01-17-2021, 04:15 AM
(01-17-2021, 01:43 AM)Roper_imp Wrote:(01-16-2021, 02:54 AM)j3gq_imp Wrote: Back to square one, imagine you want a real good tourer with the following specs:
- under 200 kg / 450 lbs. empty,
- gross at least 170 kg higher
- any power or torque (who cares at today's speed limits)
- overall good quality, comfort seat and position for 1, better for 2,
- and no matter how old.
What would you buy ?
Middle-weight Adventure Tourers come closest to your specs. Pillion comfort can be an issue. There are also some middle-weight Sport Tourers which come close, but they're about 50 lbs. heavier.
Honda NC750X and CTX 700
Yamaha Tenere 700 and Tracer 9
Suzuki V-Strom 650
Kawasaki Versys 650, Z900 & W800 with some touring mods
Triumph Tiger 900, Bonnevilles with some touring mods
BMW F 700
Ducati Multistrada 950 (Pillion comfort?)
Royal Enfield Himalayan
People have gone all over the world two-up on the V-Strom and the Versys. Everything is a trade-off. More touring comfort = more weight and bigger motors. Eventually, you end up back at the Goldwing or the K 1600.
The bike which comes the closest to meeting all your specs is the 2020 Suzuki Burgman 400. It even has the same motor as my beloved bomb-proof go-anywhere DR-Z. You just have to be secure enough in your masculinity to ride a scooter
Appreciate your list, as not very familiar with these bikes ... But I notice that the majority looks like "soft enduros" (or may be not so soft. In this line of cycles, the Honda CB500X (after 2019) is certainly another serious contender with amazing test reports.
PS: Have been riding a 125cc into town ever since I bought this baby new in 1993. (In a round-about way) I am more concerned about my social status when I jump on my EX
