Topic: Suggestions for a comfortable touring bike?

[74cb750]

Goldwings complex to repair? I guess it depends on your mechanical expertise. I don't consider myself a GW guru, but have done all the work needed since 2001. These bikes are more reliable than our vintage rides. I heard the 80's 1200cc Wings had alternator issues, but that's about it.

The current crop of goldwings  (09 to present) are a technicians best frenemy.  The labor tickets for routine maintenance are hundreds, if not thousands of dollars in labor.  Due in large part to the overwhelming dressage that needs removed before actual work can be done.  Lord have mercy if you got the additional accessories to go with it all. 

The new ones have airbags to prevent tragedy if anyone goes over the bars into the windshield at least.

Next up on the Gold wiings:" WARNING! WARNING! You are going too fast" displayed on your windshield.

[MikeSimon]

"Complex" doesn't necessarily mean "difficult". I would have said difficult. I was eluding more towards "elaborate" or "involved".
I don't think anybody would recommend an early 1975-1977 GL, which was still fairly "non-complex" to work on as a reliable touring bike...

[70CB750]

"Complex" doesn't necessarily mean "difficult". I would have said difficult. I was eluding more towards "elaborate" or "involved".
I don't think anybody would recommend an early 1975-1977 GL, which was still fairly "non-complex" to work on as a reliable touring bike...

See comment #15.

[Johnie]

And non-difficult

[scottly]

A woman won this year's Iron Butt Association Rally on a first gen FJR1300 - 12,000 miles in 11 days.

I'll be doing a 1,000 mile run with mine pretty soon.

Come join us. 
one of us. one of us...one of us!

That spot looks familiar.

[BomberMann650]

A woman won this year's Iron Butt Association Rally on a first gen FJR1300 - 12,000 miles in 11 days.

I'll be doing a 1,000 mile run with mine pretty soon.

Come join us. 
one of us. one of us...one of us!

That spot looks familiar.

It's totally Haunted 

[BRG-BIRD]

How about a Moto Guzzi Norge? Comfortable and the older 2 valve engines are stone reliable, they can be a weird machine and unfortunately dealers are not plentiful.

[74cb750]

I Have seen very few Moto Guzzi's around and would think getting parts for them would be a problem.

[Don R]

 I've done 15 hours on a gl1000 four times. The aftermarket seats suck, I prefer the one Honda made. With a windjammer, lowers, engine savers a rack backrest only for trips and vetter matching bags.
 I have however, done a shipload of work to it. 

[BomberMann650]

I Have seen very few Moto Guzzi's around and would think getting parts for them would be a problem.

Norge's are nicely equipped.  They can be found in good shape for a really fair price.  Low prices for simply being the odd duck they are.
Not the fastest or most powerful.  But they do what they do just fine.

Moto Guzzi runs a pretty lean manufacturing method.  Should be cross compatible parts among the lineup.  If I'm not mistaken.
My buddy is the guzzi holic who can mix and match the vintage bits. 

[Johnie]

I am sure you and your wife would also want to consider noise reduction. The Wing is very quiet with good exhaust. If you want noise get a HD bagger. My Wing is equipped with the in helmet communications by Air Ryder which provides clear voice. It is a feature built into the Wing. Not all bikes have that "built in" feature.

[Kelly E]

Why spend $6k when you can get a nicely set up first gen C-10 Concours for around $2k. I paid $1800 for mine with 24k miles on it, they will go 200k miles pretty easily. It will do everything a Goldwing barge will do but grind off floorboards and stuff when cornering. I haven't even scraped a peg on my C-10 yet and I tried. I just got back from a 3700mi trip to the Black Hills on my first gen 94' Concours and it will slab all day long at 85mph and then you can get on the good roads and it thinks it is a giant sport bike. They made them for 20 years so there is a huge supply of parts and accessories still out there. Definitely the best bang for the buck in the sport touring world.

[BRG-BIRD]

I Have seen very few Moto Guzzi's around and would think getting parts for them would be a problem.

Norge's are nicely equipped.  They can be found in good shape for a really fair price.  Low prices for simply being the odd duck they are.
Not the fastest or most powerful.  But they do what they do just fine.

Moto Guzzi runs a pretty lean manufacturing method.  Should be cross compatible parts among the lineup.  If I'm not mistaken.
My buddy is the guzzi holic who can mix and match the vintage bits.

The Breva 1200 is the same machine as a Norge without the fairings, the Sport 1200 share a lot of the parts as well. I haven’t needed to do much so far in two years ownership, just basic maintenance.

[spotty]

Goldwings complex to repair? I guess it depends on your mechanical expertise. I don't consider myself a GW guru, but have done all the work needed since 2001. These bikes are more reliable than our vintage rides. I heard the 80's 1200cc Wings had alternator issues, but that's about it.

The current crop of goldwings  (09 to present) are a technicians best frenemy.  The labor tickets for routine maintenance are hundreds, if not thousands of dollars in labor.  Due in large part to the overwhelming dressage that needs removed before actual work can be done.  Lord have mercy if you got the additional accessories to go with it all. 

The new ones have airbags to prevent tragedy if anyone goes over the bars into the windshield at least.

Next up on the Gold wiings:" WARNING! WARNING! You are going too fast" displayed on your windshield.

given the average demographic of wing owners the warning is more likely to be -

" WARNING, WARNING, last toilet stop for 100 miles "

[spotty]

whereas if it was a ducati the warniong would be -

" WARNING, WARNING, last latte for 100 miles "

[Yamahawk]

Why spend $6k when you can get a nicely set up first gen C-10 Concours for around $2k. I paid $1800 for mine with 24k miles on it, they will go 200k miles pretty easily. It will do everything a Goldwing barge will do but grind off floorboards and stuff when cornering. I haven't even scraped a peg on my C-10 yet and I tried. I just got back from a 3700mi trip to the Black Hills on my first gen 94' Concours and it will slab all day long at 85mph and then you can get on the good roads and it thinks it is a giant sport bike. They made them for 20 years so there is a huge supply of parts and accessories still out there. Definitely the best bang for the buck in the sport touring world.

I agree, Kelly. I have a 2006 ZG1000 Concours, and it is a rock solid bike. I do have some tweaks done to it, like a Mean Streak rear rim, 17x5", and a GPZ1100 17x3" front rim, to give it the nice modern tire (tyre) selection available today, and run Conti Motion tires(tyres) on them. With Sonic 1.1kg springs in front, and a hybrid ZX9/ZZR1200 rear shock, it performs very well. It corners more like a sport bike rather than just a tourer.
I used the Mean Streak rear caliper and bracket, and made a longer brake stay to clock the caliper to 8:30 for bag clearance, but have the 2 pot caliper with larger rotor to boot. All I really had to do is mill about 3/16" off the face of the bracket to fit it into the swing arm, and fab a longer brake stay!
The ZG1400 Concours (2008 on) is also a nice peppy sport tourer too, but I like my 1st gen Concours. 39k on it and still runs well.
Now, the BMW's and Gold Wings are good choices, and the Yamaha FJR1300 also. The Yamaha would be my 2nd choice, really as they are super motorcycles.
Charlie

[Kelly E]

Why spend $6k when you can get a nicely set up first gen C-10 Concours for around $2k. I paid $1800 for mine with 24k miles on it, they will go 200k miles pretty easily. It will do everything a Goldwing barge will do but grind off floorboards and stuff when cornering. I haven't even scraped a peg on my C-10 yet and I tried. I just got back from a 3700mi trip to the Black Hills on my first gen 94' Concours and it will slab all day long at 85mph and then you can get on the good roads and it thinks it is a giant sport bike. They made them for 20 years so there is a huge supply of parts and accessories still out there. Definitely the best bang for the buck in the sport touring world.

I agree, Kelly. I have a 2006 ZG1000 Concours, and it is a rock solid bike. I do have some tweaks done to it, like a Mean Streak rear rim, 17x5", and a GPZ1100 17x3" front rim, to give it the nice modern tire (tyre) selection available today, and run Conti Motion tires(tyres) on them. With Sonic 1.1kg springs in front, and a hybrid ZX9/ZZR1200 rear shock, it performs very well. It corners more like a sport bike rather than just a tourer.
I used the Mean Streak rear caliper and bracket, and made a longer brake stay to clock the caliper to 8:30 for bag clearance, but have the 2 pot caliper with larger rotor to boot. All I really had to do is mill about 3/16" off the face of the bracket to fit it into the swing arm, and fab a longer brake stay!
The ZG1400 Concours (2008 on) is also a nice peppy sport tourer too, but I like my 1st gen Concours. 39k on it and still runs well.
Now, the BMW's and Gold Wings are good choices, and the Yamaha FJR1300 also. The Yamaha would be my 2nd choice, really as they are super motorcycles.
Charlie

I have all the parts to do the 17" wheel conversion. I have already put on a ZZR1200 shock which works great for me because I only weigh 130lbs. Also added is a set of Shoodabeen torque cams, a bafflectomy, a fork brace and a set of Progressive fork springs. One of my favourite mods is the Clearview windscreen with a Goldwing vent. I totally agree that the bike thinks it is a big fat sport bike.

[Don R]

 You guys have me ready to sell the gl1000 and get a Concours. I saw an ad for one in Wisconsin all tricked out already and with low miles and a decent price.

[Kelly E]

You guys have me ready to sell the gl1000 and get a Concours. I saw an ad for one in Wisconsin all tricked out already and with low miles and a decent price.

The Concours is way more fun to ride than a Goldwing.

[Yamahawk]

You guys have me ready to sell the gl1000 and get a Concours. I saw an ad for one in Wisconsin all tricked out already and with low miles and a decent price.

Hehe Don, keep the GL1000, and get the Concours too! Never sell anything, if you have room to keep it, as regrets always follow.
What kind of mods have been done to the Concours, and what year is it? 1994 on have better upgrades, but the 16" rear and 18" front need to go. If the 17" wheels have been done, then that's cool! Make sure the front fork springs are upgraded to 1.0-1.1 Kg spring rate. It handles way better.

The Concours is way more fun to ride than a Goldwing.

Absolutely more capable, and fun! Kelly, if you do the mod with the Mean Streak rear, get the caliper and bracket with it, and use that. On the COG forum I have a how-to post on milling the caliper bracket for the Mean Streak. With a longer brake stay fabbed using the ends off the Concours brake stay, it works well.
Charlie

[Bankerdanny]

You guys have me ready to sell the gl1000 and get a Concours. I saw an ad for one in Wisconsin all tricked out already and with low miles and a decent price.

I have considered adding a Concours for a while now, but lately I have been thinking about some sort of adventure bike, but a full size long distance capable one like a GS1150 or an KTM Adventure. My 750F can do 90% of what a Concours can do, but only about 60% of what a GS or Adventure can.

[BomberMann650]

With enough stubborn stupidity, any bike is an adventure bike!

[Bankerdanny]

With enough stubborn stupidity, any bike is an adventure bike!

Trust me I know it. I ended up riding up a mountain logging road in Virginia last July on my way back to Chicago from South Carolina (there is a post about it on this board) and in 2017 ended up riding my 550 around the Monument Valley road only to see a "no motorcycles" sign when I was leaving. Turns out that standing on the pegs helps when riding street bikes on dirt roads too.

[DickL]

You can't  beat a gold wing. I would suggest a 2001 or newer 1800. 2001 bikes are  1800 cc and fuel injected. They are bulletproof, lots of support.and a great tourer. Plenty of room for clothes. You should be able to find a 2001 or 2002 for $6000 that has 50000 miles.

Dickl

[74cb750]

How about a Suzuki Bandit,  GSF1250, 2007 or later.

I had a Suzuki Bandit for a few years....., forget the manufactured year, but it was a standard edition w/ no bags or backrest for the wife. She refused to get on it w/ me because the darn thing wouldn't go under or even near the speed limit every time I took it out for some strange reason.   
Not my first choice.
michel