What would you say is the best touring motorcycle that still is fun to ride? Traditionally, I like to stick with motorcycles that weigh no more than 500 pounds, but I realize this might be hard to achieve. Thoughts?
You can't miss on motorcycles right now, they are all good. I would pick one up a couple of years old. If you like the adventure style, Ducati Multistrada, BMW 1200GS, KTM 1290 are all great. I've riden the KTM and GS. The KTM hauls ass but I don't like the plastic and transformer type look. I'm not crazy about the GS look but I don't know anyone that doesn't think it's the best bike they've ever had. All of them 500ish lbs. All feel tall to me though. For me, I've become a complete R1200RT fan. About 500lbs. Comfortable enough for a 500 mile day. A very easy bike to handle. A little bit of a long first gear but other than that it's just super easy. Reliable and easy to find a place to service. For the money, a Kawasaki concours is a great deal but it's got to be bumping 700lbs.
Depends what type of touring. Long distance and no unpaved roads? Two up or single? How much stuff do you plan to pack?
Great questions. I'll probably tow it behind a Porsche Cayenne. There are a lot of great driving roads in the US, but there are a lot of sucky miles between them. Maybe some minor exploring on dirt roads, but no adventure stuff. I'm too old to sleep on the ground. Definitely one up, and travel light.
I have been really happy with my Triumph Tiger 800. They just did a refresh of the Tiger lineup. Before I bought it, I rode a Multistrada and a BMW F800ST. I just really like the Triumph motors, and the whole package.
That's the way to go IMO. Get an Aluma open or Ironhorse close trailer and you can sell them for pretty much what you pay for them. They pull great. I agree with the comments of DONV on Triumph mid sized bikes. I was always biased toward >1L bikes but riding the KTM mid sized opened my eyes about how good the mid sized bikes are. Also, I rented a Harley last year and the experience was better than I thought. The bike was fine. They had BMW's as well.
Really depends where you are going. If you are taking the crappy rods between the good ones which is the fun part any of the GS line of BMWs is a good choice and you can get it taken care of pretty much anywhere but you asked for a tourer and I really don't consider it one. . If you are sticking more to mainstream places and major destinations the Multistrada is a great bike but in remote areas they may not even know how to pronounce it, much less fix it. I intentionally go to the middle of no where and may do it 800-900 miles a day so I ride a Harley. I have never wanted to go so far a day on anything else. Also can get help anywhere. Had a minor issue I was not equipped for in Whitehorse Yukon Territory once and no trouble. Did it while I waited. This was on the Dalton Highway in Alaska about 50 miles from the Arctic Circle. Image Unavailable, Please Login .
Good point on the Duck. My point about trailering is I don't want to ride a motorcycle on interstates, and this is a BIG country. Hell, I don't even want to drive a car on interstates. Alaska is on the bucket list. I even thought about jacking up my Maranello and doing it, but I'm not that crazy. How were the bugs? I've been told it is best to go later in the season to avoid them.
Image Unavailable, Please Login I am not a big fan of interstates either and avoid as much as possible.in most cases you can. On this trip we hauled ass up 5 to the Canuk border to get there and never saw another divided road on the whole trip. Clean windshield, headlight, face shield and turn signals every fuel stop. Wear 100% Deet and spray exterior clothing with best aerosol available. The mosquitoes are huge and will sting you right through heavy clothing. They can kill sled dogs. Bugs are bad but off season weather is worse. We went very close to the solstice when weather in Alaska is best but is wet season in British Columbia. Unless you are a very good rider do not go up to the Circle or further on heavy road motorcycles. Do it on a lighter dual sport or what is now called an adventure motorcycle. The prior picture picture shows an unusually good part of the road. This one is a part called the roller coaster. When we went through it was about 3 inch thick greasy mud. If either of us had gone down we would not have stopped until the bottom. On 800+ lb motorcycles on highway tires it was a real victory getting through it. Brakes do nearly no good going down it and you pray to keep enough forward speed going back up to maintain balance. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Fairbanks to the Circle and back was just over 400 miles. My riding partner and I still refer to it as 400 miles of bad road. It was a long day but we had a killer dinner that night.
Great to read these summaries from Alaska. I'm putting a trip together for this summer. Not nearly as ambitious as what you did. Nothing North of Denali. Rent in Anchorage and do some flight seeing.
I've landed exactly where you are. My two favorite places to ride, SW Colorado/ four corners and Western North Carolina are fantastic but a long trip from either Florida or Texas to ride to.
I like long trips alone but it is better with a riding partner especially if you head to the boonies. Take some time and find a good one. I ride with a couple of retired motorcycle cops. Great riding partners. Besides it really cuts down on tickets. Ever hear of 5 Corners? Seattle, San Diego, Browsville, Miami, Somewhere in New England and back to Seattle. We were going to do Rt 66 this year but our plans got changed.
Good advice. For the Alaska trip, I'm going with a guy that I've done a week long trip with last year and it worked out great. Side note, A buddy of mine went down a "grease slope" as you described. he didn't get hurt but he was stranded alone for 4 hours until someone came along and through some miracle got the bike pulled back up the hill. he said he'd never go alone again. Pretty, seasoned rider too.
My dad loves the BMW GS Adventure series bikes, and has the GS1250 Adventure. You can't go wrong with it. He's driven all kinds of terrain in it, mostly in West Texas, and a trip from Austin to Cabo. His one bucket list item in life is a trip to Alaska, I hope to help him fulfill that one some day. My thoughts are to buy a smaller BMW F850, having him meet me further up north so I can ride the upper half with him, and then sell the bike after the trip.
If you are renting Harleys, Anchorage dealer rents a ton of them every summer for people doing just that. Reserve early. Be prepared for dirt, gravel, construction and bugs. On the way from Fairbanks to Anchorage. Denali in the distance. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Both are good choices. If you plan on getting out in remote areas take extra gas. 1-2 gallons. Gas can be far between and if a station is out you need to be able to get to the next one. Also be sure you have tow coverage on your insurance. Mine assured me it covered anywhere I got myself on public highways. The Dalton Highway up to Deadhorse is a public highway and way out in the middle of F'n nowhere. Tow coverage costs me next to nothing.
Another thing about Alaska. They are very independent and proud of it but at the same time they understand, especially in remote areas they live in a very unforgiving part of the world and look out for each other. If you are in the boonies and need help, you'll get it.
I've only been there once and it was during the winter. I was helping set up fiber communications and muxes (if anyone knows what that is) in the Alyeska pipeline. People were for real hearty. Take off on a snowmobile and you better know what you're doing and be prepared to spend the night out. I did an above and beyond the call job on the work I was doing and they gave me a bunch, like 20lbs of smoked fish. Odd, but appreciated.
I would say go with any BMW GS model. I rented a GS1250 in Colorado last August for 1400 miles. I was amazed that it handled as well as my 1150RT. I find it easier to fly in and rent a bike now. I had no desire to ride from California to Colorado. The weather would have been 95-115 degrees as soon as I was 20 miles from the California coast to Colorado. It was 95 in Denver Sent from my SM-T580 using Tapatalk