I just picked up a lime green 2015 Concours after spending considerable time and money trying to turn my 2013 14R into a sport tourer. My ideal was the power and handling of the 14R with sport touring ergos. There is simply no way to get the bars high enough or the seat comfortable enough in relation to the riding position or the pegs low enough. So I'll keep the 14R for it's intended purpose.
My decision to buy the Connie surprised me. I have ridden nothing but sport bikes on the edge for my entire adult life (I'm 51). When I decided to add a sport touring bike to the garage, I did the obligatory internet research and made an appointment to test drive the bike I was sure I would love and ride home, namely the BMW K1600GT. After all, the magazines proclaimed it to be the top in this category with everything else competing for best of the rest. Well, I have never been so underwhelmed. I simply do not understand the accolades this bike gets. To me it felt heavy and ponderous with virtually no road feel. Even the much vaunted straight six was decidedly unimpressive. Shifting was very clunky and unrefined. Sure it has plenty of torque, but it seemed unhappy being revved close to redline, something that all the Jap fours I've ever owned seem to love. I really didn't care for the looks either. So I called my local Kawasaki dealer and arranged to test drive the 2014 they had on the floor. I was nearly sold by the time I'd left the parking lot. It felt like I was riding a comfortable, detuned 14R. So, I rode back to the dealership and stroked a check for the green 2015. Costco price was $14,559 OTD. To me, that was a helluva deal compared to the BMW. Plus I get to avoid the inevitable unscheduled repair stops at the nearset BMW service dept. Yea, I wish it had cruise, but it is a motorcycle, not a car.
2017 BMW K1600GT
My other ride: 2016 Mercedes E63 S AMG