1999 BMW reviews

The best all-around bike I've owned. I've had a HD Road King, Indian Vintage and Scout to name a few, and this is the easiest to live daily. Parts are not cheap and patience is required to DYI repairs and maintenance. Show less

This is my second KRS, the first was a 2000. I am a long time rider and have owned many from dirt bikes to cruisers to sport tourers. This bike has it all. It's sexy, fast and comfortable. When people ask me about it they are shocked when I tell them it's a 1999 model. It has a timeless look about it that is still sought after. BMW has built a magnificent machine that just continues to last. I ride it to work every day about 80 miles round trip. The newer K's are very nice but I tend to gravitate to the classic lines of the early K1200RS. Show less

I have owned my rt since almost new. It is rock solid, left me stranded only once. A flat tire, to tell the truth. The paint has held up well. The hand controls are starting to show some wear but I have 68,000 on it and it will be over 69 when I return from a trip to my brothers middle childs high school graduation. I know. What an excuse to get away and do the Skyline Drive again. The 60,000 mile service was well worth the cost. Tires and oil changes are about all I've done. It is due for shocks front and rear. Show less

I bought this bike with 4k miles on it. I changed all the fluids, filters and readjusted everything to fit me and loved the bike more than the original test ride. Having ridden a few 750 Japanese cruisers, this BMW is leaps above anything Japan could have to offer. For average cruising of any distance, this bike is more than enough. The acceleration is somehow topped in performance in braking power at any speeds. Shifting is quick and reliable. Twisties are cheerfully greeted with the chrome of my floor boards from time to time :). I rode Deals Gap within a month of owning this bike and loved the Dragons Tail; I rode it three more times that week. Aside from it being a BMW, it has all the quality forethought of any premium machine; I appreciate the complete took/repair kit. I have no second thoughts of taking this bike on a week long solo trip. Exciting, reliable, sexy and easy to ride both around town and long distances. THANKS BMW, I look forward to a new K1200GT some day. Show less

Bought used 3 months ago. I am very pleased to say it's a great bike. Sportbike guys say it needs more power while the purist cruiser crowds don't know what to make of it. What I can tell you is that it handles extremely well and feels very light weight. The bike has the typical BMW personality and feel when working through the gears. It has a huge amount of BLING (chrome) to take care of. Having a R1200C and the DL1000 to choose from makes for great riding in every condition. Show less

I sold my '99 R1100RT and bought a '04 R1150RT. I immediately noticed the smoother ride and really like having a 6th gear. The linked braking system takes a LOT of getting used to. The bike is so smooth and does not have any of the surge found on the R1100RT. It's a great ride! Show less

I bought this bike instead of a KLR or DR because it had racks and hard bags and it is also a BMW. No problems so far. It rides great on the superslab and also in the dirt. I have taken it on many hard 4x4 roads and dropped it numerous times. The pannier racks absorb most of the falls with only a broken mirror and blinkers to speak of. I am in good shape so it is no problem to pick the bike up. Sure it could use more suspension travel, but for commuting to work and 4x4 on the weekends, it has been the perfect bike for me. Go ahead and ride it offroad, it can handle it!!! Show less

I've owned my BMW now for 2 years and all I can say is that it's a joy to ride. The roads here in NJ are poor but you would never know it riding the 1100s. I've owned my share of bikes but the suspension systems on all BMWs let you ride faster with more confidence than anything out there. A real keeper Show less

I test rode both the Gold Wing (too soft & no personality, although the new 1800 seems to have improved on handling & has gobs of torque) and the Harley Ultra Classic (too slow, poor brakes then I rode the K1200LTC and fell in love immediately. It has sufficient power even for two up & loaded with luggage. Anti-lock brakes have saved my behind more than once, specifically panic braking in rain on curves. Over 61,000 miles and (knock on wood) zero problems. Some newer models have reported some final gear problems, but I have only changed the oil twice and each time it's been clean & free of any debris.
I would buy a new one when I wear this one down, which won't be for another 140,000 miles or so based on reliability thus far. I use castrol synthetic oil & change every 3,000 miles, never have to add any oil between changes. The only negative is a cd changer that skips frequently, but I have upgraded to an Ipod which took care of that & gave me some more luggage room. Overall a great balance between comfort & still able to do relatively spirited riding uncommon for an 850 plus pound bike with superb brakes & the anti-diving front suspension set up BMW employs. Show less

I bought this bike with about 40K miles on the clock, six months ago, after ogling it in a 1998 motorcycle magazine since it was first introduced. I put bar risers and foot peg lowers on it, replaced the rear shock with the BoxerCup sport shock (yellow), and have otherwise made it more comfortable for a guy my height. Unfortunately, the stock seat is extremely uncomfortable - sliding the rider forward inexorably toward the gas tank and crushing his manly bits.
That said, I've still gone on several all-day rides, including a trip 650 miles to Tennessee one day, spending a day there, and coming back the third day, and would do so again in a heartbeat, given the opportunity. I've been on bikes since I was 7 (now 32) and I've never enjoyed motorcycling so much before! Yes, the seat sucks -- and I'll replace it with a Corbin when the wallet allows -- but other than that, it's a dream. Power output is helped by aftermarket exhaust and fuel management, but it's plenty powerful enough in stock trim to excite all but the most jaded riders. Will I be challenging full out street racers anytime soon? No, that's not the way I ride. But get this thing on twisties or in the Virginia-Tennessee Mountains and it holds curves like nothing I've ever been on.
An elderly gent at a grocery store wanted to look it over, and was talking about his years on motorcycles, just as I got to the end of a 500-mile ride. All I could think of at that point was the fact that my lower back (and other portions of my anatomy) hurt. But then he asked me: Would you get it again?
And you know, I would. I'd go out and get the same bike. That says something. Show less