James had this to say about his bike:

The BMW K1200LT is BMW’s top of the line touring bike.  This bike has been around since 1999, when it replaced the K1100LT, and has added new features slowly since inception.  One of the changes was in 2002 when BMW went to integral linked ABS brakes. The biggest jump forward on the bikes happened in 2005 when they upped the horsepower to 118hp, added a powered central stand, changed the dash layout and revised the seats.  New options were also available in 2005 including a central locking system.  The 2006 model added HID lights as standard equipment.

So what’s all the hype about?  Well, this bike is designed to put on miles.  With amenities like electrically adjustable windshield, on demand tunable suspension, factory radio/CD player, cruise control, heated seats/grips and easily adjustable seat height, you can quickly get the bike set to your riding style.  It’s easily the most comfortable bike I’ve ever ridden and that includes Harley tourers, the Goldwing GL1500 and GL1800 and the venerable Connie.  A ride to Calgary is actually fun (assuming you don’t try it in a blizzard) and you can still move at the end of the trip.

The bike is not for everyone however, especially new riders.  It does have some quirks.  These include a massive 850 lbs wet weight, a fairly high seat height (even with the seat in the lowered position) and a high center of gravity.  While this does make the bike handle very well in twisty roads, and lets you lean over more than any other big tourer, it does make it somewhat of a bear at parking lot speeds, especially if you are vertically challenged.  Most new bike owners will drop it at least once.  BMW did do some thinking though and the parts that impact the ground are the bumper pads, which don’t get scuffed easily, or are cheaply and easily replaced if they do.  The other quirk for Saskatchewan riders is the lack of a local service centre.  The nearest dealer is Winnipeg, followed by Calgary and then Edmonton if you live in Regina.  If you own this bike here, I’d recommend getting the service manual.  Most of the work on the bike is simple to do with common tools.  Only a few things, including hooking the bike up to the diagnostic computer to reset trip codes, require a trip to the service centres.  The bike comes with a factory 3 year warranty and this can be extended.

For myself, I went with a 2005 K1200LT.  In addition to the standard equipment, I got the central locking system and factory alarm options as well as the soft touch seats, extra power outlets and on the fly adjustable passenger floorboards.  I’ve also added Muth signal mirrors for greater visibility, replaced the headlight bulb with a better one, added an Ice-Link controller so my iPod is directly controlled via the radio buttons, and added a VoiceII intercom system, an after market Mayer seat which fits me better than the stock seat and hookups for both my FRS and CB radios.  I’m currently looking at a GPS unit for the bike, either the factory BMW unit or an aftermarket one.  I haven’t decided yet to take the plunge and buy the factory cup holder – yup, the bike has a factory cup holder as an accessory.

If you have any questions on this bike or many of the other BMW motorcycles available, feel free to drop me a line.