Sport Tourers; Where Art Thou?

[Rider]

Originally Posted by weerider650

Not sure where you live but I see a ton of sport touring bikes around here in California.....BMW's all day long, a ton of FJR1300's, alot of concours new and old... and every now and then an ST1300.....heck, just ride highway 1....I think I counted over a dozen FJR's alone in one afternoon going along the coast. I think sport touring is relatively a new category of bikes, yet I also see it expanding...Crusisers and sport bikes have been around forever so they are going to be in more abundance. The adventure bike is another gorwing yet small in population bike.

Well, I'm in Ohio so, granted, it's not exactly the hotbed of sport touring bikes.

[N-Id-Jim]

Out here in the "west" i see lots of bikes like this vfr 800 rigged up for S/T duty, and this one beats the crap out of the old vee-strom 1000, even on a gravel road.

[davyjones]

Most dealers here in MD that carry Suzuki, the GSX1250FA have the 2011 on sale for $8,999.00.
So if your looking, deals can be had.

[Twohondas]

Sport touring ...alive and well.

[Rider]

Originally Posted by Twohondas

Sport touring ...alive and well.

[Crow]

~I'm taking the photo.~

[poondogger]

Photo sans hardbags. Coffee, lunch and paper in the right bag. Raingear, gloves in the left. Ipod, 1lb. mace, gum, and change in the tank bag. Rev limiter hit at least once daily, 100+mph once daily (got a ticket at 105 in a 75 so I've cut back). Cruise, speed limit +10 at all times. I can fit a case of beer on the tank bag and another split between the hard bags. It does great on dirt too. Unless the temp drops below 25 degrees I'll be commuting 42 miles each way every day. I bought this hog for $7750 with 9250 miles on it and not a scratch. The LCD went out on the display so I don't know how many miles are on it now but I'd have to guess in the 3 years I've had it it's around 30K. Rode it 871 in a day last year. Love it. Oh, it's never been washed either. I don't want to scratch the plastic in case I sell it at some point.

[Contevita]

Nice ride. I noticed you carry mace, you're the first person to mention that. I don't want to bring my pistol and thought about trying to mount my extendable baton on the bike but never thought about mace in the tank bag.

[MRHAPPY]

Originally Posted by Contevita

Nice ride. I noticed you carry mace, you're the first person to mention that. I don't want to bring my pistol and thought about trying to mount my extendable baton on the bike but never thought about mace in the tank bag.

carry your pistol, mace is a myth and does not do wonders on all 9er's. if you want gas carry bearspray, it has a high pepper content,,,just sayin. i'll take a 45acp in hydroshock thank you

[scrannel]

Originally Posted by MRHAPPY

carry your pistol, mace is a myth and does not do wonders on all 9er's. if you want gas carry bearspray, it has a high pepper content,,,just sayin. i'll take a 45acp in hydroshock thank you

Got arrested once on a bike in Italy for "carrying a sword without a license."

[Contevita]

Originally Posted by scrannel

Got arrested once on a bike in Italy for "carrying a sword without a license."

There can be only ONE!

[sleazy rider]

I just found hard luggage for my old Daytona!! It can be a real ST bike now.

[Rider]

Originally Posted by sleazy rider

I just found hard luggage for my old Daytona!! It can be a real ST bike now.

[vicster]

It just seems to me the Sport Tourer is kind of limited in scope. Just my personal opinion. They've looked good enough on paper that I bought two C10s 11 years apart, but real world experience was different. Here in crowded, heavily patroled western Washington, places to use the "sport" are pretty limited. When it came time to "tour" I just wasn't in that much of a hurry, especially on strange roads.
Kinda big for local screwing around or running errands.
Seems like everyone who has one mentions the heat from the motor.
Nowadays, I don't think any of them allow for my 38" inseam.
I did like the weather protection though.

[Wuwei]

Unfortunately, I can't put my finger on the link anymore, but awhile ago I posted on here a report of the types of bikes registered in different parts of the country, and there were some dramatic differences. In parts of the Midwest the registered bikes are up to 80% cruisers, in the Northeast not as much but still like 60-70%+, but in California and some of the West Coast you get a lot more sport bikes. Around here I think it is probably 70-80% cruisers, and then a fair number of sport bikes, some dual sports, and then once in a Blue Moon I see a big sport tourer.