If you had to chose between all the touring bike available which one would you pick and why? The bike you choose must come stock with a radio.


Reason I ask is because I'm thinking about a bike purchase and I have my heart set on the 09 hd street glide. I rode one for a whole day and some of the things I liked about it compared to other tourers are.

1. stretched seating position
2. floor boards
3. v-twin sound and look
4. overall style
5. radio
6. look at me I have a harley attention grabber

I'm interested in hearing what you guys think is the best touring bike

 

do not want china bike

 

id prolly go bmw. around the same price as hd, maybe even cheaper but since they dont have the old school image, trade marked sound, bad boy chopper look or other models to worry about like hd, all bmw does is touring and adventure bikes so id say they got it right.

 

I think you're forgetting their sport, HP series, and standard bikes.

That said, I'd take a Gold Wing if I just HAD to have an OEM radio

 

Man, I don't know what kind of touring that is. If you're serious about riding long distances, and not around the block and then to starbucks (your "attention grabber" comment sort of makes me think this), a good tourer doesn't need ANY of the things you listed. Radio? Forget about it. Good looks? Not a chance. Floor boards? Don't need 'em.

For long distances you need a comfy seat and sitting position, good range, light enough so that if it falls over in the middle of Wyoming you won't be waiting 15 minutes to wave a passing car down to help ypu pick it up, and have it be either dead reliable, or easy to fix on the side of the road (or in a shed in Kansas in my case).

Here I am with my 'touring bike' on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia: a Yamaha I bought for $50.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by CivicWagonRUS &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Man, I don't know what kind of touring that is. If you're serious about riding long distances, and not around the block and then to starbucks (your "attention grabber" comment sort of makes me think this), a good tourer doesn't need ANY of the things you listed. Radio? Forget about it. Good looks? Not a chance. Floor boards? Don't need 'em.

For long distances you need a comfy seat and sitting position, good range, light enough so that if it falls over in the middle of Wyoming you won't be waiting 15 minutes to wave a passing car down to help ypu pick it up, and have it be either dead reliable, or easy to fix on the side of the road (or in a shed in Kansas in my case).

Here I am with my 'touring bike' on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia: a Yamaha I bought for $50.

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lol funny post

That bike looks funny as hell!

 

He's also put more miles in one ride on that thing than most of us have in a season. Riding is about the ride itself.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by jewjew bean &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

That bike looks funny as hell! </TD></TR></TABLE>

 

 

^Man, I would have loved to have a BMW on my trip. Shaft drive, smooth 80+mph cruising, and relatively good fuel economy. I actually like the older airheads more, they are much more maintenance friendly. Peter Egan wrote about his airhead, "I adjusted the valves on a sidewalk in [some town] while conversing with passerby." Or something like that.

 

If I was gonna get a touring bike?



.....hands down

radios are for people who dont own an mp3 player.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by knockout &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">If I was gonna get a touring bike?

.....hands down

radios are for people who dont own an mp3 player.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I'm with this guy

Why not a Katoom Adventure? I'd eat entire continents on that bike...(Heck, if I had the time I'd eat continents with a 125cc bike).

 

this isnt bad looking.

 

 

I guy at my work has a Vstrom, hes been all over on that bike. He swears by it! His sport bike is an RC51

 

Id buy anybike as long as it didnt say Harley Davidson on it.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Starscream &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
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these Fz1, Fz6 other touring bikes have more up-right position right?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by __oversea &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

these Fz1, Fz6 other touring bikes have more up-right position right?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yup, the seating position is more upright and relaxed than their racing replica siblings. Also they have handlebars instead of clip-ons.

This is a GREAT touring bike, but I think you guys never got it on the USA. It's really popular here in Venezuela (Specially the 850) and most of the rest of the world:

 

Goldwing. It's like cruising on a couch.

 

Go with the harley.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ScareyH22A &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Goldwing. It's like cruising on a couch. </TD></TR></TABLE>

remind me of video, someguy kneedraging around curvy MT road.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by __oversea &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

remind me of video, someguy kneedraging around curvy MT road.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yellow Wolf with his Goldwing at Deals Gap:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFleFrJx7nw

 

BMW R1100GS w/ a side car

 

You definatly don't need a full blown bagger bike to tour, however a comfy seat and upright sitting position is crucial. I went from Pittsburgh, PA to Key West, Florida and back in 7 days and let me tell you i'll never ride that far again unless i'm on some sort of touring bike.

our "touring" rigs




the dragon cause i want to photo *****...
http://www.photoreflect.com/pr...po=50

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by holisticbeatz &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">BMW R1100GS w/ a side car



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i want that chit!