Sport tourer

[Iowa Guy]

Before spring breaks loose, I am looking for a medium sized sport tourer for my son. He finished his season with the ninja 250 and I'd like to get him something to go on a trip with me. But he doesn't like the looks of a full dresser or the harley style either. He is at a fickle age so I'd like to get something that I wouldn't mind taking out either. It doesn't have to be a yamaha, just something that would be comfortable to ride all day. And I don't mind buying a used bike and actually prefer them.

 

Got any recommendations for a used sport tourer?

 

Iowa Guy:7_6_2[1]:

[flb_78]

Honda ST1100 or Kawasaki Concours 1000. Both can be had used for around 3000 for a decent one.

[painterman67]

My wife loves ger shadow 1100. There is one in the classified section along with a suzuki bulevard c50 I think. I love the boulevards. Nice bike and a comfortable ride for short legged peaple like me.

 

 

 

David

[skydoc_17]

Hey Tim,

This just came up on Ebay and is an excellent road bike for a young person. Sporty, PLENTY of power, a V4 like Dad's. The Ebay item number is:

110491052900

(Disclaimer: I do not personally know the seller or have first hand knowledge of this motorcycle)

Current bid price is $2100.00 and that is very reasonable for this nice a bike. With only 3,1xx miles this is a cherry.

I have attached a pic below. I have owned a few of the V4 Honda's and loved them all. Plus they make a very nice aftermarket windshield for these bikes.

Don't show this to your son unless you are ready to buy it for him!

Earl

[Monty]

THIS is a real sport touring bike.

http://www.dirks-motorradseiten.de/FJR_silverstorm2007.jpg

 

 

I have a few friends that have these FJRs, and they love them.

[cb1313]

I owned one years ago. Very stange bike but great middle size tourer. If your son wants eveyone to look his bike over the P/C draws attention. Plus you can use it to run around town without getting your bike out.

 

Cb

[RandyR]

Buy it for me Dad....

 

 

Hey Tim,

This just came up on Ebay and is an excellent road bike for a young person. Sporty, PLENTY of power, a V4 like Dad's. The Ebay item number is:

110491052900

(Disclaimer: I do not personally know the seller or have first hand knowledge of this motorcycle)

Current bid price is $2100.00 and that is very reasonable for this nice a bike. With only 3,1xx miles this is a cherry.

I have attached a pic below. I have owned a few of the V4 Honda's and loved them all. Plus they make a very nice aftermarket windshield for these bikes.

Don't show this to your son unless you are ready to buy it for him!

Earl

[Iowa Guy]

Honda ST1100 or Kawasaki Concours 1000. Both can be had used for around 3000 for a decent one.

 

Okay, these two look like possibilities. I just have to look at ebay and Craigs List.

 

Iowa Guy

[Guest seuadr]

bear in mind the concours can be a bit top heavy, more so than the st1100. both have gobs of power, too, so that will be an ajustment for him. personally, i'd look at something like a v-strom 650, lots of power for the road, but not too much, low center of gravity, handles great, and be had cheap.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Suzuki-VStrom-V-Strom-V-Strom-DL650-DL-650_W0QQitemZ140378641977QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUS_motorcycles?hash=item20af381639

 

along these lines. just my

[uncledj]

I have an 85 Honda Nighthawk CB700sc that I was suprised to find is considered a sport touring bike.

It's a great bike, and was ahead of it's time when built in the 80s. Fast, reliable, shaft drive, looks really cool, handles like a sportbike, but without having to lean forward like on the crotch rockets.

I mostly ride the Venture now, but every now and again, I'll take it out for a joyride. It seems tiny when you're used to the Venture.

You should be able to pick one up fairly inexpensively.

I put a luggage rack on mine, but if I was going to do a lot of traveling I'd want to figure a way to secure more stuff on the back.

[FJR Rider]

I owned a '95 1st Gen (version 2 ... 94 or later) Concours, and currently own a 2d Gen FJR ('06 or later). Considering your comment regarding who the bike is for, I'd endorse looking for a Pacific Coast 800 or a Suzuki V-Strom 650.

 

But, as mentioned you can find some really good deals on used Concours out there and it's a fantastic bike. While the 1st Gen Concours is (and was even while they were still selling them) a little dated in technology, it does have a 997cc engine with close to 100 hp...it has no problem getting out of its own way, and will hold its own in the twisties. It also has a very nice, silky smooth six-speed gearbox. The bike is easy to work on and very easy to make modifications to (I had plenty on mine..there are a few you can see in the pix and quite a few you can't see). The other nice thing about the Concours is the Concours Owners Group .. you think folks around here are passionate about what they ride Is a Connie top heavy? Yes...that's a 7.5 gallon gas tank sitting up there. But once moving you'll never notice, but it can be handful until you get used to it.

[rod]

+ 1 on the ST or Connie. The Connie can have rust issues with the gas tank and fuel valve leading to carb issues. Also I would throw in a Honda VFR a BMW. Hard to find one cheap but worth the $. Good luck Rod

[midnightventure]

There seems to be some confusion about what a sport tourer is here.

[Godlover]

Not too far from you in Maxwell, Iowa

 

2006 Kawasaki Concours ZG1000 - $6000 (Maxwell)

 

Date: 2010-01-10, 9:57AM CST

Reply to: sale-e2x5f-1545856906@craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]

 

Purchased new in '07, still under factory 3 year warranty. Extras include factory service manual, handlebar risers, footpeg lowering brackets, highway pegs, rear top trunk, bag liners and more. 6950 miles, mint condition, always stored in heated garage, never dropped. All maintenance done. Buy now before the riding season starts. Will entertain partial trades such as a newer lincoln or hobart mig welder, JD square baler, hunting equipment, or utility ATV. Title in hand, cash or cashiers check only. 5-1-5-3-0-6-1-6-4-4 No spammers!!!

 

Location: Maxwell

it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests

[Guest tx2sturgis]

There seems to be some confusion about what a sport tourer is here.

 

I noticed that too.

 

 

If a new bike becomes an option, you might look at this, its a midsize sport tourer, new, from Honda:

 

http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/624/4501/Motorcycle-Article/2010-Honda-NT700V-Touring-First-Look.aspx

 

http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/117/5327/Motorcycle-Article/2010-Honda-NT700V-First-Ride.aspx

 

http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/photogallerys/large/2010-honda-NT700V-5.jpg

Edited February 7, 2010 by tx2sturgis

[midnightventure]

Here is one that is probably to far away.

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=544502

Here is an older Connie and an st1300

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=547101

[RandyR]

I noticed that too.

If a new bike becomes an option, you might look at this, its a midsize sport tourer, new, from Honda:

 

http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/624/4501/Motorcycle-Article/2010-Honda-NT700V-Touring-First-Look.aspx

 

http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/117/5327/Motorcycle-Article/2010-Honda-NT700V-First-Ride.aspx

 

I like it. It looks like Honda's answer to the Vstrom which I also like. It would be fun to ride this Honda and the Vstrom back to back for comparison.

[atlm]

There seems to be some confusion about what a sport tourer is here.

 

 

Without knowing more about your son and his riding style, we'd all be shooting in the dark. What was it specifically about the Ninja 250 that your son has outgrown? How much does he weigh? Does he like acceleration and speed, or is he more laid back?

 

I sold my V-Strom 650 when I bought my RSV. It's a great bike and makes a great tourer, but with its 19" front wheel and cheap suspension, it's not a sport tourer. With the right rider, it can hustle through corners. But with the same rider on a true sport tourer, those corners can be taken much faster with less pucker factor.

 

There's a lot of fun friendly debate in this forum about new bikes versus old bikes, but I'll also throw out that, as far as sport and sport touring bikes go, they get better every year. If you want to spend your time with your son riding instead of tinkering and fixing, I'd get something recent, with fuel injection.

 

Just like all of us, your son has to like his bike. If he's like 99% of young people, he'll want something that is "cool" to his friends. That means he'll likely want a sportbike, not some "old persons" bike. (my wife and I affectionately call our RSV our GeezerGlide).

 

The good thing is that almost all modern sportbikes can be easily modified for touring use, with handlebar risers, a slightly larger windshield, and bags, which can quickly be removed when not touring.

[Patrick46]

Atlm...what didn't you like about the V-Strom?? waz it a DL650, or the DL1000??

 

I've heard that the 650 is one of the most comfortable, and fun bikes to ride solo that was ever built. I've really been considering one for myself. (gotta finish my latest hot-rod project first, before I aquire any new toys )

[Condor]

Buy him an '83 or '84 first generation VR and take the saddles and trunk off.....

[clydegator]

the honda magna is comfortable sport tourer

[Monty]

The Honda Magna is a cruiser, like alot of the suggestions so far have been.

 

These are sport tourers...

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i274/13thAFMonterey/sport_touring_04_main.jpg

 

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i274/13thAFMonterey/ST_GRoup.jpg

Edited February 9, 2010 by Monty

[hig4s]

If he really wants a sport-touring to standard style bike, think the best smaller ones out there are the 650 V-strom, the 650 Bandit, and the 750 ZR7S

 

All three have Givi mounts available, before my RSV I rode a ZR7S with a three bag Givi setup and a custom Mayer seat and a taller touring wind screen. I had no problems going 400 miles a day and certainly could have gone longer if I were younger.

 

they stopped bringing them to the US in 03.

 

Wow, I found this pic on the web, I had the more streamlined Givi bags, E45 side and V46 trunk, but this bike is the same color and has the same seat and windscreen I had.

[hig4s]

here is the bags and trunk I had on mine.

[atlm]

Patrick46,

 

The V-Strom 650 was the first bike I bought for mostly 2-up riding. Almost all of my (16) street bikes before it were sportbikes and what are now called "standards". The stock V-Strom seat is horrible. For driver comfort, that was the only thing that absolutely had to be changed. With the Sargent seat, I could go a lot of miles.

 

The issue we could not overcome on it was long distance (over 120 miles) passenger comfort. With the stock seat, we couldn't go more than about 40 miles at a time, and after about 100 she was done for the day. With the Sargent seat, we could go about 60 on the first stint, and then about 60 more (total for the day) before the discomfort outweighed the fun for her. We tried everything we could think of, including sheepskin, beads, and a Butt Buffer, which was the best of the 3, and gave us a max daily range of about 150 miles. Since the North GA mountains (where we like to ride) are about 70 miles away, I ended up buying a trailer, and trailering the bike to the mountains, riding, and trailering it back.

 

The issue on that bike for the passenger isn't so much the seat as it is the seating position. The passenger sits straight up, with all their weight on their "sitting bones" as we called them, and almost no room to change position. Also, the passenger has footpegs, with no other place to move their feet. So they're stuck in 1 position the whole ride.

 

Since the entire reason I sold my sportbikes to buy the V-Strom was for 2-up riding, we decided to try the RSV, which she LOVES. We've done 350+ mile days with no complaints.

 

From a driver's perspective, my biggest complaint about the V-Strom was its cheap suspension. I've been spoiled by modern sportbikes with high end suspension, and the V-Strom felt vague when pushed somewhat hard, sapping rider confidence. If I had bought the bike to ride solo, I could have upgraded the suspension, but it would cost a lot and with it's relatively skinny forks and thin rear swingarm, it still wouldn't be up to sportbike standards.

 

Not that the 2nd gen RSV has great suspension or handling. It's worse in the corners than the V-Strom. But my wife is happy on the back and it's super comfy, so it serves its current purpose well.

 

I used to think that one day I'd find the "perfect bike". I finally realized that all bikes are a compromise, and do some things well and some things not so well. You have to determine the primary purpose of the bike and know your own riding style, and then you can choose the best bike for you for that purpose.