BMW of North America is recalling 1,625 units of its K1600 lineup because of a suspension issue. More specifically, the recall concerns the K1600GT, K1600GTL, and K1600B motorcycles, from the 2019 and 2020 model years.
According to the recall documents, the link strut on these models, which connects the rear suspension to the frame, may have insufficient strength due to a supplier not making the part to specification.
BMW Motorrad’s venerable K1600 platform is getting an update for the 2022 model year, which means we have new BMW K1600B, BMW K1600 Grand America, BMW K1600GT, and BMW K1600GTL motorcycles to talk about today.
While such news would usually be a lot to process, the Germans have made it easy for us, as all four of the K1600 models share in their revisions to BMW’s six-cylinder engine, which is now Euro5 compliant.
Determined not to let the new Honda Gold Wing have all the fun in the modern tourer category, BMW Motorrad too wants a piece of the American two-wheeled lifestyle, debuting today at the EICMA show the new 2018 BMW K1600 Grand America.
The production version of the K1600B bagger that we saw last year, the K1600 Grand America has grown a bit in a year’s time, and truthfully looks very similar to the BMW K1600 GTL, which already fills the German brand’s need for a full-on dresser motorcycle.
Still, BMW Motorrad says that the Grand America is built for cruising down the highway, and the German brand hopes that the more sweeping lines found on the BMW K1600 Grand America entice riders away from the offerings of other makers.
To our eye, the changes to the Grand America are incredibly subtle, though we prefer the new model to the others in BMW’s six-cylinder lineup.
BMW Motorrad sent out a press release over the weekend, teasing that it would have four “world premieres” at the upcoming EICMA show, in Milan.
With EICMA being the largest trade show for the motorcycle industry, it’s not surprising that the German brand would hold back some new bike launches, even from the very popular INTERMOT show, which is home territory for BMW Motorrad.
We have already scooped a few of the new BMW models that are coming for 2017, but with EICMA close at hand, we thought it best to disclose the rest.
We’ve expect for some time to see BMW Motorrad debut a bagger model, based off its K1600 touring bike platform, and now the wait is over. The attractive BMW Concept 101 teased this much to us, and today that speculation can be put to rest, with the release of the 2017 BMW K1600B.
Like the Honda Gold Wing F6B, the concept behind this six-cylinder motorcycle here is pretty simple, and its hope is to go after a large motorcycle segment that is dominated by one brand: Harley-Davidson.
As has been BMW’s playbook for the 2017 model year, the K1600B floods a space that BMW is already a heavy-hitter in, offering even more options to riders who are looking to pound some pavement, this time with some bagger appeal.
Helping make that appeal, BMW’s inline-six engine will make 160hp for the 2017 model year, thanks to Euro 4 regulations. The BMW K1600B will also see a 2.75″ seat height drop, fixed side cases (hence the “bagger” name), and various subtle styling changes from the GT/GTL models.