Sport Tourers; Where Art Thou?

[motocopter]

Originally Posted by allonsye

New to the area and a sport-touring guy.

Welcome to the area!



Are you now in NC?

[allonsye]

Originally Posted by motocopter

Welcome to the area!



Are you now in NC?

Yes, Denver (NC) to be exact.

[motocopter]

Originally Posted by allonsye

Yes, Denver (NC) to be exact.

Not far from the good riding, are ya?



Oh, you a NASCAR fan as well? You're practically in the heart of it.

[EvanADV]

At age 19, about 4 years ago, I bought my first road bike: a 2007 Bandit 1250S.

Nobody I knew even knew what it was, and they were completely puzzled at my choice.

I took off on a 10,000 mile trip on it one summer 2 years later. Bolted up some pelicans as panniers, a top case.

Discovered this site later and got into Dr-650's for a bit. Then ended up with a Wee Strom last March.

Looking back now that Bandit was quite cramped for me at 6'4", but I made it work. Plentiful power, stone cold reliable, but a world apart comfort-wise from the Wee.

I don't think I'll ever buy another "sport tourer". The adventure bikes are just too awesome now, and it'd be too much of a compromise to loose the "adventure" capability of a V-Strom, Tenere, Tiger 800xc, GS, etc. I fail to see what something like an ST1300 or FJR1300 could do for me that those can't, other than provide so much power it'd be too easy to lose my license and "look" a whole lot "sportier" doing so.

I think the sport tourers are simple the distance-capable bikes for people that have no interest in adventure bikes but don't want/can't afford an all out touring bike like a Goldwing.

[ken robert]

I think the sport tourers are simple the distance-capable bikes for people that have no interest in adventure bikes but don't want/can't afford an all out touring bike like a Goldwing

Really? I think you are way off man. I have had 2 KLRs, 3 GSs even a XL500 along with 32 other bikes. What do you think we traveled all over on before factory marketed Adv bikes. Once I and a bud did a GS ride at a BMW rally at John Day Or on our K12 LTs. I also had a 05 WeeStrom, nice road bike kinda like a small Gold Wing but not no Husky 610.

[EvanADV]

Originally Posted by ken robert

I think the sport tourers are simple the distance-capable bikes for people that have no interest in adventure bikes but don't want/can't afford an all out touring bike like a Goldwing

Really? I think you are way off man. I have had 2 KLRs, 3 GSs even a XL500 along with 32 other bikes. What do you think we traveled all over on before factory marketed Adv bikes. Once I and a bud did a GS ride at a BMW rally at John Day Or on our K12 LTs. I also had a 05 WeeStrom, nice road bike kinda like a small Gold Wing but not no Husky 610.

I fail to see your point, but nevertheless, I'm not referring to the past, I'm referring to the present. I don't know how things were in the motorcycle world prior to around 2009 when I got started, and I guess I probably still don't. It appears to me, currently, If you want to comfortably go long distances on two wheels you've got three options outside of cruiser-land: adventure bikes, sport tourers, and tourers.

Only reason I see for going sport tourer is if you intended to stick to pavement and/or don't want, can't afford, or can't handle a big tourer. Or, if you're like me when I got my Bandit, and don't know the ADV "world" even exists.

Someone made the point a while back that now that ADV bikes have the power to keep up with sport tourers (within reason), the need for sport tourers is diminishing for many. That's a reasonable way of making sense of things to me.

[motocopter]

I want one of every type and could make good use of them all!

By the way, I sold my 2005 Goldwing, and a week later bought my 2012 Concours 14. While I still have my 2K8Z1K hooligan bike, and my off-road WR-400F (since new in Feb 1999), I'm now looking to fit in a dual-sport.

I've considered trading the C14 for the Tiger Explorer, I won't because my C14 is a hoot to ride! I do plenty of site-seeing with it - on paved roads.

The dual-sport bike is looking to be the KTM 500 EXC or the Honda XR650L when the time comes.

Accumulating bikes is easy because the depreciation is too hard to take, and they last forever if taken care of reasonably.

Photo below was taken on the Dragon a few months before selling. This bike took me from TN to Mt. Rushmore, Red Lodge, MT, Beartooth Highway, Yellowstone NP, Tetons, Jackson, WY, CO, and back in 2011. Great trip!



Fixed logic doesn't always work for me.

[joe a]

Originally Posted by EvanADV

Someone made the point a while back that now that ADV bikes have the power to keep up with sport tourers (within reason), the need for sport tourers is diminishing for many. That's a reasonable way of making sense of things to me.

Reasonable way of making sense ???? Really ?

[Royal Tiger]

While a GS can keep up with a C14 in the twistes, depending on the rider, it's not as comfortable cross country. No one bike can do it all. Hence I have a sport tourer and a dual sport. I sold my aprilia sport bike and would like to get a S1000RR someday as I see three bikes as the most well rounded garage.

Motocopter, KTM 500EXC or Honda XR650L? Pretty far apart as far as dual sports go. It's like saying Honda Civic or BMW 5 series for my next car.

[Skowinski]

That photo of the Gold Wing reminds me of a trip to the Laguna Seca MotoGP a couple of years ago. After the race weekend I was headed south on Hwy 1 along the coast, on the Hayabusa. I was in no hurry, just cruising along at a decent pace, when a small group of riders came up behind me. I moved to the right of the lane and motioned them by. One was on a Gold Wing. I followed them for about 10 minutes, they were moving along pretty fast, and the Gold Wind was right in there. I was really really surprised that one of those big bikes could be ridden that fast on such a bumpy, curvy road.

[Tom-Nor]

Originally Posted by optimum_malarky

Anyone use older powerhouse bikes like the zx11 or zx12r for sport-touring?

I havent tryed the ZX11 or 12, but i have a ZX14(ZZR1400) with tank-bag and hard side-bags. I go touring with it for 2-3 weeks around Europe. For me the ZX14 is a tru sportstouring

[EvanADV]

Originally Posted by joe a

Reasonable way of making sense ???? Really ?

For me, yeah. That's the main reason I'm not interested in having a full sized adventure bike AND a sport tourer, and I think that's the direction a lot of others are headed, hence the low number of "sightings" of these bikes.

[Narsisco Lopez]

My first sport tourer was a 2009 Triumph Sprint ST...



I bought it specifically for my very first long-distance road trip from Denver to the Grand Canyon in July of 2010. While a bit on the light side (got blown around a lot on I-40 in heavy semi traffic), it was a great bike and the triple engine had plenty of power and the riding ergos comfortable enough for long, multi-day rides. I'm no expert, but my overall opinion is that the Sprint's wheelbase is a bit short to use as a long-distance tourer.

And my current is a 2012 BMW K1300S...



I'm re-entering the sport touring world with this bike... just got it a few weeks ago, so haven't had the chance to do any over-nights on it, but am coming off of a KTM 990 Adventure which I did quite a few multi-day, long-distance rides on last season. I LOVE my KTM, but am selling it as my knee is going to prevent me from learning to ride it like it should be off-road, so am selling it so someone else with the skills to handle her off-road can have some fun... what a great bike!

I've ridden a couple true "Sport Tourers"... the Kawasaki Concours 14 and the Yamaha FJR1300. While both are great bikes, they just weren't for me: a bit too big. I wanted something with a more stripped down look and feel and the K13S just kept coming to the top as I researched.

So far, I really love this bike... the mix of technology and performance is amazing and the bike is super-comfortable (the PO added Helibars and Verholen rearsets which modify the ergos just enough that make it feel great for multiple hours in the saddle). I'm adding a small top box (probably reusing my Pelican) but am avoiding hard side cases... gonna travel with either my Giant Loop Great Basin and/or smaller dry bags... trying to travel more and more light each season.

[EvanADV]

Originally Posted by Ogribike

I don't see this at all. I like a sport tourer for what it does, I have no desire for a large bike like a wing.

As for afford a bigger bike, that's not it either, '70 Triumph Bonnie, '75 BMW R90/6, '82 HD FXWG, '86 BMW R80+20, '92 BMW R100GS, '01 Ducati ST4, '04 Triumph Thruxton, '06 Ducati Paul Smart, '08 BMW R1200GSA, '10 BMW S1000RR

So it appears you'd fall into the "don't want" category I referred to.

Just sharing my thoughts, not trying to step on any toes. I'd love one of every bike.

[joe a]

Just keep in mind youngster that a large percentage of these wonderful "ADV" bikes that you mention and their riders NEVER go off road....so yes they should stick to the ST bikes and spare you the despair of finding the need to be so critical of what people chose to ride.....