All Comparisons – Comparo K1600GT, 1400GTR and Sprint GT: the road on 3, 4 or 6 cylinders! – The three GTs set off

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Comparo K1600GT, 1400GTR and Sprint GT: the road on 3, 4 or 6 cylinders !

All Comparisons - Comparo K1600GT, 1400GTR and Sprint GT: the road on 3, 4 or 6 cylinders! - The three GTs set off

The GT motorcycle segment today offers a very wide choice of makes, models and engines. Site brought together the Triumph Sprint GT, the Kawasaki 1400GTR and the BMW K1600GT for a three, four and six in-line comparison… Test !

The three GTs set off

Aligned and ready to pounce, the three drivers first try to impress each other by roaring as best they can … This first confrontation immediately turns to the advantage of the German, whose grip of gas is surprisingly sensitive. !

On the K1600GT, turning just a few degrees instantly translates into a sudden revving. Slow motion with a discreet and perfectly regular sound gives way to a melody that is always smooth, but coupled with an impressive whistle of the turbine..

The Sprint GT almost rivals thanks to the growls of its three pistons, less pronounced than those of its sister ST, certainly, but present in the towers. To get them, you just have to be more insistent than the ultra-sensitive orders of the Bavarian.

Finally, the GTR1400, despite a cylinder capacity greater than that of the English, is the wisest of the three motorcycles. Which will not displease heavy riders who do not generally seek to be noticed during their intrusions in the city center, day or night..

At night, the K16 wins again thanks to a "world premiere in the motorcycle world", rightly emphasizes the manufacturer: the system of adaptive cornering lights included in the optional Safety Pack with DTC and RDC (read) … at 855 €, Danke Shon !

The Sprint GT, obvious to begin with

The quality of the lighting offered by the BMW far exceeds that of the two competitors of the day, and undoubtedly that of the entire current motorcycle production! The level of the Kawasaki and its moss optics remains quite acceptable, but the Triumph leaves a little to be desired with a beam a little too focused on the front.

The Sprint GT, however, makes up for it in terms of handling: its weight, which passes for "feather" next to the other two, allows the seasoned biker to maneuver without difficulty. The same is true when hoisting the motorcycles on their power station, even if in this exercise the weight is not everything….

We realize that the Kawa is more difficult to crutch than the BMW, however heavier, because of the passenger handles too far apart and the absence of any other socket for the rear arm. A good synchronization will therefore be required to immobilize the Ninja.

But the GTs are not a paradox: the softest clutch lever – soft ?! – is that of the big "tausendsechshundert", while the hardest belongs to the small "ten-fifty". Fortunately, none of the three are tiring, even in traffic jams.

And it is precisely entangled in Parisian traffic that the three motorcycles perform their first turns of the wheels. Under these conditions, the Sprint quickly finds itself at the head of the procession, and not only because of its excessively long 1st gear which makes it gallop much faster than the GTR or the K16. !

The weight of the "little" Englishwoman, of course, but also her smaller size – watch out for the suitcases anyway! – and its neutral front axle, just like its transparent transmission, immediately plunge the pilot into the bath.

It is less the case at the controls of the BMW which requires a little practice: its drier and slower gearbox, and its too nervous right handle accentuate at the beginning the jerks of the injection and the cardan joint. On these two specific points, the Kawasaki block is doing much better.

The 1400GTR is rebuilt under braking

The selection of the GTR is a bit dry, but it shows itself as fast as that of the Sprint. The gimbal works with remarkable discretion and the K-TRC watches over the white bands and other manhole covers. Unfortunately for the 1400, its front axle surprises by engaging strangely, unlike that of the K16.

Some riders will fully accommodate this tendency of the GTR to "fall" on bends – figuratively, of course! – and will even pretend that the motorcycle thus facilitates the task of the driver. Overall, however, the progressive side of the focus on the angle offered by the BMW is more attractive.

On the road, the overall balance of the K1600GT allows it to take the lead over the 1400GTR and keep pace with the Sprint GT. Thanks to the higher handlebars and the more comfortable driving position, the pilot of the "Behème" gets tired even less than that of the "Tromph".

While the driver of the K1600GT controls his bike with the tips of his hands, the driver of the Sprint GT puts more work on his arms and shoulders – even his buttocks! – to swing it from one angle to another. The Kawasaki is also more agile, but retains its tendency to oversteer when entering a curve..

Under braking, however, the Japanese came back to her two comrades. Dosable to the millimeter and very powerful, the Kawasaki combined system is the most efficient and pleasant of the bunch. The perfectly calibrated ABS has nothing to envy the BMW system and is less felt in the controls than that of the Triumph.

Despite its frank attack – which can even surprise at the very beginning! – the braking of the BMW struggles a little more to hide the weight of the beast. As for the Triumph, its right lever requires a lot more grip and also requires a little practice before performing very progressive braking, therefore pleasant for the passenger..

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