What bike do you want today?

[Speed King]

I'm certain I could have a great time on one of these.

[rocker59]

Originally Posted by Speed King

I'm certain I could have a great time on one of these.

WOW! That is one super-clean nuovo Triumph!

[0ldhippie]

Originally Posted by blk-betty

Just bought it today

Lucky! That's the one I want!!

[0ldhippie]

Originally Posted by Speed King

I'm certain I could have a great time on one of these.

WOW! That is the second Koolest new triumph classic I've ever seen. Too bad they are pigs??

[ThomasVolomitz]

That Triumph is a Jack Pine bike.
http://www.temp.hammarhead.com/motorcycles/jack-pine

[0ldhippie]

Originally Posted by Rasthomas

That Triumph is a Jack Pine bike.
http://www.temp.hammarhead.com/motorcycles/jack-pine

Kool! If only it was 100 pounds lighter with 30+ more horse power.... Oh, that's the Norton.

[RageKage]

[McJamie]

I could use a little help, or maybe a smack in the head.......or maybe both.
For the first time in decades I'm in a position to buy pretty much any bike I want. There is no way the Department of War & Finance is going to let me buy several, so I better make the right choice. Do you think I can even come close to making a decision? Everytime I see something, I think, "that would work, I could ride that everyday".
So here's the not-so-short, short-list;

BMW R1200RT
Moto Guzzi Norge 8V
Yamaha FJR 1300
Honda ST1300
Kawasaki Vaquero ( I don't know why, I just really like the looks of it )
Kawasaki Versys 1000
Kawasaki Ninja 1000
Honda NT700
Triumph Bonnevilles ( SE/T100/Scrambler/McQueen edition )
Moto Guzzi V7 Classic
Yamaha FZ8

All but the last three, come with, or can have installed factory luggage. Aftermarket would look after the others. What I need is something that is easy to ride , has a reasonable seat height ( this eliminates the majority of ADV bikes ), has good leg room, and long-ish range from the fuel tank. Right now I have a DL 650 which has all of these things, except with the bags on it, I have a hard time getting my leg over. A bad accident a few years back means my hip and back don't move like they are supposed to.
Performance is not the most important thing, but it needs to be reasonable enough for me to be able to ride with my friends and not be holding them up. Comfort has to be first. I can't really do the cruiser thing. I like my motorcycles to be functional. And the feet forward bum pirate thing seems a bit silly to me. I ride in cold and crappy weather, so good protection and heated grips are important too.
The bike show is this weekend. Many dealers still have leftover 2011 and 2010's around. So I want to make a decision soon while there is lots to choose from, or before the boss decides to spend it somewhere else.
Any suggestions?

[ikonoklass]

Just saw the new Ducati Monster 1100 EVO in the latest Motorcyclist. Might need me one of those!

[Grainbelt]

Originally Posted by McJamie

Any suggestions?

You may want to start a new thread, this one is really just for bike porn.

[ThomasVolomitz]

Originally Posted by 0ldhippie

Kool! If only it was 100 pounds lighter with 30+ more horse power.... Oh, that's the Norton.

And what do you ride that is so light and powerful?

[jdgretz]

Originally Posted by McJamie

So here's the not-so-short, short-list;

BMW R1200RT
Moto Guzzi Norge 8V
Yamaha FJR 1300
Honda ST1300
Kawasaki Vaquero ( I don't know why, I just really like the looks of it )
Kawasaki Versys 1000
Kawasaki Ninja 1000
Honda NT700
Triumph Bonnevilles ( SE/T100/Scrambler/McQueen edition )
Moto Guzzi V7 Classic
Yamaha FZ8

I can't comment on the Kawasaki selections as I've either never ridden them, or they hold no interest to me. The top four shoot for the same demographic and are all similar - I'd add the NT700 in there as well although it is a smaller displacement bike, it is very practical for most needs. Obviously since I own a Norge, that is my preference. I rode the R1200RT and found it a bit boring - it works well but didn't excite me - that and the rear drive issue had me a bit concerned. The ST1300 is nice and smooth, good support, Honda reliability, etc. The FJR just felt wrong to me - I can't really put a finger on it but it is what it is. Many folks love them, and the Iron Butt folks find they work very well for that. The Norge is an excellent all around bike. The biggest shortcoming is the lack of dealer support. If you're not prepared to do some wrenching on your own, probably ought to steer clear of the Guzzi. There's not much that needs doing on a regular basis, but unless you are near a good dealer, you need to be pretty sufficient. The on-line Guzzi community is very helpful but they can't turn the wrench for you.

Your last three are great standard in-the-wind kind of bikes. If you are looking for wind protection, electric vest, etc., I doubt any of those will work for you. The Guzzi V7 is a great bike - lots of fun around town and a good commuter, but I probably would not want to do 300+ mile days on one. It's relatively small, which might be a deciding factor for you however. The Bonnie is a bit larger and has 100cc on the V7. Probably a better bet if you're doing longer days. If it's around town, playing in the canyons, the V7 will hang in there with the best of them. Looking at the specs won't tell the whole story - take one for a spin and you'll see for yourself.

If you like Italian motorcycles, give Moto International in Seattle, WA a call and talk to Dave. He may still have that '10 V7 for $7.5. He also has some '07. '08, and '09 Norges with full warranties for between $9K and $10K.

jdg

[malott442]

the bike that started many trends in my life........ Coming from Harleys, it taught me that bikes would actually stop, turn, and GO!

[0ldhippie]

Originally Posted by McJamie

I could use a little help, or maybe a smack in the head.......or maybe both.
For the first time in decades I'm in a position to buy pretty much any bike I want. There is no way the Department of War & Finance is going to let me buy several, so I better make the right choice. Do you think I can even come close to making a decision? Everytime I see something, I think, "that would work, I could ride that everyday".
So here's the not-so-short, short-list;

BMW R1200RT
Moto Guzzi Norge 8V
Yamaha FJR 1300
Honda ST1300
Kawasaki Vaquero ( I don't know why, I just really like the looks of it )
Kawasaki Versys 1000
Kawasaki Ninja 1000
Honda NT700
Triumph Bonnevilles ( SE/T100/Scrambler/McQueen edition )
Moto Guzzi V7 Classic
Yamaha FZ8

All but the last three, come with, or can have installed factory luggage. Aftermarket would look after the others. What I need is something that is easy to ride , has a reasonable seat height ( this eliminates the majority of ADV bikes ), has good leg room, and long-ish range from the fuel tank. Right now I have a DL 650 which has all of these things, except with the bags on it, I have a hard time getting my leg over. A bad accident a few years back means my hip and back don't move like they are supposed to.
Performance is not the most important thing, but it needs to be reasonable enough for me to be able to ride with my friends and not be holding them up. Comfort has to be first. I can't really do the cruiser thing. I like my motorcycles to be functional. And the feet forward bum pirate thing seems a bit silly to me. I ride in cold and crappy weather, so good protection and heated grips are important too.
The bike show is this weekend. Many dealers still have leftover 2011 and 2010's around. So I want to make a decision soon while there is lots to choose from, or before the boss decides to spend it somewhere else.
Any suggestions?

I also would recommend a new thread. Of your list, the Rt would be most confortable, The ninja most all-round/fun/practical.

[DJGypsy]

Originally Posted by 0ldhippie

Kool! If only it was 100 pounds lighter with 30+ more horse power, totally unreliable so you can't ride it daily and damn near impossible to afford for the average salaryman... Oh, that's the Norton.

fixt.

daily rideabililty, affordability, mechanical simplicity, practicality and comfort trump the loss of 100 lbs and the addition of 30hp. unless you like posing with trailer queens, then you go right ahead. i prefer to ride my bikes.