BMW K 1600 GT

What’s new on the 2027 K 1600 GT?

Only the colour range. The 2027 model year introduces the Style Edition II special series in Imperial Blue Metallic and drops Option 719 Blue Ridge Mountain Metallic. The 2026 model year brought nothing new, and 2025 had introduced the Style Sport’s Racing Blue Metallic while making the centre stand, previously standard, an option.

The last technical update dates from the 2022 model year: Euro 5 compliance (then Euro 5+ in 2024), new BMS-O engine management, torque up from 175 to 180 Nm, a 10.25-inch TFT with built-in navigation, “Next Generation” Dynamic ESA with automatic load compensation, an adaptive full-LED headlight, MSR engine brake control and eCall emergency call.

How much does it cost?

BMW Motorrad France lists the K 1600 GT at €28,900 in Black Storm Metallic, €29,690 in Style Sport (Racing Blue Metallic) and €32,685 in Style Edition II. The main options:

• Comfort package, €1,235: centre stand, alarm, central locking and Shifter Pro;
• Touring package, €1,800: Audio System 2.0 with DAB+, LED auxiliary lights and engine protection bar;
• Finition Pro, €3,125: both packages plus ground lighting.

The centre stand alone costs €180. The warranty is 3 years with unlimited mileage, extendable by one or two years (€290 or €580). In the US, the 2027 K 1600 GT sells for $26,945.

How good is the engine?

The 1,649 cc transverse inline six (72 x 67.5 mm), just 555 mm wide, makes 160 hp at 6,750 rpm and 180 Nm at 5,250 rpm. BMW quotes 0-100 km/h in 3.6 s and a top speed of “over 200 km/h”. Drive goes through a six-speed gearbox and a shaft.

It is the bike’s unanimous highlight: MCN rates it 5/5 in its scoring grid, BikeSocial likens its smoothness to an electric motor and MOTORRAD notes that it “always pushes, everywhere”. Criticism targets the gearbox: shifting judged dry and noisy by Le Repaire des Motards, slow and rough by Moto-Net.

How does it ride?

Despite weighing 343 kg wet, the K 1600 GT surprises with its agility and precision, thanks to Duolever front and Paralever rear suspension controlled by Dynamic ESA. Braking, with twin 320 mm front discs and cornering ABS Pro, is rated powerful and stable. The reservations concern:

• the weight, noticeable at low speed, and the turning circle (Le Repaire des Motards);
• too wide a gap between the Road and Dynamic damping modes (MOTORRAD) and suspension that struggles when loaded on bad pavement (Motorcycle.com);
• turbulence with the screen in its highest position (Moto.it, 1000PS);
• no adaptive cruise control and no standard quickshifter (BikeSocial, 1000PS).

What equipment?

Standard equipment is comprehensive: three riding modes (Rain, Road, Dynamic), DTC traction control, cruise control, hill start control, reverse assist, heated grips and seat, Keyless Ride, tyre pressure monitoring, electric screen, side cases and Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity. The K 1600 GTL adds a standard top case.

Fuel consumption and maintenance

BMW quotes 5.9 L/100 km on the WMTC cycle. Motorcycle.com recorded 39 US mpg (about 6 L/100 km) two-up with luggage, giving roughly 440 km of range from 26.5 litres. The owner’s manual specifies a service with oil change every 10,000 km or every year, and a valve clearance check and 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 GTs, which carries a fire risk; no equivalent recall had been published in France as of 13 October 2026. 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.

Where does it come from?

The K 1600 GT replaced the four-cylinder K 1300 GT in 2011. It was updated to Euro 4 in 2017, then Euro 5 in 2022.