K1200GT / Concours C14 / Yamaha FJR1300 August 08 Shootout

OK;

I'll start the response to this month’s comparo by stating that I own an '06 FJR and I've ridden an '08 C14 - my experience with BMW inline 4s is limited to a single ride of a K1200S.

I've always felt that BMW was overpriced and overly complicated, with a sub-par dealer network and reliability that belies the price that one pays for their machines.  That is probably reflected in their sales numbers, for BMWs entire motorcycle production is about 110,000 units based on the last numbers I've seen - not exactly high volume production on which to leverage across-the-lines production cost savings.

The Concours is an excellent machine - the engine is almost electric-motor smooth (though not as smoh as the powerplant on the ZX-14 for some reason) and the result is the feeling one might get of riding a very powerful electric motorcycle.  

Shifting on the bike I rode was absolutely silky smooth – but I have my shifting on the FJR down pat too – so in the end they were comparable.  If the K1200GT shifts like the K1200S, it it will be a clunk box.  Why can’t BMW build a smooth shifting bike?

Styling-wise the FJR beats the other two in this shootout hands-down.  The fit and finish for the Yamaha and BMW put the Kawasaki to shame.

Engine-wise, I'm guessing that the C14 the testers had was modified and the secondary butterflies were pulled - the Yamaha OUTPULLS a stock C14 below about 5K RPM - and that's where most Sport-Tourers spend their time.  One tester's comments about needing high RPMs to make the FJR move mystified me.

As to weather protection, only a small percentage of American riders are as short as Rider's testers.  I've heard reports that tall riders feel very cramped on the FJR . . .

I'm 5'11" and consider myself to be 'of average height'.  Neither of the bikes I've tried from this list offers decent protection from buffeting in stock form for me.  But the Yamaha's protection is far superior to that of the Kawasaki.

Handling-wise, I kind-of preferred the C14's handling on a recent 5K kilometer ride during which I did a bunch of that distance on the C14 . . . I found the C14 to be more neutral and the FJR somewhat more aggressive.  But what would I know? - the professionals took them out for a day.  Perhaps it is that I'm not diminuitive - I tip the scales at 230.

I made my choice - I chose the FJR.  The C14 might have been preferable except for the miserable mirrors and the seat height - it was in no way 'between the narrow BMW and the wide FJR' - and it was higher than the FJR - in fact I ended up with my FJR's seat in the upper position when I got off the C14 - that's how high it was.

Note to any who might buy an FJR – don’t let the fact that the windscreen auto-retracts put you off - unplugging a simple-to-reach connector disables that 'feature'.  I had mine disabled forever - but I had to go under the cowling to install HID lighting and forgot to put the screen down before starting the work - it has to be down to remove the nacelle.  Never again - I ride with it all the way down unless it's raining out anyway.  

30,000 miles in 2 seasons so far (I'm in Canada, where the season is fairly short).  I have no significant regrets.  I don't even have issue with the supposedly too-stiff throttle pull or twitchy EFI reaction that some complain about.  Perhaps the testers ought to toughen up their wrists . . .

And, the C14 is a furnace in stop-and-go traffic, not all that much better on superslab drones.  Think ST1300.

I'm not saying that the order was wrong (after all it is a subjective matter), but in the touring market, one comparison element HAS to be available electric power.  BMW wins that hands-down - and unless you have the AE model Yamaha comes second.  There is not much (electrical) power to spare on the C14.

Interesting enough, missing from the comparo was a direct range comparison - the C14's tank is quite small and long runs between stops are very important to ST riders.  As well, since many ST machines run fairly high mileage, service intervals are extremely important - the C14 fails in both of these areas . . . . .

The points were close enough that had the bikes been evaluated IN THEIR ELEMENTS as Sport-Tourers (i.e. out touring), I suspect that the results might not have been quite the same.  

"functional mirrors in the perfect location"

A lot of us FJR owners swap the mirrors out, feeling they are less than perfect.

"and a glove compartment with built-in power outlet-great for charging cell phones or powering GPS units while on the go."

It is great - until you try and close the compartment door and wind up pinching whatever cable you have i there.

"No one would argue that the FJR is a good sport-touring motorcycle..."

I would certainly argue the point. It's obviously an excellent sport tourer.

Your gas mileage was interesting, too. I average about 42mpg.

Overall, an interesting article if only because it closely mirrors my real world experience.  

Looking at the torque and horsepower curves, I suspect that the secondary flies were pulled from the Concours . . . . FJR normally has more torque below 5K RPM, yet rhe Connie curves are much more generous than those on the FJR . . .

Do I smell a Kawasaki rat?

Oh, and the comment about the size of the riders?  From the photos those guys do seem to be somewhat smaller than the average S-T rider . . . don't take it personally.  

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