BMW K 1600 B

The K 1600 B is BMW’s answer to American baggers: a big tourer with a lowered rear end and panniers blended into a sweeping, streamlined profile. Underneath sits the K 1600 GT platform and its 1,649 cc inline six. The result looks like nothing else in the segment, and that is precisely the point.

Where does the K 1600 B come from?

It is the production version of the Concept 101, a design study unveiled at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este in spring 2015. On sale from 2017, it uses the K 1600 GT’s engine, aluminium frame and suspension, with a redesigned rear section lowered by 70 mm, which brings the pillion seat down. Rear wheel travel drops to 125 mm, versus 135 mm on the GT.

The current generation dates from the 2022 model year: Euro 5 compliance (now Euro 5+), new BMS-O engine management, torque up from 175 to 180 Nm, a 10.25-inch TFT display, an adaptive full-LED headlight, Dynamic ESA suspension with automatic load compensation and MSR engine brake control (the electronic equivalent of a slipper clutch, which stops the rear wheel locking on hard downshifts).

What’s new for 2027?

Nothing technical. The 2027 model year brings an Edition II version in Imperial Blue Metallic with a hand-drawn Overcast White pinstripe, and drops Option 719 Ionic Silver Metallic. The other two finishes remain: Black Storm Metallic and Exclusive, in Mineral Grey Metallic Matte.

How much does it cost?

BMW Motorrad France lists the K 1600 B from €29,800, €900 more than a K 1600 GT (€28,900). The site does not give the surcharge for the Exclusive and Edition II finishes, nor the price of the packages. The two optional packages are:

• the Comfort package: Keyless Ride, central locking, Shift Assistant Pro (a quickshifter for clutchless up- and downshifts) and an alarm;
• the Touring package: Audio System 2.0 with DAB+ digital radio, LED auxiliary light, engine protection bar and footboards (or storage compartments).

The warranty runs for 3 years with unlimited mileage. In the US, the 2027 K 1600 B starts at $25,075 plus destination.

How good is the six-cylinder?

It is the heart of the bike. The transverse inline six (72 x 67.5 mm) makes 160 hp at 6,750 rpm and 180 Nm at 5,250 rpm, through a six-speed gearbox and shaft drive. BMW quotes 0-100 km/h in 3.6 s and a 200 km/h top speed, cut to 180 km/h with footboards fitted or with loaded panniers.

Reviewers are unanimous about this engine. MCN credits it with “perhaps the smoothest throttle feel of any bike”, Motorcycle.com measured 135.8 hp at the rear wheel on the 2022 model, and RevZilla calls it “as smooth as glass” at speed. Le Repaire des Motards, on the other hand, finds the gearshift dry and noisy, and notes fine vibrations through the seats above 5,000 rpm.

How does it ride?

At 344 kg wet, the K 1600 B weighs virtually the same as a K 1600 GT (343 kg). On the road it surprises: 1000PS reckons it gives away only a little agility and cornering clearance to the GT, and Motorcycle.com kept pace with a sport-touring camera bike through tight bends without ever touching a footpeg down. Le Repaire des Motards likes its better weight distribution compared with the other K 1600s, thanks to the lower rear end.

The chassis plays a big part. Up front, the Duolever (a double wishbone linkage that replaces the telescopic fork) separates steering from braking forces, so the front barely dives under hard braking, as RevZilla points out. The brakes, with twin 320 mm front discs and cornering ABS Pro, are rated powerful and easy to modulate.

The reservations concern the weight at walking pace, the turning circle and a tendency to stall during U-turns (Le Repaire des Motards), as well as the optional footboards: with your feet forward, you have to move back to the pegs to use the rear brake or change gear.

What comes as standard?

The standard kit is comprehensive: 10.25-inch colour TFT with map navigation via the BMW Motorrad Connected app, ventilated smartphone compartment with USB-C, cruise control, three riding modes (Rain, Road and Dynamic), DTC traction control, MSR, Dynamic ESA, ABS Pro, hill start control, tyre pressure monitoring, reverse assist, heated grips and seat, electric screen and panniers. Missing are adaptive cruise control (1000PS) and Apple CarPlay (Motorcycle.com).

K 1600 B or Grand America?

BMW gives it its own page in the range, but the Grand America is not a separate model: it is a K 1600 B with an optional equipment package. BMW’s configurator treats it as a package and the owner’s manual refers to the K 1600 B “with Grand America option”. Priced from €32,000, it adds a top case with pillion backrest, a tall screen, footboards, an engine protection bar, Audio System 2.0 and auxiliary lights. It weighs 367 kg and its top speed is limited to 162 km/h.

Fuel consumption and maintenance

BMW quotes 5.9 L/100 km on the WMTC cycle. Motorcycle.com recorded 36 US mpg, about 6.5 L/100 km: with 26.5 litres, that means a range of roughly 405 km (estimate). The owner’s manual specifies an oil change every 10,000 km or every year, and a valve clearance check with spark plug replacement every 30,000 km.

Recalls

In the US, a 2026 recall covers the reverse gear control unit of 2017 to 2025 K 1600 Bs, which carries a fire risk. In Europe, two recalls have concerned the suspension: the rear link of bikes built up to 29 June 2022, and the suspension struts of a small batch built in August and September 2023.

What are its rivals?

Harley-Davidson’s Street Glide and Road Glide cost €32,850 for 107 hp and 368 to 380 kg, the Honda Gold Wing DCT €28,849 for 126 hp and 373 kg, and the BMW R 18 B €28,200 for 91 hp and 398 kg. The K 1600 B is the most powerful and the lightest of the bunch, though it lacks the Honda’s dual-clutch gearbox.

The bottom line

The K 1600 B is for experienced riders who love the bagger look but refuse to give up performance. If you often tour two-up with lots of luggage, look at the Grand America or the K 1600 GTL instead. If what you want is to cruise in style behind an exceptional engine, nothing else quite compares.