I talked to a guy today who owns and has owned about every bike you can think of. He currently owns 7 bikes and he often rides 500+ miles days.
I asked if he could only have 1 bike he said it would be the k1600 gl or whatever. He said his fjr 1300 is right up there if hes riding solo. He loves his 1300s also.
Now this is a guy who rides from Chicago to Memphis just to have lunch at the drop of a hat. He says the k1600 is the most comfortable for long trips while still having all the conveniences and comforts and still having some performance and handling.
I have owned 6 at a time, but I don't remember ever having 7, so he's got me trumped there.
I thought the K1600 was going to be the one bike, and when I bought it, I'd traded down to the point where it was the only bike. I missed the Rocket, the FJR, the K1300S, the Xmoto, etc. from the first week.
The K1300S is my favorite all time, so we agree there. I liked my 2012 K1300S better than my 2010 K1300S, so even somewhat static models appear to upgrade from year to year.
I can say unequivocally that the K1600 was NOT a very comfortable bike for me, so different strokes for different folks. I would rather ride the Rocket or the FJR, or even the K1300S, on longish rides. The one thing the K1600 has over the others is on-board storage space, weather protection, and slick techno-gadgets. Of course those gadgets are only good if they work, and when BMW had to send off to Germany to get a cable to do some diagnosis after having my K1600 disassembled on warranty, I lost a lot of interest. When I traded that bike, two of the technicians and the parts manager at that dealership all nodded and gave the thumbs up sign. The K1600 is what it is, and what that is is not something that floats my boat.
I had to have one. I couldn't wait to get it. I was glad to get rid of it.
I'm fickle. I've averaged two+ new bikes a year for years. Some get to stay a few seasons. Many are gone before the end of one season.
The K1600 was only beaten out of my stable by a 2009 R1200GS and a 2007 Moto Guzzi Norge. Those two bikes were both gone in 3 or 4 months. The K1600 lasted a bit longer. Everyone loves the R1200GS too, but it was one of the least comfortable bikes for me in 46 years of riding.