Motorcycling: For The Executive Rider- Four Extraordinary Bikes
May 12, 2003
; function voidFunc() { } voidFunc(); "BMW K1200 LT")
BMW K1200LT(Click image to enlarge)
To call BMW’s K1200LT the two-wheeled equivalent of the company’s four-wheeled 7 Series would be an accurate comparison. In addition to having a wide taillight and BMW’s trademark kidney grille, the LT (luxury touring) also swathes you in comfort and surrounds you with technology. You are cosseted with heated seats, cruise control, and a CD changer.
The LT’s Telelever fork and Paralever driveshaft eliminate dive-under braking and cushion the ride so efficiently that even with a passenger on board and full saddlebags and trunk, the 834-pound LT easily rolls through a twisty road. The liquid-cooled, fuel-injected, in-line 4-cylinder engine delivers plenty of pull, while the crisp 5-speed transmission shifts seamlessly to match the 1,171cc block’s power output. And if the LT begins to rumble faster than desired, triple-disc servo-assisted brakes bring the bike to a seamless stop, while the ABS serves as extra insurance. An upright riding position reduces fatigue, the electrically adjustable windscreen staves off offending gusts, and the supple yet taut suspension reduces vibration to acceptable levels.
For all of the luxuries that the 7 Series shares with the LT, the top-of-the-line $115,000 760Li cannot provide the pure, visceral, open-air exhilaration experienced by twisting the throttle on the $22,500 Exodus model of the LT line and leaning into a corner. That sensation is priceless. —Bill Stermer
BMW, www.bmwmotorcycles.com
advertisement
advertisement
