I’ve got the motorcycle bug again and this time it’s bad. I haven’t had a bike in 15 years. I have a friend who just did the complete Route 66 from Chicago to California.
I want a bike to do weekend trips—maybe 300-500 mile trips in the midwest, and of course, around town stuff. I’m thinking once I get a year under my belt I may do a Chicago/Seattle trip. (I rode for 10 years or so before)
I’m not a Harley guy, and I don’t like the whole lumbering, mega chrome, “hog” look. Power, not necessarily acceleration, is important. (so, no crotch rockets) Handling/ comfort are too. The Honda ST1300 is a good example of what appeals to me. Any opinions/advice is welcome. The questions that come to mind are:
Difference between air/water cooled
Shaft/belt drive
Engine spec differences
Suspension (??)
Engine size (I sat on a Yamaha 1900cc Stratoliner today and it felt fine)
Reliability of various brands
How many miles is too many if buying used???
Any forums you know of would be good too, so I can do homework. Thanks.
I wish I could give you more “experienced based” information, but my only bike has been the Yamaha Virago 1100 and they don’t make it anymore. I’ve loved it for 2-1/2 years, but it has a starter problem right now and I’m a little out of love with it.
In your list of criteria, I suspect you find most are just a matter of opinion or preference more than a question of reliability or value. In other words, you won’t find many advantages one way or another in belt vs. shaft drive. You won’t find much to distinguish the big four metric bike makers; just personal preferences. All four make one or more cruisers in the 1100 - 1300 cc range. Unless you’re adding a passenger and a lot of gear, this is more than enough power IMHO.
I have read that most manufacturers are going to water-cooling because the emission standards are getting tougher on motorcycles. Most have also gone to fuel injection for the same reason. Personally, I think these are good things.
I don’t think you’ll find any sport touring bikes that are air cooled. I don’t think you’ll find but cruisers that are air cooled any more. I wouldn’t want one for touring.
The belt drives are supposed to act more like a chain in getting power to the tire, though a lot less maintenance. Shaft drives you don’t have to worry much about except to keep the oil in them.
If you’re just coming back the ST1300, FJR1300, Connie 1400 might be a bit much. They have a lot of power, as in being able to do 150 with ease and I’ve been told that doing 80-90 feels like nothing.
Suspension is something that most people play with, there are lots of options.
As I said before, if you’re just coming back the 1300-1400 sport tourers might be way too big. There are older ST1100s and Connie 1000s. The larger cruisers are not going to have the same type of power.
The hondas I’ve always heard as being very good. For the most part my Kawasaki concours has been good to me.
For mileage the more modern machines can do a lot. I’ve got over 100k on my 2000. I know people who have 200k+ with few to no problems. There are lots of bikes out there that have 10-20k. You could even find a nice bike with 50k or more and not have problems.
I don’t hang out on many of the forums, but I believe every bike has it’s own forum. I only go to the Concours site because that’s what I own.
I think you’ll be better off for the longer weekends on something like the ST or Connie. Though you really can tour on any type of bike if you want.
I love my Triumph. Just another brand to consider that will cause people to look twice.
Between my friends they have all sorts of makes and models. ST1300, the Concours, Triumph Trophy, BMW (can’t remember which, he seems to get a different one all the time), Honda VFR, FJ1200 are the ones I can think of off the top of my head.
Dependability of all the brands I can think of aren’t an issue. The oldest of all my friends bikes is maybe 5 or 6 years old. Nobody I can think of had any problems with realibility. Six of us just did a 1000 miles over a week in the mountains and nobody had to do anything but put in gas.
Do you live city, suburban or rural vs highway riding. A big assed cruser with bags gets old in the city fast. (Just IMHO)
Sit on as many as you can, after all it’s your butt in the seat. If it isn’t comfy you won’t want to ride as much and it can be dangerous. If you’re uncomfortable you aren’t concentrating on the road. Sitting on the bike are the bars and footpegs in the right spot? Some footpegs are straight down like mine. I feel like I’m sitting in a chair. It works for me, I can’t stand forward controls. Some pegs are father back, how’s your circulation? Some folks it doesn’t bother. I love going for a rip on my CBR1000F but I’m only good for an hour or so. The Triumph and I can go 8 hours without any problems.
The best thing I ever bought for comfort was an electric liner. Here’s why,I have the one with sleeves Actually I have the Darien jacket with the liner.
Oh yes. I ride on the back of one of these and both my arse, and my sense of aesthetics, adore this bike more than I can convey. (It might not be that exact model, that’s the 2008 in the picture.) Triumph makes some gorgeous, reliable, comfortable sport/cruisers that are good for city and long haul.
Try Sport Touring Net. I have found that forum to be useful. I traveled the midwest for years using a Kawasaki Concurs which is a typical sport touring bike and replaced it with a Kawasaki Nomad, a cruiser type highway bike. I have always found it worthwhile to hang out on the make specific forums to gather information as well. The Yamaha FJR 1300 is probably going to be my next bike. The Honda ST-1300 you mention is also high on my list. For the kind of travel you are describing a dedicated sport touring bike presents many advantages. Having switched from a bike with a barn door like fairing to a windshield only model I am going back to a bike with a fairing. In the midwest the different weather you encounter is a major factor.
