Nobody builds the bike I want
Discussion
I’m very happy with my pair of Triumph’s - a Tiger 900 RP and a Speed Twin 1200, but ideally I’d only want one bike, but nobody appears to build it.
The criteria is a good looking sports tourer with the ability to fit luggage with at least 150hp and weighing less than 230kg wet.
The options out there all seem to fail either the looks or weight test, usually both and I don’t want it to be an adventure style bike. If Triumph came up with a proper faired sports tourer with road biased suspension based on the Speed Triple 1200 I’d be first in line for a test ride. Or if Ducati shoe horned the V4 engine into their Supersport I’d do the same.
Is there something out there that I’m simply overlooking? If not I’ll just have to stick with what I have until someone builds ‘my’ bike.
The criteria is a good looking sports tourer with the ability to fit luggage with at least 150hp and weighing less than 230kg wet.
The options out there all seem to fail either the looks or weight test, usually both and I don’t want it to be an adventure style bike. If Triumph came up with a proper faired sports tourer with road biased suspension based on the Speed Triple 1200 I’d be first in line for a test ride. Or if Ducati shoe horned the V4 engine into their Supersport I’d do the same.
Is there something out there that I’m simply overlooking? If not I’ll just have to stick with what I have until someone builds ‘my’ bike.
Suzuki GSX-S1000GT?
Matches on the power, but just creeps over your weight limit with a tank of unleaded.
https://www.motorcyclenews.com/bike-reviews/suzuki...
Looks a great bike!
Matches on the power, but just creeps over your weight limit with a tank of unleaded.
https://www.motorcyclenews.com/bike-reviews/suzuki...
Looks a great bike!
Neal H said:
Or if Ducati shoe horned the V4 engine into their Supersport I’d do the same..
I felt for a while that Ducati are missing a trick by not doing a more powerful version of the 950 Supersport. One with 150bhp. It really would be an ideal bike, weekend blast and touring. Surely something from BMW ticks those boxes? R1250RS?
I think a lot of people are looking for the same thing. Im test riding a Diavel next week to feel how it rides.
CaiosH said:
I felt for a while that Ducati are missing a trick by not doing a more powerful version of the 950 Supersport. One with 150bhp. It really would be an ideal bike, weekend blast and touring.
Surely something from BMW ticks those boxes? R1250RS?
I think a lot of people are looking for the same thing. Im test riding a Diavel next week to feel how it rides.
R1250RS isn't going to make the power. Surely something from BMW ticks those boxes? R1250RS?
I think a lot of people are looking for the same thing. Im test riding a Diavel next week to feel how it rides.
Neal H said:
I’m very happy with my pair of Triumph’s - a Tiger 900 RP and a Speed Twin 1200, but ideally I’d only want one bike, but nobody appears to build it.
The criteria is a good looking sports tourer with the ability to fit luggage with at least 150hp and weighing less than 230kg wet.
The options out there all seem to fail either the looks or weight test, usually both and I don’t want it to be an adventure style bike. If Triumph came up with a proper faired sports tourer with road biased suspension based on the Speed Triple 1200 I’d be first in line for a test ride. Or if Ducati shoe horned the V4 engine into their Supersport I’d do the same.
Is there something out there that I’m simply overlooking? If not I’ll just have to stick with what I have until someone builds ‘my’ bike.
Also, how much luggage are you looking to fit? Three hard panniers or just a topbox? The Z thou won't let you do all three anyway, which is a fail TBH. The criteria is a good looking sports tourer with the ability to fit luggage with at least 150hp and weighing less than 230kg wet.
The options out there all seem to fail either the looks or weight test, usually both and I don’t want it to be an adventure style bike. If Triumph came up with a proper faired sports tourer with road biased suspension based on the Speed Triple 1200 I’d be first in line for a test ride. Or if Ducati shoe horned the V4 engine into their Supersport I’d do the same.
Is there something out there that I’m simply overlooking? If not I’ll just have to stick with what I have until someone builds ‘my’ bike.
Are you prepared to look at something older?
If so, Fazer 1000 probably fits the bill? I have a 2002 954 Fireblade with the official Givi rack for a topbox?
The bike would need to be new and I’d plan to keep it for a long time. In 2021 I sold my FZ1 Fazer that I’d owned for 11 years from new and I’m really still looking for its replacement.
The Suzuki GSX S1000 GT is the bike that gets closest to my criteria, but for me it fails the good looking test.
The Kawasaki fails the looks and weight tests.
The R1250RS fails the power & weight tests, but I see that BMW are soon to be launching an R1300RS so I’ll have to see how that stacks up. I keep looking at the BMW S1000 XR, but again, I’m not keen on the looks - it’s not terrible, but styled like an adventure bike.
I always ride solo (no pillion) so a couple of panniers is more than enough for my luggage needs.
The Suzuki GSX S1000 GT is the bike that gets closest to my criteria, but for me it fails the good looking test.
The Kawasaki fails the looks and weight tests.
The R1250RS fails the power & weight tests, but I see that BMW are soon to be launching an R1300RS so I’ll have to see how that stacks up. I keep looking at the BMW S1000 XR, but again, I’m not keen on the looks - it’s not terrible, but styled like an adventure bike.
I always ride solo (no pillion) so a couple of panniers is more than enough for my luggage needs.
Neal H said:
The bike would need to be new and I’d plan to keep it for a long time. In 2021 I sold my FZ1 Fazer that I’d owned for 11 years from new and I’m really still looking for its replacement.
The Suzuki GSX S1000 GT is the bike that gets closest to my criteria, but for me it fails the good looking test.
The Kawasaki fails the looks and weight tests.
The R1250RS fails the power & weight tests, but I see that BMW are soon to be launching an R1300RS so I’ll have to see how that stacks up. I keep looking at the BMW S1000 XR, but again, I’m not keen on the looks - it’s not terrible, but styled like an adventure bike.
I always ride solo (no pillion) so a couple of panniers is more than enough for my luggage needs.
Does it have to be hard luggage? You can throw soft panniers over basically anything after all? The Suzuki GSX S1000 GT is the bike that gets closest to my criteria, but for me it fails the good looking test.
The Kawasaki fails the looks and weight tests.
The R1250RS fails the power & weight tests, but I see that BMW are soon to be launching an R1300RS so I’ll have to see how that stacks up. I keep looking at the BMW S1000 XR, but again, I’m not keen on the looks - it’s not terrible, but styled like an adventure bike.
I always ride solo (no pillion) so a couple of panniers is more than enough for my luggage needs.
Most people think they're minging, but I've got a small screen, top box, comfort seat and heated grips on my MT-10 SP. The electronic Ohlins goes really quite comfy or stiff as you like. The engine's mega, and I can't wait to go touring on it in a few weeks.
The above-mentioned Tuono non-factory is also a great shout, it's a bit more cramped in terms of riding position than the MT-10 though. Both will tour, but also let you ride like a massive wally with an excellent quality noise when you want to.
The above-mentioned Tuono non-factory is also a great shout, it's a bit more cramped in terms of riding position than the MT-10 though. Both will tour, but also let you ride like a massive wally with an excellent quality noise when you want to.
The bike needs to be a proper Sports Tourer rather than a naked bike with a screen, which are just compromises. I’d hate to pay the thick end of £20k on a compromise and then have Triumph or Ducati launch my perfect bike a month later! I’m better off sticking with my current pair and waiting. It’s the reason I’ve not previously gone for a BMW S1000 XR.
Your list of ideals are pretty close to mine and I agree, there is nothing out there that can tick all of the boxes. I would add a few more requirements - a minimum of 150 mile range between fill ups, fun to ride (I know! Even more subjective than good looks!), all day comfortable and reasonable build quality/reliability.
I had such a list when I went looking to replace my K1300S and couldn't find anything that ticked all the boxes but the bikes I did ride confirmed that using just a list of specs to choose a bike only gave part of the picture. For example, the S100XR is around 226kg where my H2SX is around 265kg but the Kawasaki is much easier to handle at slow speeds as the seat height is a lot lower allowing both feet flat on the ground.
The SD1290GT seemed like an ideal bike but the fact that you can't really use top gear below about 60mph meant that thee was no option to just "stick it in top and forget about it". It was always going to need you to play with the gearbox.
If you're looking for a single bike to replace the two you have then make a list of those that get closes to your ideals and go a ride a few of them. You may find that there are things you hadn't thought of that become very important or things you had thought of that are suddenly less important.
For me, the H2SX ticked all the important boxes, and a lot more that I hadn't included. That's why I've just bought my second.
I had such a list when I went looking to replace my K1300S and couldn't find anything that ticked all the boxes but the bikes I did ride confirmed that using just a list of specs to choose a bike only gave part of the picture. For example, the S100XR is around 226kg where my H2SX is around 265kg but the Kawasaki is much easier to handle at slow speeds as the seat height is a lot lower allowing both feet flat on the ground.
The SD1290GT seemed like an ideal bike but the fact that you can't really use top gear below about 60mph meant that thee was no option to just "stick it in top and forget about it". It was always going to need you to play with the gearbox.
If you're looking for a single bike to replace the two you have then make a list of those that get closes to your ideals and go a ride a few of them. You may find that there are things you hadn't thought of that become very important or things you had thought of that are suddenly less important.
For me, the H2SX ticked all the important boxes, and a lot more that I hadn't included. That's why I've just bought my second.
I still enjoy riding my Triumph Trophy 1215SE and go touring on it every year....it handles so well for its perceived size, has a great fairing & screen, super comfy and >60mpg. Really eats up the miles and is still fun when you get to the mountains 
Its 300Kg with luggage and 5 gallon of fuel. The panniers and top box weigh a ton, >20kg before you put anything in them. I saved 10Kg with a slip on exhaust and a lithium battery. The battery was noticeable just because its sat high up in the right hand side of the fairing below your right hand.
If they just fit the latest Explorer triple engine >150bhp and the latest electronics, optimise the weight a bit down to 260Kg without luggage, I would buy a new one for £20k.
Its 300Kg with luggage and 5 gallon of fuel. The panniers and top box weigh a ton, >20kg before you put anything in them. I saved 10Kg with a slip on exhaust and a lithium battery. The battery was noticeable just because its sat high up in the right hand side of the fairing below your right hand.
If they just fit the latest Explorer triple engine >150bhp and the latest electronics, optimise the weight a bit down to 260Kg without luggage, I would buy a new one for £20k.
Neal H said:
I’m very happy with my pair of Triumph’s - a Tiger 900 RP and a Speed Twin 1200, but ideally I’d only want one bike, but nobody appears to build it.
The criteria is a good looking sports tourer with the ability to fit luggage with at least 150hp and weighing less than 230kg wet.
The options out there all seem to fail either the looks or weight test, usually both and I don’t want it to be an adventure style bike. If Triumph came up with a proper faired sports tourer with road biased suspension based on the Speed Triple 1200 I’d be first in line for a test ride. Or if Ducati shoe horned the V4 engine into their Supersport I’d do the same.
Is there something out there that I’m simply overlooking? If not I’ll just have to stick with what I have until someone builds ‘my’ bike.
I have been in a similar position for some years now.The criteria is a good looking sports tourer with the ability to fit luggage with at least 150hp and weighing less than 230kg wet.
The options out there all seem to fail either the looks or weight test, usually both and I don’t want it to be an adventure style bike. If Triumph came up with a proper faired sports tourer with road biased suspension based on the Speed Triple 1200 I’d be first in line for a test ride. Or if Ducati shoe horned the V4 engine into their Supersport I’d do the same.
Is there something out there that I’m simply overlooking? If not I’ll just have to stick with what I have until someone builds ‘my’ bike.
I have a Ducati ST4s.
It ticks all those boxes apart from only being about 120hp.
I've ridden more modern bikes, but I think the faired sports tourer suits me, I don't feel drawn to adventure bikes or nakeds with higher bars for longer distances. The riding position seems right to me, for what you can enjoy on UK A roads. I've ridden a few taller bikes and a few with clip-ons.
Obviously, I speak for myself, people of different shapes will want different bikes.
I've been sticking with what I've got for about 10 years now, and TBH, in that time I can't put my finger on too many occasions when I've thought it needed more power. For sure, plenty of times I could have ridden it harder in a lower gear or a better rider might have got there faster with more corner speed. But who really cares?
AIUI, none of the bigger twin engines like say an 1198 will fit the ST frame.
People have built fake superbikes out of ST's, I wonder if you could build an ST from a superbike?
SteveKTMer said:
You've not head of KTM then ? 1290 GT or next years 1390 GT. Perfect !
I know that looks are very subjective, but absolutely nothing from KTM would pass my good looking test, plus again, like the S1000 XR, adventure bike styling in a bike with no off-road pretentions.black-k1 said:
my H2SX is around 265kg but the Kawasaki is much easier to handle at slow speeds as the seat height is a lot lower allowing both feet flat on the ground.
I find the weight isn’t a huge issue when riding the bike, particularly, as you say, if it’s easy to get your feet flat on the ground. It’s more manoeuvring it around in a gravel car park or up a slope that’s literally a pain - adding a pair of panniers will easily add 30kg which is why 230kg (before luggage) is my limit.Gassing Station | Biker Banter | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff