Best Touring Bike

What's the best touring bike out there?

Here are the parameters.

1. I hate superslabs. I fall asleep.

2. The most I could do on a motorcycle is 250 miles a day. I turn 70 tomorrow. Getting old sucks.

3. I don't want to drive a pig. I like responsive motorcycles.

4. It has to be able to stop, in a hurry.

I'm thinking a BMW GS.

Your thoughts?

 

250 a day? In July I rode from Austin to Albuquerque, back roads all the way (700 miles + or - ) solo on my 1st day out on a 20 year old Harley in a heat wave and I'm 67 . The next day to Winslow for lunch and back to Albq, another 500 + miles. Come on Doc. You can represent our generation better than that.

GS is a great choice. If I was not a Harley guy I'd get a GS. But I sure like Multistradas.
Harleys are great for putting miles in the rearview. They are highly evolved for that. On pavement, gravel or dirt. Even done in in deep sloppy mud on the Dalton highway.

 

I had said elsewhere that I've got a BMW RT and a GS and a Triumph. I bought the GS because it fell into my lap. I didn't get the whole GS love thing. Turns out, a year later the GS is all I ride. I got caught in a rainstorm yesterday and once again I was surprised at how good the weather coverage is from the small fairing and hand guards. Really nice clutch take up and just an easy bike to ride.

350-400 miles is a solid day for me.

 

Another thing about a GS (And a Harley too actually but I know you dont like them). Everyone has heard "Fitting to a T" .

In the early days of automobile adventure there were all nature of mail order accessories for your car to make your adventure more enjoyable and it literally meant it would fit a Model T. The same is true of the GS. Every adventure riding accessory imaginable is made to fit a GS. And unlike many imports no matter where you go it is well supported.

I go to some pretty out of the way places, we have taken a Sat phone and a pocket full of dead presidents a couple of times to be sure we could get help when needed. . Being able to get help is always a consideration and a GS is very high on that list. There are 2 bikes I would take into the middle of no where and that is one.

 

I 've offered you a chance t try the Ducati St3/ST4 series.....they are fat heavy pigs of the Italian exotic bike world.

Like a hot sloppy chick with a fat ass..

But you never call..
2006 ST3 s ABS.....

That's a lt of bike, a lot of alphabet.
Aprilla or of course Moto Guizzi seem s to be what you are after.....

 

Thanks. Keep those cards and letters coming. But, yeah, 250 miles is all I want to do in a day. Remember, I don't ride superslabs.

 

Happy Birthday. Go out and buy yourself a motorcycle.

 

KTM 890 Adventure R with some Giant Loop soft bags.

 

I appreciate the sentiment, but I had to laugh. I have a 98 e36 M3 sitting in Portland Oregon that I can't seem to find the time to go and pick up.

I have two hard deadlines left this year - 9/15 and 10/15. Once I get over those, I be free!

 

I've looked at those over the years. But they may be too hard core. I won't have a support vehicle following me. I understand traveling light, but still.

 

This is KTM 690 with Rally Raid package and Nomad tower. Pic from Buffalo Chip in Sturgis. Heading back this week to ride DAKAL Loop for 4-5 days...
I am just a little younger than you but got some great advice this summer. "Don't let the old man in"
This bike will go 80 although I wouldn't keep it there for long, The Conti TKC's handle street and trail well.
All bikes and cars break. Just go ride...

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Buy a GS and be done with it.
Even on backroads 240 miles isn’t very far.

 

I turned 70 today. I started legally riding motorcycles when I was 14, although I rode them before then. Life was different.

Yes, I have stories, as I am sure you do.

I've been told natural reactions are formed before you are 18. To this day, I can ride left-hand or right-hand shift without missing a beat. I can react without thinking about it. So far, my reactions have been right.

I love motorcycles. But I also love air conditioning. I don't like bugs between my teeth. I also don't like people who I don't know doing their best to kill me.

Color me conflicted.

 

Here's my problem. My guess is this car will go for mid-30s. A/C, and everything else. It's not a bike, but...

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/2010-porsche-boxster-s-5/

 

I love my GS, but if I could only have one bike it would be my Triumph Tiger 800 XC. I think Triumph is up to the 900 now, but basically the same bike-- go test ride one and see what you think.

I have a lot of friends with KTMs. They are amazingly loyal to the brand, even as they admit to the unreliability and generally poor engineering...

 

We only get to do this once. At our age a motorcycle will only be part of that for a little while. If the idea of packing a bag and just taking off for who the F knows where appeals to you , get on with it.

 

Why do you prefer the Triumph to the GS? I'm guessing weight? The Triumph is a very solid choice IMO.

 

I have heard a lot of good about them. I just think getting a GS fixed out in the boonies could be easier.

 

I'd buy a Harley Street Glide, Road Glide, or Road King, depending on your flavor, get a map, and go have fun. Harley dealers are everywhere and it's a borderline cult following.

MDS

 

Weight is a factor, but not a huge one. Mostly it is that incredibly smooth motor on the Triumph, combined with the gearing, which makes it so easy to ride slowly in difficult conditions. I'm still getting used to the GS, but I can see from both my own experience and what friends have told me, that the GS (the 1200, anyway) doesn't like to go slow. In some cases, 15-20mph is just what you need-- I did a 7 day trip this summer on the Tiger with a lot of off-pavement, and it was just fantastic. I think the GS (with me riding-- better riders than me do this sort of stuff on GSs all the time) would have made it, but it would have been more difficult.

For on road, the GS is better, for sure, but the Tiger is awfully good. The only thing about the Tiger is that the gas mileage really suffers at 80+ mph.

And, in Dale's case, I would say the Tiger is just generally easier to manage and ride than the GS, and that is nice.

The Tiger is just a great all around bike. But I do like the GS, especially for long on-pavement rides. I'm hoping to take the GS to Baja this winter.

 

I agree.
I think GS is a pig off road. I put street tires on mine and can’t imagine doing many miles in the dirt. I went from an RT which has really long gearing so I think the GS is easy at low speed.
The main point I think is that there are so many good bikes right now. It’s hard to buy a bad one.

 

Boulder nailed it....alll great bikes......just go ride. Anything made by a human will break and it is not like you will be stuck somewhere for days.
Call Arch and set up demo ride in CA.

 

I've been mulling this over, dangerous I know. But what I'm realizing is this is big country, and there are a lot of places that suck riding a motorcycle. Think Kansas.

Maybe the best plan is to tow a bike to a cool place and then ride. What say you?

 

I am not a believer in towing your bike somewhere.... but you live in Houston, so given that I can see it.

 

Just rent a bike this month in Denver and do a Rockies tour. Plenty of fun and beautiful 250 mile days. If you like it, buy a bike? Perfect time to do it.