750mm from the GT's 830mm) while the wheelbase is a little longer but it does offer the ability to carry considerably more luggage with the additional pannier/top case.
A top-quality radio/sound system is also part of the GTL deal. The faster you travel the louder it gets; good job our minibus taxis don’t work that way.
XENON LIGHTS STANDARD
Something every car and now bike manufacturer has cottoned on to is providing a hefty options list that can push up the initial purchase price quite considerably. The bikes are, however, very well “standard-specced”: heatable grips and seat (obviously hardly needed at this time of the year in South Africa) but it’s worth remembering it is first and foremost a dedicated touring machine for the avid, all-year-round, motorcyclist.
Xenon headlights are also standard, as are cruise control, trip data computer and, on the all-important safety front, linked anti-lock brakes.
Hanker after the power-adjustable windscreen or satnav or tuned suspension or maybe Bluetooth? They're all available from the comprehensive list but will push up considerably the basic ticket price of R173 000 for the GT and R195 300 for the GTL.
The bikes launch follows close on the heels of the international launch of the BMW 6 Series convertible from a base in the V&A Waterfront.
If you happened to be in the Franschhoek valley, just north-east of Cape Town, recently you definitely weren’t seeing things if you spotted about 80 German-registered motorcycles being put through their paces by the world’s motoring writers through surely one of the most picturesque regions in the world - motorcycle heaven right on our doorstep!
NOT THE FIRST SIX...
BMW is rather good at making touring bikes but when news of the latest machine, the K1600 GT and its sibling GTL suggested the German motorcycle division was starting with a clean slate and opting for a crossways straight six engine future customers of the marque had every right to be enthused.
Yes, I know a six-cylinder motor has been bolted to a bike before in at least three brands that I can recall: Kawasaki’s Z1300 would have been one, Honda’s celebrated CBX of course, and, not to be outdone, the Italians had the Benelli6, albeit in a limited edition. (Before you hastily write in, I've kept the list down to pure road bikes and excluded racing machinery.)
SUPERTOURER: Taking a break on the False Bay coast during the world launch of BMW's new big-six bikes.
"First and foremost this engine lends itself so easily to touring," he said. "It's powerful, yes, but we also wanted the bonus of high-end torque and ultra-smoothness that can be so easily extracted from six-cylinder technology."
Developed in Munich and built in Berlin, this particular unit is kept compact by mounting the alternator over the top of the very inclined engine. Indeed, the six-speed gearbox also sits far higher than usually found, yet keeps the bike's all-important centre of gravity where it rightly belongs - low in the frame.
Speaking about the frame (BMW prefers to call it a chassis), it’s made of light alloy in a very rigid, bridge-type, configuration with BMW-familiar Paralever and Duolever elements fore and aft. The main frame weighs only 16kg but supports an engine and gearbox that together weigh 103kg.
PASSING FAIR: Riding on the famed Franschhoek Pass - surely the perfect setting for the world launch of an all-new BMW.
Performance figures from the test ride suggest a 0-100km/h time of 3.2sec for the GT and 3.4 for the slightly heavier GTL. Then things just keep on going to a top speed of well over 200km/h - those able to use the German autobahns are surely most fortunate! Fuel consumption was rarely worse than 6.3 litres/100km on the trip through to Hermanus, that from the quite considerable 25.6-litre fuel tank that would quite easily offer a 350km touring range.
The above info is relative to both models, really. The powertrains also remain common and the looks of the bikes are generally similar but in the case of the GTL the seat height is much reduced (to 750mm from the GT's 830mm) while the wheelbase is a little longer but it does offer the ability to carry considerably more luggage with the additional pannier/top case.
A top-quality radio/sound system is also part of the GTL deal. The faster you travel the louder it gets; good job our minibus taxis don’t work that way.
XENON LIGHTS STANDARD
Something every car and now bike manufacturer has cottoned on to is providing a hefty options list that can push up the initial purchase price quite considerably. The bikes are, however, very well “standard-specced”: heatable grips and seat (obviously hardly needed at this time of the year in South Africa) but it’s worth remembering it is first and foremost a dedicated touring machine for the avid, all-year-round, motorcyclist.
Xenon headlights are also standard, as are cruise control, trip data computer and, on the all-important safety front, linked anti-lock brakes.
Hanker after the power-adjustable windscreen or satnav or tuned suspension or maybe Bluetooth? They're all available from the comprehensive list but will push up considerably the basic ticket price of R173 000 for the GT and R195 300 for the GTL.
