BMW K 1600 GT (2011-2016, inc. GTL) Maintenance Schedule

This is the maintenance schedule and service intervals for the BMW K 1600 GT, BMW’s premium sport tourer, from when it was launched for model year 2011 through to 2016. (See original press release from Intermot 2010.)

It’s also the same maintenance schedule for the BMW K 1600 GTL, which has the same basic motorcycle but with different accessories and slightly different comfort levels.

The BMW K 1600 GT and GTL are based on a forward-canted inline six-cylinder engine that makes peak power of 118 kW (160 hp) at 7750 rpm and maximum torque of 175 Nm (129 ft-lb) at 5250 rpm — a crazy high amount of torque. They both put power down via a shaft drive.

The original 2011-2016 BMW K 1600 GT was revamped for the 2017+ BMW K 1600 GT (and GTL etc.) with new style, many options becoming standard, and Euro 4 compliance.

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BMW K 1600 GT Service Intervals

Overall, the BMW K 1600 GT has 6000 mile / 10000 km or annual service intervals. Change the oil and perform the full inspection checklist at the earlier of those two intervals.

(In previous years, the annual service checklist did not have a distance component. But this was updated in recent years.)

The valve clearance service interval for the K 1600 GT is less frequent — every 18000 miles or 30000 km, with no specific time interval. At the same time as the valve clearance, change the spark plugsx.

BMW also suggests you change the oil in the rear bevel gears every 2 years or 20000 km / 12000 miles, which is minimal maintenance compared to the chain drives of most motorcycles.

What you need to service a BMW K 1600 GT / GTL (2011-2016)

To service your BMW K 1600 GT or GTL (2011-2016 models), you need the following consumables and replaceable items — these are per the manual (and some from the service manual).

Part	BMW K 1600 GT spec (2011-2016 models)
Engine oil	SAE 5W-40 API SL or JASO MA2 engine oil without additives. BMW recommends BMW Motorrad Advantec Ultimate 5W-40 oil.
Oil filter	Change this when you change the oil. BMW part number for the Mahle oil filter is 11 42 7 673 541, which needs an oil filter wrench. The Hiflofiltro HF164 is a high-quality alternative that fits many BMW motorcycles.
Spark plug	The standard spark plug type is an NGK LMAR8AI-8.
Air filter	The BMW part number for the K 1600’s air filter is 13 71 7 712 317. You can also use a K&N BM-1611.
Front brake pads	Front brake pad part number is  34 11 7 728 945. These are for sintered metal pads. You can also use EBC FA613HH, which are sintered pads.
Rear brake pads	Rear brake pad part number is 34 21 8 534 821. You can also use EBC FA209/2HH sintered pads.
Brake fluid	Use BMW DOT 4 brake fluid.
Transmission oil	The service manual (available as an interactive app) requires a hypoid lubricant of SAE 90 with API GL 5 spec. BMW dealers often recommend Castrol 75W-90 transmission oil.
Bulbs	High-beam bulb is an H7 55W bulb. Low-beam is a Xenon D1S 12V 35W light.
Coolant	Use BMW Coolant.

Maintenance schedule for the BMW K 1600 GT (2011-2016)

Below is the maintenance schedule for the BMW K 1600 GT and GTL from 2011-2016.

This is the same as in the manual, but formatted to make it easier to read.

Key notes on the schedule:

• Keep following the schedule once you reach the end.
• The break-in service is omitted as it’s assumed you’ve reached that point (and the dealer usually includes it).

km x 1000	10	20	30	40	50	60
mi x 1000	6	12	18	24	30	36	Every
Standard BMW service (see below) (Recommended every 10K km / 6K mi from recent manuals)	X	X	X	X	X	X	Year
Change engine oil and filter (BMW Motorrad Advantec Ultimate 5W-40, HF164)	X	X	X	X	X	X	Year
Replace air cleaner insert (BM-1611)		X		X		X
Check valve clearance			X		X
Replace all spark plugs (6 x LMAR8AI-8)			X		X
Change oil in rear bevel gears (Castrol 75W-90)		X		X		X	2 years
Change brake fluid in entire system							2 years

Notes:

• * Note: Earlier manuals had a typo where it said “annually or every 20000 km”, contradicting that the table said “2 years”. This was corrected in recent years.

Standard BMW annual service

Below is what you need to do as part of the “standard BMW service” every year, regardless of mileage.

Items marked [D] are for a dealer to do.

Standard annual service — BMW K 1600 GT (Gen 1)
[D] Perform the brief test using the BMW Motorrad diagnostic system
Drain the oil condensate hose
Visually inspect the brake lines, brake hoses, and connections
Check the front/rear brake fluid level (top up with BMW DOT 4 fluid as necessary)
Check the front/rear brake pads and brake discs for wear.
Check the clutch system
Check coolant level (top up with BMW Coolant)
Check the tire pressure and tread depth
Check side stand for ease of movement
Check center stand for ease of movement
Check the lighting and signal system
Check engine starting suppression works
Final inspection and road safety check
[D] Set the service date and remaining distance using the BMW Motorrad diagnostic system
Checking charging state of battery
[D] Record the BMW service in the on-board literature

About the BMW K 1600 GT (2011-2016)

The BMW K 1600 GT is the full-dress tourer from BMW, effectively a competitor to the Honda Gold Wing.

It’s similar in concept — a bike with no luxury spared, and a six-cylinder engine with huge torque and very high reliability. It’s not a sport bike, but it’s not slow, and it is extremely comfortable. Once your passenger sits on that back seat, they may never want to get onto the back seat of another motorcycle.

The K 1600 GT has had, from its first launch, a very powerful six-cylinder engine that would be at home in a medium-sized car. The 1649cc engine with maximum power of 120 kW (160 hp) at 7750 rpm and maximum torque of 175 Nm (129 ft-lb) is simply huge and is the cornerstone of the high-end bike.

And while the engine makes its peak power fairly high in the rev range, it pulls from very low. It makes 70% of its maximum torque from as low as 1500 rpm, just above idle, which means that navigating at low speeds is easy.

But there’s much more to the K 1600 GT and GTL than the engine.

The K 1600 GT and its sibling the GTL are designed for luxury touring on two wheels. They might seem like a lot to spend on a motorcycle, but you compare these in luxury levels to the highest spec of BMW touring cars, like the 7 series.

The GT and GTL differ in that the GT is a little sportier in position (bars slightly forward and footrests slightly back), and has less comfort for the pillion. The GTL is decidedly upright for the rider and has a generous backrest and top case for the pillion. A passenger could fall asleep back there!

The BMW K 1600 GT from 2011-2016 comes with a lot of amazing standard equipment, including its TFT display, heated grips, an electronically adjustable windshield, heated seats, a xenon headlight, cruise control, power modes, LED turn signals, and panniers.

One of the more interesting high-end features that came as standard on the BMW K 1600 GT is the electronic suspension — named Electronic Suspension Adjustment II (ESA II), an improvement over old systems. This lets you adjust the rebound damping of the front and rear and the preload of the rear shock via buttons. No more preload c-spanners!

The options list was also extensive, including a high-end audio system,

The K 1600 GT is also obviously a very comfortable bike. It’s comfortable not just for the rider but also for the pillion — particularly the GTL, which comes with a top case and backrest.

The K 1600 GTL is the same basic bike as the GT, just with more comfort. The riding position is more upright for the rider, with the handlebars closer, and the rider’s footrests are further forward to put less strain on the knees. In addition, the standard top case also acts as a backrest for the pillion passenger.

In late 2016, BMW announced the up-spec 2017+ BMW K 1600 GT and GTL (as well as the K 1600 B and K 1600 Grand America, two options packages).

Conforming with Euro 4 specifications was a key driver for the re-release, but BMW upgraded many parts of the bike including

• Adding Dynamic ESA to replace ESA II
• Reverse assist operated from the handlebar
• An optional quick shifter that can be used for most shifting
• New TFT instruments
• An automatic emergency call system
• Improved aerodynamics and wind protection, and new colour schemes

Manual for the BMW K 1600 GT (and B, GTL)

The above maintenance schedule comes from the user manual and parts fiches for the BMW K 1600 GT and GTL motorcycles. The specific schedule comes from the 2014 model, but we’ve checked it against the maintenance schedule from recent motorcycles for updates.

You can download BMW user manuals from BMW directly.