Triumph Rat Motorcycle Forums banner

Help me with my thinking process - ThruxtonR to BMW F850GS Adventure

7K views 64 replies 31 participants last post by  Pudge 
#1 · (Edited)
Never thought it would come to this.... and might still not go through with it...

But need to bounce this off like-minded folks here... since this is my motorcycle support group...

I am starting to spend more time with friends riding longer distances... so far, because of the mix of bikes, the range has not been an issue. We would stop within the range of my Thruxton R and fill up until the next stop...my bike has not been the limiting factor in range because we have bikes in the group that need to stop even sooner than I do...

Until now...

The next two trips are with a smaller group and will be for a longer distance.... one trip coming up is from Florida/Georgia to San Francisco... the bikes in that group? 5- Honda Gold Wings, 1- Harley Street Glide

Ergonomics with the Thruxton R has never been a problem for me, very comfortable for long hours riding without issues... Good thing that I never switched stock raisers for the short ones that came with the fairing kit. The problem is range and possibility of having to repair tubed tires on such a trip... for the tires, I could do what others have done and seal the rims (have all the parts at home), but I have not found any aftermarket solution to increase the range in my bike...

And I do not want to be the guy in the group that is going to make them stop that often... already discussed this with them... some of them can go 200-300 miles without stopping... pretty sure they will stop every 200 miles for refueling and breaks... my bike can't make it that far without refueling...

I love the looks of my bike... this is a bike that I know already that I will regret trading in...

Since there is no way that I will get a Gold Wing, not because I do not like it. I actually do (a lot). But afraid it will happen what happened with the Harley Road Glide CVO, and Road King CVO that I had... too big for me to enjoy on the casual/short rides I like to do around the local areas... Those were great for long distances but I would jump on the Sportster, that I had at the time, more often than on the large touring bike that I had... argghhh... anyway...

I am looking at the 2019 BMW F 850 GS Adventure... on paper and videos, looks to be a great option for longer riding (6.1 usable gallons so around 340 miles range). On road and off-road capabilities... so that opens up my ability to go into places I would not dare take the Thruxton into... built to carry stuff with the luggage setup... Ugly as sin... but looks like easy to maneuver so I would still feel good using it for the short rides...

What do you think? I know already that I am regretting writing this post... and as I write this I start thinking, should I just rent a bike for those long trips?

Just needed to share... not sure what the heck to do...
 
See less See more
#2 ·
Extra Gas tank/s and a foldable thingy to pour the gas is what you can use (i do that). If the question would be "my friends are hitting the rocky rocks and im unable to follow them" then an adv bike would be the answer, but you are only hitting pavement.

rock & roll baby
 
#3 ·
Extra Gas tank/s and a foldable thingy to pour the gas is what you can use (i do that). If the question would be "my friends are hitting the rocky rocks and im unable to follow them" then an adv bike would be the answer, but you are only hitting pavement.

rock & roll baby
But you still have to stop to pour the gas in... or do you have the extra tank connected somehow to auto feed it to the bike's tank?

To be able to use my bike I will need to have enough gas to run 180 miles without stopping for refueling... at 70-85ish mph this bike sips gas fast :grin2:
 
#5 · (Edited)
The way your post reads you don't sound all that crazy about the idea of giving up your Thruxton. I'm a one bike guy myself but I agree with Felony. Get a cheap second bike with a big tank.:dunno

Scratch that. I see that have you already have two bikes. Plan B: go with what you have have or make better friends.:D
 
#8 ·
Triumph has tunnel vision and only sees the Bonneville as a TT (tavern to tavern) bike and doesn't think we'd want to ride further than the stock tank allows..

For touring they want us to buy multis when the twins will do a nice job and we might already own one.

A touring option or accessory tank/seat combo for Bonnevilles al la the old Norton Interstate would make a lot of sense.

Perhaps that's available across the pond?
 
#14 ·
My Thrux will easily go 130+ miles on a tank even hauling butt down the interstate. That's about 2 hrs which is more longer than I want to sit on anything without a rest. My Versys has about 1.5 gallon more capacity, but won't actually go that much further as it gets ~10 mpg less.
I like adventure bikes too. That BMW 850 would make my short list too, but in addition to, not in place of the Thruxton.
Most of my riding is looking for corners to carve. Few bikes feel as nice to hunt those down and slay as Thruxy.
 
#9 ·
The Thruxton R may fall short in the fuel range department, but I imagine it would out perform the two Harleys and Gold Wing any time you pull of of a paved surface. I really don't get the Adventure Bike hype but just about any bike is closer to an adventure bike than those three.
 
#13 ·
If your trip is primarily on the interstate and you ride more than two hours at a time at 80 mph then you really have no choice.

If you are riding on some nice two lane roads at 65 to 70 mph and stopping every couple hours then you will have more fun.

As long as you start out on the long trip with new tires going out and coming back your tires will be just fine. Most flats as you know come when the tire is in the last 25% of tread.

Depending on when your riding your welcome to borrow my Corbin seat....I owe you.
 

Attachments

#17 · (Edited)
How 'bout "Plan C?" Keep your Thruxton. Stop as often as necessary for petrol and pastries. Then make like Lapchik the Mad Hungarian and catch up with your iron butt buddies in the straights.>:)
 
#18 ·
If you are asking a real question and not just looking for an excuse to get a different bike , personally I would not care one bit about having to stop, ride your own ride, it's your life your bike and you are allowing others to dictate whether silently or audibly, or so you may think. If you like the Thruxton as I like mine that is all that matters. It is what it is. I love my F800R ( same engine but the 360 crank) but it is not my Thruxton. If you really want a dual sport get the Triumph 1200 Scrambler.
 
#24 ·
I asked myself that... am I looking for an excuse to change bikes... My Thruxton has lasted me more than any other bike I have had... The reasons are that I love the looks, love the feel on the road, I am so comfortable riding it... and did I mentioned that I frigging love the looks? I sometimes just go in the garage to caress its lines...it is motorcycle lust I tell you... frigging sexy and timeless looking bike.


Would somebody explain to me what is so great about riding for 300 miles straight? On any bike, in any condition, on any roads? It's not long haul trucking. You're not getting paid to make time.

Wachuko, if you lived closer I'd be your friend. We'd stop every hundred miles and have a great time and still get wherever we wanted to go and probably pass the land barges in the twisties along with all the other useless RV's that get in the way of a good day's motorcycling.
Is not 300 miles straight. That is the average range of the bikes I will be riding with. Realistically speaking it is 150-180 miles between stops. But my bike can't make even that.

One of the guys in the group is a childhood friend. It is because of him that I ride with this group. He was my best-man in my wedding... a true brother... this is the same group I went with (twice now) to the Tail of the Dragon and the same group that I ride with every January to Key West. They are not being jackasses... like I said, it is me that wants to go on this ride and the group is smaller precisely because it is a trip that not everyone is willing or able to make for several reasons. Part of my enjoyment is sticking with the group... for a couple of reasons... one being that I am not a long travel experienced rider and will feel a lot more comfortable making this ride with them. Some level of false security if you will... Heck, I still do not ride from Orlando, FL to Grayson, GA because it has been just me, so I have trailed the bike there when doing the Tail of the Dragon...

I know I will build the confidence to head out on my own and ride my own trip and at my own pace... baby steps, baby steps. Does not help that I am not retired... so can't take as many days off as I would like... and the time off is always fought between things to do with the family and things that I want to do on my own like this trip...

Here is another thing to think about, if you want to do 300 miles on a tank then what about getting a custom tank made for the Thruxton, there are plenty of fuel tank builders out there, get one made up that can be swapped or if its made right to be kept on full time, a nice larger alloy tank, I have seen larger alloy tanks for the EFI AC thruxtons.
But if your riding mates don't want to stop when you need to then I be finding others to ride with or if they put crap on you about stopping all the time for fuel then just run circles around them as your bike will out do them and handle so much better, I would not change my bike because your mate's don't like stopping for fuel as much as you and it only takes a few minutes to fuel up, whats a few minutes extra on your trip.

Ashley
That would be actually the way to go... looking at the seat that @retjustdad53 offered to let me use, gave me an idea... maybe I can use the spare seat that I have, modify it so that I can add a extra gas tank in the back (no passengers for me on any ride) and a setup to secure the tent, sleeping bag and some extra luggage... question is, how to hook that up so it feeds the main tank without issues...

If I go, I would leave on Oct 4 from Orlando, FL to Grayson, GA... from there we would head out the next day to:

Rich mountain AR
Oklahoma city, OK
Route 66
Palo Duro Canyon, TX
Taos, NM
Santa fe NM
Lowell Observatory, Flagstaff, AZ
Hoover dam NV
Mojave National Preserve
Falling Springs, CA
Los Angeles, CA
Pacific Coast,Hwy, CA

Maybe go to Joshua Tree National parK, CA

Sonoran Desert National Museum,AZ
Coronado National Forest, AZ
Need places to stop between Tucson,AZ and El Paso,TX
Need places to stop between El Paso,TX and San Antonio
Riverwalk, San Antonio,TX
Need places to stop between El Paso,TX and New Orleans
New Orleans , MS
Grayson, GA
Orlando, FL

Some hotel stays, some camping stays... so I need to pack the additional small tent, sleeping bag, etc. for this...
 
#19 ·
Here another chicken to ponder and fry - get/rent a Honda ST1300 - current model is as comfortable as a Gold Wing (which is real important from here to California), lots of storage space, rides similar to Thruxton (as in twisties, etc), runs like a scalded dog, can eat miles like marshmallows, looks really, really classy, and lots more advantages. Ride it - you will be amazed. I am thinking about one for the longer haul trips myself - just can't decide if I want to be a 2 M/C garage man!
 
#20 ·
Would somebody explain to me what is so great about riding for 300 miles straight? On any bike, in any condition, on any roads? It's not long haul trucking. You're not getting paid to make time.

Wachuko, if you lived closer I'd be your friend. We'd stop every hundred miles and have a great time and still get wherever we wanted to go and probably pass the land barges in the twisties along with all the other useless RV's that get in the way of a good day's motorcycling.
 
#21 ·
Here is another thing to think about, if you want to do 300 miles on a tank then what about getting a custom tank made for the Thruxton, there are plenty of fuel tank builders out there, get one made up that can be swapped or if its made right to be kept on full time, a nice larger alloy tank, I have seen larger alloy tanks for the EFI AC thruxtons.
But if your riding mates don't want to stop when you need to then I be finding others to ride with or if they put crap on you about stopping all the time for fuel then just run circles around them as your bike will out do them and handle so much better, I would not change my bike because your mate's don't like stopping for fuel as much as you and it only takes a few minutes to fuel up, whats a few minutes extra on your trip.

Ashley
 
#22 ·
ThruxtonR vs F850GS... you're the first one I know to compare these two.

If you're really just into riding on paved roads and don't care too much on the looks, I would try even the F750GS. I know, it's the lil' brother, but it is the better of the GS twins for riding on paved roads.
In theory it lacks in thw power department, but it's hard to figure real life situations where you'd suffer from that.

The new twin is a nice machine. Not a great character like new Triumphs (I have a 900cc 2018 Street Scrambler and have been ridden a 1200cc 2018 Bobber a bit), but they do their work and actually sound quite nice in a throaty way, contrary to the older BMW twins.

I've used a rental F750GS for some bike trips and it is a comfortable and easy bike to ride...and sips gas, haven't measured but the consumption definitely was not an issue. The bike is heavier than it looks like, but the weight disappears immediately when on the move - just feels when pushing it around.

I would not trade my Street Scrambler to a 750/850GS because I don't do long(er) distance riding normally. If I would, those would be on top of my list. For the Triumph, I love the low end torque of the engine and the looks....
 
#26 · (Edited)
Thank you. Let me take a look... That one is not the Adventure model with the larger tank, but the rest is the same bike...

I did stop by the dealer this morning on my way to work... they have a trade-in with 600 miles (owner switched to the 1250) with a decent discount... which means that I could get it with the side aluminum bags (do not want the rear/top one), lower seat, larger windshield, and nav and still be less than the same bike new (they have one in the showroom floor) without those options...
 

Attachments

#29 ·
I no longer have the softail... sold the Harley Slim S to my cousin... and the '02 Roadglide Roadstar I gave him, I took back and gave to a good friend... this is the only motorcycle that I currently have (because the Vespa does not count, lol)...
 
#35 ·
Thank you all for your comments. At the end of the day I decided to let go of the Thruxton for now and get the BMW...

Came down to avoiding an argument with my wife. Easier to just tell her, "Honey, I changed the bike... 0% financing, same payment, blah blah blah" than getting into an argument as to why I was adding another bike to an already full garage... Conversation with her went fine with that approach and I also broke the news that I was taking two weeks off to go on that trip (she was a bit reluctant on this one months back when I initially told her about it, but is fine now)

Spent last night taking off a few of the mods I had done. Will keep those parts stored as my plan is, once the BMW is paid off and I can work on wearing down my wife with the idea of two bikes again in the garage, to buy another Thruxton...

Again, thank you all for the support and camaraderie all these years... will be back soon.
 
#37 ·
I just got out of a BMW R1150RT that is a wonderful bike for trips. Wind protection is unmatched (at least for anything I've ever owned) and on the highway, its a dream to ride. Around town, it's gawky. Top heavy and very tall. I found myself, over the last seven years of ownership, enjoying the trips but using the bike less and less around town and Sunday afternoons (for the reason's stated above). I finally realized I needed to get a bike that did the everyday things well and I could manage for the one or two trips I took each year with a bike that wasn't as suited to touring. As far as the fuel stops go, the older I get I find that I'm not so much in a rush anymore and stopping more often makes for a more pleasurable trip. Just my $.02.
 
#39 ·
Trust me guys, I get it and agree. Could not swing having both right now. But I will get a Thruxton again in a few years. To me, it is the perfect bike. Reason why I saved all the parts I took off.

Riding today to the dealer was painful. She is a thing of beauty.
 
#42 ·
5 Goldwings - There must be at least one of those guys who are at 60+, which means rest stops are about every 2 hours or less. (Trust me on this one, one group I ride with, all are over 60 and 2 hours is pushing it for a rest stop). So if you can 48 mpg at 70 mph you have 36 miles left in the tank, when a bathroom stop is needed.
Street Glide 5.5 gals best I've seen is 39 mpg 215 miles for a full tank
Goldwing 6.0 gals none of the wings I ride with get over 40 mpg 240 miles for a tank
Thruxton 3.7 gals at least 48 mpg so for a full tank so 176 miles for a tank.

Shortest distance Grayson to San Francisco 2600 miles so we use 3500 miles with all the side trips.
If you stop every 140 miles = 25 stops, if they stop every 240 miles = 15 stops
10 more stops at 15 minutes is 2 1/2 hours. So if they average 70 mph it takes 50 hours to cover the 3500 miles, your 2 1/2 hours only adds 5% to the riding time.
You probable can do the stops in 5 minutes with pay at the pump, and they can fuel and rest every other stop - then you only add 50 minutes to the trip.
No need for a new bike, you have the perfect one for you.
 
#43 · (Edited)
5 Goldwings - There must be at least one of those guys who are at 60+, which means rest stops are about every 2 hours or less. (Trust me on this one, one group I ride with, all are over 60 and 2 hours is pushing it for a rest stop). So if you can 48 mpg at 70 mph you have 36 miles left in the tank, when a bathroom stop is needed.
Street Glide 5.5 gals best I've seen is 39 mpg 215 miles for a full tank
Goldwing 6.0 gals none of the wings I ride with get over 40 mpg 240 miles for a tank
Thruxton 3.7 gals at least 48 mpg so for a full tank so 176 miles for a tank.
The age range for the group doing these two rides is 45-55. I am 51.

I think that the most I got out of mine riding with this group, at the average speeds they ride, was around 138ish miles to the tank...

Here is the ugly goat that I just got... ugly as sin but it will do its purpose for a few years, then it is back to a Thruxton. I can tell you this much, I am not going at night to the garage to caress this one... I look at it more like a tool than a work of art.

Only thing missing from the photo is the larger windscreen (should arrive next week)... I did not wanted the third case as I have duffle bags, tent, etc. that goes on the existing rack.
 

Attachments

#44 ·
I always thought that with fuel injected bikes/cars you're not supposed to run the tank too low as the fuel keeps the fuel pump from overheating and failing prematurely. I always like to try to leave a half gallon in the Thruxton when I go to fuel up. So when the guage says I have 25 or 30 miles till empty I fuel up. that let's me ride about 130 before I fuel up. I don't know if that applies to our fuel pumps but I'd rather be safe than sorry.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top