Thoughts on cheap(ish) sports tourers
Discussion
My car is on its last legs and I'm seriously thinking about saving a bit of money and buying a bike to replace it with. We use my wife's car for nearly all the weekend/family driving and she would be happy to let me use it to commute if we have any snow or on the odd occasion when I have to drive to meet clients. My current bike is a Ducati Scramble Cafe Racer which is great fun as a toy, but I don't want to put too many miles on it and its a naked so crap to ride in the pissing rain and awful on motorways etc.
The bike would be used for a short daily commute which consists of single and dual carriageway A-Roads - very little town riding/filtering and a small amount of potential for fun. I would also want to use it for the concessional longer ride to visit friends at the weekend etc. My key criteria would be a faired bike that is comfortable to ride in all weather (so heated grips, ABS etc. would be preferred), it would also need to have a good reputation for reliability and fairly cheap running costs. I'd also want it to be a fun bike to ride, which is why I'm leaning towards a sports tourer.
If I go down this route my budget would be around £4k - £6k with maybe a little wiggle room up to £6.5k if needs be. At the moment my short list is Suzuki gsx1250fa, Triumph Sprint ST 1050 or Kawasaki z1000sx. Does anyone have first hand experience with these bikes as a daily ride or any other suggestions of bikes I should consider.
I'd also appreciate advice on what I should be looking for in terms of age, mileage etc. At what point is a bike this becoming 'old'?
Any advice, thoughts, suggestions are welcome. At the moment I'm really just toying with the idea and trying to get a few facts checked before making a decision.
The bike would be used for a short daily commute which consists of single and dual carriageway A-Roads - very little town riding/filtering and a small amount of potential for fun. I would also want to use it for the concessional longer ride to visit friends at the weekend etc. My key criteria would be a faired bike that is comfortable to ride in all weather (so heated grips, ABS etc. would be preferred), it would also need to have a good reputation for reliability and fairly cheap running costs. I'd also want it to be a fun bike to ride, which is why I'm leaning towards a sports tourer.
If I go down this route my budget would be around £4k - £6k with maybe a little wiggle room up to £6.5k if needs be. At the moment my short list is Suzuki gsx1250fa, Triumph Sprint ST 1050 or Kawasaki z1000sx. Does anyone have first hand experience with these bikes as a daily ride or any other suggestions of bikes I should consider.
I'd also appreciate advice on what I should be looking for in terms of age, mileage etc. At what point is a bike this becoming 'old'?
Any advice, thoughts, suggestions are welcome. At the moment I'm really just toying with the idea and trying to get a few facts checked before making a decision.
I had an '08 Sprint ST 1050 ABS.
It was a lovely bike. Great engine with grunt everywhere and a beautiful sound / character. Steered really well too. Front brakes a little weak and they all have some false neutrals until you put some miles on them. I personally wouldn't spend more than 4k on one though as there is little point. So many good low mileage examples out there.
The GT Model is a bit of curious thing. It's longer and doesn't handle as well, but is much better two up and has better luggage. A master of none for me.
I've ridden a Z1000SX, early model. It lacked grunt low down and seemed to drop into slow corners. Not great tbh. I'm not sure what the Suzook 1250 is like.
I would try a GSX-S1000 though, seems like an excellent compromise and good VFM. Blackbirds are great, but perhaps a generation too old, unless you like that sort of thing. Good luck!
It was a lovely bike. Great engine with grunt everywhere and a beautiful sound / character. Steered really well too. Front brakes a little weak and they all have some false neutrals until you put some miles on them. I personally wouldn't spend more than 4k on one though as there is little point. So many good low mileage examples out there.
The GT Model is a bit of curious thing. It's longer and doesn't handle as well, but is much better two up and has better luggage. A master of none for me.
I've ridden a Z1000SX, early model. It lacked grunt low down and seemed to drop into slow corners. Not great tbh. I'm not sure what the Suzook 1250 is like.
I would try a GSX-S1000 though, seems like an excellent compromise and good VFM. Blackbirds are great, but perhaps a generation too old, unless you like that sort of thing. Good luck!
Thanks for the suggestions so far.
I think that the Triumph would probably be my favourite from a purely emotional perspective, but when buying as a daily ride instead of a toy I'm conscious that I need about practicalities as well.
The GSX-S1000 is out because I definitely want a bike with fairings - the bigger the better. I love my naked cafe racer, but it's miserable to ride at motorway speeds, which has stopped me from doing any longer journeys. I like the idea of a bike that I can to the occasional 300 mile day on so I can get around the UK and possibly Europe.
I've discounted the VRF because a few friends have had issues with reliability and customer service with various different Hondas, which has taken the shine off the brand for me. The VRF800 is definitely out as I want at least a 1,000cc engine (another emotional decision).
What would be considered as low miles for a bike like this? I was looking at sub-30k, but that was based purely on assumption rather than any hard and fast reason.
Ideally I want someone else to have paid the initial depreciation for me, but a new enough bike that after 2 years and 20k miles or so it hasn't lost too much value.
I think that the Triumph would probably be my favourite from a purely emotional perspective, but when buying as a daily ride instead of a toy I'm conscious that I need about practicalities as well.
The GSX-S1000 is out because I definitely want a bike with fairings - the bigger the better. I love my naked cafe racer, but it's miserable to ride at motorway speeds, which has stopped me from doing any longer journeys. I like the idea of a bike that I can to the occasional 300 mile day on so I can get around the UK and possibly Europe.
I've discounted the VRF because a few friends have had issues with reliability and customer service with various different Hondas, which has taken the shine off the brand for me. The VRF800 is definitely out as I want at least a 1,000cc engine (another emotional decision).
What would be considered as low miles for a bike like this? I was looking at sub-30k, but that was based purely on assumption rather than any hard and fast reason.
Ideally I want someone else to have paid the initial depreciation for me, but a new enough bike that after 2 years and 20k miles or so it hasn't lost too much value.
King David said:
Thanks for the suggestions so far.
I think that the Triumph would probably be my favourite from a purely emotional perspective, but when buying as a daily ride instead of a toy I'm conscious that I need about practicalities as well.
The GSX-S1000 is out because I definitely want a bike with fairings - the bigger the better. I love my naked cafe racer, but it's miserable to ride at motorway speeds, which has stopped me from doing any longer journeys. I like the idea of a bike that I can to the occasional 300 mile day on so I can get around the UK and possibly Europe.
I've discounted the VRF because a few friends have had issues with reliability and customer service with various different Hondas, which has taken the shine off the brand for me. The VRF800 is definitely out as I want at least a 1,000cc engine (another emotional decision).
What would be considered as low miles for a bike like this? I was looking at sub-30k, but that was based purely on assumption rather than any hard and fast reason.
Ideally I want someone else to have paid the initial depreciation for me, but a new enough bike that after 2 years and 20k miles or so it hasn't lost too much value.
The GSX-S1000F has a fairing. You get a lovely beam frame, unlike most similar bikes, Brembo branded calipers etc. Lots of bike for the money I think that the Triumph would probably be my favourite from a purely emotional perspective, but when buying as a daily ride instead of a toy I'm conscious that I need about practicalities as well.
The GSX-S1000 is out because I definitely want a bike with fairings - the bigger the better. I love my naked cafe racer, but it's miserable to ride at motorway speeds, which has stopped me from doing any longer journeys. I like the idea of a bike that I can to the occasional 300 mile day on so I can get around the UK and possibly Europe.
I've discounted the VRF because a few friends have had issues with reliability and customer service with various different Hondas, which has taken the shine off the brand for me. The VRF800 is definitely out as I want at least a 1,000cc engine (another emotional decision).
What would be considered as low miles for a bike like this? I was looking at sub-30k, but that was based purely on assumption rather than any hard and fast reason.
Ideally I want someone else to have paid the initial depreciation for me, but a new enough bike that after 2 years and 20k miles or so it hasn't lost too much value.
The Sprint 1050 won the 50k KMs Motorrad reliability test years ago, with little / no visible wear when stripped right down, after pounding around Germany with their test team. 20-30k is nothing for any of these bikes. The seat design is a pain to remove and the sprag clutches can fail too. The motor is just a gem though with grunt right from tick over.
I'm not a fan of the K12/1300S bikes, but you should try one at the upper end of your budget.
King David said:
What would be considered as low miles for a bike like this? I was looking at sub-30k, but that was based purely on assumption rather than any hard and fast reason.
Mileage irrelevant. Buy on condition and history and don't worry about ones that have been self spannered so long as there are receipts. For what it is worth, i have an FJR1300 and would recommend that. Shaftie and none of this messy chain nonsense to look after.
Not sure why you are discounting VFR's, they are the ultimate in the sector definition of Sports Tourer.
I commute on one, this is my second VFR750, both bought for £1000 off ebay. On both I have had rectifier issues, but in the main, I service them and put new tyres on periodically.
Across both bikes I have put 100,000 miles on them, no real issues to note.
I just don't see the point in spending big money on a bike I will kill with monster miles.
As for the 1000cc argument, if its going to be a commuter bike, you don't need big CC, honestly, my bike maybe makes 100bhp at 23 years of age and it is still plenty of power for commuting in and out of London each day.
I commute on one, this is my second VFR750, both bought for £1000 off ebay. On both I have had rectifier issues, but in the main, I service them and put new tyres on periodically.
Across both bikes I have put 100,000 miles on them, no real issues to note.
I just don't see the point in spending big money on a bike I will kill with monster miles.
As for the 1000cc argument, if its going to be a commuter bike, you don't need big CC, honestly, my bike maybe makes 100bhp at 23 years of age and it is still plenty of power for commuting in and out of London each day.
I'll sell you my 2011 Honda Pan European if you want! ABS, heated grips and full set of panniers included
Sports tourers are supremely comfortable and maybe even made for the riding you have in mind. Bear in mind, they are more expensive to run than other bikes as they are also heavier, which means just a bit more of everything: bit more fuel, few more brake pads, tyres etc.
Sports tourers are supremely comfortable and maybe even made for the riding you have in mind. Bear in mind, they are more expensive to run than other bikes as they are also heavier, which means just a bit more of everything: bit more fuel, few more brake pads, tyres etc.
Again thanks for the replies, the more I think about it the more I like the idea of moving towards a bike as my daily ride.
In terms of spending money. I want to get the balance right of avoiding the first load of depreciation, but having something with some value left at the end of ownership (approx 2 years and 20k miles). I'm not great with the spanners so most maintenance work would need be done at a garage, meaning I want something new enough that I should only have to worry about the usual service, tyres etc.
TwoStrokeNut said:
The GSX-S1000F has a fairing. You get a lovely beam frame, unlike most similar bikes, Brembo branded calipers etc. Lots of bike for the money
That's definitely one to add to the list. More on the sporty side of sport tourer, but the reality is that 90% of its use will be for a relatively short commute so I can justify trading a bit of comfort of performance. StonedRollin said:
For what it is worth, i have an FJR1300 and would recommend that. Shaftie and none of this messy chain nonsense to look after.
I actually did start having a look at these and the R1200RTs at lunch. A friend had the BMW and raved about it, I'm just not sure if I need quite such a beast for the sort of journeys I'd mainly be doing.Dakkon said:
Not sure why you are discounting VFR's, they are the ultimate in the sector definition of Sports Tourer.
I just don't see the point in spending big money on a bike I will kill with monster miles.
I know it's silly as they're isolated cases, but the experiences of my friends have really put me off Honda bikes in general. I suppose if I do go down this route I'll have to check out the VFR's in reality. I understand that they are class leader for a reason and discounting them out of hand is probably cutting off my nose to spite my face.I just don't see the point in spending big money on a bike I will kill with monster miles.
In terms of spending money. I want to get the balance right of avoiding the first load of depreciation, but having something with some value left at the end of ownership (approx 2 years and 20k miles). I'm not great with the spanners so most maintenance work would need be done at a garage, meaning I want something new enough that I should only have to worry about the usual service, tyres etc.
Dakkon said:
As for the 1000cc argument, if its going to be a commuter bike, you don't need big CC, honestly, my bike maybe makes 100bhp at 23 years of age and it is still plenty of power for commuting in and out of London each day.
It's partly because I just want to own a big bike for variety as the Scrambler is 800cc. I'm lucky in that my commute is mainly open A-roads and dual carriageway with very little in the way of urban riding so an engine with a bit of character would be a bonus - hence my heart leaning towards the Triumph.
The answer has to be the K1300S. Knocks the rest into a cocked hat. All these Old Gits can't be wrong!
And just for confirmation, there's another thread here:
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
And just for confirmation, there's another thread here:
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
To be honest, sometimes you can overthink buying bikes, there is a lot to be said to just buying the bike you like.
Buy the bike that is going to make you smile when you open the garage door
I have a cheap VFR for commuting and plan to buy a 600 sports (R6/CBR600RR/675 Daytona) bike to start getting into bike trackdays.
Buy the bike that is going to make you smile when you open the garage door
I have a cheap VFR for commuting and plan to buy a 600 sports (R6/CBR600RR/675 Daytona) bike to start getting into bike trackdays.
black-k1 said:
The answer has to be the K1300S. Knocks the rest into a cocked hat. All these Old Gits can't be wrong!
And just for confirmation, there's another thread here:
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
And just for confirmation, there's another thread here:
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Dakkon said:
To be honest, sometimes you can overthink buying bikes, there is a lot to be said to just buying the bike you like.
Buy the bike that is going to make you smile when you open the garage door
I have a cheap VFR for commuting and plan to buy a 600 sports (R6/CBR600RR/675 Daytona) bike to start getting into bike trackdays.
It would definitely have to be something that I enjoy riding. If I'm going to put up with riding it everyday through winter then I have to really WANT the bike, otherwise I may as well just by a cheap run around car and enjoy the Scrambler occasionally.Buy the bike that is going to make you smile when you open the garage door
I have a cheap VFR for commuting and plan to buy a 600 sports (R6/CBR600RR/675 Daytona) bike to start getting into bike trackdays.
This thread has already been really helpful. It's given me a few different bikes to consider and confirmed that my budget would certainly allow me to get on a bike that would be fit for purpose.
King David said:
Suzuki gsx1250fa, Triumph Sprint ST 1050 or Kawasaki z1000sx. Does anyone have first hand experience with these bikes as a daily ride or any other suggestions of bikes I should consider.
.
Mate had a a Sprint ST from new for about 6 years. Had a few teething issues but all sorted under warrenty, can't recall what they were. I used the bike for commuting for a week, whilst good, I found it very boring to ride. It done everything except excite really. I know when he got rid of it, it was in a bit of a state as the winters had hit it hard..
GSX1250FA ( or Bandit as much of a muchness) - Had one as a work bike for about 6 months, a bit like the ST in the way it'll do everything you need ot to but with only a ouch more excitement that the ST. This is probably where I'd sooend my money if I were looking for a bike to commute on and not much else.
Z1000SX - Had a play on a couple but some mates have them for work, great bike that will do everything and put a smile on your face. Not much bad to say that I can think of.
Off the top of my head, other to consider though not sure on prices;
VFR 800/1200 - I'm not a fan of either but they will do what you want a bike to do.
Honda CB1300 - The half faired one. Muscle bike that if you chuck a top box on and you have a torquie commuter
BMW K1300S - Lots of toys but BMW expensice servicing (I have the naked R with a little screen - lots of fun and I commute and train on it in all weathers)
Yamaha Tracer 900 - Never riden one but get a good write u.
Yamaha Fazer 1000 - Put 72,000 miles on one in just iover 18 month. There's nothing it can't do!
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