What is the difference in warranty between the two?

 

I spent the extra and bought a 2016 for the abs pro. If I need it one time and it works then it's worth every penny imo.


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I spent the extra and bought a 2016 for the abs pro. If I need it one time and it works then it's worth every penny imo.


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Makes sense

 

Both new with 36 months.

 

It seems that nobody can say for certain, but I get the sense that BMW has made changes to the gearbox over the years... what year and what changes, who knows.

I can say that the 2016 gearbox is smooth as butter. I think all year gearboxes are bulletproof, but smoothness varies.

 

I guess the latest version of the gearbox came to the market in 9/2015 which means MY2016. There is pertinent information to be found in the BMW electronic spare parts catalog.

 

The very first thing I noticed upon riding my '16 off the dealer's lot was how much tighter the transmission was. Very noticeable difference between the gearbox of my '14 vs the '16.

 

my 2016 also has dynamic brake light, that modulates depending on how hard I brake and at which speed I do so.

 

I think this feature is only on bikes sold in Europe not North America.

 

Great help guys. Thank you! Staying with the '16.

 

Many of the comments here are talking about improved gear box feel from an early model like a '12 to a '15 or '16. Though I noticed no difference between my '12 and my '16 enough other folks have as you see in this thread and others it seems very credible the gearbox/shift feel has improved with the later models. Most comments you see about improved gear boxes and shift feel were starting to appear here around 2013 model year. After 2014 we don't see many comments of improved gear boxes.

You are comparing a '15 to a '16. There is not a difference in those gearboxes or shift feel. The only difference you would get is the ABS Pro. In the US we do not get the Dynamic Brake light the rest of the world got.

I've owned 12 bikes with ABS, nine of which had traction control and three have had a version of ABS pro. I don't believe I've ever had ABS or traction control deploy on any of them. Some will say I'm not riding hard enough! If you are more like me and never or rarely see the effects of ABS a $2,000 savings is significant.

I don't think you can go wrong either way. The chances the ABS Pro saves your bacon more than the previous ABS are extremely limited, however, peace of mind can be priceless. In this case, potential peace of mind cost $2,000. Both are good options. Gearbox will be the same with either bike so it really does come down to how much value you'll place on the ABS Pro. If you'll sleep better knowing you have ABS Pro it will be worth every penny.

 

I have 2016 and totally agree with previous comments.
Gear box smooth and for me it brakes better than 2012, better front back modulation.
Enjoy

 

I had a 2013 for three years then traded it for a 2015. The transmission is night and day better on the 2015, and I never had a complaint with the one on my 2013. I cannot imagine it getting any better.

I can't argue that the ABS PRO could be a benefit, although it's hard to comprehend how much difference it makes in a turn. There are laws of physics at work when you are leaned over into a turn that go beyond just braking forces. Would it be nice to have a little extra piece of mind? Yes. You just have to decide what that is worth to you.

You also have to consider that depending upon how long you keep a bike you will get some of the money back when you sell/trade the bike down the road.

 

Crap - i was just at a dealer with a friend getting a part for his F650 GS and I noticed a 2016(?) on the floor. Clearance priced at $22k. I thought "I'm glad I don't have to wrestle with the 'should I or shouldn't I' question because I like by 2014 GTL just fine". Until I read this thread about smoother transmission and ABS Pro... You see what you guys did? You made me want to go and test ride a new GTL, you summsabitches! And, I'm quite sure I will like it better than mine, and reasonably sure I will try to trade mine in. And if I do, it will be your fault!

 

The 2016 will have slightly better resale value compared to the 2015 since it is one year newer.

Hard to put a dollar value on that.

 

You guys in Europe get all the cool stuff!

:tb

 

I think resale is relative to how long you plan to keep the bike. BMWs aren't known for resale value, but the ride...yes, it's all about the ride! $2K plus taxes is not insignificant, IMHO. That's a bunch of farkling...new seat (of course), etc. For myself, I'd go with the less expensive one and, as an aside, I'd be willing to bet the dealer would go a bit lower to move it out. I have a '12 and, while the gearbox isn't as smooth as I'd like, it doesn't bother me much. Besides, it's paid for in less than a week now! It's really personal choice...how will you feel if you go with the earlier model and then think "man, I could've had a year newer model for a couple grand". But, I've learned over the years that "new" feeling wears off and becomes irrelative. Not to mention there'll be a newer model in a year that will have another feature or two...that process never stops. Honestly, I'd be too busy riding to give it much thought. Now color...that's another animal!

 

I Now color...that's another animal!

Yes of course it is, especially since matte blue is the fastest color. Just sayin

 

No debate here for me, I'd opt for the 2016 with ABS Pro. No substitute for safety.

Duane

 

There's also some blurbs in the owners manual that describe ABS PRO vs regular ABS.

I've been on non-ABS bikes where it could have helped.

One of the big braking dangers IMO is over-powering the front brake in good, but extremely aggressive, riding conditions. I mean once you exceed traction limits of the front tire you're more likely to go down than if you did the same for the rear; over-powering the rear brake will "just" put you in a fishtail which the bike can recover from... most times.

As a side note, I'm still having that debate with myself as to whether these electronic controls make us better riders... or worse. I'd agree they make us *safer*, but if we no longer have critical need to be acutely cognizant and vigilantly control the bike in a way to avoid braking emergencies, will those skills eventually disappear?

 

Sounds like a philosophical debate to be had over JD

 

I didn't say that.... I would for a reasonable amount, e.g. <$1K

Duane

 

I think that is the challenge the original post presents. Adding ABS Pro is a great thing. Is it worth $2,000? Tougher call.

 

Ralphie, I disagree, slightly. Yes $2K, but it's for a bike a year newer. The difference in a '15 & '16, all other things being equal, I'd think is at least $1000/$1500. Looking at it that way the ABS Pro isn't that much more...

Duane

 

I agree

 

I'd ride both and brake check them hard and see if it's worth the $2K difference. if it were me I'd save my money

 

I didn't say it "will" save you, I said it "could" save you. Big difference. And I disagree with your broad assumption that oil/sand at extreme lean angles means you're going to crash; factors depend on how much oil/sand or maybe its a hazard in the road or a stopped vehicle, etc..

Duane