Daniel Lange's blog

In case you wondered about the lack of activity here over the summer...

I've been working with the motorbikes unit of the company quite a bit as of late. They are great people and thus got me a bit enticed to try out their products. So I ordered myself a BMW K1300S.

And wow. This is simply the best bike I've ever ridden. It's extremely powerful while still agile and easy to maneuver. It's comfortable enough for a day ride and fun enough to take to the track.

The German newspaper FAZ found it flawless except for the price. I'd second that. It's nearly perfect. The small improvement I'd like on the 2010 model: make the windshield a little higher. The air flow basically ends up right on the helmet if you're above 6 ft. (1.82 m) tall. But that's really a minor issue, I'm sure accessory developers will take care of it if BMW doesn't.

I got the bike with all the electronic gadgetry available so it has ESA II (Electronic Suspension Adjustment), Quickshift (so one can switch gears up without using the clutch), on-board computer, tire pressure monitor and (...yes I know...) handle bar heating (to save me: the bike was pre-configured when I ordered), ASC, ABS, whatever. Being a geek that's fine: lotsa knobs to play with. After 7 months I have to say none of these are really needed but none are completely useless either.

My K1300S: 1,293cc, water-cooled four-stroke straight-four engine, DOHC, four valves per cylinder; 175bhp at 9,250rpm; 140Nm at 8,250rpm; 228kg dry.