Which sport touring bikes are best at high speed and long distance?

Thanks for the heads up, tough to take my 12 yr old daughter on the back seat of that, while adding 2 sleeping bags, 2 pads, a tent, cooking gear and food, extra cloths and flip flops, rain gear for two, fishing gear, etc.

when you get all that on there with a can of chain lube, and be in comfort for two, let me know and I'll add a Hayabusa to the list of possible next sport tourers.

Come on. He rides a credit card tourer 6000 miles a year. He should get dispensation.

Yeah, that guy:

http://s683.photobucket.com/user/home-fitness-training/media/Fat-Guy.jpg.html

might also win a pizza eating contest. That sporty enough for you as well? I'm out of here. It's just plain too frigging ridiculous.

ummmmm - ok?

I don't think "faster" means what you think it does.

That sounds like fun but I think you're in the wrong thread. This is a sport touring discussion. Again, that nebulous ST concept. But to me, it entails not much more than a change of clothes and a toothbrush, maybe some jogging shoes. Bring a pad if you want to sleep under the stars but at some point it becomes a different sort of journey favoring a different tool.

I did many 5-600 mile days on my F800ST averaging 80-85 mph. Unfortunately I wasn't passing through states where the speed limit was only a theoretical concept. I would put that bike up against any sport tourer as long as ridiculous speeds are not the order of the day. If money matters, both in purchase price and gas, it's hard to beat. But it never fools you into thinking your on a traveling lounge chair rather than a motorcycle. The F800GT, I assume, is only better.

Debating what kind of bike constitutes a "sport-tourer" is a waste of time, it all depends on the rider.

If you just want a high speed missile, you need to ask yourself if you want a ST1300/C14/FJR/K1600 that is ready to tour, with huge weight penalties, OR do you want a K1300/Busa/ZX14/VFR1200 that can be made into a tourer with the right mods/$$$ and attention to detail?

The OP has added this statement:

Sparrowhawk, your thread is supposed to be about a "supersport bikes with more relaxed ergos" and according to your first post, also good aerodynamics. To me this is what Dewey's excellent post calls the "ST3/VFR/Sprint segment." Unless you are specifically looking for a Ducatti type bike, it makes good sense to avoid the challenges of those bikes. So in summary, to me that leaves VFR and Sprint.
UNLESS you are willing to make a major compromise on weight and then most of the bikes mentioned in this thread apply and are great bikes.
"Relaxed ergos" and good aerodynamics usually come together in a R1200RT type bike, not a sport-touring bike. When you rule out "cumbersome" bikes, it rules out stuff over 500 lbs I should think.
Every contributer to this thread has tried to suggest something more comfortable than your mentioned, "KTM RC8, BMW S1000RR, or Suzuki GSXR 750." Perhaps you are younger than the other posters! Get one of those only if the VFR and Sprint are too slow for you (after you test drive and rule out the 150 HP Multistrada 1200).

I have to point out that the heavy bikes (see Cug's fat guy link) much discussed in this thread reach high speeds like sport and true sport-touring bikes but they just don't handle as well in transitions and the tight stuff, and are a load to push about when backing up or off the bike. In general, a fast bike means more than just reaching a high number on a speedometer.

Final thought: The best answer may be to wait for the S1000F to be released.

I'll throw a vote in for the Multistrada 1200.. I have the larger touring screen on mine and it's perfect for me at 6ft. If you are looking for a "light" sport touring rig I think it's hard to beat.

I can see where people come from in the C14 isn't a "sport" tourer argument but I love it and find it plenty "sporty" for me. Its insanely fast for such a "heavy" bike and coming from a 950 Adventure and a Vulcan Vaquero it handles amazingly. Even my bagger buddies are really impressed with its over all look and consider it to look very much like a sport bike. They're also very jealous of the cavernous side bags.


I also think it strips down nicely


A few people mentioned going from ST's to baggers but I made the opposite switch. I liked my Vaquero and thought it rode better than my friend's various Street/Electra Glides I had been on, but I find the Connie to be much more comfortable on long stretches. It also affords better wind protection, is more stable in high winds, and gets better fuel economy.

Oh yeah, and its way way way faster.

I do think the Ninja 1000 would be a great option as well. Its a bit more upright than my C14 actually, has nice luggage, and would definitely be lighter. It also lets me get my feet flat to the ground. I honestly didn't even see it (one at the dealer with the luggage installed) until after I bought my C14.

Ninja 1000 seems like it has good aerodynamics, good ergos, and not cumbersome. I like the improved 2014 model. Has reputation for high cost to insure though.

This is actually the type of bike I am after. A few years ago some magazine did a write up on converting a GSXR into a sport tourer. There was a company that made riser clip-ons for the bike. They put on longer control cables, a little higher screen, better seat, soft luggage, and took advantage of the adjustable pegs. It didn't lose much as a full on supersport but became a comfortable mile eater. At some point the company stopped updating the clip-ons as the bike evolved (maybe around 2011?) so it would require custom fabrication now.

I just picked one up last weekend, and I had to do a lot of insurance shopping. I was with Progressive through USAA, and they wanted, no exaggeration, almost $5k a year, with the majority of that being the collision coverage. I'm 35, no points on my license, recent safety courses, no claims... Geico wanted $1600/year for the same coverage, and I finally went with Esurance for $1100/yr since the fiancee is with them already.

I do REALLY like the Ninja though. I was cross shopping with a NOS '11 Sprint GT that was semi-local. I got the N1k OTD with bags and first service for less than the other dealer was willing to take for the Sprint.

Kind of surprised not one mention of the Honda F6B Goldwing. Wrong category?

That's definitely on my radar. I just hope BMW doesn't soften it up too much.

From what I've read the EBR 1190RS might have some promise too and, as mentioned earlier, Honda's CBR1000RR.

Some of the newer nakeds with some kind of windscreen might even be the ticket such as a Super Duke or Hyperstrada with a small MRA screen. I have some research to do.

I agree there are many concepts on a sport tourer. What I am interested in may be better described as a supersport tourer.

I don't put too much emphasis on comfort but also don't have interest in a torture device. I am looking for the crisp handling of a true supersport, good airflow for sustained higher speeds, enough fuel capacity for 150+ mile range, a wider power spread, and a subframe that will carry 30 - 40 pounds in something like a GiantLoop Coyote.

I expect to have to do some modifications but believe it's easier to make a supersport more comfortable than make a typical sport tourer lighter and more capable.

Thanks for all the ideas and keep them coming if you got more.

In every aspect.

Speaking of the more sporty bikes being discussed here, I recently came off both an RC8R and a 1199 Panigale S. The RC8 is much more comfortable than the Panigale (hard to ride the 1199 for more than an hour on a 98 degree day), and I did do some long days on the RC8. It is not bad. My two current bikes are a PP Multi and the K1600Sport. I recently took both on trips through AZ and CO and both are great sport touring bikes. The Multi is much lighter than the K1600 for sure, but the 1600 feels as good in the twisties to me. Either is a top choice for long days, i.e. true sport touring, not couch/benchracing spec sheets.

BMW K 12/1300S: closest relation to the R100RS now being produced by BMW (IMHO). Here's my 2005 set up for long distance sport-touring.



I did a 3,400 mile sport-touring ride to Big Bend N.P. TX on it this spring. It was perfect for the high speed roads of west TX (75 mph on 2 lanes, 80 mph on interstates).

Yikes, I thought my insurance jumped up a lot for the C14. I guess it's a good thing I didn't see the N1K when I was looking at it. The money I would've saved on the bike would have gone straight to the insurance company.





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