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K1600GTL Maintenance Costs

45K views 26 replies 16 participants last post by  SRibar 
#1 ·
I have rode Harley's all my life, am now riding my 35th Harley. I average 23,000 miles per year. In addition to the current Harley, I have been interested in the K1600GTL for the advanced technology and comfort when my wife is with me on long trips. I located one at my nearest dealer, 129 miles one way, did a demo ride and was ready to purchase. I decided to first check the Service Dept for routine maintenance costs. I got the following information: 600 miles - $200., 6,000 miles - $250., 12,000 miles - $350., 18,000 miles - $750.00. So in my average riding season, maintenance costs total $1,550. I then checked at another Dealership, total costs for the same mileage was $1,746. I was in shock, cancelled the purchase, and will continue to ride the Harley. Has everyone experienced this? How do you justify this expense? Is the bike that great ?
 
#2 ·
Are you honest about the maintenance costs on your Harley if you had every service performed by your dealer AND don't have the extended warranty to cover the repairs? While I've never personally owned an air cooled Harley by father in law has and we calculated his annual expenses over the last 4 years and 60000 miles to be roughly $2000 / year. That's factoring in the new top end, rebuilt shifter bushings, replacement primary followers, routine oil changes, rebuilt fork lowers, brakes, wheel bearings...... His out of pocket is only about $600 / year but without the extended warranty, which is now gone, he would have spent close to $8000 in 4 years of ownership and his bike is 100% stock (a rarity in the H-D world).

I guess what I'm saying is the minor services cost the same and are at slightly longer intervals and you can perform them yourself. The 18k service includes a valve clearance check and adjustment so unless you are really handy that's a dealer item.

I don't see the maintenance on the K16 to be that much higher than most other bikes on the road, especially ones that require valve adjustments. If $750 every 18k miles is keeping you off the bike then it's your loss because it really is worth the expense.
 
#14 ·
Are you honest about the maintenance costs on your Harley if you had every service performed by your dealer AND don't have the extended warranty to cover the repairs? While I've never personally owned an air cooled Harley by father in law has and we calculated his annual expenses over the last 4 years and 60000 miles to be roughly $2000 / year. That's factoring in the new top end, rebuilt shifter bushings, replacement primary followers, routine oil changes, rebuilt fork lowers, brakes, wheel bearings...... His out of pocket is only about $600 / year but without the extended warranty, which is now gone, he would have spent close to $8000 in 4 years of ownership and his bike is 100% stock (a rarity in the H-D world).

I guess what I'm saying is the minor services cost the same and are at slightly longer intervals and you can perform them yourself. The 18k service includes a valve clearance check and adjustment so unless you are really handy that's a dealer item.

I don't see the maintenance on the K16 to be that much higher than most other bikes on the road, especially ones that require valve adjustments. If $750 every 18k miles is keeping you off the bike then it's your loss because it really is worth the expense.
Wow, you didn't even count the tire shreading cost! The ear to ear grin makes it all worth it.
 
#3 ·
Is the bike that great ?
In a word: YES

Yes, cruisers and the K1600 are both motorcycles. Yes, they will both get you from here to there. The difference is in how they perform. Another difference is in the level of safety built into the motorcycle.

A tale of two Chevrolets:

Let me put it another way. My brother is a farmer. His farm truck (Chevy 1500) is easy to own. Low maintenance. As slow as he drives it handles great. His brakes never wear out because he never gets up to posted speed limits and coasts to every stop. A perfect truck for him. He enjoys the heck out of making farm trucks last for many years. To see him poke along the rural Nebraska roads would show his ear to ear grin because he is doing that which makes him happy.



Chevrolet makes the Corvette ZR1. A vehicle that costs much more to maintain than a farm truck. Both have 4 wheels and get you from here to there.



I have friends that race Corvettes in the SCCA national level competitions. They expect a vehicle to perform at the limits most people would find frightening. But, to look at the faces of the Corvette drivers, men and women, as they flash past and you will see ear to ear grins because they too are doing that which makes them happy.

It is a matter of what is important to you.

Ride slow because you are focused on enjoying the scenery, wind on your face, and camaraderie of friends. Focus on cost of ownership because you choose to be frugal. Nostalgic for antiques because it represents a time you consider "The Good 'Ol Days".

Or, as many BMW riders see the motorcycle experience:

Ride fast because it is thrilling to explore your personal limits. Desire cutting edge technology and safety, in addition to stunning performance. Willing to pay for the added maintenance to keep the high tuned machine in top performing condition.

We all make choices.
 
#5 ·
I have a number of friends that ride cruisers. It took me years to understand that they are looking for an experience from their motorcycles that is completely different than me.

My issues with the cruiser experience is twofold: 1) They are usually noisy. and, 2) They often ride in parade formation slowing traffic, without any effort to allow other motorists to pass.
 
#6 ·
The true benefit of the K1600 is revealed at the extremes. High performance is expensive and has raw edges. Yes the engine is intoxicating, but only when you wind it up. If you don't ride at the extremes, you may find it difficult to appreciate what BMW have done with the handling, traction control, and braking. As one journalist put it, the K1600 is for the sportbike rider who wants more relaxed ergonomics.
 
#8 ·
As one journalist put it, the K1600 is for the sportbike rider who wants more relaxed ergonomics.
BMW is experiencing a high number of conquest purchasers coming from other brands. The Harley riders crossing over to the BMW K1600 surprises me. Different worlds.

Is it a change in the riding desires of the Harley rider? A desire to upgrade safety and performance?

Is it something else? Are there expectations which will disappoint the conquest buyer?

Maybe the conquest buyers we have here can elaborate on their decision to switch from being a cruiser rider to a K1600 rider. Why? Has the change fulfilled their expectations?
 
#7 ·
Funny, when I first heard what the maintenance intervals and associated costs were I thought there was a mistake! $800 to 18K miles? $750 for a major? I guess it's your perspective, what you've been conditioned to. (Compare that to an air-cooled Desmo engine needing valve checks every 6K to 7.5K miles, and don't forget to factor in sprockets and a chain...)

Fact of the matter, if you're changing fluids yourself chances are maintenance will cost somewhat less; For me, tires are an equal cost factor. Figure 3 sets of PR3's in those same 18K miles, ~$1300. Fuel ~$1800. I dropped in a K&N air filter and I'll be changing fluids myself, so I project ~$1400 in maintenance to those 18K miles. So it would cost about $4500 to travel the equivalent of Coast-to-Coast... five times. But by that time many other motorcycles would be considered "middle-aged", while the K1600 is just getting started.

But I don't think any of us are choosing our motorcycles because it's the cheapest mode of transportation. The point is, it compares with many other bikes, including many Japanese. On the other hand there's always pushrod engine technology, maybe Motus will require less attention (and parts available at any Napa parts store), if the price of admission ($30K - $40K) doesn't scare you. Seems like there's always tradeoffs!
 
#13 ·
Ah but don't forget the cost of chrome!! Granted, it isn't required as maintenance but very few cruisers go untouched by chrome. It isn't much different than the things we add to these bikes, and most of us will do as much of the care or even learn to do the care to get a few hundred thousand miles out of them for the less cost of ownership. As RL pointed out, cost of ownership will ultimately be secondary to the emotional smile on your face for what you look for and get out of what you own unless you have to ride a bus every day of your life.

Some things between the different styles of bikes are the same, other topics are way different, and we each have an idea of what is important to us in the ownership of that bike!

That's why like minded people gather in a forum, for many different reasons of what is important, this bike met that desire or need. For most of us, if you paid more than $20,000.00 for a motorcycle that typically in most locations you can't ride year round every day-you can afford the cost of ownership, you had decides while test riding it you could!! That's any brand, any style. Very much the same thing when I was racing bicycles, most folks wouldn't pay more than $500.00 for a bicycle while I was willing to and did pay $5,000.00 for a bicycle to race, pay to travel to the races, to compete-& some of those bicycles you can pay more than $10K today! Why? The extra performance and goal were worth it!
 
#15 ·
To MJW930:
I have been honest about the Harley maintenance costs. I normally trade bikes every year, a few I have kept for two years, however, have never owned one that was out of warranty. I guess I have been lucky - never had a problem except the normal maintenance - I have always had that done at a dealer...I do get the point - trading bikes is not cheap either.
 
#16 ·
Has everyone experienced this? How do you justify this expense? Is the bike that great ?
OK, to answer the OP question.

No, I don't spend that kind of money because I change my own oil and gear lube. So, the only service my K1600 requires is:

1) Tire replacement every 5,000 miles on average so far. $434
2) On board computer maintenance reminder reste, which I do when getting the tries replaced. $25
3) 18,000 mile big service. This is the one where the valves are checked, and a lot of other stuff is done. 4 to 7 hours time, plus parts and fluids. Say, $650 or there abouts. This is the only service I need the dealer for.
4) Gasoline. My riding style yields about 39 mpg.

How does that compare with your Harley experience?
 
#20 ·
, rear tires changed around 22,000 miles, I have never kept one long enough to change the front tire.
This, in a nutshell, is the difference between the cruiser and the K1600.

K1600 riders are having the time of their lives using the motor as BMW intended. This puts considerable strain on tires, both on the go and the sides while cornering. Thus, tires are rapidly consumed in the pursuit of our happiness.

I can tell a lot about a rider by asking how long their tires last.

I'm not making any judgments here. Instead, I like to categorize riders by what interests them.
 
#19 ·
I do the work myself so just material costs are shown for some of the maintenance actions. The 600 mile check by dealer was updates, fault code check, and a safety inspection/test ride only. I think 6000 mile check will be a similar dealer cost as I'll do the lubricant, coolant, and brake fluid changes prior to the check. I will probably do the 18K valve adjustment check as well but will need invest in the spark plug boot puller, plug socket, as well as the studs/thrust nuts to pull the cams, crank lock pin, and consumables (gaskets/o-rings, etc).


600 mile ck $ 76.00
-Oil Filter $ 15.00
-5 qts Castrol 4T 5w-40 $ 60.00
-.2 qts SAF-XO $ 9.00
-o-rings $ 6.00

Brake system flush
-24 fl oz Castrol LMA DOT 4 $ 11.00

Coolant change1 gallon
-BMW Long Life coolant $17.95

Spark plugs
-NGK Iridium $120 for 6 plugs at BMW list prices because they're not widely used yet. They'll eventually become available on-line like the slant 4s did and then be around $8-$10 each in a year or two.

I do maintenance on-condition or phased, rather than a block check like BMW does. That is, I do things when due based on the way I operate the bike. So intervals vary from BMW based on the type of usage as well as my experience with how well my intervals are working. For example, if I see some moisture discoloration in the brake fluid at a change, I may pull the next change in a bit from BMW recommendations (we live in a high humidity area). Of course, if I lived in Arizona this wouldn't be a factor. Or maybe I am getting brake wear at a rate because of all the dirt on the roads here where I need to check pads more frequently than recommended, etc.

Doing things this way, the BMWs I've owned for years at a time haven't been any more expensive than the HDs. Harley is pretty proud of its parts & tooling too, although there are more after market choices with HD if you want to use non-OEM stuff.

Tires are another matter....
 
#21 ·
35 Bikes? That's amazing. I am curious to hear what you think a dealer maintained Harley, with synthetc, would cost annually to maintian at 23K miles a year. I have a few buds who own harleys and everytime we meet someone spent another $1,500 on something. Usually farkles though.
 
#22 ·
Unless you're looking for a very different riding experience than your Ultra Classic, a K1600 would be a mistake. The bike you've been riding is much better for a style that tours mostly upright, never sees the last inch or two of tire on either side and rides two up for long distances. I did 2,000 miles last year in a week on a Ultra Classic and it was one of the best sorted out, comfiest scooters I've ever ridden. Side cases are great, great sound system, keyless start, very comfortable seat for 14 hour days, and everything about it just works well for what it does. What it does not do is is any reasonable imitation of sporty riding. Pushing it to its limits can be fun for a bit but then getting passed by bicyclists in the twisties is just demoralizing.

Nope. Unless you're looking for something very different in riding, you'll be much happier on the HD or maybe even a Goldwing.
 
#26 ·
I have driven Harley's for 25 years, I have had a Road King, Electra Glide Standard and my last Harley was an Ultra Classic.
Harley's recommended maintenance is 5k and 10k.
The 5k runs a little over $500.00 and the 10k runs over $600.00.
They change the 4 quarts of oil, 1 quart in the Primary and 20-24 ounces in the Transmission, everything else is checking adjustments.
The maintenance costs are not covered under warranty as they are simply maintenance.

The most I have been able to get on the rear tire is 12k with the average around 10k. Front tires I could get 20k so every other rear I would do the front.

I recently purchased the 1600 GTL due to needing a more straight up sitting bike because of back issues.
Although I liked the Harley's all I can say is this bike is nothing less than amazing!
 
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