Q&A: What is a good sport touring motorcycle?
Question by Rick N: What is a good sport touring motorcycle?
What is a good sport touring / touring motorcycle the following criteria:
under 1000ccs
under $ 8,000
has the ‘look’ of a sport bike
I currently ride a sport bike but am looking for something that caters more to touring adventures.
Best answer:
Answer by The Freak Show
With those criteria, you will have to be shopping used. You have also narrowed it down to pretty much one choice for a bike specifically designed as a sport tourer. Since it’s one of the best sport touring motorcycles ever made, that isn’t a bad thing.
The VFR800 Interceptor has been setting the standard for the class since 1998. It’s fairly powerful and handles great. Late models are available with ABS too. I think they look great too with the underseat exhaust and single sided swing arm.
There are several other choices that I would consider, but they are all bigger bikes, like the ‘Busa, ZX14, and even the old CBR1100XX.
I am thinking of dumping my GSX-R1000 for something like that.
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Honda VFR 800 or a good used VFR750 but they are getting old.
BMW makes the best sport tourers out there for ride, handling, and performance. But for your price range you would be looking used.
Honda and Kawasaki both make sport touring machines, Honda’s is 1300 and Kawi’s is 1400cc’s. Again you would be looking used or finding a dealer who is sitting on some and really wants to deal in these tough eco times.
All the above bikes come with factory installed hard bags. The Honda’s bags are the smallest of the sport touring crowd with BMW and Kawasaki both offering large sized bags.
I use to own a Kawasaki Concours 1000 cc and can tell you, it was very topheavy with a 7.5gallon fuel tank and inline 4 cyl. engine. Also the connie would make your hand go numb, in under 1 hour. It is my understanding that the new 1400cc version does not have the same vibration problems that plaqued the ninja 1000 engines (and that was the platform engine that Kawi used in its 1000 cc connies, just slightly detuned)
Sport tourers are great all day comfort machines that take the curves like a well tuned sport bike but offer the size and weight of all day cruisers, and usually decent sized bags to pack enough gear in to make the trip worth while. Oh yeah the luggage is easily removable for those times you just want to ride a “sport” bike.
Take a look at the 800 cc Bmw touring bike. $ 8000 would be a used bike. The model is F800ST.
a Suzuki Katana is perfect for you… Its a touring bike but performs like a street bike.. it was my boyfriends first bike.. he had a 750 but the go as low as 600 i think.. the seat is very comfortable and great for traveling long distances.. he currently rides a Hayabusa 1300..
Love my VFR. You can get nice factory hardbags that actually make the bike look even better. This is the funnest bike of the 14 I have owned. Lay down riding position but not the cramped leg position of a true sport bike. You can get a nice used one for under $ 8k.
I’ve owned several BMW R series bikes with the GS being the best. Great bikes for touring, but I wouldn’t classify them as sport touring bikes…just standard bikes with about half the horsepower of sport touring bikes. The GS is dual sport.
VFR 800, hands down the best, very comfortable and I think they look almost as sexy as a CBR
As long as you are talking used, the VFR 750 or 800 is the only bike that fits your criteria. The best part is that it is an excellent all around motorcycle.
under $ 8000? Suzuki 650 V Strom, Yamaha FZ6, Kawasaki Versys
spending $ 2K more a much better choice is the Honda Interceptor
spending $ 1K more the Suzuki 1000 V Strom is much better than the 650 V Strom
spending $ 4K more you can go with either the Honda ST1300, or the Yamaha FJR1300
the 650cc bikes are lack-luster for true long distance touring
Your criteria systematically eliminated everything that is factory made for touring. Generally, anything that you can sit comfortably on for several hours and can do highway passing speeds safely and nimbly can be used as a sport touring bike. You’ll have to provide luggage and protection from the elements as bikes matching your criteria will not have much in either department. I’ve read a lot about the naked-sport/standards such as the FZ6 and SV650 saying they have good touring potential and Givi makes side and back luggage for the FZ6 but it looks a bit awkward in my opinion.
If you’re serious about a touring bike, spend the few extra thousand and get a real tourer or spend the extra time finding a smaller one with perfect ergonomics for you.