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.
Last year, BMW made the Bosch MSC “cornering ABS” system available as a retrofit for the BMW HP4, branding the advanced safety feature as ABS Pro. Now BMW is making the ABS Pro safety package available as a retrofit to a number of BMW model that came with an ABS unit.
Most excitably, the upgrade kit can be used on the 2012-2014 BMW S1000RR, with the 2015-2016 BMW S1000RR kit in development as well. The addition of the ABS Pro on the 2015 S1000RR will include the “Race” riding mode, as well. The slip threshold and brake pressure gradient have been set at a higher level for use on roads with high friction coefficients compared to the “Rain” and “Sport” modes.
BMW Motorrad has just released a bevy of minor changes to its 2014 motorcycle line, and amongst the facelifts and feature changes comes a “new” motorcycle from zie Germans. Unsurprisingly, the 2014 BMW K1600GT Sport is a take on the company’s flagship tourer, the K1600GT, but with a sportier, baggier, feel.
To be honest, we can’t help but think that the folks at BMW Motorrad saw the positive response that Honda had with the Honda Gold Wing F6B bagger conversion, and figured the same would work for them. If you can’t beat them, join them, eh? BMW junkies, we’ll want to hear your thoughts on this one.
We already told you that 2011 was BMW Motorrad’s best sales year ever, and that the BMW S1000RR topped the Bavarian brand’s charts here in the United States. Zie Germans must be feeling rather pleases with themselves right now (and rightfully so), as BMW has released more details about its all-time motorcycle sales record. Pushing out 104,286 units in 2011, BMW Motorrad was up 6.4% in 2011 over 2010, with each of the 2011’s twelve months outselling its 2010 counterpart. Toppling its previous sales record from 2007 (the height of the world economy), it says something about BMW’s current business strategy that it can best that figure in an economy that is still exceedingly weak in comparison.
It is interesting to note in which markets, and in which segments, BMW is finding this growth, because the answers are not necessarily our usual suspects. Basically doubling its worldwide 500+cc market share over the past four years, BMW now accounts for 12% of the worlds “big” displacement motorcycles by units sold per annum. This goes counter to the trend that we’ve seen, where small-displacement are being cast as the sales leaders for large brands (namely the Japanese Four).
Well it is Friday the 13th today, so we better kick things off right. Now before the sky darkens, it rains everlasting fire and brimstone, and the creatures of the underworld rise out of the cracks of the earth to enslave mankind for an eternity of toil and torture, we wanted to be sure to share with you this clever piece of motorcycling humor that involves the BMW K1600GT.
Maybe it will provide you with a ray of hope in our soon-to-be-realized dystopian future. Maybe it will arm you with the knowledge on how to take on the zombie hordes that will roam our streets. Or maybe…just maybe, you’ll chuckle and pass it on to Gil in the accounting department, because all he has to live for each day, as he moves numbers from one column on a spreadsheet to another, is that 37 minute commute home on his BMW K1600GT, which somehow continues to sustain his will to go living just for one more day in this upside-down mortgage world we live in.