Title: Riding two-up Post by: tilt on October 16, 2013, 09:24:07 AM My girlfriend is letting me buy another bike, although i wanted to step foot into the super-bike arena she isnt gonna let that happen since i already have the monster and the other bike has to passenger friendly. she comes from a long line of harley riders and i really dont want to go that route, any suggestions on bikes with the passenger in mind. i want hi-end performance she is thinking cup holders, recliner style seating and phone jacks by the way. any middle ground?
Title: Re: Riding two-up Post by: zooom on October 16, 2013, 09:32:05 AM Multistrada 1200, BMW K1600, FJR1300 , ST1300, and there is a whole host of others....but start there...
Title: Re: Riding two-up Post by: Dirty Duc on October 16, 2013, 09:41:53 AM The "sport touring" bikes are really no slouch in performance or comfort although they are a tad on the heavy side (as in, don't let them lean over while stopped).
Honda ST1300 (heavy, hot, but pretty quick and lots of wind protection) Yamaha FJR (haven't ridden it, but I've heard it mirrors the Honda experience) Kawasaki Concours (haven't ridden it, but it's playing in Hayabusa territory) Oh yeah, forgot about the K1600... apparently the biggest rocket of them all. The BMW K1300GT bikes were plenty quick, but they are no longer available new. Or you can go the ADV route... the ADV market has quite a few good street tire options and they tend to be lighter than the ST bikes. Often no slouch on the highway, but not really set up to cruise in the triple digits like the ST bikes. Title: Re: Riding two-up Post by: SpikeC on October 16, 2013, 09:48:08 AM Sounds like a Diavel with a backrest. Make that Diavel Strada.
Title: Re: Riding two-up Post by: pesto on October 16, 2013, 10:32:11 AM My wife and I are in a similar situation, we were looking at the K1600GTL...
Title: Re: Riding two-up Post by: joshuajcrouch on October 16, 2013, 11:27:47 AM My girlfriend is letting me buy another bike... Wait a sec. Letting? Title: Re: Riding two-up Post by: picard on October 16, 2013, 12:36:57 PM Depending on where you live and what kind of riding you do. "Our" second bike is a 800GS. That said, we ride 2-up on the Monster all the time. More fun on the street. The 800 is the one to use when we go off-street.
Title: Re: Riding two-up Post by: pesto on October 16, 2013, 12:52:06 PM Oh yeah, or a used Ural :).
Title: Re: Riding two-up Post by: Grampa on October 16, 2013, 02:10:50 PM yup a Ural will work. she can keep yer balls in the trunk when you go for rides.
Title: Re: Riding two-up Post by: red baron on October 16, 2013, 04:50:31 PM yup a Ural will work. she can keep yer balls in the trunk when you go for rides. [laugh] says the Ural pilot. [laugh] [laugh] Title: Re: Riding two-up Post by: Grampa on October 16, 2013, 06:06:11 PM but michelle keeps mine in a warm and dry spot.
Title: Re: Riding two-up Post by: Grampa on October 16, 2013, 06:08:18 PM and wife ownership and gf ball ownership are two separate issues 8)
Title: Re: Riding two-up Post by: Enzoman on October 16, 2013, 06:51:42 PM Six little letters... KTM SMT [evil] its been great for two up and a blast to ride.
(http://img22.imageshack.us/img22/4761/hmd5.jpg) Title: Re: Riding two-up Post by: zooom on October 17, 2013, 03:55:44 AM Six little letters... KTM SMT [evil] its been great for two up and a blast to ride. (http://img22.imageshack.us/img22/4761/hmd5.jpg) I love mine....but they aren't as common to come by in terms of "checking out"...but once you ride one, you know...and I love the 2013 Orange Frame limited scheme Title: Re: Riding two-up Post by: tilt on October 17, 2013, 08:55:52 AM Wait a sec. Letting? thats right, im in the navy and really dont make that much and when she pays for everything i will happily buy another bike with hers/our money. especially, when she loves being a passenger as much as love riding the more i think about it im leaning towards one of the bmw k bikes, my girl wants a cup holder and cell phone jack. thanks for the input guys and the sarcasm, i love it. Title: Re: Riding two-up Post by: MikeZ on October 17, 2013, 09:04:43 AM thats right, im in the navy and really dont make that much and when she pays for everything i will happily buy another bike with hers/our money. especially, when she loves being a passenger as much as love riding I can get the phone jack. I installed 2 on my Tiger so the wife and I can both keep our phones charged but a cup holder? Really? the more i think about it im leaning towards one of the bmw k bikes, my girl wants a cup holder and cell phone jack. thanks for the input guys and the sarcasm, i love it. Hard to drink with a full face helmet on too Title: Re: Riding two-up Post by: zooom on October 17, 2013, 09:06:53 AM I can get the phone jack. I installed 2 on my Tiger so the wife and I can both keep our phones charged but a cup holder? Really? Hard to drink with a full face helmet on too I have a cupholder on my KTM....coffee at work sucks, so I stop by my daily haunt and pick up my java on the way in and sit at my desk and drink it....the insulated cups sits right there with no issue. Title: Re: Riding two-up Post by: SpikeC on October 17, 2013, 09:44:00 AM The Diavel Strada has a high powered electrical system to power the cell phone and a cup holder could be mounted on the grab handles around the back seat.............
Title: Re: Riding two-up Post by: duc_fan on October 17, 2013, 09:53:00 AM I have a cupholder on my KTM....coffee at work sucks, so I stop by my daily haunt and pick up my java on the way in and sit at my desk and drink it....the insulated cups sits right there with no issue. ^^ For this reason, I am *sorely* tempted to put a cupholder on the Gran Canyon. Coffee at work sucks, and when I'm commuting on the bike the coffee shop on the way still calls to me... Yeah, it'll get some strange looks at stoplights; dude in full-face helmet with cup-o'-joe on the handlebars? WTF? Not sure that I care. Of course, if she wants you to take quick drink breaks, she could always get a flip-up helmet. Title: Re: Riding two-up Post by: zooom on October 17, 2013, 11:20:19 AM ^^ For this reason, I am *sorely* tempted to put a cupholder on the Gran Canyon. Coffee at work sucks, and when I'm commuting on the bike the coffee shop on the way still calls to me... Yeah, it'll get some strange looks at stoplights; dude in full-face helmet with cup-o'-joe on the handlebars? WTF? Not sure that I care. Of course, if she wants you to take quick drink breaks, she could always get a flip-up helmet. I have a cupholder on my Gran Canyon too... (http://www.mad-ducati.com/Gallery/bsandusky/G592/CGCcupholder1.jpg) which, to the O.P., is for sale if seriously interested and it has hard cases and topcase for touring as well as being a competent and comfortable machine for 2-up.... Title: Re: Riding two-up Post by: pesto on October 17, 2013, 11:21:37 AM yup a Ural will work. she can keep yer balls in the trunk when you go for rides. Impossible, she'd never let me near enough to 'em put 'em on the bike. Title: Re: Riding two-up Post by: triangleforge on October 17, 2013, 01:12:25 PM If you get a chance, check out the current generation Kawasaki Concours as mentioned near the top of this thread - I got to ride a friend's Concours 14 a few times before he sold it, and it'd be a wonderful choice to set out for the far coast two-up (especially if your route included twisty bits), then turn around & do it again, repeat as necessary. VERY comfortable for one or two, loads of power & balanced well enough to run through turns way faster than you'd expect.
Or look at the Ducati ST series - The prices on used ST2/ST4/ST3 are getting ridiculously low. I love my ST2, but if I had it to do over again I'd get anything BUT the 1998 - it'd be hard to go wrong with 1999 and up. Throw on a Corbin or Sargent saddle, and you're both going to be happy. Title: Re: Riding two-up Post by: duc_fan on October 17, 2013, 02:29:34 PM Yeah, if you're looking used and/or cheap, take a look at the ST3. A former boss of mine (and all-around cool guy) bought one and loved it. I test rode an ST4s... total sleeper, though it needs more intensive maintenance than the ST3. Wish the riding position had worked for me (I'm 6'4"). If you're closer to "average" height, it might be an excellent machine.
If you have more money on hand, like others have said, the BMW K-bikes are excellent long-distance 2-up machines. Another friend of mine had a K1200GT. He and his wife rode all over the place on it, loved it. Zooom and I both enjoy our GCs, and they make good 2-up bikes. A little down on power, but that can be fixed. ;) Comfy seat and suspension. They're a bit needy in the maintenance department, and being a weird/rare bike, plastics can be hard to come by and expensive. The upshots are: the bike itself can be had for very little scratch, it's economical on gas and insurance, and it makes for entertaining storytelling at every stop when people inevitably ask: "Cagiva? What's that?" ;) There is an excellent rider/owner resource in the Cagiva Gran Canyon group on Yahoo. I've had mine 2 years and still enjoy the heck out of it. [Dolph] Title: Re: Riding two-up Post by: Skybarney on October 17, 2013, 06:18:42 PM Just saw on on CL 3k. Not bad for an Italian.....
Title: Re: Riding two-up Post by: pitbull on October 18, 2013, 06:00:05 AM I just picked up a 2001 ST4 in super clean condition with 24k miles for $3000. The wife finds it super comfy with the sargent seat. Its a lot of bike for the money
Title: Re: Riding two-up Post by: SpikeC on October 18, 2013, 08:51:53 AM What a screaming deal! Even with the cost of a dealer done full service that is a rocking deal.
Title: Re: Riding two-up Post by: Speeddog on October 18, 2013, 12:31:57 PM ST's are the bomb.
You really should test-ride one to see how you like it. Title: Re: Riding two-up Post by: memper on October 18, 2013, 03:40:35 PM Motus
Title: Re: Riding two-up Post by: pitbull on October 18, 2013, 05:51:22 PM What a screaming deal! Even with the cost of a dealer done full service that is a rocking deal. I totally lucked out. I was looking for parts for the ST2 I picked up in the summer. I happened to check craigslist, which I never do as it's not often used up here in Canada, and saw the bike down in Niagara Falls, NY, which is just an hour south of me. I wasn't looking for another bike, but couldn't pass it up. It has a brand new set of Michelin PR2's, a brand new Barnett clutch and basket, and a really nice arrow exhaust on it. Other than a couple stress cracks in the fairing it is almost mint. I now have to decide whether to sell the ST2 in the spring or not. The bike is beat up cosmetically, but ran like a champ out to Colorado/New Mexico and back last month. When a bike takes me on a long trip and gets me home safely I feel a sense of loyalty to it, lol. decisions, decisions. Title: Re: Riding two-up Post by: Bonster on October 20, 2013, 11:18:05 AM Money no object? A Multi with a top box back rest for Miss Right.
Money a little bit of an object? The ST3 is one of the best sport touring bikes ever made, a capable doubler, and you can buy four of them for the price of a new Multi. Title: Re: Riding two-up Post by: zooom on October 22, 2013, 03:47:57 AM http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/mld/mcy/4142778619.html (http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/mld/mcy/4142778619.html)
this is a deccently good deal on an ST4 and I know the owner... Title: Re: Riding two-up Post by: pitbull on October 23, 2013, 05:55:36 PM http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/mld/mcy/4142778619.html (http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/mld/mcy/4142778619.html) this is a deccently good deal on an ST4 and I know the owner... That is an awful lot of motorcycle for the money, IMO. |