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Newbie tourer advice please


SidG
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Hello all,

Thinking about buying a bike in the next few months. Currently have an Mt07. First bike, have 18 months riding experience with only 6k miles under my belt. Obviously inexperienced but would love to do some touring around Europe soon. Question is use a tail bag and soft panniers on my mt07 and go for it or look at getting a used sports tourer/ adventure bike circa £6 - 7k. Concerns are heavier, more power, not suitable for a relative newb. I know the mt07 is a budget bike but it’s all I have experience on. I know people say you can tour on any bike but are others such as versys 1000, bmw 800gs or Gt, tiger 800 etc such a massive step up in quality suspension, brakes etc that make you enjoy touring much more as they are supposed to be more comfortable for longer journeys? want to keep the mt07 for commuting and occasional weekend rides but if there is bike that could do both I’d happily trade in and spend more. Or am I being naive and there is no such motorbike? The market seems full of big adventure type bikes which don’t really appeal to me, or am I being narrow minded till I try one?

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Just sling some luggage on whatever you've got . Any bike is an adventure bike. And an MT07 is much more practical than any of my recent " Touring " bikes .

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Edited by fastbob
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I know people say you can tour on any bike but are others such as versys 1000, bmw 800gs or Gt, tiger 800 etc such a massive step up in quality suspension, brakes etc that make you enjoy touring much more as they are supposed to be more comfortable for longer journeys?

 

YES. road test them all.. which will give you at least some idea of what to expect from an older bike.. your budget will easily buy you (at the very least) a 2-3yr old minter. recent changes in all these bikes have been relatively minor and incremental.


when you do decide.. then look for one with the extras you need, like luggage, perhaps GPS etc. far better to get a bike with these already added than have that as a subsequent expense.


I really do rate this.. 23 miles from you in Bromsgrove. and way under your budget. luggage, Belt drive, lightweight underseat tank. 65mpg and not a bad price for a dealership. https://tinyurl.com/y4now5hs worth serious consideration especially if its had its 16K Service.

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Sports tourers or adventure bikes with bigger engines give a lot more comfort, and this really starts to count for something when you're spending a whole day, or several days in a row, in the saddle. But the only way to find out what suits you is to go and do test rides. Try to cover a wide variety of roads: on dual carriageway, consider things like how relaxed the seating position is, and what the road noise is like - this will affect how far you're happy to travel on tour; and then on the twisty roads, think about the handling, how manageable the bike is, and whether it puts a smile on your face. No bike is perfect, but a good touring bike will do well in both areas.

Having said all that, it all depends on your own likes: [mention]smallfrowne[/mention] has gone touring with us on a CBR400RR, which is a bit crazy of course, but it can be done, especially if you're young :D

That GT does look nice. It's a very approachable bike, easy to ride...

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No matter what bike you get , all day in the saddle your going to get a sore arse and tired , an out and out tourer you’ll have more space for your pants and vests ... top box & panniers .


You can tour on any thing .

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No matter what bike you get , all day in the saddle your going to get a sore arse and tired , an out and out tourer you’ll have more space for your pants and vests ... top box & panniers .


You can tour on any thing .

 

I agree with six on this, I've toured on a big adventure bike and regularly suffered with back and arse ache, and that was with a gel insert in the saddle, suffered the same with an FJ I had a few years ago. I've been to Switzerland on a fireblade, with the unique discomfort riding a sports bike produces, sure I could load the ADV and FJ up with luggage, but the blade was much more fun on the Swiss twisties with just saddle bags :D At the end of the day its personal preference and what feels right for you, ask yourself what you intend doing and how much luggage you want to carry, you'll find a story on the net of someone who toured India on a 50cc! Don't expect though, after a day or more in the saddle, not to have aches and pains in some form or another, regardless of what your choice of bike is. The whole ethos of biking is freedom and individualism, choose a good all rounder that feels right for you, load it up and get out there and enjoy it. :thumb:

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