A good touring bike

[Puglet1]

Might be looking for a good comfortable touring bike under £2000 .
Needs to be suitable for me and my wife .
Knocking on a bit now (young 70yr old) but still have the hankering to enjoy life.
In the day, I thought “born again bikers” were totally nuts.
I loved my old FJ 1200 but understand things have moved on.
Any suggestions?

 

[qwakers]

triumph sprint st 1050. best allrounder i ever rode and dead comfortable.

 

[premmington]

BMW R1150RT

"the tractor"

Not gonna set the world on fire - but it is just gonna do it...

 

[Matchless]

I find bikes get heavier every year I get older!

 

[tom2207]

Pan European is worth a look ,,, if you prefer something slimmer , maybe a vfr . or as an outsider tigers can be bought worth the money as can super blackbirds , depends just how tourer or how sports tourer you want to go. my fave , an old r1100s , the best bike bmw ever made

 

[julianthegypsy]

I had a lowered tiger 955 with a sprint front wheel. It was the most comfortable mile muncher I've ever ridden and surprised my mate on his sv1000 through the twisting. It also went 200 miles before you had to look for a petrol station. Actually the best bike I've ever owned.

 

[GRW]

Personally I don't like anything "modern" with fly-by-wire throttles & silly "riding modes". It's a motorbike not a Nintendo.

One of the best bikes I owned was a Yamaha XJR1300. With a few small mods (mostly a resprung/revalved fork which transforms the bikes handling & braking) an XJR will do everything on the road - commute, hustle, tour. Comfy & torquey, low-ish seat height, a riding position that makes low speed manoeuvring a doddle, despite its heft.
I toured a chunk of Western Europe on mine, drag-raced it at The Bulldog Bash & everything in between.

A Landy with a horsey type driving killed my XJR - I don't think I'd have sold it.

I replaced it with a BMW R1150R Rockster (which I still have, but don't use anymore) - another really good road bike / engine (if very different to the XJR).

 

[addjunkie]

Personally I don't like anything "modern" with fly-by-wire throttles & silly "riding modes". It's a motorbike not a Nintendo.

One of the best bikes I owned was a Yamaha XJR1300. With a few small mods (mostly a resprung/revalved fork which transforms the bikes handling & braking) an XJR will do everything on the road - commute, hustle, tour. Comfy & torquey, low-ish seat height, a riding position that makes low speed manoeuvring a doddle, despite its heft.
I toured a chunk of Western Europe on mine, drag-raced it at The Bulldog Bash & everything in between.

A Landy with a horsey type driving killed my XJR - I don't think I'd have sold it.

I replaced it with a BMW R1150R Rockster (which I still have, but don't use anymore) - another really good road bike / engine (if very different to the XJR).

I liked the XJR had it 22 years, but really need a 6th gear and a small screen wi d deflector to avoid a stiff neck after a long day.
Personally Id go lighter and more economical.

 

[tom2207]

Personally I don't like anything "modern" with fly-by-wire throttles & silly "riding modes". It's a motorbike not a Nintendo.

One of the best bikes I owned was a Yamaha XJR1300. With a few small mods (mostly a resprung/revalved fork which transforms the bikes handling & braking) an XJR will do everything on the road - commute, hustle, tour. Comfy & torquey, low-ish seat height, a riding position that makes low speed manoeuvring a doddle, despite its heft.
I toured a chunk of Western Europe on mine, drag-raced it at The Bulldog Bash & everything in between.

A Landy with a horsey type driving killed my XJR - I don't think I'd have sold it.

I replaced it with a BMW R1150R Rockster (which I still have, but don't use anymore) - another really good road bike / engine (if very different to the XJR).

and the suspension too ,,, I really like the tele lever para lever set up ,,, Ive a gs 1200 and a r1200s ,, sort of the same same but different , I rode mostly ducati and bimota before the bmw switch

 

[roofman]

FJR 1300 Yamaha...fully faired, more power than you need and can ride all day without the need pain medication. motors good for 200,000 and plenty out there for around 2K. Ive owned a 2002 for 9 years and would never sell.

 

[selectedgrub]

Hard tail panhead with a 36 degree rake and 6inch overs.

 

[GRW]

I liked the XJR had it 22 years, but really need a 6th gear and a small screen wi d deflector to avoid a stiff neck after a long day.
Personally Id go lighter and more economical.

I had a small screen as well as sorted suspension & Laser cans. All 4's sound a bit busy - like taller gearing needed, but it didn't need more than 5 gears. The Rockster has 6, & has so much torque you can shift 1-3-5-6 2-up & loaded to tour most of the time, 6-gears is too many unless on a mission.

 

[GRW]

and the suspension too ,,, I really like the tele lever para lever set up ,,, Ive a gs 1200 and a r1200s ,, sort of the same same but different , I rode mostly ducati and bimota before the bmw switch

The funny front end is brilliant on the road once you've adapted - you only realise how well it works when you jump off it & try a conventional fork.

My XJR though was much better at silly hooligan wheelies though (not really a factor I know). On private land, of course!

 

[8ob]

For occasional use I would go for something tax and mot exempt on classic insurance.

Bob

 

[Rannsachair]

I like boxer twins, most of the R1100, R1150 bikes can be great value comfy tourers.

Older Triumph triples are good value for any of the more upright models.

TDM900 - a friend runs one and is a great tourer.

A middleweight may be worth trying - BMW F800, V-Storm650, even a Transalp?

 

[premmington]

I like boxer twins, most of the R1100, R1150 bikes can be great value comfy tourers.

Older Triumph triples are good value for any of the more upright models.

TDM900 - a friend runs one and is a great tourer.

A middleweight may be worth trying - BMW F800, V-Storm650, even a Transalp?

I did an electrical job on one of these - this summer - took it for a test drive - I like a F800

 

[minimutly]

I like boxer twins, most of the R1100, R1150 bikes can be great value comfy tourers.

Older Triumph triples are good value for any of the more upright models.

TDM900 - a friend runs one and is a great tourer.

A middleweight may be worth trying - BMW F800, V-Storm650, even a Transalp?

2 up?

 

[Rannsachair]

2 up?

Depends how fast you want to go, I sometimes take my wife out on the back of my R75/5 (50hp) its ok, just not so good at overtaking.

 

[RonMig]

An old Honda Transalp 600cc V-Twin near me, might scratch that itch, with a bit of fettling... (?)
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/3270003973147678/?

 

[roofman]

I like boxer twins, most of the R1100, R1150 bikes can be great value comfy tourers.

Older Triumph triples are good value for any of the more upright models.

TDM900 - a friend runs one and is a great tourer.

A middleweight may be worth trying - BMW F800, V-Storm650, even a Transalp?

TDM...great choice for toes back in the water, even the earlier 850,s are great bikes.