The BMW K1600GT has been voted “2011 International Bike Of The Year” (IBOTY) at the Brussels Motor Show. The award, organized by Belgian motorcycle magazine Motor Wereld, was voted on by an international jury representing 25 motorcycle magazines, including Cycle Canada’s sister publication Moto Journal.
The K1600GT impressed journalists with its unique combination of comfort, performance and use of innovative technologies, said the award announcement. The GT’s in-line 6-cylinder engine was said to offer power, refinement and lots of fun. The tourer’s sophisticated technology, which includes ABS, traction control, a navigation system, an adaptive headlight and electronically controlled suspension, also impressed the polled journalists, as did its “agile chassis” and unusually light handling. According to the jury, these combined qualities offer a unique riding experience impressing the most demanding touring and sports motorcyclists.
Coming second in the voting was the Ducati Diavel, while Aprilia’s Tuono V4 APRC (soon available in Canada) placed third. The BMW K1600GTL, the GT’s plusher sibling, finished fourth, and BMW’s S1000RR superbike, which won top honours in 2010, tied for fifth this year with Kawasaki’s ZX-10R. With three of its models in the top five places, it’s perhaps no wonder that 2011 was BMW Motorrad’s best sales year in history.
The following magazines took part in the IBOTY 2011: Australian Motorcycle News (Australia), Auto By (Japan), Autocar India (India), Bike (Scandinavia), Bike (UK), Cycle World (USA), Der Reitwagen (Austria), Inmoto (Italy), KicXstart(Netherlands), Kiwi Rider (New Zealand), La Moto (Spain), Maximoto (France), Moto Kultur Asia (Malaysia and Singapore), Moto (Greece), Moto Journal (Canada), Moto & Loisirs (Belgium), Moto Mag (Israel), Motoraj (Czech Republic), Motoron (Turkey), MotoSi (Slovenia), MotorWereld (Belgium), PS Magazin (Germany), Revista Moto (Mexico), SuperBike (South Africa), Swiat Motocykli (Poland).
Results for IBOTY 2011
1) BMW K1600GT – 41 points
2) Ducati Diavel – 32 points
3) Aprilia Tuono V4 APRC – 22 points
4) BMW K1600GTL – 18 points
5) BMW S1000RR and Kawasaki ZX-10R – 16 points each
