Sport Tourer questions...

[Tundra]

After looking at the post from Ken 11861, regarding the "second bike survey", I've got some questions.
   Iv'e got a hankering for a sport tourer again. I don't know a whole lot about them. Just know I looked at the Kawasaki Connie 14 and liked what I saw. The Yamaha FJ and the Honda ST look like strong contenders too. Any body in the Sport Tourer world know any major differences between them? Pro or cons?

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

VRCC member Jim Baker " Coot " has a 1400 Connie for sale ... He lives in Rocky Face , Georgia and the bike will be at Cheaha if he has'nt sold it by then.I've rode his Connie and what you have is awesome smooth power through every grear.He has a color matching tour trunk also ( Not pictured ) Picture below was taken the day I rode Coot's Connie across The Cherohala Skyline.





I've looked at them several times in fact the day this photo was taken I damn near came close to leaving with this one.At the time I had a Suzuki Bandit 1200S that was paid for and not eating nothing and I talked myself out of making payments along with the fact I thought my Bandit was worth more than the deal I was going to get by tradin' it in for the Concours  

[Sodbuster]

Here's some reading material for ya ....

2010 Kawasaki Concours 14

2003 BMW K1200GT, 2003 BMW R1150RT, 2003 Honda ST1300 & 2004 Yamaha FJR1300

2006 BMW K1200GT vs. Yamaha FJR1300A

2009 Yamaha FJR1300A/AE Tour Test

2009 BMW K 1300 GT

2007 Moto Guzzi Norge 1200

[..]

ST1300 ia a Sport TOURER

Connie and FJR are SPORT Tourers

The Connie is 9 inches wider than the ST1300.

[Hoser]

I like the old Connie, and the ST 1100, both for looks and cause I'm too cheep to make any payments!  Hoser 

[slacker]

LOVE THE CONNIE 14  i have had mine for a year and a half got 20,000 miles ir handle and runs like no other sport tour i rode smooth and quick and will gobble up miles with ease if u ride one you will want  it . 

[Thunderbolt]

I think the ST1300 might be reasonable, but read somewhere that the FJR was hard to insure and would think the Kawasaki Concours 1400 would be the same.  Insurance co.'s may be different so make sure of how yours classifies them.  Some go by cc's others by other criteria.  I made sure when I bought the  2300 cc Rocket that it was considered a cruiser to Progressive, not a Sport bike.

[Str8shooter]

I sold my 2007 FJR to get my 1999 Interstate, wife would not ride with me on the FJR. Spoiled her with a Goldwing years ago.I absolutely loved the FJR though. Wish I could afford 2 bikes but not right now. It was tricked out with just about everything you could put on one. I was the second owner and did not have to do anything to it for 13000 miles. The FJR is fast, comfortable and not hard to insure. Think I was paying 425 a year. It will come down to personal choice. The Honda ST1300 was actually what I was looking for when I stumbled across the FJR. If I was buying new right now, there would be a 2010 Concours in my garage only because of the updates this year. Would love to see Honda update the ST. I did a whole bunch of research and article reading including side by side comparisons from any source I could find. There is no clear cut winner in that category. Find one with the options you want and buy it. All three, Honda, Kawasaki and Yamaha have years that some say to avoid. Read all you can, but in my opinion there probably ain't a nickles worth of difference between them. Good Luck!!

[F-106]

I too have been consedering looking at sport tourer for  a second bike. I think they are all great bikes in there own right. I am now on the hunt for a 81-82 CBX Super Sport. It is a classic bike that will hold its value and they ride good. And for a second bike I wont put too many miles on her so it should be a good bike for years to come, And I like the idea of having 2 six cylinder bikes in the garage. 

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

I too have been consedering looking at sport tourer for  a second bike. I think they are all great bikes in there own right. I am now on the hunt for a 81-82 CBX Super Sport. It is a classic bike that will hold its value and they ride good. And for a second bike I wont put too many miles on her so it should be a good bike for years to come, And I like the idea of having 2 six cylinder bikes in the garage. 

If you find a nice CBX you will pay for it those bike bring close to their weight in gold.I've always loved those bikes as well and look at them on-line all the time it's shocking what some of them sell for...Good Luck

[Dogg]

look for a left over bandits 1250S. there are a few left. 09 was last year for them but they are out there. bikes turn themselves. very well balanced with tons of hp. From what i was told by the owner of a dealer here, it was averaging 40+ mpg. not bad for 140 hp. and if you are just bouncing around town, not necessarily riding hundreds of miles, the B-king is a great choice. im 6'3 and 255 lbs and I fit a B-king nicely. If i were looking for a sport tourer again, I would seriously consider it. but its nekkid. not fairing or windshield.  I know that can be important to some...

[Ken 11861]

I recently went looking at the Connie 14 because of all the awsome writeups in the MX rags that I read. I was disapointed that with my 5' 8" height I was on tip toe when seated. My feet were planted when seated on a ST1300.

[fudgie]

A friend has a Kawa and he likes it. He also rides a HD custom softail. He liked the Kawa so much at Daytona last year he let someone else ride the custom and he took the Kawa. Looking at him you would never guess he rides a Kawa. He said its the Ninja engine.

[highcountry]

The Connie was updated for 2010 and is now the hot ticket for STs.  I understand that the prior-year models have heat issues for rider making them uncomfortable in warm weather.  I looked at a 2007 Connie when I was buying my FJR and it was quite a bit larger which didn't float my boat.  Strangely, the Honda stealer where I bought my '07 FJR didn't have a Honda ST in the store.  FJRs were first imported in '03 and Yamaha went to their Gen II update with the '06 model.  The Gen I versions were quicker than the Gen IIs because of lower gearing.  The Gen I  models had a heat problem that was fixed in the Gen IIs but I understand that it is an easy owner fix.  Gen I models had ABS brakes as an option and Gen IIs came with ABS standard.  I really enjoy my FJR and my wife loves it as well.

[F-106]

I know hat you mean Joe, they are getting at good price for them. Funny thing is I wanted one when they were new but could not afford one in my 20's. Now I am in my 40's and still can not afford one due to them being a collector bike. Go figure!

I too have been consedering looking at sport tourer for  a second bike. I think they are all great bikes in there own right. I am now on the hunt for a 81-82 CBX Super Sport. It is a classic bike that will hold its value and they ride good. And for a second bike I wont put too many miles on her so it should be a good bike for years to come, And I like the idea of having 2 six cylinder bikes in the garage. 

If you find a nice CBX you will pay for it those bike bring close to their weight in gold.I've always loved those bikes as well and look at them on-line all the time it's shocking what some of them sell for...Good Luck

[Tundra]

Thanks for all the great reply's...looks like there's quite a bit of interest in these bikes. I really rarely see them on the road  Everyone near me rides "Harley's". I actually aquired a Deuce. My neighbor has been going through a bloody divorce, she calls the police on him after a fight two nights ago. She runs inside and bloodys her lip first. They come, he goes to jail. He bonds out and knocks on my door yesterday, with a Sheriff's Deputy. He can't be on his property now without one. He asks if I will keep his bike for a while, till this is worked out. She has taken a hammer to his old gas tank and has put suger in the tank, real evil type. I say no problem Mike, he signs it over to me as a gift? I guess it's just for legal/divorce purposes? He din't say in front of the Sheriff, I didn't ask. He couldn't ride it away, because his license is suspended.
  Oh well, with all that being said, wish it was a Connie

Fudgie, your buddie has Kawie's motto licked..."Kawasaki let's the good times roll"

Joe, that bike looks good on ya! Blow the dust off that wallet!

[RoboCop]

Blow the dust off that wallet!

If ya got a bunch of dough burning a hole in your pocket and you like Honda V4 options, these should be showing up real soon   Lotta guys hating on the way they look but I think it's gorgeous, comes with a manual transmission or a Dual Clutch Transmission.

http://www.visordown.com/motorcycle-news-new-bikes/2010-honda-vfr1200f---full-vfr1200-specs-and-pics/8430.html

[alph]

You know, I’ve got a Yamaha FJ 600, it was my first bike.  Sure it’s 26 years old now!  But still fun to ride!!

(not sure it fits the sport touring category that you’re all thinking of!!)