dave's sport tourer musing thread
 

so since ive been riding the cm much more its becoming increasingly apparent that its rather unsuited for long range cruising which was one of the many roles i had originally hoped it could assume. with that in mind im kinda compiling a list of bikes for myself that ought to fill my needs. this is really more for me than you guys but hell if you have suggestions im open to em.

yzf1000
rf 900
zx11D
zx9
cbr1100
umm

I will say the ZX9 would be awesome... I thought my 6 was fine for my trip... I was geared down so it didn't get the greatest gas milage... but it wasn't bad.... 150-170 per tank (37-42mpg)

and the headlights are FUCKING AWESOME... especially if you go with a dual hi/lo HID kit... as anyone who rode infront of me to indy :lol:

The yzf1000 would be sweet for that. Its set up a lot like my yzf600 which is really comfortable but has a lot more power to it.

My 2000 R1 got 50mpg on most of my fill ups on the way to indy. I think its running a little rich even.

damn that's really good... but weren't you telling me that the bike was geared up? (cause the previous owner was scared of the power?) if that's the case then yes... you'd get better gas mileage as the motors running at a lower pace at freeway speeds.

hopefully tonight after work i can expand upon my list with specific details for each bike (hp/tq, wet weight, fuel cap, fuel delivery system, etc) along with my percieved pros and cons for each one. :thumbs:

Dude, I think you have big fucking rats in your house. In your sig I see something scurry across the floor. :panic:

Pardon me for pointing out the obvious! But a Busa or ZX14 the Connie14 are all going to be superior sport touring machines with the ZX14 and Busa being the stronger on the sport side. The only one on your list I have saddle time on is the CBR1100 and I can say without any question in my mind that a Gen 1 busa handles better and rides smoother with better braking. Mileage is at your wrist and with it range The new Gen2 are reported to be a better bike still for touring (no saddle time here) I notice you didn’t mention anything accept jap bikes leaving out the Duc Touring Machines the BMWs the Sprints .
If budget is your thing take a long look at a 04 – 07 up Hard core Busa owners are jumping up to the Gen 2s and any number of wannabes who bought then and left them sitting and are now trying to escape the payment

thats no shit, it was like riding with a friggin CAR! I kept having to check as I thought a car was right up my exhaust, but noooooo, just Ebbs and those HIDs...

I kinda agree with Nh on this one, as long as you arent stupid with the power, the busa does make for a great touring bike...

On the other choices..hmm, i know the yzf's are a good ride, but not too much input on the others...:idk:

For sport/touring, no one ever mentions the most important (to me anyway) thing that can't be fixed by a higher windscreen, higher bars, better seat, etc. And that is vibration. The Busa has a mean vibration around 4,500. I would get the Blackbird. It's smooth as silk, quick, and comfortable. And for only $4K: http://denver.craigslist.org/mcy/839913256.html. What a steal.

I am have an 05 Busa and have never noticed any sort of vibration at 4500 mine had a slight stumble right around 3800. On My 05 I went with the Beull Pegs (drops them about 1.25 inches and cost $25) anthe Heli Bars wich raises themabout 1.5 inches and opens them about .25 inches then added the heated grips
The BB's are nice though and if you can find a good one at the right price I certainly would land on it.

so what your saying is you couldn't stop stare'n at my headlights... but wouldn't show me yours... :idk:

thats my kitten max returning from a playful romp in the basement!

busas are so common here you cant even spit at the ground without hitting one. i dont care how good the bike may be, i aint riding it if a hundred other fuckers do too. proof for my point. type hayabusa into ebaymotors. theres about NINETY listings...compare that to any other bike you can think of (gsx-r excluded those are also out for the same reasons, though i do find the old pre srad era 750s with the double glass headlights under plastic oddly attractive) the zx-14 is unbelieveably ugly...case closed. and the new connie..well i actually like the new connie quite a bit. 'specially in that new black. problem with it is its wayy too new. im sorta working in the theoretical budget of around 4k, less if possible. gotta pay that mortgage you know? though in a perfect world id looove a black connie 14 with a zx14 turbo kit. super sleeper :dthumb: anyway to answer the second half of this, i'll address all three individually. ducs: non ss versions look wierd as hell, are still expensive, and have lower intervals between service than a big four inline. bmw: waaay too wierd looking for me. only one i really like is the hp2 sport and perhaps the s1000rr whenever they release photos of the production version. triumph: i actually like sprints a lot but i only care for the newer ones with the triple headlight layout. the older 955i twin light ones are mildly hideous. again here, price. im sure now that this can of worms has been opened marco is gonna jump in here and start pushing firebolts and sportys lol

the new Triumph sprints newer models with the tripple headlights... as odd as it is... their headlights SUCK... every review I read said that... a friend had one in AK and he said they're the worst headlights he's ever had on any bike... he's ridden for 19 years. don't know how much that effects your choice though

I cant believe nobody has mentioned the CBR1000F, the 87-96 models like No Worries has. only about half a second slower in the 1/4 mile than an 05 1kRR but still VERY sport touring capable.

I'd take just about any decent bike honestly. The newer CBR600RR would be sweet with some mild bar risers to bring those bars up about 2" and back a little, make it a little bit more relaxed and put a taller windscreen on it.

ANY bike really can be made into a sport tourer, you just gotta know how to accessorize it right. Personally, I'd like an FJR1300, just keep it pretty much stock and I'd rock the hell outta it.

Its got stock gearing on it now. This is also with quite a few power mods, and i think its running a little rich (a fair bit of build up on the inside of the exhaust tip.)

:iagree: FJ's rock but aren't cheap. Stay the F away from the RF 6 or 9. They r just old school gixxers and just as uncomfortable.

Yes I would agree the Busa is a relatively common rig witch ironically makes them less expensive and easier to maintain and have a larger aftermarket supply of parts. Sadly the reason you see so many of them for sale is that the people that bought them had no real clue as to what they were buying.
At the price point you have identified I would be searching for a BB myself. A sport touring machine by design by people that redefined the Touring Market it is hard to beat. (Just a silly question ever ridden a Goldwing of any era? If you get a chance try one it is a hell of lot more of a sport bike that most people imagine and maintained they easily make 200k miles with no difficulty)
Having ridden the new Connie I will tell you is a Great cross between my Goldwing and my Busa Great ride and smooth balls to the wall performance . They are a tough package to beat at their price point.

I still have my Near mint 2001 Yamaha FZ1 (1000cc) is for sale. New rubber front and back, Soft sportbags included. And I am only like 40 minutes from you. (if your in Cherry Hill)
Let me know. Its on ebay right now but I'll end it if you want it. The bike is very powerfull and fast. And clean with clear title in hand.

see when i said yzf, i meant 97 yzf :dthumb: the thunderace was arguably the last of the old school 1000s after the fireblade changed all the rules

And a sweet one at that.

If you'd consider stretching the definition of "sport" just a bit....to include a bit more power and a bit less sport...for your touring needs, consider a M109-R....I've done several 400 mile+ days through the twisties and come away none the worse for the wear.

It's a fantastic bike....IMHO, of course. :dthumb:

I have a 2003 Hayabusa that I use for sport-touring duties. It's decked out with hard bags, GPS, XM, Throttlemeisters, ZG ST windscreen. I've got about 52,000 miles on it, 46 states under her belt, and I've never had a problem with any kind of vibration at any rpm. I don't leave it at 4500 rpm either though. The *super* sweet spot is about 5100 rpm. Unfortunately, in 6th gear, that also translates to about 95. :D

Of those listed, the ZX-11 is a hell of a touring mount, comfortable as hell with some nice power to stomp out some long mileage. The wheelbase and weight make for some smooth cruising on rougher roads and against crosswinds. The little lockable storage compartment is good for a wallet, some cash, or other small bits and pieces, and it'll take to soft bags without fuss. The centerstand is also nice to have, especially on a touring setup.

Also along those lines, the ZZR1200 is essentially a mild evolution of the ZX-11, but more geared towards the touring.

A Thunderace would be an excellent bike, though I'm not sure it'd be so hot as a tourer. Their range is a little weak, and they're thirsty beasts. On top of that, I have yet to come across one that hasn't been beat to death by the owner, time, or a combo of the two. The bike is rare enough as it is, but a clean example that is for sale is a truly rare find.

Not sure what busa YOU rode...but none I've ridden had ANY vibration....mine certainly didn't

As a matter of fact here's what I've owned (supertouring bikes) in order

http://www.troybaker.com/bird/bird052.jpg

http://www.troybaker.com/bmw/black14.jpg

http://www.troybaker.com/busa/busa05.jpg


Rode the Blackbird to Key west from NC

Rode the Beemer to canada from NC

Rode the Busa to mexico from NC


The busa did the best...was the most comfortible, and overall best bike for any kind of riding with miles of hiway.

never a vibration no matter what speed or HOW it was loaded down

The one bike here, that I forgot to mention earlier, and am SHOCKED to see left out of the list, is the old VFR 750's of the 90's which came with gear drive cams, a rock solid design and dependability of unspoken levels, plus comfort to accomodate LONG ASS rides. I think they looked a fair bit newer than they were too, which was another point in their favor. I'd love a mid 90's VFR 750 for a sport touring toy. V4 torque, no cam chain tensioners, famed Honda dependability, really not much of a down side.

I'll give you one big downside. The VFR has a noticeable lack of power from the bigger sport-tourers. My best friend that tours with me has a VFR800, and on occasion we will switch, and I can definitely notice the power difference from my Busa.

I think you're delusional, G-Rex. The VFR is down on power, huh? Come on over this way and we'll swap bikes for a while. You'll get to see what "down on power" really means :lol:

bill you realize thats trace right? :whistle:

I know. I think he's spent too much time on that damn busa if he says the VFR is down on power. Of COURSE it's down on power compared to a busa. Every vehicle on the planet is down on power compared to a busa :lol:

So very true!! I have no complaints on touring on my VFR. :idk:

Well...you're a GIRL.....so you lack the NEED to destroy all others on the road

:lol:

If a man is walking down a path in the woods and come upon a spider web in his way and needs to remove it......and looks down and see's a perfectly good stick....sitting next to a flame thrower...WHICH one will we pick up?

Got me there!! Ha!!!!!!!!!

No one has mentioned the FJR1300? This is a great sport tourer, and was built for the purpose. Have to say I love mine.

dont be so shocked. a friend has one. heavy ugly and constantly broken. 2 of 3 i can deal with buttt...

and i actually like the fjr. just havent had a chance to get up close to one yet

You already have a sport touring machine. I thought the 954 toured wonderfully.

nice sarcasm there. i can stay on it all day, even with the stock seat. however this whole thread is a loose excuse to stuff another bike in my garage.

go with the busa and move on. plus parts are cheap cause all the floridians have to have the chrome parts so they swap'm right away!

Man, that's such an awful stereotype. True, there are a bunch of squids out there who have piled on a ton of chrome to their Busa, but really, those people are in the minority. Inferring that most Busas are streched and chromed is just ignorant and short sited.

Everyone knows the stretched out squid bike of choice down here is the ZX-14. Only queerbags are still pimping out their Busa when the uglier and one pubic hair faster according to the mags yo ZX-14 is da hot shit. Ninja fo lyfe!

those things are fucking hideous looking. for the last time no

There was no sarcasm... The 954 was a very capable tourer... the only real gripe I had was that the range was pretty lousy... 120 or so miles, it's time to find a gas station...

Whats aweful, it my busa JUST had chrome wheels (bought it that way...hell it looked nice with the color scheme) and it attracted thugs and ballahs like a moth to a flame.

I had to get rid of the busa (despite liking it about the best of any bike I've had) because I knew I'd park it somewhere and go in a store for 5 minutes...come out..and it'd be GONE!

ah my apologys. you only get 120 out of yours? thats about when my light comes on. not quite sure how much reserve it has over that though.

Yeah but that Was a Molested Bike...You find one in better shape and you'd be ok...I like the VFR's A little Funny Looking but there a Neat Machine.

ZX-11D1 rider here.

At this point I'd recomend everyone to stay away from them, but it's been a great ride for me for those long trips. Averages 42-50MPG and has a big old 6.1 gallon tank (do the math).
Soaks up the miles as 500+ lbs of obese motorcycle smooths out the ride. Not too bad in the handling department (for the age and weight of the bike).

Plus for those overnight stays....thieves have trouble moving the thing.

Just to make sure you understand...under no circumstances should you consider a ZX-11D. Expect worn suspensions, rods about to be thrown, 100-200lbs of junk in the trunk (they are easy to work on, decent power delivery and cheap to insure)

interesting, i'll likely keep it in consideration as i have no issues rebuilding shit. just have to add a check into parts supply via bike bandit or similar

but this being a sport touring... reliability should be your TOP concern... it's more likely that a rod isn't gonna throw in your driveway... more likely 150 miles from the nearest parts store in BFE Kansas.

just something to keep in mind.

Depends on how I'm riding and if I have good gas... That was probably most of the problem during the trip... Crap gas and I hardly ever took it out of 3rd gear...

i seem to produce some kind of electrical field where engines only fail in my driveway. to be honest as long as it had a fresh oil pump and good lube id trust just about anything

if im cruising (highway) i'll usually kick up to 6th to try and offset any asshole moments. rest of times i tend to keep it around 6000. good noise comprimise, decent passing power and just a kick and a twist away from the meat of the powerband...just in case :dthumb:

humm... I seem to produce just the opposite! :lol: so strong infact that ANY problems that are severe enough to require a tow truck or a tow... will happen 2.5 miles down a trail, by myself, out of cell range, on a part that I just took out of my truck, and at the beginning of a holiday weekend in which the only shop within 500 miles is closed for the remainder of. oh... and usually there will be some meeting/date that I was ALREADY late for.

I have to disagree about the comfort. I had a 900 and was quite comfy and i am 6'4. i think the toughest thing with an Rf is finding parts for it.

Tom

if my futura blows up this year thats prolly the bike I will get.

Tom