I'm warming to them. Still a bit put off by the electric suspension, but mebe I'm just a luddite...
Also, you need to define both Touring and Sports, 'cause on the face of it there's a bunch of mutually exclusive features there.
Like fairings, or lack of. My version of Sports doesn't need fairings, but I'd not rule them out for a Tourier.
Go soothingly on the grease mud, as there lurks the skid demon
The sports touring definition varies wildly by personal preference. I'd say new FJR1300 fits that for my way of thinking. Anything sportier is not a sport touring bike really.
Anyway, Concours and ST damn swift if one knows how to ride them.
So is the BMW a Sports tourer or Adventure tourer? or track bike?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfOW9ZRFSY4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqaCyOYvUkw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mt-Tp2ACX4g
Sport Touring is a bollocks label IMO.
The medias obsession to label a bike is becoming increasingly irrelevant with the pile of new 'do-it-all' on the road bikes.
Back in the 80's what we now call 'sport touring' was taking your GSX, Z, etc and bolting on a bikini fairing and pack rack - add some soft throw-over bags and instant sport touring. If you wanted it sportier a set of rear Street Stroker or Koni shocks, heavier weight fork oil and preload the front a bit with a stack of coins .......
The essence of what people refer to as Sport-touring now is not really different - a bloody good motorcycle that will do you and your partner fine for a full days travel. It's just that we have a bike from every brand to reference now. My idea of the best one will be different from yours and other posters - test ride and buy.
Go soothingly on the grease mud, as there lurks the skid demon
Depends on your definition of 'sports' see ..........
Hmmm I remember a couple times on my 900 Hornet chasing down pure sports bikes and passing.
Hmmmm I also remember being passed on my Ducati and not comfortable keeping pace with one of those adventure all heavy BMW things ..... I'll claim my bike was new and I was taking care. Yeah - that was it!
Shit I remember a couple of nutters with huge grins on their faces powering down the Akaroa hill at speed on CT110's or something equally not sports (bloody mail bikes!)
I've seen Harleys fatting at decent speeds dragging pipes and cases with sparks everywhere.....
See it's a non-category. Invented I think as a Touring bike has now morphed into a large capacity, full fairing, side box, gizmo laden, 300kg machine that 'sports' was applied to something slimmer with a decent screen and seat!
All roads tourer would be my take. Like the Crosstourer, which is in that category due to weight.
I think of it this way, I've had the GSA crossed up slithering and sliding up rocky gravel roads (throwing crap at those behind me). Would I want to complicate that with 160HP? Any knobbly tyre is going to get absolutely hammered trying to cope with that power as well (on the road as well).
Also, bashing over rough terrain, hitting the wheels into ruts, hitting things so hard you dent the bash plate (as I did with a rock to my original bash plate). Does the XR have the clearance for that terrain? I had cast rims on the 990SM, dented the front twice, but worse, no idea what I actually did to ding the wheel.
Spoked wheels, good ground clearance and bash plates, strong crash bars etc are what's needed for adventure
Originally Posted by Jane Omorogbe from UK MSN on the KTM990SM
The VFR 1200 seems to have died the death of a thousand cuts, I guess ugly does that.
http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/moto...-929149255.htm
But if you want to get the miles under your belt quickly it has that Honda ability to do it effortlessly. Poxy tank range, though.
Not my cuppa but great bang for your buck if you don't care what your friends think.
Needs an Akra, or some such, too.
Manopausal.
ST's have been feeling pretty sporty and toury for me for over 200,000 Km. They certainly don't feel like 300Kg+ when they're moving and with practice, one can fling them around quite nicely at walking speed. I've certainly been held up by so-called/wannabe sprotty riders on the Rimutakas.
You can't compare STs, FJRs and Connies with Gold Wings and the other straight tourers, although those can also be formidle in the right hands...one just needs to ask the Hyde brothers about trying to get past the four Goldwings that were on last year's Nth Island 1600.
My understanding is, Sports Tourers are faired, screened and come with luggage, one sits more upright than a sprotty, but can still carve through the likes of the Awakino Gorge, the Para's, the Mangamukas, the Waipoua forest, the Buller Gorge and the Takaka Hill.
How a man wins shows much of his character....How he loses shows all of it!!"
Knute Rockne
ST's have been feeling pretty sporty and toury for me for over 200,000 Km. They certainly don't feel like 300Kg+ when they're moving and with practice, one can fling them around quite nicely at walking speed. I've certainly been held up by so-called/wannabe sprotty riders on the Rimutakas.
You can't compare STs, FJRs and Connies with Gold Wings and the other straight tourers, although those can also be formidle in the right hands...one just needs to ask the Hyde brothers about try to get past the four Goldwings that were on last year's Nth Island 1600.
My understanding is, Sports Tourers are faired, screened and come with luggage, one sits more upright than a sprotty, but can still carve through the likes of the Awakino Gorge, the Para's, the Mangamukas, the Waipoua forest, the Buller Gorge and the Takaka Hill.
How a man wins shows much of his character....How he loses shows all of it!!"
Knute Rockne
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