Long journeys? You'll need a tourer mate!

[sinto607276]

Brilliant :lol
Love that, was it only me who's head was going from side to side as you watched that video?
That 'car' can move somewhat

[Ian-man]

For 4k it would be a tidy pan 1300. If you had a bit more you could look at a bmwk1300gt, supposed to be fast but has bmw funny front end and reliability. I do like the fjr but it feels like a long lazy fazer. Not really much better comfort or weather protection over a fazer thou.

Top of my wish list for touring is the bmwk1600gt but your talking 11k for the oldest ones.

[Billy Balthorpe]

There is a few ST1300's on ebay for less than £4K.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Honda-ST1300-P...1c52799ea1

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HONDA-ST1300-P...3f4c681129

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/52-HONDA-ST-13...3f4c8dc2ea

[slappy]

Brilliant :lol
Love that, was it only me who's head was going from side to side as you watched that video?
That 'car' can move somewhat

I'm glad someone else admits to doing that with their head, every time I watch a bike video I find myself doing it.

[sinto607276]

I'm glad someone else admits to doing that with their head, every time I watch a bike video I find myself doing it.

Your not alone slappy, your amongst friends here, you can talk openly about your problems :rolleyes :rollin

[Frosties]

[quote author=slappy link=topic=16931.msg195358#msg195358 date=1431461057]
I'm glad someone else admits to doing that with their head, every time I watch a bike video I find myself doing it.

Your not alone slappy, your amongst friends here, you can talk openly about your problems :rolleyes :rollin
[/quote]

Same here........fell over at one stage 

[purplebear7]

Hi Guys,
I don't do much post these days ...  but the words about Long Haul trips caught my eye.  Distances have never been a problem for us and we (Mrs Polar Bear and I) covered some very big numbers of miles over the years on all kinds and everything on two or three wheels  (I've had over 50 bike in more than 60 years)

The Gen One, Fazer FZS 1000 was by far the very best total all-rounder that I have ever thrown my good side gammy leg over.  We had three of them ... 2001, 2003 and 2005 ... bad case of more money than sense.

At one stage I thought I would go for a Big Fat Tourer and of course the Honda Pan European loomed bright on the horizon :o)  Well ... we got a new one and right after the first service we set off to ride down to Mallorca ... only about 750 miles... call it two days easy :o)  I gradually realised that I had dropped one hell of a clanger ... in short the Pan was 12.5 STONE heavier than the Gen One ... without putting a single Hair Dryer in the Port Side wardrobe!

I struggled on ... for 23.000 miles in eleven months before doing another straight swap for another Gen 1  Yessss ! joy at last ... and I could even get it up onto the main stand by myself :o)

For the record I'm not a little bloke ... in those days I was 5'11" and 16.5 stone on my socks ... but these big Tourers really are a handful to maul around ... any doubts ... go and  ask a Bike Cop.  Think On peeps ;o)

Stay Safe Trev    The Polar Bear in Mallorca.

[stevierst]

Thanks Trev, much appreciated there buddy.
Looks like that ever distant touring horizon isn't quite as rosy and comfy as first expected.
And yep, I've picked up a fat police bike once or twice, 300+kg of BMW1200 RT. There's a knack to it, but my chiropractor has never thanked me for it!
That's one reason why the big comfy BMW  is off the list to be honest.

So short list has got a little shorter.
Fjr1300.
1200gs.

All the rest are a bit Lardy and single minded.

[maddog04]

Stevie.....loads of lads in my Rospa group have the GS and swear that they're the best bike they've ever had.......it does everything.
I just can't get on with the aesthetics, I think they're dog ugly :lol

a few points to look at

1. if you're going to get one, go for the adventure for the massive tank range (think its about 400m)

2. beware the finishing.....one lad has one that's less than 12 months old and the welds on the engine bars are rusting

3. check out the tyres and if buying new then insist on the tyre of your choice at no extra cost, if buying used then fit Pirelli p4's (lads swear by them, unsure of the tyres on some of their bikes but listening to the talk, they have no confidence in them on the bends (try a GS site for more info)

if you're buying private fine, if you're going to a stealer then let me know and I'll ask the lads were they go for theirs and chase up the tyres question

[stevierst]

Cheers maddog, against all my preconceptions of the BMW stigma, it's pointing more and more at the GS as the days go by.

Going to have to dig deep for one though, cheap they aint!

[hairnet]

cbf1000

f800s/gt/st

800xc

[Billy Balthorpe]

As a matter of fact my CBF1000 is on EBay    right now!!

[sinto607276]

How about this? :lol

[fazed]

had a triumph gt1050 comfortable fast good value and frugal and you can pick early ones up for good value with panniers etc.  Lighter than the buses that pass for Tourers with good handling ....If I was going to do lots of 2 up touring again I'd have another.......

[stevierst]

How about this? :lol

What the Hell is it? Looks like it's powered by clockwork!!!!

[sinto607276]

[quote author=sinto link=topic=16931.msg195884#msg195884 date=1431803692]
How about this? :lol

What the Hell is it? Looks like it's powered by clockwork!!!!
[/quote]
Only info I've got is... "Custom motorbike fitted with a Ferrari V8 engine"

[the cueball]

just got myself a pan European for my Euro trip this year.

[ChristoT]

Have you considered VFR 1200 and 800? Supposed to be pretty good machines.

[stevierst]

The 800 is a bit small really, and its an s/t.
And I've only got £4k, so the 1200 is out of the question.

[Mick-H]

As a bit of a wild card how about a ST1100, I had one for a few months, swapped my first Fazer in for one as I wanted to do a bit of touring, got shut as it was my only bike at the time and I didn't like/enjoy commuting on it. However as a mile muncher with pillion and loaded up it may be worth a look and for that sort of money or less you should be able to get a minter.