Economy of touring bikes?

[CRM]

Thanks for all the feedback. I guess it will come down to what is the best deal in the right place at the right time when I sell my VFR or find someone who wants to swap something for my VFR800. I love the VFR but my hands and wrists get a bit sore (maybe it's just my age) so wanting something better for comfort and something my wife is happy on the back of.

We went up to Mangonui on Saturday (300km) and she wasn't that comfortable on the seat for that distance - she likes the old-school flat seats like Bonneville style rather than being up higher. I notice that the older Concours and FJ's have fairly flat seats too. Possibly a more modern bike with a Corban seat might be the ticket.

[grbaker]

F650GS two up is fine... that little 650 single ain't fast but it dosn't give a crap what load ye put on the bike. It has a stiff / torquy throttle which required twice the amount of pressure to hold open... this can be adjusted if required (Richards in Johnsinvill, Wlg knows the trick). Easy reach to bars for anyone.

As for economy: (10,000km Oz trip)
F650GS gets really good milage out of a tank (17l) - 300 to 400km (maybe more) but less if you push it past 110kpm (which is legal in Oz ). This bike is frugal on gas even with 40+kgs of panniers and pack on the back it maintain a high fuel economy. Not fast on the pickup when over taking tho.

The DL650 I rode (V-Twin with 22l tank) got better range than the F650 on harder rider (110+) but slightly less on 90-100kph rides. Some panniers etc was carried on this bike and two is no problem either. A little faster when over taking but not that much more than the F650GS... heavy bike for a 650.

Other riding.
My GS1200SS (similar to a Bandit 1200) gets about 310kpm before reserve (20l tank tho) and my Guzzi Belagio (I know you didn't ask, but you meant to) gets about 360+ on a tank (18l).
1990 GSX750FL would get about 280k before reserve... but the screaming motor was hard to keep below legal thus ate its food too quickly. Quite a reach to the bars too.

As for comfort, the Guzzi Belagio is the only bike I have ridden near-non-stop for 5 hours (abit gas & food) and not had a sore anything.
Other bikes I've ridden for 5+ hours ...
DL650 Vstrom - sore bum
F650GS - sore bum
GS1200SS - Sore arse, lower back (f I'm old)
GSX750FL - Same as above.
SV650S - Where didn't it hurt. As stock as great bike for the twisties/commute but not a tourer.

All my Suzukis have been 99% fault free with only normal maintence (chain, tyres, oil etc)... The Wifes BMW F650GS has been good too.

One last thing - Ecourage wife to ride her own.. twice the fun.

[CRM]

Hi

I am biased (what a surprise) but from personal experience, a BMW K75 or a BMW R1150 RS or R1100 are great touring bikes and economical as well.

They generally come with the hard cases (make sure they included) and both do 20-22 Km/l (or around 60 odd Mile Per Gallon) pretty consistently regardless of how you rode them.

Cheers

Stu

I had a ride on a 94 R1100R yesterday. Loved the engine. Just what I'm looking for torque-wise. Style takes a bit of adjusting to but seems really comfortable. Actually feels really light but I assume this is just an illusion from the low centre of gravity. I also rode a Bonneville and an XJR1300 but the Beemer was the one with the feel I'm wanting. The Bonny looks and sounds cool but just seemed a little small and a bit of a toy bike. The XJR was comfortable and torquey but seemed rather busy - I guess thats just an in-line 4 thing. I loved the casual but torquey feel of the R1100R.

So I'm definitely thinking BMW. Still to ride a 1200 Bandit or Concours but I suspect I'm hooked .

[O2R]

I love the VFR but my hands and wrists get a bit sore (maybe it's just my age) so wanting something better for comfort and something my wife is happy on the back of.

Ok, its not in the budget I know, but when it's time to trade, concider trading the VFR800 on a Honda ST1300 90Deg VFour (I did).
Ride all day long, big comphy rear seat (wife happy), and still the VFour we V4 owners love, and over 500km range (5.4/100kms).

[CRM]

Ok, its not in the budget I know, but when it's time to trade, concider trading the VFR800 on a Honda ST1300 90Deg VFour (I did).
Ride all day long, big comphy rear seat (wife happy), and still the VFour we V4 owners love, and over 500km range (5.4/100kms).

Yeah I had a sit on a new one the other day in Auckland. There are a couple of ST1100's on TM at the moment - higher mileage 1990 ones but both seem to be well looked after. I assume like most tourers high mileage isn't a problem if they have been serviced properly. This one for $5500 at 105k http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/List...x?id=318234946
and this one for $4500 buy now at 125k http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/List...x?id=325208873
I've already asked is if he wants to do a trade with mine but not keen .

[O2R]

I assume like most tourers high mileage isn't a problem if they have been serviced properly.

Honda's VFour's are good for 300k, and are very robust even if not serviced well.
These engines are almost never under stress, cruizing at 110, two up and loaded, its only 3400 rpm.

[Highlander]

I had a ride on a 94 R1100R yesterday. Loved the engine. Just what I'm looking for torque-wise. Style takes a bit of adjusting to but seems really comfortable. Actually feels really light but I assume this is just an illusion from the low centre of gravity. I also rode a Bonneville and an XJR1300 but the Beemer was the one with the feel I'm wanting. The Bonny looks and sounds cool but just seemed a little small and a bit of a toy bike. The XJR was comfortable and torquey but seemed rather busy - I guess thats just an in-line 4 thing. I loved the casual but torquey feel of the R1100R.

So I'm definitely thinking BMW. Still to ride a 1200 Bandit or Concours but I suspect I'm hooked .

When I was looking for a new(er) bike I tested (among others) the VFR 800 and quite liked it. Then I saw the BMW R1100s advertised. I looked up the specs, it fitted all the criteria I had said I was looking for, so I had to give it a ride purely to rule it out. 1/2 hour with it and I had taken the bait but wanted to do a longer ride. Second ride was 2 1/2 hrs with my wife on the back. I was sold by half way through. A year on I'm loving it. Have done a couple of trips with Pillion and 300km sittings doesn't seem to bother them at all.
My only complaint is that under all tha fairing they only put a 17 l tank. 230km from full to fuel warning light (no fuel gauge, no reserve, just the light that apparently comes on with 4 litres left in the tank).

[Corse1]

Biased but the ST2 would do for great fuel economy and pleasure/reliability.

Oh forgot about the cambelts and 10k valve checks.
Most Ducati owners find that after the initial 10k valve check that they have very little further adjustments necessary if they are not racing the dang thing!!!! I'd leave them for 20k km's at least of touring after the first check.

Cambelts are quite cheap for the ST2 and easy to change yourself.

Motors will go forever.............................
Everything else is normal maintenance and you get that great V twin character that the SV's or VTR's can't provide.

Get a 2003 model with original hard bags and you won't look back

[Corse1]

Forgot to mention I get 5L/ 100km regularly on the 4s which should be a little more thirsty than the 2 valve and that seems to be a stable thirst no matter how I ride

I had 384 kms out of 18.8 litres 1 time and that was various types of riding equating to 4.9litres per 100km's!!

Lucky it has a 21 litre tank...........another reason for sport touring.

[CRM]

The thing with the ST2/ST4 is that I don't think the position is too much different for me than my VFR - plus I'm really favouring the shaft drive option which cuts it down to a R1100 BMW or an ST1100 Honda for what I'm wanting which is travelling long distances in comfort, style and relative economy (long service intervals and low-stress engines capable of high mileage). Also don't want huge size like Gold-wing etc. Any other bikes fit that job-description?

[O2R]

which cuts it down to a R1100 BMW or an ST1100 Honda for what I'm wanting?

Just be aware if you can't service yourself, BMW's are very expencive to maintain, according to a bloke I know who has a K1300 LT. You might want to look into that.

[CRM]

Just be aware if you can't service yourself, BMW's are very expencive to maintain, according to a bloke I know who has a K1300 LT. You might want to look into that.

From what I've heard and read the R series (oilhead twins) are pretty reliable and bulletproof. Certainly seem under-stressed

The question is will an older BMW with higher mileage cost less to run and be more reliable than a 10 year newer Japper (1200 Bandit say) for the same cost?

[Gibbo89]

From what I've heard and read the R series (oilhead twins) are pretty reliable and bulletproof. Certainly seem under-stressed

The question is will an older BMW with higher mileage cost less to run and be more reliable than a 10 year newer Japper (1200 Bandit say) for the same cost?

Ask Maxf, he has a 96 (i think) bmw k1100 of some description. If memory serves me right, his bike has done 200,000 k's and he does all the servicing etc himself. He might be able to give some opinions on this.

[O2R]

From what I've heard and read the R series (oilhead twins) are pretty reliable and bulletproof. Certainly seem under-stressed

I wasn't meaning to imply that BMW's are unreliable in any way, just that you might want to inquire the costs of parts to service.
These days, you would be hard pressed to find an unreliable bike.

[scumdog]

From research they get about 38mpg or 6.2 litres/100km which is about similar to my VFR. But I suspect they are more sensitive to riding style.
Thanks for the feedback.

Shoot! My 1450cc H-D gets 55mpg when cruising on trips so 38mpg is comparatively thirsty