what bike and how to buy

[porter_jamie]

What about an S1000XR?

didnt consider that, had a look, the pillion doesnt look great tbh, but it probably a cracking bike 1up

[porter_jamie]

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

what about maxi scooters? sounds daft but it the tour is mainly doris friendly back road pootling in france or whatever it might be a good shout?

[Gimlet]

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?

No it's a V-twin, basically an uprated Dorosduro engine. Solid unit with no history of problems.

The 1200 is the one you'd want. The 1000 is an old design. Basically an upright trailie version of the old Futura, the equivalent to Ducati's old 1000 Fugly Multistrada.
The 1200 Caponord is their equivalent to the proper 1200 Multistrada. It's a far more advanced bike than the old 1000. It isn't perhaps the prettiest thing, though they look good in red and the finish quality is high.

The 1200 Caponord set the comfort standard that BMW knew they had to mach with their L/C GS. IMO the Caponord is better than the GS and the quality of the suspension still beats most of the latest systems today.

Here's an uncharacteristically thorough review from MCN:

https://www.motorcyclenews.com/bike-rev ... 1200/2013/

[KungFooBob]

No it's a V-twin...

...Here's an uncharacteristically thorough review from MCN:

Not that thorough, they think it's a V4.

[Gimlet]

Just noticed that too. Typical MCN cock-up. They do state in the text that it's a V-twin Dorosudro engine.

Ignore the V4 bit @porter_jamie it is a V-twin.

Here's another review from Bennets:
https://www.bennetts.co.uk/bikesocial/r ... rally-2015

[Bigyin]

I should add as Gimlet mentioned the suspension on the Aprilia that the age of Multistrada you are looking at can come with the Ducati Skyhook semi active suspension which smooths out the ride considerably and is noticeable especially on rolling roads where the suspension works to keep the bike flat rather than pitching up and down with each roll in the tarmac.

Downsides can be the major service costs (changing the engine belts and valve checks among other things) which is at 15000 miles on the pre 2015 bikes like mine or 18000 miles on the 2015 onwards DVT engined bikes. If buying one anywhere near that mileage try to make sure its done if private purchase or get the dealer to do it as part of the sale. If they wont then find an independant specialist to do it as main Ducati dealer service pricing is eye watering

[Whysub]

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

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

Had one at work. It was fine in town, easy to manoeuvre, but on long runs I hated it. Even at 50 mph in top, I was looking to change up.

V-Strom 1000? My mate has had a few now, simply because his wife considers it the best bike she has ever ridden pillion on. I only ride solo, so I could not offer my own opinion....

[Gimlet]

I should add as Gimlet mentioned the suspension on the Aprilia that the age of Multistrada you are looking at can come with the Ducati Skyhook semi active suspension which smooths out the ride considerably and is noticeable especially on rolling roads where the suspension works to keep the bike flat rather than pitching up and down with each roll in the tarmac.

Downsides can be the major service costs (changing the engine belts and valve checks among other things) which is at 15000 miles on the pre 2015 bikes like mine or 18000 miles on the 2015 onwards DVT engined bikes. If buying one anywhere near that mileage try to make sure its done if private purchase or get the dealer to do it as part of the sale. If they wont then find an independant specialist to do it as main Ducati dealer service pricing is eye watering

I tried a used Skyhook Multi before eventually getting a KTM 1190. Apart from long-term reliability questions and service costs, I found the seat too restrictive. It cradles you completely and there is no scope to stretch and wriggle. Also the centre stand fouled my heel and I found myself constantly fiddling with it. I thought the fueling was very poor and the KTM felt overall faster and lighter.
The outgoing 1260 DVT Multis were a different matter, but I think the old 1200 Multi was a bit too clever for its own good and has too many question marks over it as a used buy.

[Gimlet]

I do think the OP should test ride both a sports tourer and an adventure bike, ideally comparable ones, like a BMW 1200 GS against a 1200 RS.
Personally I greatly prefer the adventure format. I'm 6 feet tall so have no issue with seat height and I like the commanding view, the leg room and the relaxed upper body posture. I find it much more distance-friendly than sports tourers, and the current generation of adventures bikes handle and go every bit as well as sports tourers.

It's a very subjective thing as we're all different shapes and sizes but it's definitely worth checking out, with the wife as well as she's very much a part of the equation.

[Bigyin]

I tried a used Skyhook Multi before eventually getting a KTM 1190. Apart from long-term reliability questions and service costs, I found the seat too restrictive. It cradles you completely and there is no scope to stretch and wriggle. Also the centre stand fouled my heel and I found myself constantly fiddling with it. I thought the fueling was very poor and the KTM felt overall faster and lighter.
The outgoing 1260 DVT Multis were a different matter, but I think the old 1200 Multi was a bit too clever for its own good and has too many question marks over it as a used buy.

I dont even notice the main stand anymore but it annoyed me at first till i just moved my foot a bit

Funnily enough i tried the 1190 and didnt like the feeling from the bigger skinny front wheel and the seat felt like a plank of wood and very uncomfortable. Adam had one for our big trip and he is used to smashing out big mileage days but our first 2 days were almost 800 miles each day and once we got over the 450-500 mark each day he was in a lot of discomfort on the 1190 and stopping every 75 miles or so instead of the 150 at a time we were doing earlier in the day but i was fine on the Ducati.

As for long term reliability mine did close to 40000 miles in 3 years of ownership till it was written off in a crash and as well as the big tour, it was commuted on all year for those 3 years including winters as i didnt have a car. I had a couple of wheel speed sensors fail in that time but apart from that no real horror stories.

Each to their own

[Gimlet]

I tried a used Skyhook Multi before eventually getting a KTM 1190. Apart from long-term reliability questions and service costs, I found the seat too restrictive. It cradles you completely and there is no scope to stretch and wriggle. Also the centre stand fouled my heel and I found myself constantly fiddling with it. I thought the fueling was very poor and the KTM felt overall faster and lighter.
The outgoing 1260 DVT Multis were a different matter, but I think the old 1200 Multi was a bit too clever for its own good and has too many question marks over it as a used buy.

I dont even notice the main stand anymore but it annoyed me at first till i just moved my foot a bit

Funnily enough i tried the 1190 and didnt like the feeling from the bigger skinny front wheel and the seat felt like a plank of wood and very uncomfortable. Adam had one for our big trip and he is used to smashing out big mileage days but our first 2 days were almost 800 miles each day and once we got over the 450-500 mark each day he was in a lot of discomfort on the 1190 and stopping every 75 miles or so instead of the 150 at a time we were doing earlier in the day but i was fine on the Ducati.

As for long term reliability mine did close to 40000 miles in 3 years of ownership till it was written off in a crash and as well as the big tour, it was commuted on all year for those 3 years including winters as i didnt have a car. I had a couple of wheel speed sensors fail in that time but apart from that no real horror stories.

Each to their own

The KTMs haven't got the plushest seats. They're so tall the seat has to be narrow. But the Powerparts comfort seat is a vast improvement over the standard. I rode mine non-stop from Inverness to Dorset, avoiding motorways, so a long scenic route, and that was over 800 miles. I was glad of the fuel stops but it was perfectly manageable and I was back out on it the next day. For me comfort is a compromise between leg cramp and arse ache. The wider and plusher the seat the less arse ache, but the taller (and therefore narrower) the seat the more reach you've got to the pegs so less leg cramp. At least a hard seat can be reupholstered but there's not a lot you can do about lack of leg room. I've ridden so many times just on day runs with riders on sports tourers and watched them dangling a leg or stretching out to get relief after a hundred miles. I don't get any of that.

[Bigyin]

The KTMs haven't got the plushest seats. They're so tall the seat has to be narrow. But the Powerparts comfort seat is a vast improvement over the standard. I rode mine non-stop from Inverness to Dorset, avoiding motorways, so a long scenic route, and that was over 800 miles. I was glad of the fuel stops but it was perfectly manageable and I was back out on it the next day. For me comfort is a compromise between leg cramp and arse ache. The wider and plusher the seat the less arse ache, but the taller (and therefore narrower) the seat the more reach you've got to the pegs so less leg cramp. At least a hard seat can be reupholstered but there's not a lot you can do about lack of leg room. I've ridden so many times just on day runs with riders on sports tourers and watched them dangling a leg or stretching out to get relief after a hundred miles. I don't get any of that.

Adam didnt have the "pay extra" comfort seat just the standard plank, mine was as standard and plenty of leg room for 6 foot 1

I dont like 1190's or 1090's come to that, you dont like Multistrada's ...... lets leave it at that and let the OP get back to exploring other options

[porter_jamie]

i sat on a 1200 multi once, doris sat on the back. felt good, but it was a bit tall.

[Tricky]

@porter_jamie This sounds like the position I was in just under a year ago, your criteria and thoughts on what to buy sound similar to what mine were at that time.
Although I considered everything, the only bikes really in contention for me was either a Multistrada of some sort, or a SuperDuke 1290GT.
I went for a Multi- it's not really seen much (well any ) use over the last few months, but as soon as the weather picks up that will change, especially if lockdown is relaxed.

Thread with my thoughts on it to date here http://revtothelimit.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=472

[Tarmacsurfer]

I'm selling my 2014 1190 adventure with electronic suspension, factory panniers etc. Pm me if interested mate.