What a touring bike should have - Part IV

[XV1100SE]

Continuation of poll...

[chabicheka]

2 wheels...handlebar with clutch and brake handles,engine..(.important)...seat...side stand, widshield helps...will add other items once i can find the parts list....or a photo of a motor bike.

 

But none of the above is any good if you dont have the roads...

 

[stroker ace]

If the twin is water cooled and smooth 130 hp or so, I would look.

[camos]

What's so good about a V-twin? Seems the only way to get enough power out of them is to make them bigger. Which around here means the insurance tax goes up.

 

My Virago is 1100 cc and develops 62 hp while 750 cc in a 4 cylinder will put out 80-100 hp. HD is the only one to produce a V-twin that sounds really good but to do that they had to accept a lot of vibration. Would V-twins be so prevalent if there was no Harley Davidson?

 

The best looking and most capable lights are HID projectors. Not on the list?

I get driving lights and fog lights but what the heck are passing lights?

 

Electric windshield.

[stroker ace]

What's so good about a V-twin? Seems the only way to get enough power out of them is to make them bigger. Which around here means the insurance tax goes up.

 

My Virago is 1100 cc and develops 62 hp while 750 cc in a 4 cylinder will put out 80-100 hp. HD is the only one to produce a V-twin that sounds really good but to do that they had to accept a lot of vibration. Would V-twins be so prevalent if there was no Harley Davidson?

 

The best looking and most capable lights are HID projectors. Not on the list?

I get driving lights and fog lights but what the heck are passing lights?

 

Electric windshield.

 

 

IMHO NO everyone wants to copy Hardley remember back in the 70's -80's most were building inline 4's and 6's CBX except for the obvious.

[motorcycle_1300]

Although I don't feel that a V-Twin would make a good touring engine, I would consider it if a 4 or 6 or 8 option was not available elsewhere. the V-Twin would have to incorporate some innovative technology to make it cruise comfortably at Highway speeds +15. It would have to have the acceleration of a Venture at a minimum. It would have to be quiet and nothing on the bike should shake at a stop light. So yes I might consider it but doubt the technology exists to meet my needs

 

Al

[icebrrg3rd]

Let's see, it would need a fixed fairing, room for floorboards, relaxed seating and foot position, plenty of baggage, smooth running, power adj windshield, air ride, ABS, FI, LED lights, HID, dual headlights, mounting space for GPS & phone, radio/USB/SD card/aux in (no CD or cassette players), cruise, center stand (with assist), reverse, intercom/CB, removable trunk, I can come up with more.

 

-Andrew

 

p.s. water cooled, full fairing protection, heated seat/grips, vents for heat or fresh (cool) air flow, etc.

[Prairiehammer]

Let's see, it would need a fixed fairing, room for floorboards, relaxed seating and foot position, plenty of baggage, smooth running, power adj windshield, air ride, ABS, FI, LED lights, HID, dual headlights, mounting space for GPS & phone, radio/USB/SD card/aux in (no CD or cassette players), cruise, center stand (with assist), reverse, intercom/CB, removable trunk, I can come up with more.

 

-Andrew

 

p.s. water cooled, full fairing protection, heated seat/grips, vents for heat or fresh (cool) air flow, etc.

 

Sounds like some of us have already got the perfect touring bike in the First Gen:

Fixed fairing (check)

Room for floorboards (aftermarket)

Relaxed seating and foot position (Russell Day Long and highway pegs)

Plenty of luggage space (check)

Smooth running (check)

Power adjustable windshield (OK, not)

Air Ride (check)

ABS (I'll give you that one, but the linked brakes is nearly as effective)

FI (maybe, but a well tuned carb functions very well)

LED lights (many have converted the First Gen, right?)

HID (again, very doable and some have done so)

Dual Headlights (seen some dual HID projectors on a First Gen)

Mounting Space for GPS and Phone (check. Snagglestuds on mine give plenty of space for those items)

Radio/USB/SD card/aux in (check. Got them on my 1990)

Cruise (Yep!, got it)

Center Stand (Yep! Got it)

Reverse (As long as I have a co-rider, got it covered)

Intercom/CB (check. Once again the First Gen was ahead of it's time.)

Removable trunk (hmm, tough one there, you got me)

Water Cooled (check)

Full Fairing Protection (check, with Air Wings)

Heated Seat and Grips (aftermarket)

Vents for heat/cool (check, again with Air Wings)

 

As one can see the First Gen is nearly ideal with some user modifications. Can you tell I am very happy with mine?

 

And did I mention how inexpensively one can get this ideal touring motorcycle?

 

I know I am preaching to the choir, Andrew.

[camos]

IMHO NO everyone wants to copy Hardley remember back in the 70's -80's most were building inline 4's and 6's CBX except for the obvious.

Not sure what the NO is for. It did seem that everyone was trying to copy HD for the cruisers. Nothing wrong with copying a big success story and also make a better, more reliable bike at the same time. Cruisers are not necessarily so good for touring although the 2ndGen Venture does a very good job but did not try to do it with a V-twin. A pair of V-twins is more than doubly better.

 

A removable trunk was mentioned and the MkI has that feature, I think. Unfortunately Yamaha dropped it for the MkII. For me, the trunk is one of the things I miss the most when riding my Virago because that bike carries diddly squat.

 

A relaxed seating position was mentioned, I think that was probably referring to the feet forward position of the 2nd gen rather than the feet under position of the 1st gen.

[stroker ace]

 

My Virago is 1100 cc and develops 62 hp while 750 cc in a 4 cylinder will put out 80-100 hp. HD is the only one to produce a V-twin that sounds really good but to do that they had to accept a lot of vibration. Would V-twins be so prevalent if there was no Harley Davidson?

 

 

Not sure what the NO is for. It did seem that everyone was trying to copy HD for the cruisers. Nothing wrong with copying a big success story and also make a better, more reliable bike at the same time. Cruisers are not necessarily so good for touring although the 2ndGen Venture does a very good job but did not try to do it with a V-twin. A pair of V-twins is more than doubly better.

 

 

The answer to the question was NO. IMHO I don't think the V-twin would be so prevalent if not for Harley.

[icebrrg3rd]

Sounds like some of us have already got the perfect touring bike in the First Gen:

Fixed fairing (check)

Room for floorboards (aftermarket)

Relaxed seating and foot position (Russell Day Long and highway pegs)

Plenty of luggage space (check)

Smooth running (check)

Power adjustable windshield (OK, not)

Air Ride (check)

ABS (I'll give you that one, but the linked brakes is nearly as effective)

FI (maybe, but a well tuned carb functions very well)

LED lights (many have converted the First Gen, right?)

HID (again, very doable and some have done so)

Dual Headlights (seen some dual HID projectors on a First Gen)

Mounting Space for GPS and Phone (check. Snagglestuds on mine give plenty of space for those items)

Radio/USB/SD card/aux in (check. Got them on my 1990)

Cruise (Yep!, got it)

Center Stand (Yep! Got it)

Reverse (As long as I have a co-rider, got it covered)

Intercom/CB (check. Once again the First Gen was ahead of it's time.)

Removable trunk (hmm, tough one there, you got me)

Water Cooled (check)

Full Fairing Protection (check, with Air Wings)

Heated Seat and Grips (aftermarket)

Vents for heat/cool (check, again with Air Wings)

 

As one can see the First Gen is nearly ideal with some user modifications. Can you tell I am very happy with mine?

 

And did I mention how inexpensively one can get this ideal touring motorcycle?

 

I know I am preaching to the choir, Andrew.

 

Yeah, I like my 1st gen (Mk1) too. And remember, the '83-85 trunks & saddlebags ARE removable. And most, if not all (eventually), of that list WILL be on my bike.

 

-Andrew

[reddevilmedic]

seafoam?