Best touring bike

[DIN PELENDA]

ST 1100 PAN European

[Subike]

"YAMAHA FJR 1300 " mate; the bees knees for long distance touring, BRILLIANT.

You will never regret it

[awd]

When I lived in Italy I had a 99 VFR800 and was fortunate enough to be able to spend about 3 months a year touring on the continent. For some reason the only country I never made it to was Portugal, don't know why.

In 3 years based there I never had any problems and did 4 of my trips with a pillion. Everything was always camping, so plenty of luggage, and the bike never once complained. I was pulled over in Germany because the gestapo thought I was riding with my light on high beam during the day, but it was the heavy pillion I was carrying at the time.

The best thing about the VFR was its ability to eat huge mileage without me getting stiff, but also being able to have some real fun on the alpine passes.

I would have got a Ducati ST2, but in 1998 the Ducati salesman said the reliability of the VFR would be a lot better for what I was looking for. It was still the days when Dukes were a little iffy with their electricals.

I also found that the fuel economy of the VFR was really good compared to some of my mates bike over there.

Having typed all of this, I have my doubts about a VTEC-VFR.

Just some random ramblings from someone who has done many thousands of km's on those roads you are heading to.

[banditrider]

"YAMAHA FJR 1300 " mate; the bees knees for long distance touring, BRILLIANT.

What more can I say? I understand there are Yamahas in Europe.

You really mean Concours!

I did pick one,the BMW R1200RT!. I didn't mention the Kawasaki Concours/1400GTR as it came last in the shootout due to it having "the smallest tank range , hard seat,worst screen,top heavy andno heated grips".The list was just to provide options .

Heated grips are cheap but should have come with the bike. Mileage - I've had 368km out of a tank with a litre to spare. You generally want to have a break at some stage anyway. Just got off the bike after a nearly 600km (Palmy-Napier-Taupo-Palmy) ride and bum a little sore but you get used to it. Try one and you'll fall in love with the motor, brakes & handling...

[Hinny]

Honda Pan European. ST1100 The name says it all. Deisigned to cruise Europe... 100mph all day. Be able to ride all day, every day, and feel comfortable doing it. Quiet, competant and fast. No buzzy hands and feet like the Kawasaki. Smooth roll on power. Huge 30+ litre tank mounted low in the frame.

[limbimtimwim]

A MultiStrada?

[howdamnhard]

I'm sure I would love it ,anything would be better than a GN250.Like I said it was just the results from the BIKE magazine shootout.It was the fastest.ENJOY your bike.Different bikes suit different people,so finding one you like that suites you is all that really matters.

You really mean Concours!



Heated grips are cheap but should have come with the bike. Mileage - I've had 368km out of a tank with a litre to spare. You generally want to have a break at some stage anyway. Just got off the bike after a nearly 600km (Palmy-Napier-Taupo-Palmy) ride and bum a little sore but you get used to it. Try one and you'll fall in love with the motor, brakes & handling...

[Bren]

You really mean Concours!



Heated grips are cheap but should have come with the bike. Mileage - I've had 368km out of a tank with a litre to spare. You generally want to have a break at some stage anyway. Just got off the bike after a nearly 600km (Palmy-Napier-Taupo-Palmy) ride and bum a little sore but you get used to it. Try one and you'll fall in love with the motor, brakes & handling...

yellow text on a white background....butt ugly!

i would go with a beemer IMHO

[Hitcher]

i would go with a beemer IMHO

While I can justify why I should own and ride an FJR1300 at $10,000 more than a new touring-spec Bandit, it's hard to see the additional $10,000-worth of value in going to a BMW or Norge. A fully-blinged FJR (suspension, mufflers, intake, topbox & GPS) will still return change on what's needed to be forked out for a bog-standard Euro super-sprots tourer. And that's without doing a proper performance analysis (pillion comfort, luggage space, rider comfort, and general handling).

[banditrider]

yellow text on a white background....butt ugly!

i would go with a beemer IMHO

Looks great on my black background - how's blue?

While I can justify why I should own and ride an FJR1300 at $10,000 more than a new touring-spec Bandit, it's hard to see the additional $10,000-worth of value in going to a BMW or Norge. A fully-blinged FJR (suspension, mufflers, intake, topbox & GPS) will still return change on what's needed to be forked out for a bog-standard Euro super-sprots tourer. And that's without doing a proper performance analysis (pillion comfort, luggage space, rider comfort, and general handling).

Not a huge BM (twin anyway) fan either - have ridden my old man's 1150GS a few times and can't say it excites me. Although in saying that it is probably the thing to tour the globe on. Have only ridden one BM 4 and that was an ancient K1 - the new ones are probably great but dear.

As an ex-bandit rider I'd like to sample the new 1250 as my K6 with panniers & topbox was a great bike and probably the cheapest big-bore tourer you can get/make. The new engine and ABS only make the package more attractive. Still can't understand why the didn't throw in a topbox instead of the tank-bag. Also, they have a smaller tank now - that's never good...

[Hitcher]

Looks great on my black background - how's blue?

Not as good as the default colour option. On either background. Surely it must be easier to just type, rather than having to fanny around formatting text?

Whatever floats one's boat, I suppose...

[limbimtimwim]

Still can't understand why the didn't throw in a topbox instead of the tank-bag.

Probably because top-boxes look retarded. And the frames that are usually required are ugly too.

Also, they have a smaller tank now - that's never good...[/COLOR]

Maybe they improved the efficiency and it does about the same distance? Fuel injection, water cooling a new engine could have made up the difference.

[YellowDog]

Hi Harry, My vote is with the new GSF1250SAT. You get all the extra touring stuff for free. I'd love to be able to afford the Honda or the BMW and if you are in that price league; then go for it. If you still have Sports riding in your veins, then the Kwaka is the one - IMO.

Have ridden over Europe, which is a lot of fun. Be careful with the Left Hand Driving. It's easy in town, but once you get onto the country lanes it is easy to make mistakes. The UK is very easy and there lots of great riding.

Good luck.

[avrflr]

You really should have given a budget. Somehow I don't think you intend to pony up for a new beemer. Or a new anything. Where are you going to buy the bike? What are bike prices like there?

[rasty]

I really don't think the bike you choose is as important as your attitude. I had a ball last summer on my 620 Multistrada - 16000kms covering from the Isle of Man for the TT across as far west as Slovenia, over 10 weeks. I never felt the lack of a bigger bike, but then I spent the minimum of time on autobahns, autoroutes etc. Where I was forced on to a motorway type of road I still sat at around 130kmh (the limit, enforced quite strongly in most countries) while on the small back roads I prefer and which seem to lead to the most interesting villages etc, the small bike was a real bonus. Some days I did 800 or 900kms while others were only 100 or so.

As I say, attitude is the important part.

I flew the bike into the UK, for timing reasons, but shipped it back to NZ.

Whatever you ride, have a great time.