2018 BMW  K 1600B

11
7947

Motorcycles aren’t subject to Uncle’s fuel-efficiency fatwas.

Not yet.

Which explains why BMW is putting its sixes in its bikes  . . . while removing them from its cars. Including even mid-sized cars like the 5 Series sedan, which now comes standard with a tiny 2.0 liter four. Not because that’s what BMW buyers want but because it’s what Uncle effectively requires. The six can’t make the CAFE cut and so it’s being back-benched in favor of far less euphonious fours, their output crutched by turbochargers.

It is heartbreaking.

But there is a two-wheeled end run. A Colonel Bogey salute to Uncle and his fatwas.

BMW’s K series bikes.

They all come standard with sixes – at least until Uncle gets around to gimping them, too.

This includes the latest addition to the lineup – the K 1600 B.

The B is for bagger – and it does have streamlined bags, a fairing to match and sits lowered in the tail. But the main thing it’s got that sets it apart is a pushing 1700 cc straight six like you used to find under the hoods of four-wheeled BMWs.

It makes 160 hp at 7,750 RPM and 129 ft.-lbs. of torque at 5,250 RPM.

Mounted low and mean in a 741 lb. bike instead of a 3,400 lb. car equals an acceleration blitz no four-wheeled BMW can touch  . . . even those that still come with a six.

WHAT IT IS

The K 1600B is BMW’s Bismarckian 16-inch salvo aimed directly at a market niche that – up to now – has been owned by big V-twin baggers made by Harley, et al.

It’s a niche that Honda tried to penetrate with its F6B, a bagger version of the Goldwing – but to no avail (more on this below).

The K 1600 B is based on the K 1600 GT and GTL adventure-touring bikes. They all share the same 1649 cc six and also BMW’s unique Paralever rear and fork-less Duolever front suspension, but the bagger sits about 2.8 inches lower in the tail, gets unique streamliner bodywork, has a lowered seat (in two available heights) tubular bars and – of course – bags.

These are narrower and longer – with integrated twin thunderbolt LED brake lights to set it all off.

Only one color is offered: Black Storm Metallic.

Too bad it’s not radar reflective.

Base price is $19,995 and that includes three rider-selectable modes (Rain, Road and Dynamic), linked ABS/Traction control, heated grips and seat (including passenger) a power-adjustable windshield, cruise control and a 5.7 inch color LCD screen whose various functions can be accessed via a clever rotary thumbwheel controller adjacent to the left grip.

Two major option packages are available, Premium and Touring.

The Premium package bundles BMW’s high-performance Gear Shift Assist Pro – which when activated enables ultra-quick throttle-only gear changes (the computer deals with the clutchwork), keyless ignition, Bluetooth/radio software, LED auxiliary lights, central locking and an alarm system. It stickers for $3,550.

The Touring package adds Reverse Assist (it helps you back up the bike using the starter motor) and a SiriusXM-enabled audio system. MSRP for this package is $445.

You can also add floorboards, forged handlebars and case guards, as you like.

WHAT’S NEW

The Bagger is a new addition to the K series roster and BMW’s first assault across the trenches into Bagger Country.

WHAT’S GOOD

That six. Holy hell!

This bagger is also a zerstorer. If it could fly, you could use it to attack Poland.

Or make peace with Poland. It is equally civilized when asked to be.

Two available seat heights.

Big range: 7 gallon tank; stop once every 250-ish miles  . . . assuming you want to.

WHAT’S NOT SO GOOD

Streamlined bags cost you some capacity; they are too small to accommodate some helmets.

No “off” switch for the ABS and traction control.

Black Storm Metallic isn’t radar reflective.

Given that six, it ought to be.

UNDER THE TANK

The Bagger gets a standard six in part because it is a bike and – for now – there are no fuel efficiency fatwas for things on two wheels.

And also because it’s just bad-ass.

There is nothing in the class that approaches this bike’s stupendous, fatwa-shivving 160 hp. The ‘Wing F6B’s larger (1800 cc) six made just 118. Most of the big twins are in the same territory as well.

For a bagger, 160 hp is braggadocious.

Hell, for anything.

One of the fastest sport-touring bikes ever was the Kawasaki ZZR1200 – a 180 mph motorcycle with bags – and its open-class four made slightly less power than you get here.

I have ridden a ZZR up to 170 and this bagger feels like it could get there, too.

Just ask the cop who nailed me the second day out. That’s what I get for saddling up without my trusty Valentine 1.

The in-line six lies seductively, almost flat in the frame – at a 55 degree angle –  and it does not poke out of the fairing at each side. This is an amazing feat of engineering and packaging. The engine’s cylinder bores are only 72 mm in diameter and practically siamesed  – the sleeves spaced just 5 mm apart. This allows a six that’s not much longer overall than most inline fours – including the old ZZR1200’s.

To appreciate BMW’s achievement, have a look at a late ’70s Honda CBX or Kawasaki KZ1300. The outer two cylinders of the in-line sixes in those bikes served as fairings, practically. They were an awesome sight – but in the same way that Lou Ferrigno in his prime doing a double bicep was awesome.

A bit much.

Those classic-era sixes were also much smaller in terms of their displacement – and they made nowhere near the power the BMW’s six does.

But they took up a lot more room in the bike.

They were also mounted closer to the vertical – all that weight gawkily up in the air – while the Bagger’s six lays canted far forward, into the wind, putting the weight of the thing close to the asphalt – as if to eat it up. Which, of course, is exactly what it does.

Zero to 60 in a 2.8 seconds. Roll-on thrust like god’s own hand, smacking you in the small of the back.

The Wing’s flat six sits even lower, it’s true. But the Honda is much less a zerstorer (that’s German for destroyer; a designation given fighter-bombers like the infamous Me110s which terrorized London during the war).

Its flat six is shy almost 50 hp and is a low compression (9.8:1) low-rpm (5,500 RPM power peak, 6,000 RPM redline) single-overhead cam engine designed for the low and mid-ranges, which up till now has been the altitude at which your typical bagger operates.

Enter the zerstorer. 

It comes at you vertically, in a steep dive out of the sun. Its engine features dual overhead cams, 12.2:1 compression and can spin to almost 9,000 RPM.

Wants to spin to almost 9,000 RPM. Practically begs you to twist your wrist.

There is also a six-speed gearbox to play with here – vs. a a lazy-day five speed in the Honda.

And the BMW is lighter: 741 pounds gassed up vs. 904 pounds for the ‘Wing.

One’s for cruising. The other’s for bruisin’ .  . .

Or, both – as you prefer.

ON THE ROAD

Baggers are big and heavy and torquey.

Right? Isn’t that the rule? They are not supposed to be light and agile and berserker fast, too.

But BMW reasoned – why not? Screw the rules!

Indeed!

The six’s displacement provides the low-down torque (129 ft.-lbs.at 5,250 RPM) expected in this class of bike. For the “relaxed” and “comfortable touring qualities” the bagger crowd esteems. No need to rev much to get going.

In any gear, just about. Downshifts are fun, but rarely mandatory. You could ride all day – comfortably, easily moving faster than anything in your orbit that wasn’t really trying – and never crack 4,000 RPM. At 70, in sixth, the tach barely registers 3,000.

That is expected. Big baggers, it’s the rules.

Most unexpected is the BMW’s capacity to rev.

 

And break every rule in the book. 

At 7,000-plus RPM, the six begins making extremely serious horsepower. Be ready. The low and mid-range easygoingness transforms into – cue Dr. Jennings from Howard the Duck  . . . something else.

A deep bellow wells up from below as the Dark Overlord opens his eyes. If you keep your wrist rotated, better have your radar detector on. “Relaxed” and “comfortable touring qualities”  . . . yeah.

Maybe in Germany – where you can “relax” at 120 in the fast lane.

Which this bike will do without half trying. Jail bait on two wheels. I got tagged on the second day of my week-long ride: 74 in a 55. Which is barely cracking the throttle on this thing. If you snap it open, it will wheelie.

In second and third gear.

The power is tractably applied, though; kept in check via the electronics. Particularly helpful is the Rain program, which yanks the Dark Overlord’s chain on slick asphalt. The other two programs – Road and Dynamic – amp up the power delivery/cinch down the adjustable suspension for hooning or not, as per your mood.

BMW’s Duolever/Paralever suspension is strange looking but functions brilliantly. The bike yin-yangs with the road’s undulations; is never bouncy and always imparts a feeling of total control. The general tendency of a shaft-driven bike to jack up under hard acceleration is completely muted by BMW’s unique approach to motorcycle suspension design.

Although the B’s windshield is smaller than on a touring bike – per bagger aesthetic etiquette – wind protection is decent enough to make a ride on a 48 degree late fall day enjoyable ( as oppose to bearable) even without a heated riding suit. The excellent heated grips and seat make up for the nominal increase in breeze vs. the more fully-faired/windscreened GT/GTL.

Most of the bike’s electronic features can be toggled through via the multi-function rotary thumbwheel adjacent to the left grip. Up and down to access what you want, then a push inward to select/engage. It can be done without looking. Cars should have systems this well-designed but generally don’t.

This includes – ironically enough – BMW’s cars.

Reverse is available but much less needed than it is on a bike like the much-heavier ‘Wing. The BMW’s 740-ish pounds (vs. the ‘Wing’s 900-plus pounds) is only about 150 or so pounds more than a full-size sport bike and because you sit lower, it’s easier to walk the thing back using pedal power.

If you prefer, let the machine do it for you.

Push the R button and use the starter motor to walk the bike back as needed.

Two seat heights are offered – 30.7 inches and 29.5 inches – which makes the bike that much more agreeable to different body types. The ‘Wing is more take it – or leave it – as it comes with just one seat height.

Despite the things it is capable of doing, the BMW is more manageable than the typical bagger bike.

A 900-plus pounder like the Honda is a handful, even for a young, tall and strong rider. Not just reversing, either. Slow u-turns can result in all that weight getting away from you; it only takes a moment for the tipping point to be reached – and passed. This is less likely to happen when you’re balancing 741 pounds – and if you do manage to drop the BMW, you’ll probably be able to pick it up yourself.

The ‘Wing will take two.

BMW offers car-type keyless/pushbutton ignition and central locking. Just keep the fob in your pocket.

It beats hell out of fumbling for the keys.

AT THE CURB

The main functional/dimensional difference between the B and the GT/GTL is the lowered rear, which is dropped 2.8 inches vs. its adventure touring siblings. This makes it easier to mount/dismount, of course – and gives the bagger its distinctive squat.

There are also unique-to-the-B pipes, finished in chrome and brushed aluminum – each side having three tips, one for each cylinder.

In addition to a fantastically powerful main headlight array, the B also gets a pair of secondary projector beam lamps mounted low – just ahead of the floorboards. 

The B also gets those slim-line bags, which like most things designed primarily to look good are a bit less practical than the boxier storage compartments hanging off the sides of the GT/GTL. Your helmet may – or may not fit.

The bike is finished in alternatingly shiny and menacing black matte paint.

Perfect for the Dark Overlord within.

THE REST

The deal-cincher here – vs. the Goldwing, at least – is that the BMW costs less. Especially now that Honda has cancelled the F6B – which was priced just a few hundred bucks higher than the BMW. 

The 2018 Goldwing starts at $23,500 – which is several thousand bucks more than the BMW – and reverts back to the big (and heavy) touring trade it has plied so successfully all these many years.

As for the domestic iron, that’ll be a tougher nut for BMW to crack. Not because of any objective failings but in spite of their lack. V-twin people are V-twin people.

But if you are one of those people, you might want to at least have a look.

Better yet, a ride.

THE BOTTOM LINE

It’s a shame about BMW’s cars. But we still have BMW bikes.

For the moment, at least.

. . .

Got a question about cars – or anything else? Click on the “ask Eric” link and send ’em in!

If you like what you’ve found here, please consider supporting EPautos.

We depend on you to keep the wheels turning!

Our donate button is here.

 If you prefer not to use PayPal, our mailing address is:

EPautos
721 Hummingbird Lane SE
Copper Hill, VA 24079

PS: EPautos stickers are free to those who send in $20 or more to support the site. Also, the eBook – free! – is available. Click here. Just enter you email in the box on the top of the main page and we’ll email you a copy instantly!

 

11 COMMENTS

  1. Eric,

    The only nit I’d pick is that BMW’s K1600 bikes are sport tourers, not ADV bikes. ADV touring bikes would be more like BMW’s R1250 GS or any other big bike carrying metal panniers.

    And yes, I’d love to have the BMW 6 cyl. bikes. The only problems is that, with performance like that, I’d be going to jail! Giving me a high performance vehicle, either two or four wheels, is like giving a drunk the keys to the liquor store; I just can’t help myself… 🙂

  2. Didn’t the K series originally have the cylinder block laid flat?

    I wonder if they considered doing something like VW did in the VR-6 motors, with a 15 degree vee (the cylinders are staggered in a single block). That would narrow the engine down at the cost of having a bulkier head.

    Chip H.

  3. Tough break on getting to pay a speed tax for the review. But at least Porky did you a “favor” by logging your speed under 20 MPH. Just sent you a little something extra (above the normal monthly donation) to cover the added cost of this review, and strongly encourage everyone else reading to do the same.

    But back on topic: Sounds like the “Ultimate driving machine” has two wheels now?

    • Hi RK,

      Thanks hugely!

      I plan to fight the ticket; stay tuned…

      And, yes, BMW’s bikes are much more about being involved in the act than its cars… we must enjoy this while it lasts…

      • Hey Eric, good article! I’m fighting my first speed ticket at the moment. My lawyer got the prosecutor to offer me a deferral but it requires I be a good boy for 12 months!!! I think I should take it as it is a 25 year decorated cop’s word against mine, but I have an otherwise immaculate record. General thoughts?

  4. I hope I’m wrong, but the “bagger” concept (regardless of whether it’s Honda or BMW) just doesn’t seem like something that’s going to sell unless it’s HD or Indian. And that’s not to say the F6B and the K aren’t just as badass as their parent models, it’s just that I don’t “get” them. I mean, if you’re in the market for a $20k bike that weighs 750+, why wouldn’t you want the full windscreen and all the toys? Honda and BMW owners (at least in my experience) aren’t nearly as interested in the bagger image as domestic buyers are…at least in my experience. The only reason I’d buy a bagger would be to put a full windshield and top case on it for less money than the full touring model. Maybe it’s my own own bias (I’m firmly in the middle weight sport touring camp; I ride bikes that feel like bikes, not cars), but I’m just not getting it.

    • Hi John,

      I think I know why: Bikes like the standard ‘Wing are – generally – bikes for older guys. Same issue with the big V-twin bikes.

      BMW’s concept is different. Nominally, it qualifies as a bagger – but it is also arguably a muscle touring bike. I can attest that it will run with – and outrun – some sport bikes. The thing flies.

      That it is also comfortable and stylish… those are just perks!

      So, younger guys who like a fast bike will like this one.

      • I hope you’re right! And I suspect, in my early 40s, I’m projecting my wants on the market. But watching bike sales sharply decline the last few years has been pretty depressing (except for the fact of the great deals out there…bought two bikes this year already). But at least we’re not dealing with the CAFE crap yet (my zx gets 34mpg lol).

      • Probably my heart would beat faster than it did if that weight had been significantly less. It’s a beautiful bike and I’m sure a blast to ride. Still, I’d either want bigger bags and windshield or less of bags and less weight. I don’t see though that a great deal of weight could be dropped and that’s ok too. I did feel a few decades younger looking at it. The engine is a thing of beauty itself.

        Like you said eric, this bad boy should have radar absorbing everything. I have no idea how a person could ride this at the speed limit….even in Tx. Beautiful bike though and a great deal money-wise considering the competition.

  5. BMW was planning a flat six with gear driven cams in 1973-74, but Japanese spies exposed the proto-type Honda flat six that had initially been built to model the production of the 1st Goldwing after. Honda shelved the six until the 1988 GL1500, and put the flat four 1000cc into production in 1974 instead. That 1st flat six design convinced competitors that Honda could not be bested with existing ’70’s technology. It was only a matter of time before Honda would fall behind in the competition, but 40 years is a long time in the bike industry! Only a decade separates the first Honda import, the C72 Dream 250, and the CB750 Super Sport.
    Only 5 until the Gl1000, 3 more for the CBX1000, and then another decade for the GL1500 flat-six. But Honda did all of them at record low retail prices, too. Now BMW has the edge on innovation and price, but for how long?

  6. Beautifully impressive on multiple fronts. And totally unappealing. To me at least.

    Disclaimer: I am a child of the 60s. A car on two wheels is not a motorcycle.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here