Ridden: 2017 BMW K 1600 B

After failing a bit in getting the American motorcyclists’ attention with the R 1200 C cruiser back in the late 90s, the German company is back at it again, this time with a stunning combination of clockwork engineering and Route 66 aroma. Will it succeed?

As its name suggests, the K 1600 B is the newest member of the BMW K family. From the front end down to the saddle, it’s like any other K 1600, except some fairing tweaks. But that B in its name suggests its a bagger, so the rear end sits a bit lower, there’s no cavernous top box, no pillion backrest, it comes with two side cases that perfectly match its flowing lines, while underneath them you’ll find two ginormous chromed exhausts to complete the theme.

I know, oldschool riders will raise their brow at the sight of this machine, which probably doesn’t make any sense to them, but the younger demographic will find that BMW Motorrad has built the right modern bagger for them. Its design, sheer power, and the amount of onboard tech are guaranteed to make even Batman add one to his cave.

The K 1600 B’s sleek silhouette, which heavily relies on the futuristic-looking Concept 101, can only be had in Blackstorm Metallic, which, in my opinion, is yet another clue that the black-dressed superhero was in BMW’s mind when it created this variant.

Hop in the saddle, press the starter button and the Bat-bike feeling intensifies. Instead of a rough thumping large displacement V-twin growling and shaking everything up you get the very-very smooth tone of BMW’s 1,649 cc inline-six and no vibrations at all.

The unit generates 160 horsepower at 7,750 rpm and a maximum torque of 175 Nm (129 lb-ft) at 5,250 rpm, both values being higher than what the competition has to offer. And you can include here the Harley-Davidson Road Glide Special, Indian Chieftain Elite, and the all-new Yamaha Star Eluder.

Tipping the scales at 336 kg (740.7 lbs) with a full tank and ready to go, the K 1600 B is also the lightest of the bunch. You know what that means? Effortless acceleration up to speeds of over 200 km/h (124 mph).

Wait a minute, why would you buy a bagger to go that fast? You don’t have to unless you are on the no-speed-limit section of the Autobahn and you want to have some fun, but it’s awesome to have all that power on tap just for surprising people. I mean, nobody ever expects a luxo-barge like the K 1600 B to accelerate as it does.

This behemoth can easily keep up or even overtake slightly older liter sport bikes. And I met a couple of such throttle-happy enthusiasts who learned the hard way not to mess with the almighty six, as most of its torque comes in at about 2,500 rpm and the thing pulls like a jet engine even with a passenger on board.

And thankfully, a similar level of performance can be obtained in the corners as well. The bike comes with a BMW Motorrad Duolever front suspension with a central spring strut, while the rear gets a Paralever setup, both electronically adjustable for different riding styles and weights through BMW’s ESA (Electronic Suspension Adjustment).

All you have to do is select via the multitude of menus on the infotainment screen how you plan to ride (Cruise or Road) as well as how much weight are you putting on the bike, whether it is only you, you and some luggage, or you and a pillion. Then you’ll feel the suspension do its adjustments for a few seconds and you’re good to go.

I first tried the Cruise option and felt like the motorcycle was riding on air suspension, just like a coach bus. And the low tone sound of the engine in the low rev range along with the slight squat it makes when it launches forward kinda helps with that feeling too.

Switch the suspension to Road and put the engine map in Dynamic, and you turn the comfortable couch into a sporty one. The engine feels a bit more brutal and responsive, the shocks get stiffer, and the machine gets easier to throw into the corners. And boy does it like to corner...

Don’t get me wrong, the K 1600 B won’t feel like a supersport or naked around the bends, but it’s fantastic to see how good it performs in such conditions despite its size and weight. All thanks to the suspension geometry, relatively low center of mass for its class and ground clearance which allows you to bank it to a degree you wouldn’t dare with any other bagger.

Brakes? With a bike this size and its ability to go that fast, the brakes had to be perfect. And with 320 mm dual discs paired with 4-piston calipers at the front and a single 320 mm disc run through a double-piston caliper at the rear, the engineers have nailed it.

Integral ABS is offered as standard, and the way the brake lever offers feedback makes you feel confident that you will stop in time no matter what.

Onboard amenities include a 4-speaker sound system, heated seats and grips, electrically-operated windshield with memory, keyless ride, remote locking, cruise control, LED driving lights, adjustable levers, self-leveling xenon headlight, Bluetooth connectivity, USB and AUX ports, DEFCON 2 wind deflectors to bring air into your chest, and heated suit power sockets.

Of course, our tester also came with options like engine guards, extra LED lamps, a center stand, alarm system, Hill Start Control, Shift assistant Pro, and footboards. Yes, the K 1600 B can be had with two types of footrests - standard pegs for city and twisty back-roads riding, and front mounted footboards for long highways when you need to stretch a bit.

I think it’s the first time I see this setup, which is totally cool but you have to remember that foot controls are not usable for when you are resting your feet on the boards. You need to quickly return them on the footpegs to brake with the rear or change gear if needed.

Speaking of nags, I found it quite annoying to bump into the wünder-wheel used to control the infotainment each time I wanted to hit the indicator button. For those who don’t know, you can navigate the menus on the TFT screen by pressing one button and then rotating a handlebar-mounted edgy-doughnut-thing which can also be pushed left or right, case when it will change your song or radio station if you’re on that menu.

Also, with the windshield all the way up, there was still some turbulent wind hitting the top of my helmet, and at 5 foot 9 (1.8 m), I can’t consider myself a really tall guy. I guess this could be easily solved with a replacement screen or some sort of extender.

The bike’s gearing is superb and the Shift assistant Pro will easily make you fall in love with it. There’s even an electric reverse to aid with parking or backing it up in difficult situations. But there’s something off with finding the neutral once you stop.

You need a very delicate left foot to find the N-spot as it feels like it’s gap is the thickness of a penny on the shifter’s throw. I found out that it’s easier to stop in second gear and gently press down on the lever into neutral to limit the fiddling.

Otherwise, the K 1600 B feels great on the open road. The commanding riding position is comfortable enough for long-range trips thanks to those floorboards and very soft saddle, the engine can’t be described better than a well-tuned pipe organ able to trailer a house at the back, and the bike can be used both for laid-back leisure riding and energetic corner carving.

Add the futuristic looks and the gadgetry to this, and you end up with a unique combination in this segment; a bagger with the same purpose as its competitors but with a lot of extra for a demanding new generation of riders.

So, if you’re not exactly the retro-looking bagger person but still want to go places in style aboard a comfortable majestic metal beast that turns heads, I can’t recommend anything else better than this new “sport-bagger.” Yes, BMW Motorrad just created a new cross-breed of motorcycles.