what bike and how to buy

[porter_jamie]

so, what bike for a 2up tour of europe with the doris. cannot be a sportsbike as my back can't take it and she hated sitting on the back of the r1.

budget is fairly flexible. i quite like the look of adventure bikes for the long travel suspension and the ability to manage a gravel track if necessary. im not in a massive hurry, quite happy to pootle along at legal speeds. probably staying in b+b's and hotels not camping.

requirements:
comfortable
pillion comfort
not too tall as my inside leg is only 31"
not tiny fuel tank
luggage
reliable
fairing of some sort

can be a twin, triple. 4, or whatever, not a single though really.

every time i look, a multistrada 1200 with luggage for ~7k seems to be the thing. they have silly power which i dont especially need but im sure id enjoy. and it looks like it will handle better than a full dress tourer.

i reckon i could cope with an fjr1300 or whatever, dont mind shaft drive. or a trumpet 800xc. africa twin? gs? is a smaller bike such as a 650 twin going to be really annoying?

i would probably buy a nice one, use it and sell it again. or, is there any scenario where buying new, maybe on credit, would make sense. i dont think id be using the bike much other than the tour.

[weeksy]

Superduke 1290GT. Effortless touring

One of our members has one here for sale.

[G.P]

I've got a Tiger 800 for touring / commuting, ticks all the boxes. So does the Multi, so would a Beemer GS1200, a Tracer etc, etc,

What's the Budget?

[KungFooBob]

I had a 1000 Varadero, not the most exciting bike, but a brilliant upright tourer for two up distance.

It's not fast, but chugs out of hairpins well and doesn't handle terribly, although they're quite heavy. They can be had for sensible money with all the luggage and will do silly mileages.

Don't listen to the people who say they're thirsty, that was the Mk1 with carbs and only 5 gears. The EFI/6 speed ones are no worse than any other big bike.

I sold mine to buy a Tiger 800XC. I still regret it.

[Skub]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2009-KAWASAK ... SwUphf-dQc

I can't see it working well on gravel road tho....

[porter_jamie]

I've got a Tiger 800 for touring / commuting, ticks all the boxes. So does the Multi, so would a Beemer GS1200, a Tracer etc, etc,

What's the Budget?

6 to 9 ish maybe 10 but her indoors would get the hump so I'd have to pretend it only cost 7.5k, in a similar fashion to pushbike or guitars etc

[porter_jamie]

Tracer, that would do

[porter_jamie]

Superduke 1290GT. Effortless touring

One of our members has one here for sale.

Anyone tried one 2up?

[KungFooBob]

10k?

KTM 1290 Super Adventure!

[G.P]

At between £6k and 9k the world is your lobster Rodney.

An almost new Tracer

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2019-Yamaha- ... Sw3uxffLGZ

a sub 20k mile Tiger for £6k with all the luggage.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TRIUMPH-TIGE ... Sw3KtgKBPX

A 1200GS beemer with 3700 miles on it, barely run in!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2011-11-BMW- ... SwSMRgGPOO

Sub 0k mile Honda Crossrunner with luggage for £5k

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HONDA-VFR800 ... SwckFf1QWe

[weeksy]

Superduke 1290GT. Effortless touring

One of our members has one here for sale.

Anyone tried one 2up?

Pm Scotty on here. We were in Germany and on of the lads bikes got written off in a crash, so he jumped on Scottys bike back to home in the UK 2 up. The pair of them seemed very happy with how it coped

[Couchy]

Versys 1000, KTM1090 adventure. Both very good the versys more road based but big and very comfy.

[Bigyin]

so, what bike for a 2up tour of europe with the doris. cannot be a sportsbike as my back can't take it and she hated sitting on the back of the r1.

every time i look, a multistrada 1200 with luggage for ~7k seems to be the thing. they have silly power which i dont especially need but im sure id enjoy. and it looks like it will handle better than a full dress tourer.

Excellent choice sir .....done a couple of big trips on my Multistrada. 130 mph in comfort fully loaded on the autobahn with more speed on tap if needed, take off the luggage and its an upright sports bike with excellent handling. On my biggest trip did 6500 miles in just over 2 weeks around Europe and Norway and rode on everything from motorways, twisty flowing roads, mountain hairpins and loose gravel and rocky trails and the bike coped with it all.

I tried most of the big ADV bikes with my missus pillion when i was looking to buy....... After 5 minutes on the Multi she flipped up the visor, tapped my shoulder and said "Buy this one" Pics below are fully loaded for the big trip with full camping equipment, tents, food for a forthnight, roll mats etc





Loved it so much when i wrote off the first one i bought another one

You will get a Versys or similar cheaper but you might end up keeping the Multi after the trip

[KungFooBob]

What about an S1000XR?

[Dodgy69]

I wouldn't go with the Tracer for 2 up touring.

[Skub]

Z1000SX get a good name. Didn't it win some MCN award recently?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2014-KAWASAK ... SwspZgCiSE

[Bigyin]

Z1000SX get a good name. Didn't it win some MCN award recently?

I tried one of those as well and it was a good sports tourer but i wouldnt fancy too many gravel roads on it. The addition of a top box to whatever he picks can also help the OP's missus with feeling comfortable on the back

[fatgit]

Hi
I bought a Superduke GT for this very purpose just before lockdown 2
Have only done about 500 miles in it so far but it’s an effortless and quick point to point bike
Hoping to expand my horizons very soon
Cheers
Steve

[Gimlet]

The Adventure format is the obvious choice for versatility and therefore I'd say a KTM 1290 or 1190 Adv, because I've got one and love it. They are tall though and pillion comfort is OK but not brilliant.
1200 GS is the unimaginative but highly effective option but consider the Triumph 1200 Explorer as well. Get a '16 plate onwards with the semi-active WP suspension. Comfort is superb, better IMO than a GS. They're silky smooth, not as quick as the KTMs it is true but faster than a GS and plenty lively enough to be fun. They also do a low seat version which has a different subframe, and the Triumph hard luggage which is basically rebadged Givi Outback Trekker is excellent.

More left field and probably the most comfortable adventure bike ever, is the Aprilia Caponord. Performance is about the same as a GS, so not manic, but the magic carpet ride is exceptional, the engine is under-stressed and there are no reliability problems.

[porter_jamie]

More left field and probably the most comfortable adventure bike ever, is the Aprilia Caponord. Performance is about the same as a GS, so not manic, but the magic carpet ride is exceptional, the engine is under-stressed and there are no reliability problems.

there is a 1200 - is that a v4?