I need to start looking for a new bike.

MaxPete · Feb 3, 2018

Wow - good eyes there STGuy.

OK - here’s the fleet.
- 2007 Honda ST1300. (I bought the ST in 2015 - my first bike since 1990 when I sold my ‘79 Suzuki GS850G)

- 1976 Yamaha XS650C (this is a Standard model XS650 - an original survivor in decent shape. I had one of these in the 70s and got this one out of a barn as a non-runner in the winter of 2016. It took a lot of work to get her going but she runs super now)

- 1981 Yamaha XS650SH (this one is a project bike. It is one of the quasi-cruiser “Special” models that were very popular in the late-70s early 1980s. It has the original big cushy seat, rototiller handlebars and peanut fuel tank. I am transforming it into a Cafe machine with a 1978 XS750 fuel tank, Cafe solo bum-stop seat, twin-disk front brakes, new paint, exhaust and an 18” rear wheel to improve handling over the 16” doughnut. The bike runs well and so the transformation will be underway this summer)

- 2017 Suzuki SV650A (this is the blue one - for commuting and booting around)

The 1982 Honda CX500 belongs to my son-in-law and it is also becoming a Cafe bike (albeit slowly since he doesn’t have a license yet).

Yeah, I know, nobody needs 4 motorcycles - but, if you think about it, none of us really even needs one.

jayjsallee · Feb 4, 2018

Trike that ST perhaps.

DavidR8 · Feb 4, 2018

@MaxPete
Completely envious of your original XS650!

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MajorTom · Feb 4, 2018

MaxPete said:
Wow - good eyes there STGuy.

OK - here’s the fleet.
- 2007 Honda ST1300. (I bought the ST in 2015 - my first bike since 1990 when I sold my ‘79 Suzuki GS850G)

- 1976 Yamaha XS650C (this is a Standard model XS650 - an original survivor in decent shape. I had one of these in the 70s and got this one out of a barn as a non-runner in the winter of 2016. It took a lot of work to get her going but she runs super now)

- 1981 Yamaha XS650SH (this one is a project bike. It is one of the quasi-cruiser “Special” models that were very popular in the late-70s early 1980s. It has the original big cushy seat, rototiller handlebars and peanut fuel tank. I am transforming it into a Cafe machine with a 1978 XS750 fuel tank, Cafe solo bum-stop seat, twin-disk front brakes, new paint, exhaust and an 18” rear wheel to improve handling over the 16” doughnut. The bike runs well and so the transformation will be underway this summer)

- 2017 Suzuki SV650A (this is the blue one - for commuting and booting around)

The 1982 Honda CX500 belongs to my son-in-law and it is also becoming a Cafe bike (albeit slowly since he doesn’t have a license yet).

Yeah, I know, nobody needs 4 motorcycles - but, if you think about it, none of us really even needs one.

Dear Pete; that's just crazy talk. I suspect you've been off your bike too long staring longingly out your window at the snow and ice and you're suffering bike withdrawal symptoms, also known as parked motorcycle syndrome (PMS). Don't worry, your brain will return to normal when spring arrives and you can get back on your STeed and ride again. At that time silly thoughts like, "none of us really needs one", will evaporate from your cranium leaving that euphoric, "God I love riding", feeling again. It's simple mental health amigo.

STGuy · Feb 4, 2018

I just saw a t-shirt for sale that said "I ride motorcycles because dragons are illegal"
And my sister bought a t-shirt which stated... you never see a motorcycle parked outside of a psychiatrist's office.

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BakerBoy · Feb 4, 2018

MaxPete said:
... motorcycles ... none of us really even needs one.

Perhaps you had a rough day and weren't thinking clearly at the time you typed this. But now you've had a night's rest and part of a day to recomposed yourself and recognize the blasphemy and emotional toll this took on many fellow riders. So is there anything you want to say today to make recompense?

))

Bill144 · Feb 8, 2018

Mondo said:
If you want lighter but still can zip around, the FJ-09, now the Tracer, is over 200 pounds lighter with a decent height. The New Tracer also has cruise. It is what I am considering after rupturing my Achilles at age 69 and needing to change from by beloved ST. The DL1000 is a nice bike and light, but taller. Good luck!

Greg

In the 40 years i have been riding my wife Rose has ridden with me at least 98% of the time. I'm afraid that the smaller the bike the smaller the pillion seat. All the bikes we have owned have had good windshield and fairings. i still looking for something like that

ST Gui · Feb 8, 2018

Bill144 said:
I'm afraid that the smaller the bike the smaller the pillion seat.

While true enough if you don't go too much smaller on bike somebody like RDL or Lamm could probably help with the seat. Of course finding a seat long enough for two on a smaller bike might be the real challenge. Short rides might be fine but on long rides there's such a thing as too close for comfort.

paulcb · Feb 8, 2018

Bill144 said:
In the 40 years i have been riding my wife Rose has ridden with me at least 98% of the time. I'm afraid that the smaller the bike the smaller the pillion seat. All the bikes we have owned have had good windshield and fairings. i still looking for something like that

Me thinks if you had mentioned that early on (want to ride 2-up 98% of the time), or made it more clear, most of these suggestions would not have been made.

Big fairing with 2-up touring comfort does not come on a 500 lb. bike. I would guess your lightest such bike is the FJR at about 600 lbs.

ddemair · Feb 8, 2018

MaxPete said:
The 1982 Honda CX500 belongs to my son-in-law and it is also becoming a Cafe bike (albeit slowly since he doesn't have a license yet).

Ah, the venerable CX500, I had a 1980 CX500. Loved that bike. It was a huge technological leap at the time and I would kept it, but Honda came out with the VF45 Sabre which I thought was another big leap.

I'm pretty fond of my ST1300, but it doesn't break new ground like either of those 2 previous bikes did. Maybe I'm jaded, but I don't see any more big leaps until they come out with an electric bike with a 300 mile range and a 10 minute charge time.

STraymond · Feb 8, 2018

Bill144 said:
In the 40 years i have been riding my wife Rose has ridden with me at least 98% of the time. I'm afraid that the smaller the bike the smaller the pillion seat. All the bikes we have owned have had good windshield and fairings. i still looking for something like that

To eliminate ambiguity, you really should have put a comma after "riding"....

DavidR8 · Feb 8, 2018

paulcb said:
Me thinks if you had mentioned that early on (want to ride 2-up 98% of the time), or made it more clear, most of these suggestions would not have been made.

Big fairing with 2-up touring comfort does not come on a 500 lb. bike. I would guess your lightest such bike is the FJR at about 600 lbs.

Hmm I kinda thought he said that in his original post.

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DavidR8 · Feb 8, 2018

Bill144 said:
In the 40 years i have been riding my wife Rose has ridden with me at least 98% of the time. I'm afraid that the smaller the bike the smaller the pillion seat. All the bikes we have owned have had good windshield and fairings. i still looking for something like that

Small bikes have small pillion seats no question. I'm sure there's a causal relationship between load capacity and seat size. [emoji1]

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MajorTom · Feb 10, 2018

DavidR8 said:
Small bikes have small pillion seats no question. I’m sure there’s a causal relationship between load capacity and seat size. [emoji1]

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Maybe the collective wisdom here can help me out. I've read that there isn't that much difference in carrying capacity between bikes with different displacements, so I went in search of numbers to confirm or disprove that. For no particular reason I chose a couple of 2017 Hondas, the VFR 1200X and the NC 750X, both with DCT transmissions. I can find wet weights for both, 633 lb and 503 lb respectively, on Honda's web sites but I can't seem to find a GVWR for either on the interweb. The difference between the two would be the carrying capacity. TIA.

DavidR8 · Feb 10, 2018

Maybe more to the point is seat size and intended use is a better way of saying what I mean.

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DavidR8 · Feb 10, 2018

MajorTom said:
Maybe the collective wisdom here can help me out. I've read that there isn't that much difference in carrying capacity between bikes with different displacements, so I went in search of numbers to confirm or disprove that. For no particular reason I chose a couple of 2017 Hondas, the VFR 1200X and the NC 750X, both with DCT transmissions. I can find wet weights for both, 633 lb and 503 lb respectively, on Honda's web sites but I can't seem to find a GVWR for either on the interweb. The difference between the two would be the carrying capacity. TIA.

Weight capacity of the VFR 1200X is 397 pounds according to this: http://www.hondaprokevin.com/2017-honda-vfr1200x-review-specs-adventure-motorcycle-sport-touring-bike-vfr-1200

I can't find anything similar for the NC750 though a forum post on the NC700 indicates 209 kg or 406 lbs.
https://www.nc700-forum.com/forum/nc700-general-discussion/934-weight-limit-nc700.html

So I think your premise holds true.

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Arif · Feb 10, 2018

I agree fjr much lighter , recently purchased 2015 es for my friend you really feel the weight difference

DavidR8 · Feb 10, 2018

Arif said:
I agree fjr much lighter , recently purchased 2015 es for my friend you really feel the weight difference

In actual numbers the FJR and ST1300 are very close in weight.

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jspringator · Feb 11, 2018

I test rode an FJR from the the traveling Yamaha Demo Days a few years ago and was shocked at how much shorter and lighter it seemed than my ST1100.

ddemair · Feb 11, 2018

DavidR8 said:
In actual numbers the FJR and ST1300 are very close in weight.

Define "close". The FJR is 650 lbs wet and the ST1300 is 730 lbs wet. That's 80 lbs difference. Unless the FJR numbers are just marketing, I don't feel like that's particularly close.

Just for comparison, the new Gold Wing is is 787 lbs which is only (about) 60 lbs more than the ST1300. If true, the new Gold Wing really is the replacement ST.

I need to start looking for a new bike.

MaxPete

jayjsallee

DavidR8

MajorTom

QuickBlue

STGuy

Play it makes life fun

BakerBoy

It's all small stuff.

Bill144

ST Gui

240Robert

paulcb

- - - Tetelestai - - - R.I.P. - 2022/05/26

ddemair

STraymond

DavidR8

DavidR8

MajorTom

QuickBlue

DavidR8

DavidR8

Arif

DavidR8

jspringator

ddemair