[Rick Sperko]

I want to buy a second bike. Bullet stays where it is, and I don't want to convert it into anything else. I love it as it is, 50s looking country road thumper. A second Bullet may be my third bike some day... mmmm military C5... I digress.

I am currently looking at the "sport-touring" segment. I would love to go across country fairly comfortably, and I really, really want it to handle twisties. Plus I have to be able to carry stuff (carry-out Thai food, hardware store visit...). I prefer the Bullet's standard sitting position. I will probably never go off road.

Do you guys have any suggestions for a good value used bike? I have been primarily looking at the 2007+ tiger and the ulysses xb12xt. Both are at the top of the price I am willing to pay (7.5k). A bike with a great online community is important too. Until I joined here I did not appreciate how valuable that is. I have joined tiger1050.com and badweatherbiker.com, both seem good.

Thanks for any thoughts,
-Rick

[1Blackwolf1]

Beemer would be my choice, or a dual sport Kawasaki.  Probably more toward the Kawasaki end.

[UncleErnie]

You can't go wrong with an 80's era BMW- any size, really.  They are porobably the most ergonomically perfect bikes I've ever ridden.  Loads of support everywhere. 

Love the W650 with lower bars, but that seat...! (seat needs some work)
Bonneville is down there somewhere...

I really like the Kawasaki Versys- it looks much better in person, too.

[motomataya]

The Tiger is a good bike. they are huge compared to your Enfield, but very comfy. Personally I would have to really like the Buell to buy one considering they are out of business.

[PaulF]

You can't go wrong with an 80's era BMW- any size, really.  They are porobably the most ergonomically perfect bikes I've ever ridden.  Loads of support everywhere.  

Love the W650 with lower bars, but that seat...! (seat needs some work)
Bonneville is down there somewhere...

I really like the Kawasaki Versys- it looks much better in person, too.

The KLE 650 Versys is a beautiful machine. Light weight, fuel injected mono-shock - current technology in a thin 650 liquid-cooled twin. 2009's are still around around and seriously on sale.
I will be selling my Bullet next season. I had a taste of classic and ready to move on. As I don't have room for two bikes, the replacement will most likely be the Versys, (I'm a little prejudiced since I am an old Kawasaki guy).

[ScooterBob]

The early Kawa Concourse is a really well kept secret. Very ergo - tons of room and they'll show you 50+mpg's at speed ...... and you can usually find one CHEEEP.

[ace.cafe]

The Aprilia Futura 1000 is one of the best sport-touring bikes made.
It's been in the line-up for almost 10 years, and consistently is rated above the Ducati St4 and the Honda VFR800. Both of those bikes are very good too, and you might look at them also.

I'm sure you can find used ones in your price range.

[Slider]

Do you guys have any suggestions for a good value used bike?

UJM from the '80s. Lots of them around in great shape, very cheap, reliable, comfortable, easy to set up with saddlebags, fun in the twisties, dirt-cheap insurance, lots of online forums. They make for a great value. I love mine, and there's an active forum devoted to it.

[Blltrdr]

Scooter Bob is correct. The Concourse is a superbly built and a much overlooked motorcycle. In many tests it is rated highest in it's class for a fraction of what you would pay for a Beemer. The older inline four Kawasaki Voyager 1200 is also a very well built bike that is fully loaded and very dependable. I think 2003 was the last year they were built. You can pick one up with low miles for a very good price and expect to put 250k on it without any issues except for normal service repairs.

[single]

I want a Honda Pacific Coast.I know,me and 2 other guys.I just like the idea of everything being covered up making the thing easy to clean.2 cylinders.Honda reliability,low maintenance,etc.But,I've got this here XS Eleven.Gotta get to work on it.Used to keep 3-4 bikes ready to go all the time.Not a good idea for me as I had to remember which one I was riding at the time,all had idiosincracies of their own.I had a Trident,R75-5,Hondamatic 750,Kawasaki KZ 1000.I would try to shift the Honda,forget to shift the others.Mash the shifter going for the brake,try to tickle the carbs on the Kaw,drove me nuts.Sold everything but the Trident,the only one I always got right.

[PhilJ]

The Beemer Boxer for long distance. the vibration won't get to ya. Did a 5K mile trip in a week and half. Was ready to go again at the end.

[HRAB]

I have had four sport tour biikes over the years. Before the type was built by the factory, I dressed up a Suzuki GT750 "waterbuffalo" with faring, bags, trunk, etc.
I followed up with two BMW K100's. One was a "RT" the other a "LT". I now still have the "K100LT", and have added a Honda ST1100.

By far the best commuter, bad weather, long distance, dependable bike has been the K100's.

It offers the best riding position and weather protection of any bike I have ridden in rain (and on rare occaion...snow). Both gave better than 40 MPG. The engine is as bullet proof as any could be. I sold my first "K" with 94K miles on the clock (55K that I put there) and he rode it to the coast with me last year. We but on about 5K miles round trip.

Both of the bikes I have had, I was able to buy, fix and fit to my liking for less than $3K.
Like I said above, I have a ST1100 but I still can't bring myself to sell the K. It is too bloody much FUN!
jim

[jdrouin]

I agree with those above that the Versys looks much better in person than in photos. I was impressed with the red one that I saw in a showroom.

What about the Suzuki V-STROM? They're ugly as hell, but man, they seem like a lot of bike for the money. If I were to get a second bike, I would get a 650 V-Strom and install hard cases and fog lights. I sat on one at the international motorcycle show, and it felt really roomy and natural for me, just like the BMW GS bikes do. I considered this bike before buying the bullet and joined the Yahoo group, which is a really great online community, like this one. There's also the 1000 model if you want a bigger engine.

Jeff

[Rick Sperko]

Thank you for all the feedback. You have re-broadened my search. I had trouble with the idea of a BMW simply because well... its a Beemer, must be over priced. Since this thread, I have been looking at the R1150R. The only reason I like the Tiger over the Speed Triple is because of the bags, now the R1150R is Nekkid and has bags. That may not sound right.

I will keep mulling over the options you guys have presented.

Thanks again,
-Rick

[Cabo Cruz]

Br. Sparko, while not a sport-tourer, have you looked at the Moto Guzzi V7 Classic or V7 Cafe options?