Okay, You're Gonna' Buy A New Bike...

[dallara]

Okay...

You're gonna' buy a new bike. It's gonna' be a sport-touring mount. It's gonna' be a liter bike or so, or bigger. It's gotta' be available with hard bags.

What would you buy?

A BMW R-1200-RT



A Honda ST-1300



A Yamaha FJR-1300



A Ducati ST3 or ST4-S



A Triumph Sprint ST




Just curious...

Dallara

[rdsmith3]

It is purely academic -- I have not ridden any of them. Nevertheless, I cast my vote.

[ofrogg]

WHY NO VFR!!?!??!! definitely the intercetor dispite your liter+ req.

[Deans BMW]

Big D, I now think that my perfect stable would be the BMW R1200RT, the BMW R1200S and the BMW R1200GS.

I think that I see a trend here

Don't talk about the money, does not belong in this decision, after all, tons of HD's are sold as well as Mercedes, etc.

[dallara]

RDSmith3 said:

It is purely academic -- I have not ridden any of them. Nevertheless, I cast my vote.

Ya' know, RD... That's interesting, because I can't remember the last time I actually rode a bike before purchasing it. I did ride my R-1150-R before I handed over the money to the guy (I bought mine used), but that was only to see if there was anything wrong with it. I had already decided to purchase it (or some R-1150-R, anyway...), so the ride wasn't to see if I wanted one or liked one, etc.

I have never put much stock in "test rides"... Primarily because you usually can't spend enough time on a "test ride demo bike" to really get to know it, or how it will be actually living with it.

Now oddly enough, I have spent some time on bikes where that riding time convinced me I *DIDN"T* want to buy one... My time on the rental BMW R-1150-RT I rode in California this summer is a prime example, but I spent five days intimately with it, and rode it well over a thousand miles. Also, my buddies who owned Harley's and were trying to get me to buy one... Well, I rode their's, and I rented Harley's for three-day weekend jaunts three times, and no matter what Harley I rode I *KNEW* I didn't want one of them...

But a dealership type demo ride... Well, like I said I can't remember the last time I used that as any criteria for a motorcycle purchase.

For Ofrogg...

Well, I actually wanted to include the Aprilia Futura and the Honda VFR-800, but this board's poll feature limits you to only five poll choices, so I had to make a call... Sorry the VFR didn't make the list...

I'm interested to see where this poll goes, and if it heads where I think it might (given other threads here recently...) I wonder even more if BMW will ever see it and pay any attention to it...

Cheers!

Dallara

[DJ Downunder]

If that's all I have to choose from...I choose nothing...I love my BMW RR.

DJ

[wncbmw]

I'm with DJ. If I wanted a sport-touring mount for some long hauls, I would choice a 1200GS. Yeah, I know, not a "sport tourer".

Maybe an ST then.

Meanwhile, nothing appeals enough for me to give up my R.

[Bulldog]

I picked my new R1200ST up on Wednesday (my wife had gotten hers the previous Thursday) and we left Thursday morning for the RA rally in Tennesse. We put more than 1,000 miles on them in three days, about evenly split between two-lane and super-slab, and with more than 100 miles of back-road twisties.

I am euphoric over the bike's performance. I couldn't be happier with another sport-tourer.

[Slipstream]

"Blessed are those that are content with what they have."

I really enjoy my R1150R--it's a superb all-arounder, and I've never felt more comfortable or in control on a motorcycle than I do with my Roadster. I'm very happy and content....

...having said that, however, if I were to win a large lottery, I'd be supersonic on my trip up the road to the Birmingham BMW dealership to buy the following:

- R1200RT
- R1200GS
- R1200ST
- K1200GT

[dallara]

Dean, you said:

Don't talk about the money, does not belong in this decision, after all, tons of HD's are sold as well as Mercedes, etc.

What a lovely world it would be if none of us ever had to worry about the money...

I'd have every motorcycle BMW makes, along with a few Yamaha's, a bunch of Ducati's and MV Agusta's, a Triumph or two, some KTM's, a new Kenny Dreer Norton, a bunch of vintage bikes and on and on...

But, we do... After all, you bought a Subaru Forester and not a Porsche Cayenne!

I didn't say anything about cost in the original post, primarilly because I wanted to see where the poll would go without mentioning money. I know you love Beemers probably even more than most around here, but I hope you might admit that their pricing is beginning to get pretty scary...

Cheers!

Dallara

[ofrogg]

drool...





OK, I'm done pestering now, sorry... I just really like these bikes, and can't figure out why it'd be ruled out... oh well

[mistercindy]

I voted for the R1200RT, and the Honda St1300 was second.

But if I had to get more of a touring mount, I'd get a R1200ST or R1200GS... Not sure which. I lust after the ST, but I suspect the GS is more practical.

[MidlifeMark]

I voted for the R1200RT, based on my test ride and based on what I've heard about the heat problems on the Honda & Yamaha, as well as what I've heard about Ducati maintenance. I haven't heard anything about the Triumph.

My only knock on the RT was that it is a tiny bit tall, and the windshield waved around like a wet noodle in the breeze. I may give the R1200ST a test spin to see if it fits me any better; until then, it's not a high priority item since I still have my airhead RT.

I've come to appreciate old technology lately. I've been flying a plane that is older than I am: a 1946 Piper PA-12 Super Cruiser. Very much back to basics aircraft: no vacuum system, no flaps, cruise around 90 mph. It is at least a generation behind anything else I've ever flown before, but it is a real seat-of-the-pants airplane. If you can fly it right, you really know how to fly. I get the same kind of feeling on the airhead, and I don't know that any new technology bike would scratch the same itch for me.

[tomski12]

I would go with an R1200GS. The GS is every bit as good a tourer as the RT. The benefit, to those of us who live in warmer climates, is the fact that it does not have a significant fairing. The RT, 1200ST, Futura, ST3/ST4, Sprint RS, K1200GT, K1200S, FJR1300 feel very claustrophobic when its 80-100 degrees out. However, the GS, with heated gear, is very comfortable down to low temps.

[yjleesvrr]

Of the bikes listed, I voted for the RT. The FJR would be my second pick.

My next bike however will be the GS.

[bakernks]

For the sake of consideration, maybe Dallara omitted we'd ALL be keeping the R1150R. I'm sure I would be, it's the second one I've bought!

Of this list, I'll swing a leg over the Yamaha, but the ride left out, R1200GS, is the close second for me. I may yet buy either of those two in the Spring, time will tell.

And if money WEREN't an object, I'd buy/build a Log Cabin style Lodge housing my BMW/Yamaha dealership in Salida, Colorado staffed by purty girls, so there!

(I mean, as long as we're dreamin')

[Bry]

erk... odd one out...

I just like the Honda ST, have had a 91 model was great... till I flipped it 20 feet in the air...

The new ones are damn comfortable.. read bugger all problems cept heat.. guess I'd have one till the sterility got to me !

But I'm not ready for another more TOURING/sports yet... not yet

Bry

[JCsman]

"
...having said that, however, if I were to win a large lottery, I'd be supersonic on my trip up the road to the Birmingham BMW dealership to buy the following:

- R1200RT
- R1200GS
- R1200ST
- K1200GT

Right behind you, Slipstream. But I'd buy the K1200R instead of your last two. Oh yes, and a Vespa for Judy.

[r1150rider]

Having owned/ridden an FJR for 5 months and 5k miles, if I were to want a fully-faired sport-touring bike I would buy another in a heartbeat. It had the ability to travel at warp speed all day on the interstate, and still be excellent on the back roads, where I prefer to ride. If I were going to spend a lot of time on the open highway, it would be my choice among the bikes listed.

Aaahh, but I ought to be disqualified... I recently bought a Dyna Super Glide (the most basic entry-level "big twin") and much to my delight has turned out to be a much more competent motorcycle than I thought it would be.

Go figure!

[BobFV1]

Dal - of the bikes you listed, the Yammie and the Duc are tied, but the Yammie probably gets the nod. But what I am REALLY waiting for is the K1200S-based GT, which is rumored to be coming - that's all I'm waiting for!