seeking rental advice for 2-up euro-tour

[alejandro]

Greetings all.
 
I'm going on a short motorcycle tour this summer, 2-up. I'm 180lbs pillion is probably 150 and we will have as much stuff as we can carry :-) Some of the riding will simply be getting from one city to another, but some will be tooling around in the Alps, nothing high-speed or crazy tho, and nothing off-piste.
 
As an fj-09 rider, what would I be happiest renting for that kind of touring? Options at one rental place are all bmws:
 
K1600gt
R1200gs or gsa
F800gs or gt
 
The r1200gs would be most similar to the fj-09 but the k1600 would probably be a little more relaxing on the highway. Gsa has the best windscreen I understand.
 
I've never ridden anything as giant as the k1600. Is now the moment to start? Or should I go for the gs?
 
Or even the f800gt? That would certainly be the easiest to handle at low speeds, and given that I'm not looking to set land speed records...would this be too slow fully-loaded, coming from the fj?
 
I wish they had an r1200rt, that would seem to be the right size for us.
 
Anyone have advice? Maybe I should go to a dealership and talk to them and or sit on some bikes?
 
Thanks for any thoughts.
 
Alex

[aeg]

I was going to recommend r1200rt. The only 2-up in our group rented it and went over the Stelvio pass both ways (see my avatar for a reference) with passenger like a boss. Rentals in Italy do have them. And the wife was oh so happy with his choice. That counts for something, right? ?

[josh]

Honda Varadero...I guess that's not a option, I should read the post  first.

[wessie]

Where are you landing? Are you arriving/departing Europe from the same airport? Us "locals" might be able to recommend something if we know which end of the Alps you intend to visit as they stretch from France to Slovenia with 5 countries in between.
 
I agree an RT/FJR type bike would be best suited.
 
Of those on your current list, I would choose the R-GS, but I have owned an R1150GS.
 
The K1600 goes really well as I have followed one around France - goes around corners seemingly defying the laws of physics. It's massive though.

[alejandro]

Starting in Austria, returning to Austria, a week or so. Is it worth finding a place that has an r1200rt? That does seem like the sweet spot.
 
Otherwise I guess I'll go 1200gs. Seems kind of tall (for 2-up)

[alejandro]

PS Thank you all for your thoughts!

[bobaintstoppin]

I've owned both a GS1200 and an F800(ST not GT but same bike).  If the two of you approach beefy in any way, the GS would be the choice.  Both are good bikes but the F800 gets a bit viby at high speed.  So the F800 would be a poor choice for the autobahn.  The 1200 GS is a great pack mule and will handle your luggage well depending on what the renter includes for bags.  The 1200 motor is fantastic and has great power. The F800 might not have enough storage capacity unless you travel light.
 
Edit:  PS:  The K1600 would work fine also but it's a big bike and very powerful.  Overkill in my opinion.  The GSA should not be considered unless you are a big guy.  Say 6'2" at least.  The regular GS is good for say 5'10" or above.  The F800 can be handled OK by smaller riders.

[wessie]

Some versions of the F800 require long legs - I can happily reach the ground on an R1200GS but not so happy on the F800GS!
 
Austria: then you are in luck. There are a number of hotels in the Tyrol that have BMW bikes stationed at the hotels throughout the summer. The two I know and can personally recommend as I have stayed in them are near or in Landeck. This is an ideal base to tour from as it is at the point where Italy, Austria & Switzerland converge at a single point.
 
The hotels are part of this association http://www.motorrad-hotel.com/en.html - Enzian in Landeck and Weisseespitze just down the road in the Kaunertal. Klaus at the Enzian and Charlie at the Weisseespitze speak very good English so ring or email them.
 
Landeck is a rail hub and not far from Innsbruck airport and both hotels run shuttle services. You can rent one of the BMW bikes for a day or longer. When I was at the Enzianin 2014 it was just 60 euros to have a bike for a single day. The bikes are provided by BMW as a way to introduce riders of other makes to their brand.
 
 

[alejandro]

First, thanks to all for your thoughts and advice! We were a bit disorganized about things, due to being busy, group dynamics, temperaments, etc. Next time I organize such a trip for myself I definitely will take Wessie's suggestion of staying in a hotel that also rents motorcycles. This solves a few problems, including where to keep your suitcase while you're on the motorcycle! Fortunately, the place we wound up renting from was able to store our extra bags in the corner of one of their offices.
 
So even though we knew this trip was coming, we wound up booking the bikes later than we might have, and we wound up with what was available, which was one R1200GS, one F800GS, and an S1000XR (!). Our group consisted of one guy who had not really ridden much in 15 years; one guy who was intent on riding as many hours a day as possible, and was not sensitive about the fact that we were riding in a group (eg., when leading, he would pull out into traffic in small gaps and we would get separated); and me with my pillion, and neither of us was experienced with riding 2-up.
 
"Impatient guy" had been really keen on the GS, so he rode it the whole time. "15 year guy" was intimidated by the size of the XR at first, so he started on the F800 and we started on the XR.
 
The XR is fantastically capable, as one might imagine. Tons of torque. Very stable and solid in crosswinds, on uneven surfaces, in turns, etc. Firm ride (in "road" mode). Pillion reported comfortable seat and lots of leg room. Delicious close-ratio gearbox. Sounds sexy just starting it. One commonly-heard complaint about this bike is that it is buzzy, but honestly I'd say it's probably less buzzy than the FJ. It was not perfect however. If it had been me alone, its height might not have been an issue, but every time my passenger hopped on, I felt like there was a non-zero chance we were going to fall over sideways. The other problem was that for the speeds we were going, it was complete and utter overkill, so it was frustrating, like walking a race horse around all day.
 
Later we switched to the F800, and I was much happier. I got to actually ride the thing, I had to shift, etc. I could flat foot. It sounded and felt much like a tractor by comparison. Nothing like the XR. Very vibey, especially above 100km/h or so. Pillion reported less leg room. Not a great highway bike, compared to the XR, or to the FJ for that matter.
 
Low-speed handling on tall bike with pillion (traffic, parking, and especially hairpins) was hard for me. We were real wimps going up through some passes. I need to find a way to practice these things.
 
I would have been very happy on FJ on this tour. FJ has more leg room for rider than XR or F800 for sure, and the right amount of power.
 
The tour itself--fantastic. We were mostly in the Tyrol/Tirol region of Austria and Italy. I would do pretty much the same tour again. And perhaps we will! But not in a group! :-D
 
I'll provide more details of the tour and post pictures if there's interest.
 

[wordsmith]

I'll provide more details of the tour and post pictures if there's interest.

Good intro, alejandro - I for one would certainly like to see/ read more. 
FWIW - I have found over many years that the best way to travel by motorcycle is solo - that way, no pressure as to where and when to go, when to leave, how fast or slow, where to stop or not stop, etc.   And of course the larger the group the greater the chances of problems and issues arising.

[alejandro]

Cheers @wordsmith ...
 
Will post more in the next few days.

[phpaul]

FWIW - I have found over many years that the best way to travel by motorcycle is solo - that way, no pressure as to where and when to go, when to leave, how fast or slow, where to stop or not stop, etc.   And of course the larger the group the greater the chances of problems and issues arising.

Word.  Short jaunts with daughter and grandson, other than that I'm all about riding solo.

[wessie]

Glad you enjoyed the tour.
 
I have just got back from the French Alps. I organises these trips for a group each year. The group only comes together in the evening to dine at the hotel. We might start off together and all make it to the first coffee stop but then there is a starburst with people going in all directions. It is rare for anyone to come with me as I have usually planned a scenic route on challenging roads. Some take the autoroute for part of the day, others bimble along taking more coffee or nicotine stops (only 1 left in the group now).
It works well. I plan a stop at a base for 3 nights as few like to ride every day. Some struggle to get up before 10am. Some are getting on a bit and others have health problems. Some have requested shorter distances and more days at a base for next year, the poor old crocks.
Oh, and I have added to the fleet. A trip to Avignon at Easter told me the R1200RS riding position is not suited to me for 300 mile days. My right hip complains. I now have a Triumph Tiger Explorer 1200 XRx as well. That did the Alps trip and was more comfy but a proper bastard to move around a gravel hotel car park as it is so heavy!

[alejandro]

So it's taking me longer than expected to post a real follow-up.
 
In the meantime, though, I'll say that I was VERY happy to get back on the FJ-09 for the first time yesterday, even if it was just to commute to work. It is so much more comfortable for me than either of the BMWs that I rode (F800GS, S1000XR). Tons of leg room, not too heavy, great (too great?) throttle response and power, eager turn-in. Just lots of fun.
 
Of course most of the time I was riding the BMWs it was 2-up with lots of luggage...that may have had something to do with it!
 
 

[alejandro]

Oh. And in the rain.