Please help me find the right one!

[MattBlue]

Hey there, 

 

I am in the market for my first "real" motorcycle after riding a 125 ccm in the past.
I am looking for a bike that is...

 

1) ... suited for on-road touring
I want to go long distances and I am looking for options to install hard luggage (meaning alloy panniers). I will rarely ride off-road. 

 

2) ... safe
I am responsible for my family and safety is important for me. I believe that rider aids are helpful. 
Besides regular ABS the bike should at least have traction control on board - further electronics like cornering ABS would be welcome.

 

3) ... fuel efficient 
It should offer approximately 50 mpg or in other words it should not sip more than 4,5 liter per 100 km.

 

4) ... not too big
Since I am rather small (176 cm or 5 feet 9 inches).

Can you help me find the right one, please? It's a jungle out there!

 

Thanks!

 

Matt

[Steve_M]

I’m 5’ 9” and have yet to find a road bike that’s too tall for me. I set my seat to the High position when doing a long motorway stint.

 

There’s another thread (Thread here)  which covers off much of what you’re asking. 

[Gerontious]

you don't mention your budget. that's a fairly important ingredient. do you want to buy new? or nearly new. <4 years old.

 

Alloy cases like mine are mostly found on adventure bikes and these, especially recently have very good fuel economy. my own bike will easily do well over 60mpg. you are more likely to find luggage already fitted to a second hand bike. only a very few offer this as standard from new.

 

ABS is pretty much standard now. Traction control is becoming normal as its just an evolution of ABS, uses the same hardware. Cornering ABS is starting to appear but is mostly restricted to the higher end flagship bikes. there are always exceptions to that

 

Practically any bike can be adjusted to be lower, either by minimum adjustments, like a lowered seat. or sometimes by something that seems on the face of it more drastic, but catered for either by the original manufacturer or by 3rd party parts being added or swapped over.

 

5'9 is not a bad height, its just the lower end of average. and quite normal in Japan where a lot of these types of bikes originate. And very close to the sweet spot that the vast majority of bikes are aimed to cater for.

Edited February 19, 2023 by Gerontious

[MattBlue]

On 19/02/2023 at 14:51, Gerontious said:

you don't mention your budget. that's a fairly important ingredient. do you want to buy new? or nearly new. <4 years old.

 

Alloy cases like mine are mostly found on adventure bikes and these, especially recently have very good fuel economy. my own bike will easily do well over 60mpg. you are more likely to find luggage already fitted to a second hand bike. only a very few offer this as standard from new.

 

ABS is pretty much standard now. Traction control is becoming normal as its just an evolution of ABS, uses the same hardware. Cornering ABS is starting to appear but is mostly restricted to the higher end flagship bikes. there are always exceptions to that

 

Practically any bike can be adjusted to be lower, either by minimum adjustments, like a lowered seat. or sometimes by something that seems on the face of it more drastic, but catered for either by the original manufacturer or by 3rd party parts being added or swapped over.

 

5'9 is not a bad height, its just the lower end of average. and quite normal in Japan where a lot of these types of bikes originate. And very close to the sweet spot that the vast majority of bikes are aimed to cater for.

Thank you for your kind reply!

 

My budget would be 12000 max. and I would consider buying both new or used.

 

Any kind of hard luggage would work for me - it's just important to me, that I can lock it and use it like a trunk. 

 

Unfortunately I can not confirm that traction control is already "normal" in a bike - look at the Honda CB500X: They have just completely updated the bike and it would be pretty much perfect for me - they forgot traction control however

 

Yes you can adjust seat height but always with drawbacks like worse suspension or a worse seat. 

 

I found a bike that ticks all the boxes but is not produced anymore and rather hard to find at a dealer for a test ride: BMW F800GT (model year 2011 onwards). 

Does anyone know the bike? 

 

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

You don't need traction control on the CB500X. You would need to be really daft to get into the kind of situation where it would make any difference.

 

My Bobber 1200 has traction control which has occasionally cut in on very poor road surfaces when climbing steep gradients in the wet. My CBF500 doesn't and gets ridden in all weathers and in a rural area where the roads are covered in mud, slurry and gravel all winter. The 500 doesn't have a huge amount of grunt low down like the 1200 does. It's power is higher up the rev range so for riding on slippery surfaces it's much easier to handle.

 

From experiences, you are very unlikely to buy the right bike first time round. Once you buy your first bike the learning curve begins and then you find out what you really want. My advice would be to buy something you think will do you for a year or so and then you'll be in the position to buy 'that' bike. 

 

Also, all bikes are compromises. They do some things well and other not so well. It's why I have two. No one bike will ever be perfect for everything.

Edited February 22, 2023 by Mississippi Bullfrog

[Gerontious]

58 minutes ago, MattBlue said:

I found a bike that ticks all the boxes but is not produced anymore and rather hard to find at a dealer for a test ride: BMW F800GT (model year 2011 onwards). 

Does anyone know the bike? 

 

I’ve owned its “brother” the F800S and I’ve ridden for a week it’s other “Brother” the F800GS.

 

both were excellent bikes though as an owner I preferred the S as it had the belt drive which was wonderful. A step down from a shaft but only a small step. Maintenance free. And smooth as silk. They are great bikes which by 2011 had evolved and been improved.   The GT is the Grand Tourer variant and you can’t really go wrong. Just be careful about service history and that it’s had any recalls done. Is complete with all keys and paperwork plus owners and service manual.

 

if this bike has the under seat fuel tank which was common across the range aside from the GS. That makes for a very rideable bike with a very low centre of gravity. Basically all the weight is below the seat and this has huge implications on how it handles. Like it’s on rails. And feels light, even though it is not. It also has a slightly longer wheelbase which makes it very comfortable to ride over distances. I would recommend them without a thought.

Edited February 22, 2023 by Gerontious

[bonio]

Another one to consider is the newer F750GS. A very neutral, smooth bike to ride. Should be a good fit for size, too. 100% suitable for touring. And, being a modern BMW, will come with ABS and traction control. I think it fits what you're looking for spot on.

[MattBlue]

Okay, so the BMW is a strong contender. 

What do you guys think about the Triumph Tiger Sport 660?

[Ian Frog]

I have owned the Tiger 1050 and now the 1200Gtpro and if it is anything like it`s bigger siblings then the Tiger 660 will be well worth a test ride.

Cheers

Ian

[bonio]

Never ridden a Tiger 660.

I owned a Tiger 800, and found the suspension was too budget to keep the front wheel properly planted. The reviews of the 660 paint it in glowing terms... but reviews tend to elongate the positive.

Definitely worth a test ride.

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

Having a Triumph is the motoring equivalent of owning an Alfa Romeo. You can't call yourself a real petrolhead if you haven't owned one. Just as you can't call yourself a real biker if you've never owned a Triumph.*

 

*Opinions may vary on this sweeping statement. But all observations to the contrary are wrong. I am in a pub, on holiday, having made an early start on the pop, so am supremely qualified to know what I am talking about. 

[onesea]

When I bought my Trophy 1200 the other bike that was strongly recommended was a Bandit 1200.

 

Both similar ISH bikes.

 

On one of the trophy forums there was a quote so true.

 

This Trophy owner pulled up in car park next to a Bandit.  They compared bikes, the guy with the bandit said "he turned the key it started every time".

 

The guy with the Trophy sat there and thought about his carbs, air filter change, battery, parasitic draws, sprag clutch, coils, timing pick up, clock, petic cock valve he was disturbed by the bandit guy asking about the trophy.

 

He could only reply "They are lovely to ride you don't know what your missing out on."

 

 

 

[MattBlue]

So, I have news: Sat on a BMW F800GT today. While I liked many aspects about it, I dont get along with the looks and ergonomics of this bike. 

It looks dated in a really bad way to me. I like Classic Bikes, I like Modern Bikes but this is like... Too old to be Modern and at the same time too young to be Classic. If that makes any sense?

The ergonomics are really quite sporty - low handle bar, quite a lot of weight on the wrists, shoulders and neck - that is not for me.

 

So the Triumph Tiger Sport 660 is still a great option, I believe, but I haven't tried one yet. 

 

But I also had a new idea: What about the Moto Guzzi V 85 TT? Doesnt it tick all the boxes? And I love the aesthetics!

[S-Westerly]

I like Italian bikes so the Guzzi would definitely be one to consider for me. 

[bonio]

Well done for finding one to see in the flesh. You're right, though, it's no looker. It's styling is way past its best before date, and yet it's not been round long enough to be cool.

The V85? I've always thought buying a Guzzi is more an act of the heart than one of the head*. Nearly got one once myself, a Breva. I love the quirky kick to the side when you rev them at a red light. And the Breva is very cool. 

I read the reviews of the V85 carefully when it first came out - it sounded to me like it's a great bike for loafing around on, and it's certainly a bike for long miles, but it not got the focus of its competitors. That might not be that important to you, depending on your riding style.  Is there a Guzzi dealer near you? They're bound to have some in, both new and secondhand.

 

* like buying an MV

[bonio]

One more tip: unless you've some external time pressure, take all the time you want to pick your bike. You can only part with your cash once, and sifting through the list of possibles is part of the pleasure.

[bonio]

Oh and another tip: run some sample insurance quotes before you get too attached to a particular model.