That Concourse has me thinking about Sport Touring bikes

Some of you might have noticed the post I made about the Honda PC800 near me. This has me looking at sport touring bikes (I know that the PC800 is not sporting). What bikes do you guys have experience with? What are the issues? My potential bike would have to be affordable (like probably no more than $8k) but any information is great. I know GPS loves his BMW. My biggest worry for this kind of bike is shin cooking. I get that wind protection means that you don't get cold but getting too hot is a big issue in humid Missouri.

More "sport" than "touring" but a friend of mine just picked up an '05 VFR800 for that purpose. Pretty comfortable, good wind protection, fuel injection, large enough for luggage/passenger but small enough not to be a pig. Also, VTEC YO!

Can easily be had for half your budget, spend the rest adding the "touring" however you like.

In reply to ¯_(ツ)_/¯:

Yeah, a friend of mine got one that was a little rough for less than $2k, like a lot less. Then flipped it. He didn't like it but then again he rides liter bikes.

In reply to singleslammer:

If you're expecting a sportbike, then I can see why you wouldn't like it. It's heavier and has like a 1ft longer wheelbase than my Buell, but I can see one as a good fun-ish mile eater.

I already have a sport bike, sort of (Hawk GT) and want a mile eater. The PC800 would make enough power for me but a good one is almost $4k here and that puts it up against some really nice bikes with fuel injection, more power, etc...

I've never had one, though I've friends who do and have. They all tend to be sport bike riders that wanted something that could eat up miles but also zip through turns.

They are the type that should they visit the Tail of the Dragon, they are going to be tearing their way through it with a huge grin on their face. Luggage capacity is a bit secondary to them, as is lounge lizard comfort. Getting an Iron Butt licence plate frame isn't all that interesting to most of them.

If that sounds like you, a sport touring bike might be right up your alley.

Before I puke VFR nonsense all over this thread I want to know if you actually want to hear about it in detail. I've got about 56k miles on an 2004 VFR800 VTEC, all of them mine, and have been to Canada and both coasts on it. They are not without caveats but I really do like the bike. That said, I do wish for some changes to it, but right now I'm just trying to get it back on the road after a long pause from riding.

For me, what I'd really like in a mile-eater is something with a low-vibration engine (VFR is great for this), the option for highway pegs and other ways to stretch out (VFR is not good for this unless you don't mind some hacking on the thing) and it needs things like a center stand and good bag options (VFR is great for this). BMW R1200 or Triumph Sprint both seem like good options to me, having ridden neither. Maybe the FZ-1 as well. I've also wondered about taking a Z1000 and throwing a bunch of mods on. Lot of bikes out there to think about.

VFR is THE answer. Honda for the longest time never offered bags and the aftermarket just did it for them. I know we always put the with bags price on our stickers at the shop I used to work at.

If you're looking for new, I'm really impressed with the new Versys 650LT. It's a "little" over your budget but used ones will start popping up in 6 months or so. Factory saddle bags, adjustable windscreen and handguards. I've seen a few listings on CL from dealers for $8499. I've been shopping for a nice sport touring bike and was convinced I wanted an FJ-09, wasn't even giving the Versys a chance. Just sitting on them at the dealer changed my mind.

What happened with the PC800?

Maybe he realized it wasn't a VFR?

I guess at the end of the day it depends on where you fall on the sports touring scale.

More touring oriented would be the Honda ST1100 and ST1300s, both of which are available within your budget. Both are great bikes if you like riding from A - B and they're quite far apart.

I obviously like BMWs otherwise I wouldn't have owned a whole bunch of them, but I never warmed that much to the R11xxRSs which are their "sports tourers". The ergonomics just don't work for me. I'd also consider the K1100RS and possible a K1200RS, plus of course the granddaddy, the R100RS. Also, I'd consider a K75S - they're great bikes and the fairing on them is just right, not too big and not too small. All of them will keep your toes toasty, though.

Another great classic sports tourer - if you can find one - is the Guzzi Spada (aka SP1000 over here).

Out of the above I've owned the Guzzi, ST1100, K75S, K100RS 16V, R100RS (still have that one). All of them will work fine if you're slightly closer to the touring end of the scale.

Oh, almost forgot - I also owned a VFR750 for a short time. They're more sporty but are great bikes. I don't like the ergonomics on the 800 (too much weight on my wrists), the 750 suits me better. Apart from the usual Honda reg/rect issues, they're very reliable bikes. I'd stay away from the 800 that has the bike version of VTECyo, it makes it even more complex to service. Both are a PITY to service anyway if you need to get at the carbs or do valves. ST1100 isn't much better, but it is to a certain extent.

Also a bit left field is the Triumph Sprint ST, which is their competitor to the VFR. They're characterful but the one I bought of a friend drank more oil than a rotary engine. Great bikes if they're working, though .

In reply to pres589:

I have heard a lot of the high points about the VFR but am curious to your take on the downsides. All bikes have them. How is their radiator heat?

In reply to Woody:

I was definitely told no (of course) so I need to wait until next spring, most likely. It is a project also, which I have plenty already and don't need another one. I might be interested in a nice one but those are nearing 4k around here which makes a lot of the other bikes mentioned an option.

In reply to BoxheadTim:

Comfort is pretty high on the list as is a decent range (this rules out the VFR1200). I would like something with fuel injection but if that is the only thing I don't like it isn't a deal breaker. Light(ish) is important to me. I really don't want something that weighs as much as a goldwing. That is probably one of the reasons I am thinking sport touring.

In reply to singleslammer:

This applies to 5th and 6th gen VFR's both, so 1998 to 2010 (or 2011 or whatever, you get the idea). The radiator design is garbage. For a good dozen years or so Honda was throwing a pair of side mounted radiators on their bikes. Goldwings, VFR's, the RC51, etc got them. And a single fan that pulls air from outside of one side of the bike and throws it towards the opposite side. Ram air caused by going forward (I know, motorcycles, crazy talk) will cancel that out and lead to a stagnation situation where the temp just hangs or even goes up if the situation is correct. Yadda yadda these bikes run a bit hot if you get into traffic. My current solution has been to use a different fan switch that comes on a bit cooler to try and not let temps go so high. I've also added a manual over-ride switch so I can just throw it on early. What's annoying is being on the highway and once the temp hits 199 on the gauge, the fan turns off (separate sensors but they're both pretty accurate) and the bike will cool down faster.

Another issue is all of the cooling hoses on these bikes. There's about a half dozen of them in the V of the engine. I'm replacing all of those currently (for about $100 from a dealership with a few o-rings) as mine have aged and started to leak. I got away with cleaning the barbs up with scotchbrite and re-installing a year ago but the bike started to leave little puddles again a few months ago so I pulled the trigger. To get to these hoses means you pull the throttle bodies, which is one big assembly for all four. I figure this is a good time to re-sync the throttle bodies since that's never been done, along with some other maintenance.

There's nowhere easy to throw engine guards onto the bike which makes it hard to add highway pegs. It's a fully faired motorcycle so I know that I shouldn't expect this. I just wish it had more options for placing my legs and helping keep numb butt at bay longer.

I had to replace the factory stator at 27,000 miles. I used a Rick's Motorsports unit. I replaced that stator at 48,000 miles. At this point I'm going to replace the stator like a maintenance item every 20,000 miles. Getting these parts to me fast, as I was on vacation with the bike when the last stator died, was not as easy as I think it should have been; no new stators in stock in the USA via Honda so I got another Rick's unit over-nighted. Next trip I go on, I'm leaving a stator, a regulator, and some extra electrical terminals and wires and such with family to mail where ever I get stranded. There's some other electrical system weirdness but the aftermarket has good options to improve on the situation. Currently I'm adding wiring & some bus bars to improve things further.

If I had skills and motivation and some money I'd buy a TIG welder and then learn how to use it and build a serious naked RC46 VFR out of my bike. Single large radiator mounted up front and high like normal people would do, and use a bigger/better oil cooler for the cherry on top. Bend up some case savers and integrate some pegs for long-distance comfort. But since I don't have those things I guess I'll just complain on the internet some more...

Hope this helps.

EDIT: The stock seat is junk but there's lots of options there. Peg lowering blocks may be smart if you're tall. Etc etc.

Good info.

In reply to singleslammer:

None of the bikes I listed weigh as much as a Goldwing, fortunately . Most early 2000s bike fuel injection isn't that great so I wouldn't rule out a well set up set of carbs.

The VFR and Sprint ST are probably the lighter weight bikes amongst the ones I listed. The ST1100 and Guzzi aren't that heavy but are top heavy, so they feel heavier until you get moving. Especially the ST1100 pulls off the "vanishing weight" trick rather impressively.

The BMWs obviously carry their weight fairly low and all have a decent fuel range, plus the fuel injection on triples and fours works pretty well. The one on the Rs is OK as long as you keep the TBs in well synced.

Yeah, I might be being a little bias on the carbs. You still have to deal with sync and such. I have a friend with a Spring ST (1050 model) and it dumps radiator heat all over your legs and he hates the seat. He is the one that had the VFR (6th gen) and his only complaint during his short ownership was that he thought it felt like a 600cc bike but he came off a bandit 1200 so he is biased.

singleslammer wrote: How is their radiator heat?

I had a VF Magna some years ago, which is basically the same bike in a cruiser format. Hottest feeling bike I've ever ridden. On it, the radiator was up high, and blew across your thighs when moving. When not moving, it blew across your thighs and drifted up your body. Summer time was not at all comfortable on that bike.

Get pres to elaborate on the heat he experienced straddling the bike, especially in slow traffic.

VFR800 is not an easy bike to pull power wheelies on like a Bandit 12x0 would be. Can be done with a gearing change; the bike isn't spinning that fast (for a multi-lung sporty bike) at highway speeds but a rear sprocket change will fix that. The redline is 11,750 RPM so it's not like the motor can't turn high revs.

If it's a hot day, some strong sun, and stop & go traffic you'll feel heat from the rads. I don't find it oppressive. It's not much fun past 90 and I've got overpants over the pants I wear to the office. But I don't think that situation is much fun on any bike.

The Magna didn't, I don't think, have the twin rad setup that the VFR800 had. Those bikes used front mounted radiators like a sane person would design. I'm sure they send heat towards the rider but it's not the same situation.

Anyone have any experience with the BMW 800cc bikes? I have a friend with an F800 GS but I am more interested in the F800 ST and similar models.

In reply to pres589:

That is good to hear that the VFR seems to deal with its heat alright.

I've been infatuated with the older concourse, like this for a while now.

I also like the BMW's and the FJ09 and the VFR and...well the entire sport touring category is appealing to me. I'd love to add one along with a dirt bike to my fleet in the near future. I would need a place to hide them so the wife wouldn't find out though.

In reply to singleslammer:

First thing I did with my 955i Sprint ST was to buy the factory gel seat, made a big difference. With that I managed to do a couple of 500+ mile days.