Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/146667
light, switch positions for five accessories, rear mud flap, four-way emergency flashers and two electrical power sockets for accessories, such as heated clothing, a work lamp or even for charging the battery. The KllooLT has a claimed wet (full gas) weight of 639 pounds with a payload capacity of 463 pounds. In comparison, the Honda Gold Wing SE has a claimed dry weight of 809 pOunds. A three-year unlimited mileage limited warranty comes with the KllooLT, ting the rider know what's going on behind The new Kll00LT is an expensive motorcycle. At a suggested retail price of $14,290, it is almost $100 more expensive than Honda's top-of-line GL1500 Gold Wing SE. While the Gold Wing SE might offer a plusher ride, 400 more cubic centimeters and a 10 times better sound system, the BMW K1100LT offers approximately 250 pounds less weight, ABS, an electrically operated adjustable windscreen, and just plain better handling, especially at slower speeds. No doubt, the KllOOLT is definitely in the same league as any of the Gold Wing models, like the SE, Aspencade and Interstate, and that is saying a lot for the Beemer. Gold Wings aside, the Kll00LT should fulfill the needs of the most finicky tourer. c:N (Right) The fairing has been moved up 1.2 inches to provide better leg room, but the instrument panel is relatively unchanged. While Cycle News believes the foregoing test reliable, it is the opinion of the reviewer only and should not be relied upon in determining the performance or safety ofthe vehide. The reader should make his or her own investigaJion. Specifications and includes enrollment in the BMW Motorcycle Roadside Assistance Plan, a 24-hour/365-days-per year assistance program to bring help to a stranded BMW rider on the road. From running out of gas or lost keys to more serious mechanical problems, help is just a tollfree 800 number away. The BMW Roadside Assistance Plan can be continued after the warranty expires for $35 per year. Like all BMW motorcycles, the KllOOLT is delivered with a comprehensive owner's kit, including a shoulder bag containing a tool kit, tubeless tire repair kit, extensive owner's manual, battery charger, a quart of BMW engine oil and a bottle of BMW visor cleaner. Whew! Now for the fun part - riding it. BMW introduced its latest model to the motorcycling press at its U.S. headquarters in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey, by way of a 553-mile, twisting backroads jaunt (by hard-core tourer standards) through a total of five states: New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and Connecticut. Without a doubt, the extra eight valves and 106cc definitely give the KllooLT more snap, especially at lower rpm. Click through the gears, you can certainly feel the difference, and once top gear is reached, you can't help but notice the much improved taller ratio. On a few past BMW models, like the K100LT, you quite often instinctively reached for another gear while already cruising along in top. The K1100LT is surprisingly quick, too. Open up the throttle and it responds immediately with a sudden but smooth rush of acceleration. It's significantly "pipier," than the six-cylinder Gold Wing, giving it a j>OIDewhat sporty feel. Everything else about the motor feels typical BMW. It changes gears nicely, the clutch has good feel, the powerband is smooth, and it still has that unique BMW whine that emanates from the sideways-mounted fourcylinder engine, which, by the way does not vibrate nearly as much as it used tb. That problem seems to be a thing of the past. In fact, certain areas in the rpm range, vibration is nearly nonexistent. BMW's AntiLock Braking System (ABS) is standard equipmenton the KllOOLT. The rear shocks are made by Showa. That nagging little smoking problem is still a thorn in BMW's side. Whenever the Beemer is rested on its side-stand for any length of time, oil gathers in the cylinders and smoke pours out of the exhaust pipe for a short time after the engine is started. Compared to the Gold Wing the KllOOLT is noticeably lighter and much easier to maneuver. Most of the roads we toured were winding ones, and after a long day in the saddle, the low weight made a big and welcomed difference once fatigue set in. The suspension is a little on the harsh side, even with the all-new Showa shock. We felt the need to bump up the rebound damping adjustment to the maximum, which still wasn't enough, although close. The fork felt good, but the back end could use some attention. The adjustable windscreen is one of the neatest features of the K1100LT. It seems like such a little thing, but the few inches it moves, really makes a huge difference in rider comfort. Unlike the Suzuki 1100 Katana, where the windscreen movE!!? in only two directions - up and down, as previously mentioned, the BMW's screen moves up and down as well as tilts. With the windscreen straight up, there is very little straighton wind blast, but the turbulence hits the rider from behind pretty hard. Lower the windscreen, as it angles towards the rider, and you can adjust the wind blast to where it just barely hits the top of your helmet, which reduces the turbulence. It works extremely well and will most likely be copied by BMW's competitors in the near future. The K1100LT is a very comfortable motorcycle. It can be ridden for long periods of time before having to stop and take a stretch. The seat is fairly wide and significantly more comfortable than seats on past BMWs, which is a good thing because the K1100LT will go a long distance on a tank of gas. On our trip, we usually refueled near the 150mile mark but still had plenty of gas left over. BMW claims it gets approximately 40 miles per gallon and will travel approximately 211 miles before running dry. This seems accurate by our calculations. The fuel warning light goes on at approximately 170 miles, and there is also an analog fuel gauge mounted on the side of the fairing. The K1100LT's sound system has a long way to go before it matches the one found on the Honda Gold Wing SE. Right now, there's no comparison. First of all,-the handlebars completely block the view of the stereo's digital readout; you have to make serious body movements to see what station you are listening to. It does have station presets, but they're difficult to get at and, again, see. The remote stereo switches on the left handlebar 0nly have two functions, controlling volume and scanning. And, the whole system doesn't sound nearly as good as the Gold Wing's, but, in our opinion, a mediocre sounding stereo is still better than none at all. The new saddlebags and topcase are, in fact, easy to use and hold a lot of junk. Just be careful when opening the sidebags; there's a nylon cord that keeps the outside half of the bag from opening so far as to contact the ground. But that cord sometimes detaches itself, and when it does, the bag can fly open and tag the asphalt, resulting in a little ding in the comer of the bag. We know from experience. Otherwise, we had no complaints. All of the controls, Le. clutch and brake levers, blinker, hi/low beam and hom switches, are easily accessible, and the rearview mirrors do a fine job let- BMW KllOOLT Engine Liquid-cooled, 4-stroke, in-line 4 cylinder Bore x Stroke 70.5 x 70.0mm 1093cc Displacement Horsepower (claimed) .100 Bhp @775Orpm Torque (claimed) _ 77.31b.-ft@ 5500 rpm Compression ratio .11.0:1 Valve gear DOHC, chain-driven, , 4 valves-per-cylinder Carburetion Fuel injection, .. electronic ignition contr?~ed Igrlltion Digttal Primary drive Helical gears Clutch Dry, single-plate w / diaphragm spring Drive train Enclosed driveshaft 'W /two universal joints and integral torsional damper Primary drive Helical gears Final drive ... ..spiral bevel gears, 2.91: ratio (32/11) Frame Tubular steel, engine as stressed member Front suspension.... .Telescopic fork, 41.7mm stanchion tube diameter, 5.3-in. travel, refillable cartridge damper system Rear suspension _ Paralever w / single gas-filled shock, 4.7-in travel, continuously variable rebound damping, 5 spring preload positions -progressive spring Front brake......DuaI12.0-in.dia. floating discs, two 4-piston calipers, ABS Rear brake ....•....5ingle 11.2-in. dia. disc, dou~le-action calipers, ABS Wheels Front: 2.50 x 18MT-H2 cast alloy ...............Rear: 3.00 x 17MT-H2 cast alloy Tires ........Front: 110/SO - VR18 tubeless; ....................Rear: 140/SO - VR17 tubeless OIA length 88.6 in. OIA width 36.0 in. Wheelbase 61.6 in. Seat height... : 31.9 in. Handlebar width 30.1 in. Steering head angle 63 degree Front wheel trail 3.98 in. Weight 55Hbs (dry); 639lbs (wet) Fuel capacity .5.2 gal. including 1.3 gal. reserve Oil capacity 4.0 qt. Colors Classic black, Royal blue, Pacific green Suggest retail price $14,290 Importer ..BMW of North America, Inc., Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey Manufacturer BMW AG, Munich, Germany 17