ST1100 Pan or XL1000 Varadero

[MitsuJa]

I'm looking for a bike that can take me on 6-8 hour winter road trips in relative comfort for 2 up with luggage.

Budget £2500.

After lots of pondering I keep coming back to the old Pan European or Varadero.

I also don't mind the idea of a TDM850.

I have a lot of health issues/previous injury that make sports tourers a bit uncomfortable for me to fold up on for a day of riding.

I have previously looked at a Buell Ulysse but my bike budget has taken a hit as a bought another trials bike .

[Steve_H80]

The TDM900 is a better bike than the 850, but both are good fun and relatively lightweight, but they won't give you the luxury comfort of a pan or varadero.

[the cueball]

I would say Pan, but probably as I have 1.

They are a fair old weight though if you get the later abs/tcs/combined brake model.

I changed from a ‘90 to a ‘97 and really notice it.

All day long comfort though, nice place to easily do big miles.

[A993LAD]

huge difference between a pan European and a TDM 850. I have owned both and at a guess I would say the pan European probably weighs twice as much as the Yamaha and is a massive bike to haul around.

I currently have a VFR 1200F which is a pretty big bike but it was absolutely dwarfed when I had the pan European alongside it.

[Rubin215]

Pan Europeans are massively heavy at a standstill, are you sure your previous injury/illness would allow you to move one about on foot/pick it up if you drop it?

Note also that no one has said 'yeah, get a Varadero.'

The TDM is a great bike but has nowhere near the weather protection of the other two bikes; bear in mind you're talking about winter trips here.

Moving away from your current shortlist, have you considered a Triumph Trophy?
Huge amount of bike for the cash, does everything the Pan does plus more and is also way more exciting.

[Panclan]

Maybe a R1150RT, just found this https://www.gumtree.com/p/bmw-motorbikes/bmw-r1150...

[OldGermanHeaps]

For 2500 you will get a decent 1300 pan.

[MitsuJa]

Thank you all, very interesting.

So the Varadero isn't getting much love.

Pan Euro is probably the most suitable.
Generally speaking moving a heavy bike around etc isn't a problem for me, but after a long day in the saddle that could be a problem.

Pan 1300 I know is well proven but I remember there being some stability issues when used by the police and Iits just never really sat right with me.

BMW RT, yes I probably should be having a look at these.

Today I'm going to look at a BMW R1150 RS with full BMW luggage.

[OldGermanHeaps]

I think the stability issues of the 1300 are overstated, and probably a result of the police mods.
Mine gets used to its limits on the autobahn and is never anything other than rock solid stable.

[ssray]

OldGermanHeaps said:

I think the stability issues of the 1300 are overstated, and probably a result of the police mods.
Mine gets used to its limits on the autobahn and is never anything other than rock solid stable.

Exactly this, lots of equipment bolted on.
Stick 40 kg in the top box of a st1100 and see what happens.
Varadero is quite thirsty.
Tdm850 is fun but suffers with carb issues , 900 is of course injection and a nicer bike.
I've had a couple of st1100's I'd have another, I'd join a few Facebook pages and get one owned by someone who's done the new swingarm ect checks.

Not had a 1300 but it would be high up the list.
Have you looked at r1200st ?
A bit lighter than the sy and r1100/1150 bmw