All Duels – BMW K1600GTL Vs Honda Goldwing: 6-cylinder in-line or flat? – Exceptional convoy

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BMW K1600GTL Vs Honda Goldwing: 6-cylinder in-line or flat ?

All Duels - BMW K1600GTL Vs Honda Goldwing: 6-cylinder in-line or flat? - Exceptional convoy

In the clan of opulent road cars, the Honda GL1800 Goldwing is sovereign, at the same time very comfortable, soft and pleasant … But this year arrives a second 6-cylinder motorcycle: the BMW K1600GTL… Face to face full options !

Exceptional convoy

When you are not used to it, escaping the capital in the traffic jams of the great departures on vacation aboard these two monsters is far from being a sinecure: you have to review all your reflexes and biker … Especially on board the German !

Yes: unlike the Goldwing, which is popular with motorcycle taxis, the K1600 GTL appears less comfortable in traffic jams. Extremely precise from the front, but a bit more demanding to place at low speed, the GTL does not have the extraordinary intuitiveness of the Honda.

Nothing prohibitive so far, but also knowing that the Behème is also more brutal – all things considered – than the GL 1800 in terms of injection, gearbox and transmission, the test of the city inevitably turns in favor of the Goldwing.

Kapricious Behemus ?

Indeed, as we deplored it during our first contact in South Africa (read our), the accelerator "Ride By Wire" (without cable) of the K1600GT offers a slight latency – it seems even more marked in 106 hp – while the gearbox and cardan shaft do not quite have the smoothness expected (required?) On this kind of machine.

Result: at first, it is not necessarily easy to adopt a smooth and smooth ride, especially if you are bringing a passenger. The latter will even have a hard time not giving you unintentional blows with the helmet during gear changes..

The Care Bears Motorcycle !

The observation is all the more glaring when you get on the Goldwing: here, softness and pleasure offer unparalleled serenity and a degree of comfort. Surprisingly agile, the Japanese can be tamed with obvious goodwill. The gearbox and the large 6-cylinder flat compete in smoothness and allow a zen driving but also damn efficient if necessary.

Of course, its 110 cm wide at the mirrors require a little vigilance. But at least we’re pretty sure 82 cm wide suitcases fit! On the German, if its width in the mirrors is 10 cm narrower than on the Japanese, its rear is also more imposing by 13 cm: in practice, it is not because the front passes that the same applies to the back !

On board the GL 1800 Goldwing, we just regret that the warnings button cannot be activated other than by releasing the handlebars. On the other hand, we can count on its horn worthy of that of a semi-trailer to call to order the stunned, and on its reverse gear (!) To get out of a delicate situation, such as parking on a slope. !

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