What's the best touring bike? (2)
Sat, 20/08/2011 - 15:03
Due to a technical issue, the best touring bike thread is being continued here, while the old one has been locked. I hope it's not too much of an inconvenience!
Fri, 26/08/2011 - 02:39
#2
Re: What's the best touring bike? (2)
The best touring bike has a very comfortable seat for two. It floats over ruts in the road and yet feeds back genuine tactile informative feel to it's rider of how much grip is available.
It has brakes that stop it in a equal distance to the better bikes currently available, but with feel and progressive delivery. It's tank range should certainly be capable of getting the bike 200 miles without having to push it and frugality a bonus.
The screen it wears should not create turbulence whilst remaining relatively quiet and protective within reason. The engine should have a smooth linear delivery, be torque laden suffice for effortlessly legal speeds overtakes and powerful enough to cruise all day long at a 90-100 mph for those that want to.
It's got to be capable of strapping luggage to it without damage or Kypton Factor finalist winning abilities. And yet it's weight should not detract from the riding experience once the road tightens and the pillion and luggage have been jettisoned.
Niceties would include miles until empty counters, cruise control for monotonous stretches, heated grips, hand guards/protection, ABS and traction control.
Power modes? Electronic manual-selected suspension? Nice theories / techno-horn waving, just not absolute existential to have in reality IMHO.
So Giles Brandreth "who lives with a bike like that"?
Fri, 26/08/2011 - 07:28
#3
Re: What's the best touring bike? (2)
Captain, your describing the Big K......well almost.
Fri, 26/08/2011 - 08:23
#4
Re: What's the best touring bike? (2)
RiC - I would say that it does describe the Big K, especially the GT. I only say that as I found the screen on that to be better than the GTL.
There is no doubt in my mind that the K1600 is the machine I would opt for if I were in the market for a tourer and one that could still make grin like a maniacal Cheshire cat.
In saying that, I will continue to tour on my Diavel with the trusty Kriega and Airhawk !!! Actually come to think of it I do the same on the Monkeystrada and it has a touring screen .... !
Fri, 26/08/2011 - 17:00
#5
Re: What's the best touring bike? (2)
I think the GT and tall/medium rounders would be a relatively good fit.
The only caveta I would have, not having ridden one, would be if the GT can creidbly handle: "And yet it's weight should not detract from the riding experience once the road tightens and the pillion and luggage have been jettisoned." I wouldn't expect it to have the agility of a 675R, but equally does it get in a strop on tight and less than perfect bumpy b-roads?
Sun, 28/08/2011 - 10:58
#6
Re: What's the best touring bike? (2)
Got my mitts on a 1979 xs650e Special import.After a week and a few florins she is now on the button.Had 1 when mi was 20 (couldn"t get bonny).Took her to Holmfirth,bout 55miledated maybe but what a cruiser and a joy 2 ride another.Will probably end up with white knuckle but worth it LOL.
YORKI
Sun, 28/08/2011 - 12:56
#7
Re: What's the best touring bike? (2)
Captain/Shuggie.
El Capitain. Given mass is always correct and present it then does rear it head at speed in twisties on the Big K. However the funy front end combined with predictable chassis behaviour lets you enjoy tight Mountain Passes; additionally the brakes and stability control get you out of jail without spending £200 if need be.
I have been astonished at the bikes agility, for a Planet Crushing Tourer, and consequently have all but ground the footpegs away after assuming it had hero blobs like the GT. But you do need to be circumspect when you stop and in 'U' turns.
One reaction I have is when I get back on the bike after road testing others, like the T8, I have to smile at it's agility, ease of control and on tap grunt.
By the way thought the T8 was fabulous value for money,fast, agile but maybe a 'bit too good'.
Shuggiemac, you could take your airhawk and Krieger on the BIG K!
Tue, 30/08/2011 - 02:27
#8
Re: What's the best touring bike? (2)
"One reaction I have is when I get back on the bike after road testing others, like the T8, I have to smile at it's agility, ease of control and on tap grunt."
... it's a testament as to just how good the new 6 must be, if it felt agile after the Tiglet. I know it won't be as agile, but to feel agile directly after a demo of the Trumpet speaks volumes. Nice one Be-em.
"By the way thought the T8 was fabulous value for money,fast, agile but maybe a 'bit too good"
... yeah, don't you just hate those 'too good' bikes! ;-D
Glad you enjoyed the demo, I agree with your comments, except I'd maybe change too good to better than good in all key areas important to most riders.
I've just come back from a varied roads 100 mile route on the Diavel. Riding here at this time of year (busy traffic and no filtering/lane splitting allowed and temps still up in the low nineties fahrenheit) is a bit like playing golf. A four hour game of lawn billiards is a bit laborious save for those two or three special moments when you hit the ball just sweetly to see it fly with effortless serenity in a way that somehow justifies all the hassle it took to get to that point.
Today's ride was like that. A bit tortuous for 70% of the time, quite acceptable but not particularly thrilling for 20% and in the zone main-lining I'm on the jazz for 10% of the time.
Given the additional ride quality, comfort and low speed smoothness the T8 holds over the Diavel, the ride today taken on a T8 would probably have been sub-divided as a bit tortuous 20%, acceptable 30% and jamming 50%.
Of course there's intangibles to tangibles in everything. The Diavel is surprisingly stellar at 90 mph for big distances on the freeway (touring screen fitted) and I had a very pretty lady take a pictures of my bike from her car on her iPhone whilst we were both sat at the lights. The T8 is no carbon clad oil painting and for some that's crucial to how they feel about it.
But in terms of you're not looking at the bike's silhouette whilst riding, you don't waste so much time cleaning as riding function bikes. And in terms of how much enjoyment you're getting when you do ride, in some ways I ought to buy an adventure bike again to go with the Diavel or even think about getting one and part-ex'ing it (sacrilege) whenever that time comes around. I'm interested to see what happens with the next GS/MTS, but I can't see either getting close to the T8's lighter weight and healthy balance of ride/feedback, so I think the Triumph will get the next cheque.
Mon, 29/08/2011 - 22:22
#9
Re: What's the best touring bike? (2)
Yeah, the new K16 is remarkably agile. My K13GT, which weighs approximately 30kg less, doesn't flip from side to side as well.
Talking about smaller bikes, like the T8, makes me think back to my 1999 VFR. Which I only kept for 6 months before flipping it for a Blackbird - should have kept both!!
It had a great engine which sounded fabulous with my aftermarket exhaust. Wonder if the new Crossrunner would be strong competition to the T8. They probably cost about the same in the USA but the Honda weighs 25kg more (I believe it has a bigger tank).
Speaking of weight, I'm pretty sure the T8 XC weighs the same as a MTS 1200.
Cheers.
Tue, 30/08/2011 - 02:51
#10
Re: What's the best touring bike? (2)
I think the T8 is lighter and certainly feels a bit lighter.
It's no SuperSport, but it's not a big Adventure bike either. The claimed road ready weight for the standard bike is 210Kg. Ducati claim 13 kilo less for a dry bike, I think, but apart from there being plenty of wet-weight lard in fuel, oil, water, brake fluid, etc; Ducati are notorious for not fitting things like erm, the lardy battery (quite convenient when riding on most occasions I find) for their dry weight claims. I've even heard they let the tyre down. Seriously. They already make competitively light bikes, so I don't know why they go to these lengths, but there you go.
I think I once worked out an accurate weight for a wet MTS and it was something like 223 kilo (I think the GS was 243) and so 210 kilo for the T8 sounds ball-park right; but not willing to have a bun-fight with anyone about those figures! :-D
I had my VFR8 even less than you, about three months and less than a thousand miles. I thought it was a bit too clinical. But I should have kept it; nice characterful bark, nice to ride and you know they'll do the miles reliably.
The Crossrunner seems to work brilliantly and (like the CBR600F) is much more than the sum of it's re-hashed parts. But I can't get on with it's looks (not that the T8 worries Kate Moss none). Triumph claim a 250 mile range. Even if that's only 200 miles true the Honda would probably need a five gallon tank to equal that, which is a big tank in what we're now calling 'smaller bikes'!
Good to know the K16 is easier steering than the K13GT, which I rode back to back with the K13S and was very surprised how I felt the K-S steered far easier, especially given the wider bars of the GT, I naturally expected the opposite.
Tue, 30/08/2011 - 18:56
#11
Re: What's the best touring bike? (2)
I think the GT and tall/medium rounders would be a relatively good fit.
The only caveta I would have, not having ridden one, would be if the GT can creidbly handle: "And yet it's weight should not detract from the riding experience once the road tightens and the pillion and luggage have been jettisoned." I wouldn't expect it to have the agility of a 675R, but equally does it get in a strop on tight and less than perfect bumpy b-roads?
Very simply, yes it does credibly handle, indeed more than credibly. The roads I was riding it on were typical Czech B type, that is twisting and with poor surface quality and it took everything in its stride. This bike and the GTL are incredible. The only thing that I regularly do that it would fail on is tight lane splitting and filtering. Sorry Captain, I could not handle being in a place where that is not allowed by some daft jobsworth!
Wed, 31/08/2011 - 09:15
#12
Re: What's the best touring bike? (2)
I am not a big tourer, time and kids and a nagging wife mean I only get away for 1 week a year. This year we made it as far as Salzburg before turning round and heading for home.
My touring buddy has a VFR800 which you would think would be ideal for this kind of trip, but prefers to take his Triumph 675 Daytona. The reasoning being that he wants a sportsbike for the twisty bits as they are the bits he will remember 20 years from now and he wants them to be as good as possible. Everything else he is prepared to compromise on.
Therefore, the best touring bike is whatever you have in the garage at the time. Don't get too hung up on having the right tool for the job as that might be a compromise too far.
Wed, 31/08/2011 - 09:38
#13
Re: What's the best touring bike? (2)
Herb, you have echoed the comments of most of us way back in the beginning of the topic, more or less word for word and amen to that.
The original question was some what more generic but it has turned into one of the best threads on here.
I understand what your friend says. That is why I enjoy my hauls on the Monkeystrada though for a slightly different reason. Everything happens so slowly on that and in a unique way that all of the journey is memorable!
Wed, 31/08/2011 - 09:54
#14
Re: What's the best touring bike? (2)
Shuggiemac, I am late to the party. I will have to go back and read the whole of the first thread. I am also catching up with some of the other earlier threads, had a good laugh at the celebrity thread yesterday which I think is 2 years old.
Wed, 31/08/2011 - 10:42
#15
Re: What's the best touring bike? (2)
Don't pay the ransom, I've escaped...
Seriously, working like a drover's dog has kept me away from this fine haunt for a while - but I wanted to express my thanks to the Cap'n for helping me enjoy some of the fruits of my labour. The criteria he posted convinced me to order a new BMW R1200RT a while back, for what has turned into a 5 month tour of Europe and the UK from April - with my better half. The bike hasn't arrived yet but I'm sure it will be great - 'cause by looking at his criteria the Cap'n made me do it!
"The best touring bike has a very comfortable seat for two."
Check
"It floats over ruts in the road and yet feeds back genuine tactile informative feel to it's rider of how much grip is available."
Pretty much - although the telelever probably trades some feel for great anti-dive and stability
"It has brakes that stop it in a equal distance to the better bikes currently available, but with feel and progressive delivery."
Check
"It's tank range should certainly be capable of getting the bike 200 miles without having to push it and frugality a bonus."
Check
"The screen it wears should not create turbulence whilst remaining relatively quiet and protective within reason. The engine should have a smooth linear delivery, be torque laden suffice for effortlessly legal speeds overtakes and powerful enough to cruise all day long at a 90-100 mph for those that want to."
Check - but another 20 horses wouldn't be wasted...
"It's got to be capable of strapping luggage to it without damage or Kypton Factor finalist winning abilities. And yet it's weight should not detract from the riding experience once the road tightens and the pillion and luggage have been jettisoned."
Got luggage - and the bike is very lightweight, for a tourer
"Niceties would include miles until empty counters, cruise control for monotonous stretches, heated grips, hand guards/protection, ABS and traction control."
Check
"Power modes? Electronic manual-selected suspension? Nice theories / techno-horn waving, just not absolute existential to have in reality IMHO."
Check anyway... (well apart from the power modes - but it does have traction control, though I'm not 100% sure why...)
"So Giles Brandreth "who lives with a bike like that"?"
Pick Me! Pick Me!
But then, as Kevin pointed out - it is an old bloke's bike...
Cheers from Oz
Wed, 31/08/2011 - 11:07
#16
Re: What's the best touring bike? (2)
Good to have you back, even if it means you'll have to change your handle to R1200rtwood, or perhaps zztopboxwood....
That's 3 known contributors that have jumped ship, albeit into 3 entirely different liferafts.
Wed, 31/08/2011 - 11:30
#17
Re: What's the best touring bike? (2)
Hey silvercub, don't know if I've jumped ship - the VFR is still in the garage!
Not sure about the wooden topbox handle you're referring to?
Cheers from Oz
Wed, 31/08/2011 - 11:18
#18
Re: What's the best touring bike? (2)
My, you have been working hard!
Wed, 31/08/2011 - 18:27
#19
Re: What's the best touring bike? (2)
Herb, I think it would take an eternity to read all of the threads on here as some of them have become huge and all the better for it. This one has had the lot, including some controversy that has een some unsavoury characters come and thankfully go.
The celbebrity news is great, one of my favourites. Mind you not being a resident of the sceptred isle any more, I have no idea who the woman buying the Guzzi is!
Wed, 31/08/2011 - 19:31
#20
Re: What's the best touring bike? (2)
Mt Shuggiemac, congratulations, and this does sound like one of those internet adverts, but you have just won a prize for... very appropriately considering what you've just written... posting the 10,000th comment in this forum!
Sorry silvercub but you missed it by one...
I'm pretty sure what the prize will be but I'll double check first. But let me know your hand size please!
The celeb by the way is some woman from Eastenders a few years ago, and the storyline is true roughly up to the Daleks, haha. Can't remember her name and can't be bothered to find out... but it's typical of a lot of press releases, as if some forgotten soap actor buying a Guzzi is somehow going to boost sales of it.
Don't think so.
Thu, 01/09/2011 - 01:29
#21
Re: What's the best touring bike? (2)
"I wanted to express my thanks to the Cap'n for helping me enjoy some of the fruits of my labour. The criteria he posted convinced me to order a new BMW R1200RT"
... erm, you're welcome! Hard to go too far wrong with an RT. I've come close to buying one myself more than once, the GS's usually getting in the way. But in present guises I'd take the RT over another GS, especially for two-up big miles. It's 50-60 kilo lighter than the Pan-Euro and K16GT and despite not doing 150 mph in the blink of an eye, it's not slow and in terms of practicality it's genuinely hard to think of a better all round bike isn't it? Good to have you back RTWood and I hope you enjoy your new boxer...
Thu, 01/09/2011 - 08:52
#22
Re: What's the best touring bike? (2)
Mr Ash
It's entirely appropriate that Mr Shuggiemac should get the award:
a) as a veteran correspondent
b) saying the right thing at exactly the right time
c) dropping enough hints that he longs to get his mitts on something or other
However.....as a purveyor of exclusive motorcycling gear, a recipient of countless Ducati freebies for his shameless plugging of the brand, might I suggest that you direct your enquiry at the size of his conk. Simply cut off the thumb and - voila! - the perfect nosewarmer for icy rides on the Monkeystrada.
As to the remaining glove, well...how about a New Romantic Award?
(unseemly fracas breaks out in wings between silvercub and apriliagirl).
How about this for Moto Guzzi nostalgia, with a real star, without any CE- approved protection
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JDgTld7Yt8&feature=related
Thu, 01/09/2011 - 16:01
#23
Re: What's the best touring bike? (2)
How about this for Moto Guzzi nostalgia, with a real star, without any CE- approved protection
Oh I expect the hotpants were Kevlar. Without wishing to sound too patronising, she was riding that bike really well, and I mean for a bike rider, not a woman or film star.
Helpful advice on Shuggie's prize all noted, I'll order the extra large then, though it might be worth keeping the thumb in place as a receptacle for runny nose issue at the next Elefant Rally.
Thu, 01/09/2011 - 19:15
#24
Re: What's the best touring bike? (2)
Well done Shuggie though I'd question the distinct white colouring on the prominent two fingers . . . possible useful against daft car drivers.
Fri, 02/09/2011 - 02:31
#25
Re: What's the best touring bike? (2)
Congratulations shuggie, a deserved winner - though I'm a little concerned that Kev has positioned this site as "the best motorcycle forum on the web for riders with brains and good manners"
Bugger! I was enjoying it here...
Cheers from Oz
Fri, 02/09/2011 - 10:08
#26
Re: What's the best touring bike? (2)
I'm a little concerned that Kev has positioned this site as "the best motorcycle forum on the web for riders with brains and good manners"
Bugger! I was enjoying it here...
Cheers from Oz
Don't worry, we make special allowances for Aussies or there wouldn't be any on here...
Fri, 02/09/2011 - 12:14
#27
Re: What's the best touring bike? (2)
Don't worry, we make special allowances for Aussies or there wouldn't be any on here...
I see, just like MotoGP...
Fri, 02/09/2011 - 17:47
#28
Re: What's the best touring bike? (2)
Mr Ash
How about this for Moto Guzzi nostalgia, with a real star, without any CE- approved protection
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JDgTld7Yt8&feature=related
Ooohhh!!! I think I'm in love!!
Congrats to shuggie too....
Fri, 02/09/2011 - 21:46
#29
Re: What's the best touring bike? (2)
Well these two weeks just could not get any better. I am on holiday with the family in the South of France, bouncing about on the Med in my little Zodiac dinghy with its mighty six horse power of Yamaha's very finest outboard!!! The news of the win was the very unexpected icing on the cake. All absolutely marvellous. The fortuitous post was thus a real fluke as I am not able to visit as usual and well I am chuffed to bits to say the least. A big thanks to Kevin for the prize and whilst I could have handled another Diavel in the garage, the gloves are a worthy alternative. In saying that if Ducati want to swap them for a back wheel for the ST2 that would be great as well as it chewed its rear wheel bearing on the way to the Brno Moto GP and bloody hell what a mess it made. The wheel is a write off!
Anyway I think that we should all feel pretty chuffed that the 10,000 post mark has come up and it is testament to the quality of the site overall, along with the calibre of the forum contributions, that it has reached that mark.
Here's to the next 10,000 and if anyone is in the Prague area they are welcome to come and take a look at my gloves but no touching !!!
Sun, 04/09/2011 - 10:53
#30
Re: What's the best touring bike? (2)
Congrats to Kev and all on 10,000, and shuggie for winning the gloves. A very enjoyable site without the agro that exists on others.
I still reckon my VStrom 650 DLA beats most expensive tourers for oomph, comfort and value for money touring.
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Due to a technical issue, the best touring bike thread is being continued here, while the old one has been locked. I hope it's not too much of an inconvenience!