Help to pick my second bike

sarnali2 said:

My "old" Bandit with a tank bag works pretty good too plus it's air cooled screw and locknut valves and carbs. If you're a total cheapskate like me I'd rather have simple-that-I-can-fix than the latest wizz bang electronica. I gave up deluding myself that I could fix anything on my Exploder except air and oil filters and plugs. Of course being a Ford it's reliable as a brick and doesn't require any repairs.....

Click to expand...

Yer startin to sound like one of them brand specific Bozos I heard tell about. :wink:

I am partial to the ol' 74 in. Suzuki-Davidson Bandit-Glide myself...

Harley 45" with a slight rake an' a set of drag bars - that was the last engine they made that really had any character.........

vermicious said:

The reason I mentioned the interceptor is because he's still a fairly new rider, the bike is medium-sized, and comes with pretty much the whole ball of wax without having to third-party shop his way to what he wants. It was more about where he was coming from than what I would consider an "ideal" candidate under all circumstances. Hell, I do my sport touring on a naked with a bikini fairing and a tail bag

Click to expand...

The interceptor shows up under Sport and not under Sport/Touring on the Honda website. Does it have a more upright sitting position compared to the Ninja 500? Is the Interceptor still comfortable for longer trips (i.e. day trips)?

Thanks!

Try it out! It's not like it's hard to find one.

Keep in mind that ANY bike is likely to need changes to fit you well. An Interceptor can be modified with bar backs, for example, to give you a bit more upright position.

What about Ducati?!

Try a look at the Ducati. IMHO, the Ducati GT1000 with bags (albeit somewhat small) would make a great sport tourer. Heck! All you need is clean underwear and clean socks, right? In all honesty, consider Ducati. Nothing is a sexy as a fine looking Italian babe. If you can't be one, ride one!

The ONLY choice for sport touring:

Triumph SprintST.

seruzawa said:

The ONLY choice for sport touring:

Triumph SprintST.

Click to expand...

Once again Dr. Seruzawa picks the fly sh*t out of the pepper and cuts to the chase.....

A Sprint ST or even a low mile Trophy is the best you can get. Fast, reliable, comfy and cheap you can't beat either one. Unless of course you're a total cheapskate and not easily embarrassed, then a Concours will do.

sarnali2 said:

Once again Dr. Seruzawa picks the fly sh*t out of the pepper and cuts to the chase.....

A Sprint ST or even a low mile Trophy is the best you can get. Fast, reliable, comfy and cheap you can't beat either one. Unless of course you're a total cheapskate and not easily embarrassed, then a Concours will do.

Click to expand...

In my experience I could bag up a Busa, and it will sport-tour on it as well as any other bike. It is easily as comfy for me as a VFR, and the 50 extra horsepower doesn't hurt either! :-D

Sorry....

longride said:

In my experience I could bag up a Busa, and it will sport-tour on it as well as any other bike. It is easily as comfy for me as a VFR, and the 50 extra horsepower doesn't hurt either! :-D

Click to expand...

... doesn't cut it. A sport tourer to be a REAL sport tourer has to be factory made and marketed as a sport tourer. Otherwise you won't be allowed to join the community of REAL sport tourers and get a sticker from some self-appointed sport tourer sanctioning body to prove that you are a REAL sport tourer guy. Don't you feel ashamed?

Maybe next you'll HAVE to get a special sticker from some self-appointed website to prove you are a REAL sport tourer. Just like they have now for "adventure tourers". Can you believe it? LOL!

seruzawa said:

...

Maybe next you'll HAVE to get a special sticker from some self-appointed website to prove you are a REAL sport tourer. Just like they have now for "adventure tourers". Can you believe it? LOL!

Click to expand...

Given my unwillingness to buy a GPS, the fact that my maps are 10 years out of date and my horrendous capacity for substance abuse every tour is a gad-dam adventure......

seruzawa said:

... Can you believe it? LOL!

Click to expand...

"This message was NOT ENDORSED by the Sport Touring Endorsement Association of America."

You got it.

sarnali2 said:

Given my unwillingness to buy a GPS, the fact that my maps are 10 years out of date and my horrendous capacity for substance abuse every tour is a gad-dam adventure......

Click to expand...

Now that's real adventure touring. That GPS stuff is for pansies! Where's the adventure when you ride in luxury from hotel to hotel?

seruzawa said:

Now that's real adventure touring. That GPS stuff is for pansies! Where's the adventure when you ride in luxury from hotel to hotel?

Click to expand...

The "adventure" for me used to be riding a bike that had a 50/50 chance of making it at all. And then trying to figure out how to get the f'ing thing back home when it didn't.

Reliability = Boring. But, I can get used to boring.

seruzawa said:

Now that's real adventure touring. That GPS stuff is for pansies! Where's the adventure when you ride in luxury from hotel to hotel?

Click to expand...

Gee, I have two GPSs on my 599 . . .

sachiwilson said:

Gee, I have two GPSs on my 599 . . .

Click to expand...

Well, get rid of 'em. Burn your maps. Ride on bald tires. Head down the nearest dirt road on half a tank of gas and no idea where the heck you are going. Sarnali and I can show anyone how to have a really great "adventure".

You got health insurance, right?

It's like when the old geezer gives you a gallon of gas out of a rusty old can he's been saving and you're trying to remember when was the last time you changed your fuel filter, then he spends an hour telling you about his older brother with the Indian who didn't come back from the Pacific... those are the times you're just happy to be a human being

seruzawa said:

Well, get rid of 'em. Burn your maps. Ride on bald tires. Head down the nearest dirt road on half a tank of gas and no idea where the heck you are going. Sarnali and I can show anyone how to have a really great "adventure".

You got health insurance, right?

Click to expand...

:lol:

I do love riding down dirt roads! And down here there's no danger in riding on bald tires - who needs tread when it never rains?

As for those GPSs, I really only use 'em when I'm trying to stay on track during an Iron Butt ride and can't spend the time to look at maps. It's a lot safer to have your map up right where you can glance at it yet still keep your eyes on the road too.

sachiwilson said:

Gee, I have two GPSs on my 599 . . .

Click to expand...

Personally, I use a Sextant mounted to the bars, with star charts to plot my position; then a cord with a board tied to the end and knots every 20' that I toss off the bike to calculate my speed............

For the third time, she's a SAXON. A sextant is a device, not a person!