Touring bikes

[Tannerm]

Thinking about selling my truck and getting something great on gas. We are gunna also sell the wifes 09 fusion and roll with one car for a while. She's gunna stay home with the newborn for at least a year. THat being said, I have question...
1. Sport Touring bikes (ST, FJR, Sprint, etc)
2. bagger (Nomad, electra, road king, etc)
3. Dual purpose (KLR, GS, etc)
What is a better bike for the money? Budget prolly wont be more then 7K... Looking for A to B transportation but dont want a boring bike. Buying used obviously. Just looking for oppinions on the bikes yall ride. I hate sport bikes, so dont need opinions on that HAd my fair share of back killers...

[likeitfast55]

http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/2364/Motorcycle-Photo-Gallery/2010-Kawasaki-Concours-14-Comparison.aspx

These used are not too expensive, also the FJR is outstanding! Cant go wrong with either. The Honda st1300 is a good solid bike as well. The Kawasaki is the bigger of the three.

[O.C.]

With a budget of 7K I would look at:
V-Strom or Ulysses - both with hard bags. I have looked at both and think they would be excellent bikes to run around and back n forth to work on.

[kingjason]

The ole Honda VFR's are pretty sweet also. Orrr for 7k dont forget the VRod's with the bullet bags. I really liked mine and will own another some day with a turbo.

[billybob81]

I have a Road King and love it. Great bike for long rides obviously, but it is great around town too.

[Ratt]

Fz1?

[cbrjames]

Fz1?

x2

Just do it clown!

[Tannerm]

Instead of starting another post, I'll ask in here. When running today I saw a slick looking classic naked bike. Kawasaki ZRX1100. What's the skinny on these machines. I liked it. Passed it three times on my run. Didnt care for the kawy green scheme tho. And I assume it's carbed.

[dsrtuckteezy]

the zrx11 & 12 are hideous imo...if you want to go naked sport touring type, look at a bandit 1200 or 1250, z1k, hornet 919, or fz1..all look much better and have mono shocks.

[Tannerm]

o ok. It was just a decent looking bike imo. Never riden one, and definately not a fan of carbs...

[Tannerm]

Side note, I didnt ignore the rest of yall on your great recommendations. I am still in a daze from lack of sleep (new father with colicky son) and totally forgot I made this damn thread.

[ram57ta]

I would steer clear of the V-rod unless you can live with fill ups after about 80-90 miles. A buddy of mine has one and thats about the best he can do on a tank...while everyone around him can average between 150-200 miles on a tank. For everyday versatility.....the swiss army knife of bikes...the Honda VFR is an excellent do everything bike..its fast enough, handles well, is comfortable, and you can find them fairly cheap. The old ZRX is a big, heavy, sloppy handling copy of anything made in the early 80's. The bandit 1200, CB1000, and 919 Hornet are MUCH better bikes.

[Tannerm]

Fz1?

Had its little brother the FZ6. At the time I thought it was uncomfortable and small, but fun and quick. Now after all the bikes Ive owned, that sitting posture wouldnt be too bad. Didnt help that my riding buddy at the time had a FJR that I was completely jealous of!

I have a Road King and love it. Great bike for long rides obviously, but it is great around town too.

I have a very sweet spot for HD's! I just cant afford them... For 6500-7000 budget, that wont get me diddly for a RK or EG. Dream Harley is a Street Glide denim. MmmmMMMMmmmm.

The ole Honda VFR's are pretty sweet also. Orrr for 7k dont forget the VRod's with the bullet bags. I really liked mine and will own another some day with a turbo.

Never ridden a VFR but definatley see there potential. My St1300 had a V4 and outside of it sounding like a pissed off sewing machine, it was awesome. The most recent VFR (before the new alien AWESOME looking ones) are really slick looking and seem to be pretty comfy. Again, I dont know anything about them. As for the Vrod's, those are danged cool. Ridden one at TX harley in Bedfart. Still a bit pricey though.

With a budget of 7K I would look at:
V-Strom or Ulysses - both with hard bags. I have looked at both and think they would be excellent bikes to run around and back n forth to work on.

VS look kinda boring to me to be honest. IDK there exact purpose in the motorcycle community, but I konw there wildly popular! They have that poor man's BMW GS look to them with bags. The Ulys wouldnt be too bad. Harley 1203cc Vtwim and GS looks is pretty slick. But, they seem hard to find.

http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/2364/M...omparison.aspx

These used are not too expensive, also the FJR is outstanding! Cant go wrong with either. The Honda st1300 is a good solid bike as well. The Kawasaki is the bigger of the three.

I woudl still kill for a nice gen 2 FJR (gen 1's had heat ventilation issues were it would cook the driver's legs etc on hot days in traffic). Bad ass bikes, and the AE models, although autoish, are really a technological wonder. Very cool. Concours worry though. Why is such a new bike (at least in the ZX14 flavor) so cheap on the used side??? THat is what always bothered me. WHen I was shopping for a ST bike a few years ago, I test drove the big three; FJR vs ST1300 vs Connie. The COnnie was the quickest, but all had very similar atributes. ST came in last on power, but I ended up buying s used one. Didnt buy the Connie because the market sucked on them for some reason. Love there looks, features, and performance; just worried me...


Also, I cant buy any bikes till I sell my F100. Have had alot of bites but I keep second guessing my decision and taking the ads down. I need to get a better MPG vehicle and a bike would be great again. The truck is awesome, just not a good idea for my sole form of transportation. Too nice to drive all the time in fear of road damage, idiot drivers, hail, etc...
(P.S. Just discovered how to finally multi-quote! yay me...)

[Tannerm]

I would steer clear of the V-rod unless you can live with fill ups after about 80-90 miles. A buddy of mine has one and thats about the best he can do on a tank...while everyone around him can average between 150-200 miles on a tank. For everyday versatility.....the swiss army knife of bikes...the Honda VFR is an excellent do everything bike..its fast enough, handles well, is comfortable, and you can find them fairly cheap. The old ZRX is a big, heavy, sloppy handling copy of anything made in the early 80's. The bandit 1200, CB1000, and 919 Hornet are MUCH better bikes.

The new CB1000R is sexy as hell... Im one of the few americans apparently who have a sweet spot for naked/standard bikes. Love the new Ninja 1000 and z1000, and yamaha brought out a sick FZ8 from europe.

[OreoStang]

Katana?