The Ultimate Tug...

[Nemosengineer]

If you were building a new road/touring outfit, what would be your choice for the ultimate tug (under $16 K) and why?

Thanks: Mike

(Sorry in advance If this question has been posted before, I searched and couldn't find the topic.)

[Ray R]

For touring/road, I believe either a Gold Wing or a K12LT is best....whichever brand you prefer.

[windmill]

There is no such thing as the "ultimate" tug. That is like asking what flavor ice cream is the best. You like Sportsters, that might be Your ultimate.

[tony the tiger]

Originally Posted by Nemosengineer

If you were building a new road/touring outfit, what would be your choice for the ultimate tug (under $16 K) and why?

Thanks: Mike

(Sorry in advance If this question has been posted before, I searched and couldn't find the topic.)

Not being a builder, I'd probably make an offer on this 1987 rig... for under $16k . For less than that, he'd sell you the camper trailer, too!

[Threewheelbonnie]

OK, this is what I want:

More than 40 HP so I can cruise on the motorway
Less than 80 HP so I don't get more speeding points or pay for the In-sewer-ants Christmas **** up.
One or two cylinders, three at a push for simplicity.
Fuel injection that's been in production for over three years.
Air or oil cooled for simplicity.
At least one disk brake or a very very sorted set of drums.
Rim sizes that give a choice of road, M&S and knobbly.
A full steel frame, not aluminium spines or load bearing engines.
Tubular bars that can be widened and raised by simple metal work.
Reverse gear in the box, not the starter motor.
Enough fuel for 300 miles.
A dealer in every town with over 200,000 residents.
A design that doesn't get updated more than twice a decade.
A bike that is under £6000 and under 10 years old.

I don't want much do I

So, what did I get? The Bonneville fails on the FI (2004 model), reverse gear, range and dealership coverage. The range I sorted, the dealers I can live with, the carbs work and the mk2 could be a 2007/8 fitted to the same chair.

The alternatives I guess could be anything from a BM air head through Kawasaki ER's and W650's to Honda CB's or maybe even a HD Sportster.

My perfect bike I think, could hopefully be something Ural has on a CAD station somewhere.

Edit to Add: 2004 Bonneville new cost me £4999, Ural chair modified £2000, extra fuel tank etc, £1000: Total £8000, roughly $12000.

Andy

[gec343]

I am looking for about the same thing as you. I am seriously considering the Burgman 650 w/sidecar, excellent reliability, but no reverse. I'm going to wait for the 2010 model, at least I think.

[Jimbosidecar]

Except for the fuel injection, a BMW powered Chang Jiang looks like it fits your needs.
Regds,
Jim
www.bmwsidecar.com

Originally Posted by Threewheelbonnie

OK, this is what I want:

More than 40 HP so I can cruise on the motorway
Less than 80 HP so I don't get more speeding points or pay for the In-sewer-ants Christmas **** up.
One or two cylinders, three at a push for simplicity.
Fuel injection that's been in production for over three years.
Air or oil cooled for simplicity.
At least one disk brake or a very very sorted set of drums.
Rim sizes that give a choice of road, M&S and knobbly.
A full steel frame, not aluminium spines or load bearing engines.
Tubular bars that can be widened and raised by simple metal work.
Reverse gear in the box, not the starter motor.
Enough fuel for 300 miles.
A dealer in every town with over 200,000 residents.
A design that doesn't get updated more than twice a decade.
A bike that is under £6000 and under 10 years old.

I don't want much do I

So, what did I get? The Bonneville fails on the FI (2004 model), reverse gear, range and dealership coverage. The range I sorted, the dealers I can live with, the carbs work and the mk2 could be a 2007/8 fitted to the same chair.

The alternatives I guess could be anything from a BM air head through Kawasaki ER's and W650's to Honda CB's or maybe even a HD Sportster.

My perfect bike I think, could hopefully be something Ural has on a CAD station somewhere.

Edit to Add: 2004 Bonneville new cost me £4999, Ural chair modified £2000, extra fuel tank etc, £1000: Total £8000, roughly $12000.

Andy

[Threewheelbonnie]

Lack of dealers would be an issue too, but basically yes it would. I don't think I'd go for one as I'm a rider and occasional mechanic rather than someone who'd ever dream of making spacers to put a different engine into a bike.

Actually, if I was to make my perfect bike it'd be a Diesel from a small car going onto a Ural type transmission. 100+ mpg, 500+ miles range, fuel available anywhere 4x4's go and 10,000 mile service intervals

Andy

[eastbloc]

Speeding tickets on an outfit aren't really a big issue. Even with my 85HP going over 80mph you're met with a wall of air that's increasingly harder to penetrate.

the Diesel Ural conversions aren't particularly capable on the highway from what I understand. Something about the way the small diesels are geared, but I could be wrong.

I wouldn't trust a Chang's brakes at highway speeds either.

[Threewheelbonnie]

I managed to loose half my points on an R1100R outfit. The thing was just unhappy at 30 mph (city limit) and would sit at 95 all day. This was a chair from Charnwood based on a DH Mosquito drop tank, so very easy through the air. One of the reasons I sold it was getting pulled at 47 in a 30. This is enough to get banned. I could have sworn I was doing no more than 35, but gave it throttle to take a left hander and it accelerated. I was lucky, the copper had better things to do than arrest me, gave me a basic speeding fine for doing 44 (then on 6 points, so halfway to getting banned). This is totally my fault of course, no excuses, but when a 60 hp machine will break every speed limit in the country, I don't need 80. Personal choice of course.

All the home made diesel conversions I've seen have been industrial engines, lots of torque but no rev range. I'm thinking more like something out of a Suberu

Andy

[lrutt]

Guzzi Convert Is just perfect. Simple, reliable, easy to manage as a semi-auto type ride. Many are used in that fashion.

[claude]

Originally Posted by tony the tiger

Not being a builder, I'd probably make an offer on this 1987 rig... for under $16k . For less than that, he'd sell you the camper trailer, too!

Actually that is Sgt. Brown's rig. He is asking 12k for it but is probably open to offers. Click here to see th ewebsite he put up to sell it.
http://www.geocities.com/sidecarsarge/ForSale.html

[tony the tiger]

Originally Posted by claude

Actually that is Sgt. Brown's rig. He is asking 12k for it but is probably open to offers. Click here to see th ewebsite he put up to sell it.
http://www.geocities.com/sidecarsarge/ForSale.html

Ayuh! Put together by a wiley sidecarist in PA, I think...
mebbe' shoulda' used the "other" link, or is he still having problems w/geocities limiting the number of hits per day?
classified ad w/description
pic's

*hoping this doesn't now get punted to fleamarket... just tryin' to help out!!

[eastbloc]

All you need is a compressor and a bell and you can cover your touring costs selling ice cream to children along the way

[tripodtiger]

Triumph Tiger.
Steamer makes 85hp
955i makes 105 or so.
The line about a triple having the best bits of both twins and fours is pretty close to the mark.

Speed depends on your right wrist. You can't blame the bike if you get caught speeding around town.

Cruising speed will also depend on the aerodynamics of the chair. Mine's wide & tall, so my cruising speed is knocked around a lot. So too is my fuel consumption, but hey, I don't use an outfit 'cause it's cheap.