What Bike Do You Ride?
I ride a 2023 BMW K1600B Grand America. The color is called Manhattan Matte (how appropriate is that?). I bought it new, and picked it up on May 13, 2023 with 5 miles on it. As I write this, it now has 21,504 miles on it. Would I buy it again? Yes. Absolutely. Without a second thought.
Farkle
My favorite definition of farkle is that it’s a combination of “function” and “sparkle,” and every bike needs some. Here’s what I’ve added to make my motorcycle…well…mine.
Factory Installed
Passenger Armrests - when I bought the bike, we sold my both Donette’s Harley and my Harley. We plan to ride two-up on the BMW on occasion, so we wanted to make it as comfortable as possible for Donette. It came with a heated back seat and power outlet, so this would make it even nicer back there. As an added bonus, they proved to be a great place to strap things during the trip.
Their stuff is great. It’s all been very high quality, and easy to install.
Bar Backs - Raise and shift the handlebars up and back a few inches. Makes it much more comfortable for a tall person.
Rider Footboards - Coming from a HD softail, I got used to having a nice, wide footboard. These are really nice. If you also have the Heel-Toe Shifter, you have to take that off to install these. I bought these at the 2024 BMW Motorcycle Owners Association rally in Redmond OR, and installed them in the parking lot.
Heel-Toe Shifter - Another HD influence. Having this makes it super-easy to just tap and shift. Combined with the shift-assist feature on the bike, it’s a no-brainer.
Frame Panels - One odd design feature of the K-1600B is the open areas on either side of the battery housing. It look unfinished, and these decorative panels fill that gap nicely. They install with a zip-tie and look great.
Side Stand Foot Enlarger - Widens the pad area by almost an inch for when you need to park on gravel, dirt or other uneven surfaces. Installs in seconds.
CamRack - It’s pricey, but I haven’t found anything better to mount my Insta360 Ace Pro on the front of the bike. Easy to install.
PDM60 Power Distribution Module - When you need to wire in some accessories, it’s really nice to have a single battery connection. The PDM60 has several outputs and lets you set specific current limits on each circuit. Best of all, if a circuit overloads, you can turn the bike off and on to reset the electric breakers—no fuses to carry and/or replace.
Saddle Air Gel Motorcycle Cushion - Another item I picked up at the Redmond BMW MOA rally. It’s been nice, and easy to adjust during a long day. It did develop a leak, that I was able to fix with the stickers/patches they provided. It’s a lot less expensive than a full seat replacement, but it’s not the best-looking accessory.