Looking at alternative choices to the multi, in efforts to save a few $$$.
FZ1? Looks like you can find late model 08-09 bikes with some farkles for 6-7k
1200S? I had an older bandit that I thought was a great all-arounder, probably in the same price range as above
More suggestions?
Not sure what sort of balance you're looking at for sport vs touring, but the following bikes spring to mind.
Suzuki V Strom 1000
(http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/photogallerys/Suzuki-V-Strom-1000.jpg)
Triumph Tiger
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GPYX6MNs_1M/TDZ_U3Z52kI/AAAAAAAABQA/UBvmdjHqKfA/s1600/003150_Triumph_Tiger_2007.jpg)
Or for short money you could have an old BMW police bike with a fresh final drive.
why not stay with the family since you have all the right tools and get an ST2,3 or 4s
I was introduced once to a fellow rider by a salesman friend at my fav Suzook/Kawi shop. The guy was about my age and he and his adult daughter both had V Stroms with an incredible amount of miles on them. She wasn't there that day but he proceeded to tell me about all the multi week rides they have been on together. Texas to Alaska, Texas to Canada, Texas to the Grand Canyon-California-up Highway 1, etc... everywhere! They loved their V Stroms and had zero problems! I told him that Suzuki needed to make an ad campaign around them! [thumbsup]
I guess something like a st4s or compatible would be what I want. We made the decision to finish the basement and do some exterior improvements to the house, which has limited what I feel I can spend.
Forgot the weeestrom, I'll check that out as well!
If I can find another deal on a st4s I'd buy it...bought my last w/5000 miles on it for 4k (02')
Why not build the perfect ST4S
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/DUCATI-02-ST4S-ST-4-S-ST4-MAIN-FRAME-STRAIGHT-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem2c4edcf534QQitemZ190301664564QQptZMotorcyclesQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/DUCATI-02-ST4S-ST-4-S-ST4-MAIN-FRAME-STRAIGHT-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem2c4edcf534QQitemZ190301664564QQptZMotorcyclesQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories)
My short list includes the Multi, ST2,3,4, Bandit. Not sure if the ST's suitable for two up, depends on the missus (in my case). One up only, I'd have no fears.
Bargin tourer would be the Bandit.
always loved the Triumph Sprint ST. The exhaust looks and sounds sick.
http://www.topspeed.com/motorcycles/motorcycle-reviews/triumph/2010-triumph-sprint-st-ar71454.html (http://www.topspeed.com/motorcycles/motorcycle-reviews/triumph/2010-triumph-sprint-st-ar71454.html)
May add a vote for the Beastly 1200? I may be a tad biased as I bought one yesterday.
2001 with 8000 miles on it, $2300.
Still has the original 10 year old tires on it so when I got home I ordered a set of Pilot Road 2s.
On the shopping list: Racetech springs and Gold Valves, Cogent shock, Yoshi muffler and mid pie, braided lines, saddlebags, and a cup holder. And I can adjust the valves myself ;D
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v48/orangelion03/bandit703132011sml.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v48/orangelion03/banditmiles03-13-2011.jpg)
I've heard of guys buying Busas and converting them into a sport touring platform. Add riser bars/riser clip ons, rig some hard bags and a trunk and have it detuned for more torque and a little better fuel economy. Haven't bothered looking up what used Busas are going for but it would be a pretty interesting project.
That is once you pained over all the goofy god damn Kanji characters :)
Decided I needed a better tourer recently, as well. Decided on the Concours. I wanted more wind protection and more upright... I guess that would be on the touring side of sport-touring. I have the Monster for those sport days. Even with the low seat and bar risers, the Monster wears on my old bones after a while.
And, the Concours not as tall as the V-Strom or Tiger. I've ridden a Tiger, and it's not so bad once you get going, but my inseam struggles at stops.
Of course, I freely admit it's not the most economical of bike choices.
the 5th gen (98-02) VFR800 makes a great sport touring bike. Mine has 1" risers, a touring windscreen, and a corbin seat.
Quote from: marty_il on March 14, 2011, 05:35:45 AM
the 5th gen (98-02) VFR800 makes a great sport touring bike. Mine has 1" risers, a touring windscreen, and a corbin seat.
Amen to that! My list of bikes of interest had only the Bandit and the VFR800. 5th gens were hard to find in my area...had two sold out from under me...but there were more 2002 6gen available (with the Vtec engine...I didnt want to deal with the eventual expense of having all those adjusted!)
another great thread. I'm considering how I can make my monster work better for touring, but leaving it as-is and getting an inexpensive bulletproof touring bike might be a better setup.
Quote from: Buckethead on March 13, 2011, 07:59:20 AM
Not sure what sort of balance you're looking at for sport vs touring, but the following bikes spring to mind.
Suzuki V Strom 1000
(http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/photogallerys/Suzuki-V-Strom-1000.jpg)
I'll give a big +1 to the Wee. A couple dudes I know traded their cruisers in on them. Pretty awesome all around bike. You can even do some mild dual sporting with 'em. Plus, you can't swing a dead cat without hitting a Suzuki dealership. A nice thing if you run into trouble on a long trip. Triumph dealerships are almost as rare as Ducati dealerships. And used Wee's are pretty easy to come by at good prices. There's always a handful for sale in the flea market over at ADV.
Quote from: Buckethead on March 13, 2011, 07:59:20 AM
Or for short money you could have an old BMW police bike with a fresh final drive.
What? BMW's have final drive issues? (http://d26ya5yqg8yyvs.cloudfront.net/ne_nau.gif)
(http://gtomic.smugmug.com/photos/188175452-S.jpg)
[laugh] [laugh]
[thumbsup]
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d147/pompino/DSCN2510.jpg)
You already know this... ;)
Quote from: DucHead on March 14, 2011, 08:21:56 AM
[thumbsup]
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d147/pompino/DSCN2510.jpg)
You already know this... ;)
[moto] See, what'd I tell you? Minivan of sportbikes!
DucHead welcomed me to the Maximum Suzuki Forum. The Proff and I are old buddies now [thumbsup]
Actively looking for either the b1200 or a fz1....all in the 2-3k range.
Quote from: TAftonomos on March 14, 2011, 01:15:53 PM
Actively looking for either the b1200 or a fz1....all in the 2-3k range.
I just bought an '02 with 3100 miles (!) for $3200 with a 1216 kit, stage 2 jetting, Holeshot slip-on (really needs the Holeshot header) and Corbin seat (sold for $300).
I'm converting it to a naked with Sport Classic wheels an other goodies (re-worked '91 gixxer forks, smaller, solo seat/tail section...). Thus far:
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d147/pompino/a84d0a0b.jpg)
Quote from: orangelion03 on March 14, 2011, 12:36:45 PM
The Proff and I are old buddies now [thumbsup]
[laugh]
Quote from: TAftonomos on March 14, 2011, 01:15:53 PM
Actively looking for either the b1200 or a fz1....all in the 2-3k range.
http://indianapolis.craigslist.org/mcy/2253343055.htmlA little spendy, but it may be worth it if someone competent did the suspension work.
http://indianapolis.craigslist.org/mcy/2240131654.htmlRight in the wheelhouse.
Quote from: dropstharockalot on March 15, 2011, 07:14:24 AM
http://indianapolis.craigslist.org/mcy/2240131654.html
Right in the wheelhouse.
Too bad it is broken ;D
"Has new front and rear tires and breaks."
Quote from: mitt on March 15, 2011, 08:06:14 AM
Too bad it is broken ;D
"Has new front and rear tires and breaks."
Sold too...
I found a 04 about 2 hours from me, 12K miles, asking $2800 box stock. Not bad, actually. Not the greatest deal, but liveable. Local guy to me (30 mins) has a 07' with a full set of givi's and rack mounts for $2500....with a blown motor. Might look into that, swapping a motor can't be that bad. [laugh]
Those wire wheels look SICK David!!! [thumbsup]
Nice project. And I though I got a low mile deal [laugh]
By the way, this forum has spoiled me...it takes DAYS to get a response from folks on the Maximum Suzuki forum. [cheeky]
Quote from: orangelion03 on March 15, 2011, 12:30:38 PM
Those wire wheels look SICK David!!! [thumbsup]
Nice project. And I though I got a low mile deal [laugh]
By the way, this forum has spoiled me...it takes DAYS to get a response from folks on the Maximum Suzuki forum. [cheeky]
Nothing ever goes wrong on a suzuki so you don't have the breadth and depth of membership as a ducati board ;D
Check advrider.com's Flea Market. Lots of bikes for sale there and fewer flakes than CL.
Quote from: Timmy Tucker on March 14, 2011, 07:52:34 AM
I'll give a big +1 to the Wee. A couple dudes I know traded their cruisers in on them. Pretty awesome all around bike. You can even do some mild dual sporting with 'em. Plus, you can't swing a dead cat without hitting a Suzuki dealership. A nice thing if you run into trouble on a long trip. Triumph dealerships are almost as rare as Ducati dealerships. And used Wee's are pretty easy to come by at good prices. There's always a handful for sale in the flea market over at ADV.
What? BMW's have final drive issues? (http://d26ya5yqg8yyvs.cloudfront.net/ne_nau.gif)
(http://gtomic.smugmug.com/photos/188175452-S.jpg)
[laugh] [laugh]
I've had 3 BMWs w, Shaft Drives and nary a problem.
I have a friend w, a 1983 BMW and it has never had a Final Drive problem.
Look hard enough and you can find fault w, any bike.
Dolph :)
BMW's had a final drive problem for a few years. That issue has long been fixed. If you are thinking of buying an older beemer a little research would reveal just what models and years. There might be something on ADV rider and there was an in depth article in Motorcycle Consumer News.
My VFR has been great! Bought it after the ECU in my Monster puked a month before a planned trip to Laguna.
Bought this at the local shop with the intention of selling after the trip...liked it so much I kept it.
Love the gear driven cam v4 caracter, and the versatility of the bike. Would never sell her because at this point the bike is worth a lot more to me than a buyer. I see nice ones for 3K or so pretty regularly.
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3070/2493221142_b94ce12070_m.jpg)
I think this thread is missing the obvious. The Monster can be easily made into a fine sport tourer. Some gen mar or other risers, some soft bags, a little wind protection (maybe a givi fairing), perhaps lower the pegs, and some michelin sport touring tires and your good to go across the continent.
Quote from: akmnstr on March 16, 2011, 11:21:42 AM
I think this thread is missing the obvious. The Monster can be easily made into a fine sport tourer. Some gen mar or other risers, some soft bags, a little wind protection (maybe a givi fairing), perhaps lower the pegs, and some michelin sport touring tires and your good to go across the continent.
Good point. Refer to Ted Bishop's "Riding With Rilke".
When you are 6'5", the monster doesn't lend itself to being "comfortable" most of the time. Worst complaint I have is seat to peg height, but unless I drop them nearly to the ground it's not going to be enough.
have you looked at an older MTS?
Sure, but they arn't in the same ballpark as far as the B1200 or FZ1.
you could make your own MTS 1098 ;)
Quote from: TAftonomos on March 16, 2011, 04:24:22 PM
When you are 6'5", the monster doesn't lend itself to being "comfortable" most of the time. Worst complaint I have is seat to peg height, but unless I drop them nearly to the ground it's not going to be enough.
I can't imagine being 6'5" and riding a stock monster. I'm 5'10" w/ a 30" inseam and I'm screaming for lower pegs after an hour or so.
I had a bandit 1250. Good bike with great low rpm power, dead reliable and will probably be flawless till the next ice age, but its a bit bland and appliance-like. I rode it around for a month then sold it. Did put on 9k miles in that time though. Pics and stuff here.
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=507038 (http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=507038)
I've also ridden a current-gen FZ-1 a fair bit. Its more sporting than the bandit, has a lot more top end power and a lot less low end power. Its very boring in stock form, but once its sorted (secondary butterflies yanked, proper fuel map, full exhaust, penske shock, etc) its a fun, extremely fast, and highly competent machine. I still find it to be a bit appliance-like (to be honest I've yet to ride a 4-cyl bike that really stirs the soul).
I've also ridden a vstrom a fair bit. Decent motor, but I've a ton of time on a TLS and can't stop thinking about how good the motor should be. In its own right the vstrom isn't bad, but compared to the TLS its a sad thing. The v-strom's handling is a bit ponderous with that tall front tire and the windscreen/faring causes extreme buffeting.
I'd really like to try out a multistrada and ulysses.
Quote from: bikepilot on March 17, 2011, 12:30:07 PM
I had a bandit 1250. Good bike with great low rpm power, dead reliable and will probably be flawless till the next ice age, but its a bit bland and appliance-like. I rode it around for a month then sold it. Did put on 9k miles in that time though. Pics and stuff here.
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=507038 (http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=507038)
Just went through your trip report...fantastic trip! Great pics! Thanks for the link!
No problem, it was a ton of fun. If you get really bored here's a link to the trip I took Summer '08. Same sort of stuff, but on a 919. Started in Naples FL, spent most of the time in Denver and eventually wound back up in Naples.
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=367703 (http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=367703)
Of course there were stops to give the dirt bike some exercise
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v160/jminix/Riding%20with%20Duken/920fc78b.jpg)
And swung through deals gap on the way home. Was lucky to catch it on a cool, rainy day with no traffic.
(http://lh4.ggpht.com/joshua.minix/SICADUBSqkI/AAAAAAAAEFs/DO86SjR7EZk/s800/bpkbfp.jpg)
What inseam do you guys have? While the monster's hardly "me" sized, I haven't found it too terribly uncomfortable, and I'm 6'4" with a 34" inseam. It kills my knees when I'm wearing my leathers, but that's just because they're not broken in yet.
Quote from: Jarvicious on March 19, 2011, 10:18:13 AM
What inseam do you guys have? While the monster's hardly "me" sized, I haven't found it too terribly uncomfortable, and I'm 6'4" with a 34" inseam. It kills my knees when I'm wearing my leathers, but that's just because they're not broken in yet.
6'1" 34" inseam. My only problem is restricted blood flow below the knees. Luckily, on the Bandit, I can stand comfortably at speed, and occasionally I pull over for a stretch. ;D