Triumphrat

Jhtjon

I love my Bonnie, let me start by saying that. I have the rare privlage of being able to use my bike to travel for business. Lately my travel range has extended from 0-250mi to 0-400mi. I think I am going to look into buying a adventure/toring bike to use on the longer trips, something like a Suzuki V-Strom 650 ABS, BMW F650GS or a Ducati Multistrada 620. Have any of you guys had any experience with any of these bikes? or am I forgetting one completely. I would like to stay well under 1000cc's as it makes a big diff on the insurance.

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'07 Goodwood Green Bonneville, AI Removed, Ace Bars, ZRX1200 Shocks, Bar End Mirrors. Stock Air Box, 1mm Shim, Thruxton TOR's, & New Fork Springs.
http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j2...n/100_0799.jpg

mr_badda_bing

I am not sure for that long of a commute you would want anything under 1000cc. I rode a friends Velusa(?sp) for about 100 miles, and I was more uncomfortable being on that than I ever have been on the Thruxton, ride wise and power wise. I think the Bonnie will be better than one of the smaller displacement bikes.

That being said, I would look into the Kawasaki Versys and even the KTM Super Duke.

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2006 Thruxton - Zoe Yellowbike
125 main jets, 42 pilots, 1 shims, 2 turns, HARK (homemade airbox removal kit) EMGO Reverse Cones, 17T sprocket. 4700 Feet Above Sea Level

dnyman

If it's comfort you want, buy the Bimmer.

Dave.

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Bonneville T100 (2007) current

Kwaka ZZR250 (1999) gone
Honda VFR800 (2000) gone
BMW K1200GT (2002) gone
BMW R1200RT (2006) gone and missed in a big way - it's a long story

ATGATT

I'm no superman biker by any means, but I too use my bike weekly for work. I can't tell you how many times I did 500 miles (plus) in a day in all kinds of weather.

My bonnie has a medium size fairing (Givi 603) and I did a $10 mod to the seat that is comfortable all day. Add your hard bag luggage and you have your touring bike.

Anyway, for me, I'll gladly stick with what I have for touring. The techs at a dealer that sells BMW and Triumph say that the Triumph has less problems than the BMW. Granted, the BMW is a much more sophisticated bike.

ohiorider

Here's the experience of two good riding buddies. Both owned single cylinder 650cc bikes. One rode a KLR 650 with hard bags and tank bag, the other rode a BMW F650GS, also equipped with Givi bags. Both have traded/sold these bikes in favor of Suzuki VStrom 650's. Although the Strom won't accelerate like a 1000cc bike, it offers lots of room to move around, you can buy mounts from Suz for Givi bags ... either the small, inexpensive E21 (21 liter bags) or larger 35-36 liter bags. They both test-rode the 1000cc VStrom before purchasing the 650cc bikes, and seemed to prefer the 650 version. One of these guys has a winter home in Naples, FL, and keeps a 650 Strom there. He recently sold his R1200GS here in Ohio, and has another 650cc VStrom with ABS on order for riding spring, summer, fall in Ohio.

I've put in approx 100 miles on one of the Stroms, and I certainly would have no problem traveling cross country on the 650 version. You have to consider, however, I didn't have a problem taking my T100 cross country last year on a 5000 mile trip that lasted 14 days. However, I can safely say the Strom would have been considerably more comfortable.

Hope this helps.

Bob

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2003 T100 (790cc) Lucifer Org and Silv: 122/42 jets, TORs, 17T, UNI filter, no AI, Polaris bellmouth, Metzeler ME880 tires, Progressive 440 shocks (105/150 springs),11-1126 fork springs, gaiters, MotoTwin low bars, 6024 lamp, htd grips, 12v outlet.

uzidzit

Buy the Vstrom650, I'm 6'4" tall and go 290 and I would not have the 1000, have ridden them both. I bought the 650. Just look around the used 650 is hard to ge tand costs the same as a used 1000 that you can buy any day any time. I would suggest to look for a lightly used 04-06 V-strom 650.

VSTROMS rule

The best all rounder ever built!!

by the way have no problem with 500mi days.

Plus you can get any farkels you want for it easily, many of the sv650 farkels work as well!

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"Peter, It seems like you have been missing a lot of work recently, well Bob I wouldn't say that I've been missing it"
ENOUGH, go out and ride!

Jhtjon

To me the Bonnie is just about perfect the way it is I would rather have a second bike dedicated to do the long distance riding, maybe I'm crazy.

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'07 Goodwood Green Bonneville, AI Removed, Ace Bars, ZRX1200 Shocks, Bar End Mirrors. Stock Air Box, 1mm Shim, Thruxton TOR's, & New Fork Springs.
http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j2...n/100_0799.jpg

OKcarburetor

Used Sprint or VFR are better in every way than those bikes.

ok, the weeeestrom is a cool bike too.

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"I never vote for anyone. I always vote against."
W.C. Fields

Tippy

I bought the Bonnie to complement a BMW 1100RT. You just can't beat the RT for a long ride. It loves to go fast, is rock solid and has superb protection. It only kicks out about 85 hp, so it is not really all that big, and, I think you will find that it is cheaper to insure than a smaller displacement crotch rocket. You can pick up a low mileage used one for 5 - 7 k$

I have riden an F650 - I could not live with it for distance riding. It is so light, and with a single cyl, it just does not feel substantial enough.

I have a friend who just bought a new Kawasaki Versys 650 - he has many bikes, including a couple of beemers, and he says he honestly doesn't know when he will ride his beemers again, he loves the Versys so much. I guess it is superb on a longer trip, and nimble in the city.

Have fun doing the research and making the choice - it is one of the top ten ways of having fun!

OKcarburetor

As far as I'm concerned the F650 isn't a BMW. BMW's are amazing machines. The F650 is a crapper.

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"I never vote for anyone. I always vote against."
W.C. Fields