sashsania Posted July 22, 2016 Share Posted July 22, 2016 Quick Intro: Age: 41 yrs Height: 6'1" Weight: 200 lbs (220+ with full gear) Place: Alberta, Canada Experience: Riding since 16 Past Rides: 50cc moped, 125 two stroke Yamaha, 500 cc Thumper retro, Yamaha 350 cc RD 350. Also experience (but not owned): CBR 1000RR, Suzuki GSX-S 1000 F <-- love 1000 bikes and pretty comfortable riding on them Current Ride: 2015 Honda CBR 500R (potentially wife's ride that I am simply breaking in ) Ride Style: Sporty (not street Rossi though). Love scrapping pegs and trail braking Looking at 2016 FJ-09 very seriously. Will be using it for city commute and weekend trips. Wifey might ride her own CBR or join me as pillion (with gear about 165+ lbs). So tatal weight with luggage might be 420+ lbs Also looked at Versys 1000LT - find it way too heavy for my taste, so is Super Tenere. FZ-10 - Almost Supersport style, not sure how good it can be for long rides like 500KM in a day. Did test ride of Fj-09 twice. First time didn't like it much but second test ride after a gap of a month, found it pretty good. Questions: Based on above what you guys suggest. Should I pull the the trigger on 2016? Look somewhere else? or wait for 2017 (its Almost August and Winter is coming...)? Any other suggestions or thing to lookout? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member wessie Posted July 22, 2016 Premium Member Share Posted July 22, 2016 Buy the FJ/Tracer and make her ride her bike to share the payload. The engine will have no difficulty lugging the two of you about but 420lb on any bike will affect the handling adversely and more so for a bike that only weighs around that to begin with. This signature is left blank as the poster writes enough pretentious bollocks as it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sashsania Posted July 22, 2016 Author Share Posted July 22, 2016 Thanks Piotrek & Wessie. On the same lines, if we both have to ride on separate bikes, GSX S 1000 might be my other consideration. Any other bike recommendations in budget range of 10K -12K? I am trying to stick with Japanese brands if possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member wessie Posted July 22, 2016 Premium Member Share Posted July 22, 2016 Thanks Piotrek & Wessie. On the same lines, if we both have to ride on separate bikes, GSX S 1000 might be my other consideration. Any other bike recommendations in budget range of 10K -12K? I am trying to stick with Japanese brands if possible.For 2 up riding - friends that do this regularly have either the Kawasaki GTR1400 (UK name for Concours maybe?) or FJR1300, so you are looking at used examples for that money. The above are your Japanese options and I would add the Triumph Trophy 1200 and BMW K1600 which will get 2 of you a long distance in comfort and high velocity. Again, used examples for 12k. For new bikes, I don't see anything else comparable in the Japanese ranges except maybe the Vstrom. I'm not a fan of the Versys. Triumph have some good value bikes in their mid-range. The now long in the tooth Sprint ST (in the UK spec at least) is very good value for money and a very good 2 up, budget tourer. The UK spec bike comes with a full set of luggage for Tracer/FJ money. It's quite an old design though. This signature is left blank as the poster writes enough pretentious bollocks as it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivabign Posted July 22, 2016 Share Posted July 22, 2016 I've heard good things about the GSX, but from what I've read the low speed fueling is pretty bad and I think it's limited on the side / top case options. Before I bought my FJ I looked really hard at the Triumph XRX, not as sporty as the FJ, but IMO a better touring bike and able to carry a heavier load than the FJ. Really happy with my FJ so far, but if I was doing more trips I would have probably gotten the XRX. They're both really great bikes... Thanks Piotrek & Wessie. On the same lines, if we both have to ride on separate bikes, GSX S 1000 might be my other consideration. Any other bike recommendations in budget range of 10K -12K? I am trying to stick with Japanese brands if possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sashsania Posted July 23, 2016 Author Share Posted July 23, 2016 Guess you folks are right. Either I need to increase budget or reduce requirements, cant have both at same time. The thing is I am "sportly inclined" rider who wants ability to do occasional tours with wifey. Mid life crisis may be. FJ-09, Ninja 1000 and Suzuki GSX S are on my top list. Probabaly i would't get any where with this list. :-( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
root Posted July 23, 2016 Share Posted July 23, 2016 420 lbs will be fine for the occasional trip. Sure, it won't handle like it does solo, but no bike really will. I've been well over that weight and been fine. There are other bikes that are built better for more weight, but compromise the solo riding to do it. On my trip to the tail of the dragon I had the thing loaded like a full out touring bike with full camping gear including a queen size air mattress. I'm a heavy rider so I'd bet I was over 420 lbs on that trip. 1200 miles just fine. Handled much better loaded up than the various Harley's I've rented that are marketed for that, whatever that's worth. Once I set up camp, I left the saddle bags and top case in the tent and had a light weight nimble bike. Buy the bike for the 80% not the 20%. This thing will handle the 20% with small compromises. Some of the other suggestioned bikes may compromise the 80% even more than the FJ compromises on the 20%. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sashsania Posted July 23, 2016 Author Share Posted July 23, 2016 Thanks all. Will let all know what I land up with. Cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sashsania Posted August 17, 2016 Author Share Posted August 17, 2016 Just wanted to give update and close loop - I finally bought a 2015 CBR 1000 RR ABS 3 weeks ago. Already 2100+ KMs on it. Not the most comfortable bike out there but I love it (as you can see from my original post). Have a great fun and safe ride there all of you. Cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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