I've never owned a Jap car but "overpriced junk" is hardly a description that would fit, and my next car will likely be a Honda. My present car is a 14-year-old Saab and it has been very reliable, but I fear they will be pulled from the U.S. market and then what happens to parts availability?

 

Still have my last BMW, 6 years old now and never a problem. The standard tool kit it came with puts any Harley tool kit to shame.

Many BMW owners I've known put serious miles often well off the interstates as I do. I do fireroads regularly with mine and its superior suspension allows it to go places Harleys owners can only dream of.

This is likely the reason so many BMW owners are serious about their tool kits - GS owners in particular.

 

Never owned a BMW bike but have had 4 BMW cars from new (5 Series) and really liked them all except the last one which felt cheap, had 3 recalls in the first year and had so many other things going wrong I got rid -I think BMW have been paring down the quality over the last few years and it's catching up with them. So complicated that I'd need NASA and an operating theatre to fix it.

I have 2 Harleys and they've given totally reliable service and I think the relative simplicity - less to go wrong - helps.

Just my experience.

PS - Years ago here in the UK BMW bike riders were so up themselves that they never waved or nodded at non-BMW's so we all used to give the **** salute to them

 

Good grief man...your comparing a bike made to do off road with a cruiser?

 

Hi - first post and a BMW guy here (the title caught my attention because I currently own a BMW and am very interested in the new Road King).

I currently own a 2007 R1200 GS Adventure - awesome bike, never a problem, handles incredibly well and goes anywhere. Simply destroys bad roads, which is about all we have in Northern California (I'd say our roads are probably on par with third world country roads, at best).

I wave to everyone, am not a bike snob. Been riding since 1975 (first bike was a brand new 1974 Honda CB750 which I rode from Columbus, Ohio to Acapulco and back on a whim). Have recently owned a Honda Blackbird, Honda ST1300, Suzuki GSX-R1000 and BMW K1200S.

I have always loved the look of Harleys and am now seriously getting interested in a purchase. I'm over the sportbike thing because I got too many speeding tickets and I don't need to go 100 mph every time I get on a bike anymore.

I have never ridden a Harley, so need to go take a test drive. I really like the looks of the 2009 Road King standard. How is the power of the standard bike? My BMW R1200 GSA has 100 hp and that is plenty, but of course the bike weights significantly less than a RK (about 550 lbs.). I don't need to go 100+ but do like to have decent acceleration up to 85 mph or so in passing situations. Does the new RK deliver that kind of performance?

I stopped just to look at bikes yesterday and the dealer told me that for $1,200 I could upgrade the standard to a 103 ci engine. Has anyone tried that?

If I go with the RK I will still keep my BMW for the more spirited rides, so am not looking to replace the bike, just adding to the stable.

Sorry for all the questions, but I figured I might as well go right to the expert source!

Thanks,

Andy

 

Now that's funny -Aerostitch

 

Don't know about the bikes but my brother bought his wife a 2003 BMW 525i wagon that was always in the shop. He got sick of it after about a year and traded for a Volvo wagon.

I carry quite a bit of tools in a tool bag ( better safe than sorry) but on the road I've only used the flat tire kit and an allen wrench once to tighten a loose highway peg bolt.

 

All I can say is each his own . I was interested in a fjr1300 till I drove one for an hour

 

I haven't had a BMW bike, but I had a 5 series car and I was all fired up after reading the original post, "Yeah! Yeah he's got that right!" as every time I wanted to do any kind of service for the car, it was a minimum of $1K it seemed. Then I got quiet knowing how much I spend on the HD.....Love the HD though!

 

I started this post last night because I was amazed at the tool kits being carried by guys who are always telling me how trouble free their bikes are. If I had to carry that many tools I’d stick with four wheels.

The stock engine accelerates well enough to handle turnpike traffic. Save your money for something more useful like chrome.

If you are looking for a cruiser go test ride a Harley, it’s the only way you will know for sure. Look at the Glides, the radio is nice to have.