So, I'm looking at replacing my 2013 Street Triple R soon. I am aiming at something similar, perhaps even one of the new 765 Street Triples. I will be using it for commuting and short-ish trips - maybe a thousand miles round trip range-wise. I don't mind moving up to literbike size, I just prefer naked & lightweight. I was planning on going to look at the Kawi Z900, Suzuki GSX-1000z and the Yam FZ09 this weekend, but just wanted to see if there any other options I hadn't thought of yet.
I am in the exact same situation as you. I actually "thought" the 765 ST was the best choice. The knee and hip angle are too sharp for me for the longer rides I anticipate. Low (29-30 inseam) and comfortable seat are early considerations for me. I am not fond of 4-cylinder bikes...……..I like twins and triples. I am very close to committing to a Ducati Monster and not yet decided between the 797 which fits perfect or the 821 which would require foot peg relocation. The 821 has lots more power and electronics, ride control and traction control for a reasonable price differential. YMMV! Have fun in the search and TEST RIDES!!!!!
What do you like about your current bike? Dislike? What features and characteristics would you like on a new bike? I recently decided to upgrade from my 2012 Street Triple R and wanted more power, the same or better quality suspension and brakes, and a better electronics package. I considered the new 765RS, but then rode a bike with auto-blip downshifting and decided I wanted something with that capability. I now have a 2018 Tuono RR in my garage.
I missed a chance for a demo ride on a Monster recently, I rode a xDiavel and loved it but want something a bit smaller (and cheaper) for now. The demo was just packed out and I didn't want to spend another 2 hours waiting at the dealer. I'll have to see if I can find a test ride somewhere reasonably near. I really like the handling and manners of the Street Triple. I would keep it, but I have to keep fixing issues lately. I had the end of a crankcase bolt just shear off recently while riding, and when I went to replace the battery because it had started acting up, the negative terminal snapped as I went to put the seat back on. The bolt on the gear shift lever backed itself out while I was riding to work (not hard to fix, but it made the rest of the ride interesting until I could stop & figure out what happened). Sometime in the past week it has developed an oil leak that I'm going to spend the weekend trying to track down so I can fix it. I'm the second owner, but I bought it less than a year old and it hasn't been abused. There's been other minor stuff, but that's what has happened in the last couple months. As for features I'd like on a new bike, I would really like cruise control and ABS but neither is a major deal breaker. Something with a suspension set-up that isn't going to beat me up on my commute would be good as well. Minimal plastics/bodywork, as I generally want as much airflow as possible since I live in Floriduh.
I think the XSR900 makes a nice commuter. I moved out to the country this year and really miss my old commute through the city on that bike. Weaving through rush hour traffic was a blast! I love the relaxed ergos with plenty of leg room. With the stock setup, you have a slightly more forward lean than on the FZ09. It doesn't dance like the Street Triple, but with stock suspension and Pilot Road 5s, it is smooth on twisty roads.
. Get yourself an 'ole Versys 650. Toss most of the plastics. voila, you have a (ugly) functional naked bike. Injected, six speeds, 60 or so horses, two of them cylinder-things and utterly reliable. 454 pounds wet, 5 gallon tank with a functional gas gauge too.
A couple that haven't been mentioned are the GSX-S750, and the BMW R1200R. The 750 is a fun bike. Not sure if there's much to recommend it over the GSX-S1000Z that was on your list, but it may put significantly less heat on the rider, which might be nice for FL commuting. My R1200R is older then the current generation. It's the best commute bike I've owned, and still good for road trips, and long hours on the freeway. Doesn't put much heat on the rider. Newer models have cruise control As far as the suggestion above about the Versys, you could just remove or cut down the screen for airflow. Mine was a 2nd gen, and when my stable was that and a liter bike, the Versys put much less heat on the rider. More comfortable on hot days. Not gonna get you cruise control though.
Well, I went and took a look at the Z900, XSR900 and new Street Triple today. I know how the FZ09 rides, as I've taken a couple spins on one, so I'm assuming the XSR is pretty similar. I will be passing on the Z900, at least locally, since I couldn't get a proper out the door price from the dealer - just a 4-square. The girl at the Triumph dealership is going to give me a call tomorrow and let me know if they will go any lower than $14.5k OTD for the '18 Street Triple RS. The dealer didn't have any GSX-1k's on the floor, but they did have a 750, so I may go and give it a sit down on. I have a reasonable relationship with them, so I may be able to get a test ride on that and the XSR.
I bought it with 16k about a year old, and it's got 40k on it now. I've put 30-40k on a few other bikes in a similar time-frame and not had anywhere near the same sort of issues.
They're really popular in Europe. Not so much over here. Not very sexy on paper, but darned nice on the road. Comfy, capable, versatile, and with a midrange that'll put a smile on your face...
It'll be hard to find something that is as much fun as a Street Triple. I have been missing mine since i traded it in last year. The newer 765 is nice but is it so much nicer it's worth upgrading? Maybe if your old one is getting too worn down. But a 2013 is not that old. You could give it some suspension work and a service and be just as happy for a lot less money than what it would cost to buy new. I would suggest you try the 790 Duke, the 821 Monster and the new CB1000R. Very nice bikes with a different feel compared to the Triple. Suzuki Bandit is a pig, feels like a bike from the eighties. Reliable and comfy but far from fun. XSR900/MT09 is not bad and has been improved since they first were released, but not as nice as the Triumph, I wouldn't consider that an upgrade. Kawasaki 900 was pretty dull, it looks a lot better than it rides and that goes for both the modern one and the classic looking versions. Have a go at the Tuono and the 1290 SuperDuke too, they are insanely fast and fun. But more performance oriented, a fair bit more extreme than what you might want. And yes, I have tried all these bikes on the street and the track except for the Bandit which I've only tried on the street.
