How it started
Link to the google spreadsheet
(download at the bottom)
This is long, but I'm trying to post answers to all foreseeable questions in
the initial email please bear with me.
I'm working out my 5 year bike budget and thinking "I love my R1200GSA and
am not too thrilled about the water cooling coming out in the new one, I'd
like for this bike to last a while and not wear it out in 3 years".
With that in mind, I'm tossing around the idea of a second, used bike for
cranking out the miles. Not a rally or touring bike that's my GSA.
Something for those 300-500 mile "let's grab dinner 2 states away" rides
that I do once or twice a week and is about 80% of my mileage)
Requirements are fairly simple, though the list is long (and in no
particular order):
* 300+ mile range, deally 350+
* Cheap to buy, maintain, insure.
* Oil/filter changes should be fast and easy since it will see a lot of them
and I have very little time for anything else if I am to actually ride it.
* Reliability is of utmost importance I regularly take trips that have me
on barrier islands 150+ miles and a ferry ride from the nearest dealer.
* Must have a good aftermarket seat available ideally a Russell.
* I need to be able to mount some kind of luggage to it that can hold a
'stitch, heated clothes and a full face helmet. Givi is more than acceptable
for this. Probably just a top case.
* Highest service interval mileages possible. I'm performing service on my
GSA every month (on average) and it gets old real quick.
* Roadside repairs using nothing but bubblegum and a dirty sweat sock.
(small tool kit)
* Must have really good wind/rain protection
* Must have brackets available to mount a set of PIAA 910s as well as a good
set of fog/flood lights
* Must use tires that are excellent in the rain and last at a minimum 12,000
miles, Ideally 15,000 or more (I'm easy on tires, I get 13,000 or more from
my Anakee 2s on the pig, ermm, GSA)
* Ideally low CG, hopefully fairly lightweight (in case I need to pick it up
on my own I am a self-proclaimed wimp), and highly maneuverable I want
to be able to do u-turns around a gas pump without fear of falling over or
needing to take a police/rodeo course.
* Must be able to flat-foot it (I'm 6'2" but "only" have a 32.5-33" inseam.
I can not flat-foot my GSA with the Russell seat). IOW: Needs some legroom
(seat to pegs) without being too far to the ground.
* Fairly upright seating position. Doesn't need to be as upright as my GSA,
but I have hardware holding my left wrist together and a pinched nerve in my
shoulder, so anything on the sportier end of sport-touring riding positions
is out.
* Longevity is important. This rules out a lot of bikes.. Most single
cylinders, for instance. This bike will be bought used and have 100,000+
miles put on it in 3-4 years.
* Reasonable or better power would be nice. I define reasonable as the GSA,
I wouldn't want much less, acceleration-wise.
Budget for the bike itself is $5k max. I want something less than 5 years
old and am willing to wait a bit and do some heavy searching to find a low
mileage example of the right bike.
I have zero time for working on this bike and zero interest in farkeling it
to death. I want to get it, add the GPS mount, Gerbing controller, seat,
lights, case, and perform the usual new-owner maintenance tasks in one day
and be done with working on it for 10,000-15,000 miles (oil changes aside).
I haven't thought a whole lot about what to include and am looking to the
list for help. I'm open to just about any type of bike that fits the above.
A few I've excluded:
R1200GS and GSA: Too expensive, too top heavy
Gold Wing: Anything in my budget is going to be 20+ years old. Heavy
Harley softtails: They all hurt my back, no matter what seat I have on them,
and I've tried them all.
KLRs and DRs: Love 'em, but for LD, the thumper thing doesn't really work
for me. The seat is plank and I'm entirely ass-less.
Sooooo after reading this, I guess what I'm really asking for is the all
day comfort of my GSA, the light weight and nimbleness of the ex's ninja
250, the power of my old VFR-800, the ergonomics of a K1600GTL, and the
range and service intervals of my old F350 Diesel but with the maintenance
costs of a weed trimmer. Oh yeah, and ideally I want it to be free.
How close can we get?
Thanks!
Rusty
(download at the bottom)
This is long, but I'm trying to post answers to all foreseeable questions in
the initial email please bear with me.
I'm working out my 5 year bike budget and thinking "I love my R1200GSA and
am not too thrilled about the water cooling coming out in the new one, I'd
like for this bike to last a while and not wear it out in 3 years".
With that in mind, I'm tossing around the idea of a second, used bike for
cranking out the miles. Not a rally or touring bike that's my GSA.
Something for those 300-500 mile "let's grab dinner 2 states away" rides
that I do once or twice a week and is about 80% of my mileage)
Requirements are fairly simple, though the list is long (and in no
particular order):
* 300+ mile range, deally 350+
* Cheap to buy, maintain, insure.
* Oil/filter changes should be fast and easy since it will see a lot of them
and I have very little time for anything else if I am to actually ride it.
* Reliability is of utmost importance I regularly take trips that have me
on barrier islands 150+ miles and a ferry ride from the nearest dealer.
* Must have a good aftermarket seat available ideally a Russell.
* I need to be able to mount some kind of luggage to it that can hold a
'stitch, heated clothes and a full face helmet. Givi is more than acceptable
for this. Probably just a top case.
* Highest service interval mileages possible. I'm performing service on my
GSA every month (on average) and it gets old real quick.
* Roadside repairs using nothing but bubblegum and a dirty sweat sock.
(small tool kit)
* Must have really good wind/rain protection
* Must have brackets available to mount a set of PIAA 910s as well as a good
set of fog/flood lights
* Must use tires that are excellent in the rain and last at a minimum 12,000
miles, Ideally 15,000 or more (I'm easy on tires, I get 13,000 or more from
my Anakee 2s on the pig, ermm, GSA)
* Ideally low CG, hopefully fairly lightweight (in case I need to pick it up
on my own I am a self-proclaimed wimp), and highly maneuverable I want
to be able to do u-turns around a gas pump without fear of falling over or
needing to take a police/rodeo course.
* Must be able to flat-foot it (I'm 6'2" but "only" have a 32.5-33" inseam.
I can not flat-foot my GSA with the Russell seat). IOW: Needs some legroom
(seat to pegs) without being too far to the ground.
* Fairly upright seating position. Doesn't need to be as upright as my GSA,
but I have hardware holding my left wrist together and a pinched nerve in my
shoulder, so anything on the sportier end of sport-touring riding positions
is out.
* Longevity is important. This rules out a lot of bikes.. Most single
cylinders, for instance. This bike will be bought used and have 100,000+
miles put on it in 3-4 years.
* Reasonable or better power would be nice. I define reasonable as the GSA,
I wouldn't want much less, acceleration-wise.
Budget for the bike itself is $5k max. I want something less than 5 years
old and am willing to wait a bit and do some heavy searching to find a low
mileage example of the right bike.
I have zero time for working on this bike and zero interest in farkeling it
to death. I want to get it, add the GPS mount, Gerbing controller, seat,
lights, case, and perform the usual new-owner maintenance tasks in one day
and be done with working on it for 10,000-15,000 miles (oil changes aside).
I haven't thought a whole lot about what to include and am looking to the
list for help. I'm open to just about any type of bike that fits the above.
A few I've excluded:
R1200GS and GSA: Too expensive, too top heavy
Gold Wing: Anything in my budget is going to be 20+ years old. Heavy
Harley softtails: They all hurt my back, no matter what seat I have on them,
and I've tried them all.
KLRs and DRs: Love 'em, but for LD, the thumper thing doesn't really work
for me. The seat is plank and I'm entirely ass-less.
Sooooo after reading this, I guess what I'm really asking for is the all
day comfort of my GSA, the light weight and nimbleness of the ex's ninja
250, the power of my old VFR-800, the ergonomics of a K1600GTL, and the
range and service intervals of my old F350 Diesel but with the maintenance
costs of a weed trimmer. Oh yeah, and ideally I want it to be free.
How close can we get?
Thanks!
Rusty
| ld_second_bike_comparisons.xlsx |
