2005 · Tourer · Buyer's Guide
The Last Flying Brick GT
At the center sits a longitudinal 1171 cc inline-four, good for 130 hp at 8,750 rpm and 86 lb-ft at 6,750 rpm, feeding a six-speed box and a shaft. The chassis runs Telelever at the front and BMW Paralever at the rear, and BMW Motorrad Integral ABS (Generation I) sits behind the brake levers. Heated grips are standard. What defines this GT is not softness but structure: every part of it is arranged to make long distance feel like a scheduled task rather than an effort, and the numbers on the clock stop meaning much after the first few hundred miles.
This one is for riders who count trips in days, not hours: two-up loads, full luggage, weather that changes three times before lunch. Seat height is 31.1 in, so most people get honest footing under 661 lb wet, and 5.5 gal buys real range between fuel stops. Mechanically it holds up well over big mileage, with one exception you have to price in. The final drive is the weak link. Some units leak oil, start whining, or fail outright, and BMW typically won't cover that once the warranty is gone. Get one inspected before money changes hands.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 130 hp (96 kW) @ 8,750 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 86 lb-ft (117 Nm) @ 6,750 rpm |
| Displacement | 1171 cc |
| Engine | Inline-four |
| Cooling | Liquid-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | Shaft |
| Fork | Telelever |
| Front tire | 120/70-ZR17 |
| Seat height | 31.1 in (790 mm) |
| Wet weight | 661 lb (300 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 5.5 gal (20.8 L) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Comfort
Safety
The named systems that set this bike apart — and what each one does for you.
Drivetrain
Swing a leg over and the first thing you register is where the mass lives: heavy in your hands at walking pace, then quietly gone once you are rolling. The four spins up with a hard mechanical whirr rather than a bark, and at highway revs the bars stay clean enough that your hands aren't buzzing after a full tank. The riding position is upright with a mild forward lean, wide bars, knees folded but not cramped, and the seat holds you in one place instead of sliding you forward. Behind the screen the air goes still around your chest and helmet, so conversation with a passenger stays possible. On a 45°F (7°C) morning the heated grips earn their keep inside ten minutes. The shaft takes up drive with no slack you can feel through the seat.
Final drive failure
Some units suffer from final drive oil leaks, whining, or catastrophic failure. BMW typically does not cover repairs outside warranty, and replacement is expensive.
Where this BMW K 1200 GT pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
Power
Torque
Displacement
Wet weight
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the K 1200 GT is actually built for.
This is your bike. Loaded, two-up, three states in a week: it holds a line at speed, keeps the weather off you, and 5.5 gal means fewer stops. Just have the final drive inspected before you buy.
Made for Beartooth Highway · Blue Ridge Parkway · Going-to-the-Sun Road
It fits, with one condition. This GT is happiest on flowing mountain roads and long sweepers, less so in tight low-speed switchbacks where 661 lb makes itself known. A 300-mile day is no problem.
Made for Black Hills · Blue Ridge Parkway · Cherohala Skyway
Honest answer: not your tool. The tightest Dragon sections punish 661 lb, and this bike wants open sweepers. Great for the ride down from Knoxville, less so for run after run on the switchbacks.
Made for Back of the Dragon · Blue Ridge Parkway · Cherohala Skyway
If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.
Any price note compares both bikes at the same age — the youngest age both have on the used market — against this BMW K 1200 GT. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
