Help me pick a sport touring bike....

[fastwin]

Nice! Sweet looking with the Yosh pipe and Galfer rotors. Hardly ever see any of those on the road... which is too bad. Where did you get the hard bags?

[Langanobob]

ST2,3,4.  Like Desmo Demon says, they don't sacrifice handling for comfort and once they settle in you can do valves every 12K.  The heavier shaft drive bikes will eat up tires much faster than that anyway.

Second choice would be the FJR followed by a pre V-Tec VFR.  I haven't ridden the Sprint but after looking at KnightofNi in that last pic, I am tempted to go ride one.

If we're still considering Duc's then I'd also consider a used Multistrada.  I know they are painful to look at, but a friend has a black one and the color seems to help a lot and kind of camouflage the looks.  It's the red ones that look funny.

Too many choices!  I don't think he can go wrong with almost any of the suggested bikes.

[Ivan]

Re Aprilia RST .....that was actually my first choice but i was warned off of them by an employee at an aprilia shop. apparently getting parts for them is harder than getting duc parts.

The only thing I've had to buy is a new rectifier/voltage regulator, and that is an aftermarket unit (the stock VR is know to suck). 

As the other poster said, AF1 is great about stocking and getting parts on the rare occiasions that they are needed.  Just like with Ducs, some dealers have a difficult time getting parts, and the better dealers don't.

Taking the plastics off is a 15 minute job.  Its much more involved than say the 996, but its not difficult or that time consuming.

[Ivan]

If we're still considering Duc's then I'd also consider a used Multistrada.  I know they are painful to look at, but a friend has a black one and the color seems to help a lot and kind of camouflage the looks.  It's the red ones that look funny.

Speaking of removal of plastic, my buddy tells that the Multi is a real PITA

[Triple J]

Speaking of removal of plastic, my buddy tells that the Multi is a real PITA

I will confirm that. The 848/1098 is even worse.

[TAftonomos]

Bandit would not be a bad choice either.....I sold mine to get the S4R.  Was a 1250 with flat slides/cams/headwork.  It was MUCH faster than my S4R with the full kit on it, but waaaaay less refined.

[Speeddog]

Speaking of removal of plastic, my buddy tells that the Multi is a real PITA

I will confirm that. The 848/1098 is even worse.

Yes, that's true.

[TAftonomos]

I just got back from the local dealership. Had a 08 used VFR w/4K miles they wanted 8200 for......guess I won't be buying local (seen new 07/08 leftovers for 7750 OTD online)

Anyway, I stuck it on the center stand and sat on the pillion seat.....I'm much taller than wifey is, but she isn't going to be happy doing a 500 mile day on that bike, I can tell right off the bat. It wouldn't matter if she was a size 2, with legs as long as hers (yum) her knees will be shot within an hour.  Sucks too, as one up it seems like it would be perfect for a daily rider (much better than my monster....shhhhh don't let the church of ducati hear you or they will excommunicate my ass).

Had a FJR there as well.....I think I'm going to be headed into something that size after all. It wasn't quite as big as I had in mind, and the new goldwing next to it made it look like a 600rr in comparison. Sigh....all they had were new ones at 14K....I'm in the 4-5K budget range.

I learned to ride on a vfr 750 back in the day....perhaps I'll find a basket case one of those and fix it up.

I'll see if I can't sit on a ST3/4 or perhaps an ST1000 aprilia....although "exotic" isn't something I go for when I'm contemplating a touring bike/commuter. 

[Popeye the Sailor]

Anyway, I stuck it on the center stand and sat on the pillion seat.....I'm much taller than wifey is, but she isn't going to be happy doing a 500 mile day on that bike, I can tell right off the bat. It wouldn't matter if she was a size 2, with legs as long as hers (yum) her knees will be shot within an hour. 

Have you considered getting a short girlfriend and/or mistress?

[DrDesmo]

If you're looking for a cheap FJR I know of a silver one (04) with luggage for sale up here in NH, you could take a ROCKIN' ride home ... Really good shape, you could probably scoop it up for the mid 6's .....

Adam

[TAftonomos]

Have you considered getting a short girlfriend and/or mistress?

Always, but the wifey would have to approve of her as well, and she's much pickier than I am 

[TAftonomos]

It's a distinct possibility on that 04 fj.  I'm talking with an owner now down in FL with an 03, 24K miles full bags (trunk) asking 6K even for it...  Dunno about the miles, but I'm assuming thats what these bikes were built for.


How many miles on that 04?

[DrDesmo]

It's a distinct possibility on that 04 fj.  I'm talking with an owner now down in FL with an 03, 24K miles full bags (trunk) asking 6K even for it...  Dunno about the miles, but I'm assuming thats what these bikes were built for.


How many miles on that 04?

8-9k ... And they'll go 100k+

Valve services: 27k
Final Drive (shaft drive) oil change: 17k

So basically ... never 

Selling mine in a minute 

Adam

[Langanobob]

Anyway, I stuck it on the center stand and sat on the pillion seat.....I'm much taller than wifey is, but she isn't going to be happy doing a 500 mile day on that bike, I can tell right off the bat.

Realistically, doing 500  mile days is even your short legged girlfriend, or anyone, going to be comfortable on any bike short of a Goldwing?

If your wife or girlfriend are going to go along on long trips that changes the math altogether.  I think that comfort and motorcycles are sometimes mutually exclusive and if you go too far on the side of comfort you sacrifice too much performance, ie, fun.   I'd consider something like a good used Miata, a compromise of course, but both comfortable and fun.

[DrDesmo]

Realistically, doing 500  mile days is even your short legged girlfriend, or anyone, going to be comfortable on any bike short of a Goldwing?

If your wife or girlfriend are going to go along on long trips that changes the math altogether.  I think that comfort and motorcycles are sometimes mutually exclusive and if you go too far on the side of comfort you sacrifice too much performance, ie, fun.   I'd consider something like a good used Miata, a compromise of course, but both comfortable and fun.

I'm not trying to sound like ClubFJR (just sold mine ...  ) but ... My GF, who is 5'8 and has really long legs  was 100% comfortable on the FJR on a recent 400 mile ride through the twisties up to Lake Sunapee

Just sayin'