Bike shopping?

[Lateralus]

Hi all. I need some advice about a potential bike swap, and remembered you fine folk at TMBF!

 

I ride all year round, commuting fairly often, and also need something capable of weekend fun and long tours. I therefore need a shaft drive, decent luggage (especially top box), and good weather protection. I also need something reliable, and not too expensive to maintain (I can't do any of my own servicing). 

 

 

My last three bikes have been a Tiger Sport 1050 (loved, but no shaft drive and not enough weather protection), 2010 R1200RT (very capable, but bought with the head rather than the heart. That said, at 3 years it was the longest I've owned any one bike!) and I'm now riding the K1300S (phenomenal engine, but beginning to find the compromises on practicality not ideally suited to most of my riding). Any swap would need to be close to cost neutral, which gives a maximum budget of up to £6k; less would be better.

 

I would be tempted by the K1600GT, despite the weight, but it's the servicing costs which have really put me off, and I can't afford the LC versions of the R1200RT. I've ridden the FJR as a blood bike and didn't love it, and for some reason the GTR1400 doesn't grab me, although I've not actually ridden one. 

 

I'm also discounting the GS or Explorer, as they seem much more expensive than the non-adventure equivalents, and on principle I don't want another twin-cam RT. 

 

At the end of all that, I am currently torn between the K1300GT and the Triumph Trophy SE. The GT is rather fugly, but otherwise appears to tick all the boxes, and I have a test ride booked on a Trophy on Friday. 

 

Anyone have experience of these two bikes? Anything else I should be considering? All views welcome!

[Fiddlesticks]

Looking at your choices I'd be tempted to suggest a Pan European - if you can find a good one? Comfortable, good weather protection, bomb proof engine...

[husoi]

I'm with @Fiddlesticks on this one.

Have a 08 Pan since 2014 and only thing I ever did was replacing brake pads, service, tyres and  that kind of stuff.

Last year looked to replace it with something newer and couldn't find anything that would do the job as well as the Pan.

 

I would say that the only add-on is a gel pad on the seats and you can go 150 miles without needing a stop.

250 miles on a tank and a tonne of luggage space.

 

Obviously, @Stu will say a beamer is the way to go... 

[Stu]

Get the bmw! 

 

 

 

What was the question

 

There is some cracking deals out there for the R1200rt lc 

 

Don't be put off by high mileage either as I have seen a lot with well over 200k on the clocks! They get cheap after about 35k as people think that's high mileage

 

The RT is a better bike than the K16 in terms of nimbleness the K16 is a great motorway bike and the engine is silky smooth. 

 

I have seen some RT's as low as 6k and it's a lot of bike for the money 

[husoi]

If only bus routes timetable were as predictable....  

[OldEssexMan]

I too am in the market for a new bike. Having had shaft-driven machines since 1991 I am not exactly spoiled for choice these days! What has happened to the manufacturers to make them all so shaft-phobic? No Japanese company has a shaft-drive in their portfolio (except Honda with the Goldwing) and, having heard too many stories about BMW unreliability, I am loathe to go that route. Guzzi? No thanks! Yes, another Pan would be nice but they are all at least 10 years old. I fear I will be 'forced' into having something with a chain - ugh!

[keith1200rs]

I have had 5 BMWs over the last 20 years or so with no problems. F650, K1200RS, R1200R, R1250RT and now R1250RS. I think the discussion forums make problems seem worse than they are. I had a Kawasaki where the engine self destructed at around 3500 miles. 

[rennie]

I've never owned a BMW! not for any particular reason it's just never happened 

 

my VFR is shaft drive! 

[Stu]

6 hours ago, OldEssexMan said:

I too am in the market for a new bike. Having had shaft-driven machines since 1991 I am not exactly spoiled for choice these days! What has happened to the manufacturers to make them all so shaft-phobic? No Japanese company has a shaft-drive in their portfolio (except Honda with the Goldwing) and, having heard too many stories about BMW unreliability, I am loathe to go that route. Guzzi? No thanks! Yes, another Pan would be nice but they are all at least 10 years old. I fear I will be 'forced' into having something with a chain - ugh!

 

You will hear stories of failed shafts you do with other mainstream manufacturers too it was one of the issues with the fjr if not serviced correctly 

 

Another issue with the fjr is the rear suspension linkage! It's a serviceable item and no one ever gets it done even the dealers skip it! If and when that fails it can be deadly. 

 

On the bmw the shaft isn't an issue it's failure to maintain other parts that allows moisture in that causes a failure 

[Fiddlesticks]

1 hour ago, Stu said:

You will hear stories of failed shafts you do with other mainstream manufacturers too...

 

I resemble that remark!

[Stu]

Just now, Fiddlesticks said:

 

I resemble that remark!

 

Ah yes! I forgot about your issue

 

[Lateralus]

On 20/07/2023 at 08:56, Stu said:

Get the bmw! 

 

 

 

What was the question

 

There is some cracking deals out there for the R1200rt lc 

 

Don't be put off by high mileage either as I have seen a lot with well over 200k on the clocks! They get cheap after about 35k as people think that's high mileage

 

The RT is a better bike than the K16 in terms of nimbleness the K16 is a great motorway bike and the engine is silky smooth. 

 

I have seen some RT's as low as 6k and it's a lot of bike for the money 

 

So the strong advice I've had from Steve at Rainbow Workshop is to avoid the 2013 and 2014 LC RTs, which means they're still a bit beyond budget. 

 

Test rode a Trophy today, bit just didn't like it, much as I wanted to! Everything felt a bit vague compared to the K1300S, but after 3 years with an RT I'd expected to feel instantly at home!

 

Think a test of a K1300GT might be in order...

[Lateralus]

On 20/07/2023 at 00:21, Fiddlesticks said:

Looking at your choices I'd be tempted to suggest a Pan European - if you can find a good one? Comfortable, good weather protection, bomb proof engine...

 I tested one of those 4 years ago when I first got the RT. Liked the engine, couldn't get on with the styling! I'm clearly a fickle creature. 

[Stu]

13 minutes ago, Lateralus said:

 

So the strong advice I've had from Steve at Rainbow Workshop is to avoid the 2013 and 2014 LC RTs, which means they're still a bit beyond budget. 

 

Test rode a Trophy today, bit just didn't like it, much as I wanted to! Everything felt a bit vague compared to the K1300S, but after 3 years with an RT I'd expected to feel instantly at home!

 

Think a test of a K1300GT might be in order...

 

For what reason to avoid them? 

[Lateralus]

47 minutes ago, Stu said:

 

For what reason to avoid them? 

Without wishing to embarrass you all with my mechanical expertise, something about a part in the centre of the engine which can fail and is £2k+ to fix, but was sorted on later models. 

 

I'll ask him!

[Lateralus]

Apparently it's the alternator. 

[Stu]

5 minutes ago, Lateralus said:

Without wishing to embarrass you all with my mechanical expertise, something about a part in the centre of the engine which can fail and is £2k+ to fix, but was sorted on later models. 

 

I'll ask him!

 

The charging system 

 

It's an engine out job to change that stator. There has been a fair few failures on it. It's not something that would worry me but I would do the work myself. 

 

At first I thought you was still talking about shaft problems 

 

What's your budget if you don't mind me asking 

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

2 minutes ago, Stu said:

 

The charging system 

 

It's an engine out job to change that stator. There has been a fair few failures on it. It's not something that would worry me but I would do the work myself. 

 

At first I thought you was still talking about shaft problems 

 

What's your budget if you don't mind me asking 

I think the original post suggested £6k max. 

[Stu]

12 minutes ago, Mississippi Bullfrog said:

I think the original post suggested £6k max. 

Cheers I missed that 

[Lateralus]

22 minutes ago, Stu said:

 

The charging system 

 

It's an engine out job to change that stator. There has been a fair few failures on it. It's not something that would worry me but I would do the work myself. 

 

At first I thought you was still talking about shaft problems 

 

What's your budget if you don't mind me asking 

Pretty much anything beyond fuel and air and the bike goes to a mechanic for me!

 

It needs to be as close to cost neutral as possible, so basically whatever I can get for my current bike, plus a modest bit extra. Been quoted £4,750 trade in, in the expectation the dealer could sell on for £6k. However I reckon it would go for maybe £5,500 private, for someone who knows about them. 24k miles, very clean, full service history and plenty of very desirable extras. 

 

So, that gives an upper budget of about £6k. 

 

Plus it's in red, which we all know is the fastest colour. 

Edited July 21, 2023 by Lateralus

[Stu]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/225672518654?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=YptoeOtRSmK&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=rZXY7fpBQhi&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

 

Thats probably worth a punt! 

 

The trouble is you're going double the mileage of what you have currently! But as I say mileage is no issue 

 

Or you could find an early one that's had the alternator done

[Lateralus]

It's even got a cup holder!

[Stu]

3 minutes ago, Lateralus said:

It's even got a cup holder!

 

Yeah! Wtf is that all about

 

I know people call them an armchair but that's taking the piss

[OldEssexMan]

On 21/07/2023 at 18:57, Stu said:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/225672518654?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=YptoeOtRSmK&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=rZXY7fpBQhi&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

 

Thats probably worth a punt! 

 

The trouble is you're going double the mileage of what you have currently! But as I say mileage is no issue 

 

Or you could find an early one that's had the alternator done

This post does back up my comment about BMW reliability. The bike is being sold at 53k miles and has already had a new clutch and a new cam chain adjuster. My Yam XJ900F had had no major parts replaced when I sold it at 100k miles. My first Pan was bought at 40k and sold at 140k with no parts replaced. My second Pan was bought new and sold at 180k miles having had the alternator replaced at 98k. To have to replace major components by 53k does not fill me with confidence about BMWs.

[Stu]

13 hours ago, OldEssexMan said:

This post does back up my comment about BMW reliability. The bike is being sold at 53k miles and has already had a new clutch and a new cam chain adjuster. My Yam XJ900F had had no major parts replaced when I sold it at 100k miles. My first Pan was bought at 40k and sold at 140k with no parts replaced. My second Pan was bought new and sold at 180k miles having had the alternator replaced at 98k. To have to replace major components by 53k does not fill me with confidence about BMWs.

 

I replaced more than that on my fjr1300 with 34k on the clock 

 

Same for my Tl1000 with 28k and both my gsxr 600's with less than 20k on both of them and the same on my zxr 400 

 

So it's not all Rosie