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2011 BMW K1600GTL To Headline Melbourne Motorcycle Expo

BMW Motorrad has announced this week that its new flagship model, the 2010 K1600GTL, will appear at this month's Melbourne Motorcycle Expo.

Revealed at the 2009 EICMA Milan Bike Show, BMW Motorrad's new inline-six motorcycle engine fea


BMW Motorrad has announced this week that its new flagship model, the 2010 K1600GTL, will appear at this month's Melbourne Motorcycle Expo.

Revealed at the 2009 EICMA Milan Bike Show, BMW Motorrad's new inline-six motorcycle engine features a 1649cc displacement, with the same 55-degree forward tilt of the four-cylinder engine powering the existing K Series models.

Power for both bikes is rated at 118kW at 7750rpm and 175Nm of torque at 5250rpm, with around 70 percent of that torque available at just 1500rpm. From a standing start, BMW says the K1600 will make its way to 100km/h in 3.2 seconds.

Weighing in at just 102.6kg, BMW says the new engine is "by far" the lightest series-production inline-six for any roadgoing motorbike with a capacity greater than 1000cc. 

In total, The K1600GT weighs in at 319kg without panniers, and the pannier- and topcase-laden GTL weighs 348kg.

Beyond its engine, the K1600 bikes are a pair of feature-rich powerhouses. As a world-first, the K1600 features adaptive headlights as an option extra, compensating for pitch and banking angle.

There's also a full-colour 5.7-inch TFT screen, with an information display designed specifically for the unique situations presented to a motorcycle rider. An iDrive-like multi-controller is also featured.

Other features include iPod connectivity, heated grips and a heated, height-adjustable seat, an electrically-adjusted windshield and optional satellite navigation for that TFT screen.

Pricing and Availability

Speaking with TMR recently, BMW Australia's Piers Scott confirmed that both bikes are scheduled for a second quarter launch in 2011, with pricing and specifications to be confirmed closer to their arrival. An announcement at this month's Motorcycle Expo (Nov 26-28) seems likely.

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