The former two were announced in July 2010, unveiled at the Intermot motorcycle show in Cologne in October 2010; they went on sale in March 2011.

[15] The engine has electronic throttle control and multiple drive modes which can be set according to road conditions.

[8] To save weight, the motorcycle has a unique cast magnesium alloy subframe to which the front fairing is secured.

[2] The K1600 was redesigned for the 2022 model year to include an all-digital instrument cluster with 10.25-inch (260 mm) color display.

[19] UK weekly newspaper Motor Cycle News named the K1600GT as Best Tourer at its MCN Awards 2011.