I posted almost a cut & paste of this in the 650 vs. 1000 thread even thought the question is more complicated and involved than the 650 v 1000 conversation.
Threads all over internet motorcycle forums asking which is "the" one bike to get for doing it all are fun to read, generate great discussions but are complicated in a different way than having too many darned bikes.:bom_juggle2:
I've been blessed to be in the latter category and am looking to thin the herd yet still have all the bases (bases I run on, anyway) covered.
I thought I wanted to by a V-Strom 1000 and joined with great forum specifically to educate myself towards that end but ... here goes.
I am by no means new to motorcycling - well over 250,000 miles on all sorts of bikes over too many years.
My current stable is in my signature and I want an ADV road bike seeing as the DR650 (not for sale) has dirt covered to the extent that I want to do dirt. That said, if I ever did get rid of my beloved DR650, it would be for a smaller/lighter DR or DR type bike.
The H-D Road Glide does the big trips, on big roads, at big speeds with big amounts of gear road trips just fine. I rode from the east coast to/from Sturgis this past summer and tore up the Black Hills for another 1,000 miles in addition to the t/f travelling - love that bike!
I have a 1250S Bandit that I put mild up & back risers on, lowered the pegs to get a little more of an Old Man's riding position and added a V-Stream windscreen which, to be honest, puts a blast of noisy air right on my face/head at just about all speeds. Did I mention that I absolutely adore that 1250cc lump? Great engine!
Despite having too many bikes, I have a void in my stable. I was planning on getting rid of the Bandit for a V1000; it's actually why I joined this forum. That said, the 2008 fat Bob was supposed to go to Daytona to be my Florida bike - but after this past Biketoberfest I realized that I just can't part with my '10 Road King - which is already in FL. The Fat Bob, great bike that it is, is either going to be sold or traded. Someone will great a great bike.
The mission profile for whatever new mount I get is weekend trips with the inevitable slabbing of getting to the good stuff in a timely fashion, then curvy back roads in some new/exciting place with some (i.e. fire roads) mild dirt here and there. Though the DR650 I have (and want to keep) does enough dirt good enough for my riding style - it ain't doing the slabbin' the way I want to slab to get "there."
The Bandit 1250S is a good bike with a great engine but I just can't connect with the riding position despite flipping the peg mounts over for more reach and the mild pull back risers. I'm only 5.9" with a 30" inseam but I just ain't 20 years old!
Soooooo ...,
Do I keep the Bandit 1250S for "Sport Touring" and get a 650-Strom for weekend ADV-ing?
Just run that Bandit in everything; maybe with dirtier tires?
Sell/trade the Bandit 1250S for V-Strom 1000 for longer range ADV-ing and the inevitable slabbing that goes with it? (This was my original thought)
The V-S1000 can do what the Bandit does but not what the DR650 does.
The V-S650 can kinda/sorta/mostly do what the V-S1000 can do but not so much of what the Bandit 1250S or the DR650 does for me. I'm a torque junky.
If all of this weren't enough, did I mention that I have the Italian Model hots for that Moto-Guzzi 850TT?? :kiss:
HELP! :bom_juggle::mod2_helpsmilie:
Threads all over internet motorcycle forums asking which is "the" one bike to get for doing it all are fun to read, generate great discussions but are complicated in a different way than having too many darned bikes.:bom_juggle2:
I've been blessed to be in the latter category and am looking to thin the herd yet still have all the bases (bases I run on, anyway) covered.
I thought I wanted to by a V-Strom 1000 and joined with great forum specifically to educate myself towards that end but ... here goes.
I am by no means new to motorcycling - well over 250,000 miles on all sorts of bikes over too many years.
My current stable is in my signature and I want an ADV road bike seeing as the DR650 (not for sale) has dirt covered to the extent that I want to do dirt. That said, if I ever did get rid of my beloved DR650, it would be for a smaller/lighter DR or DR type bike.
The H-D Road Glide does the big trips, on big roads, at big speeds with big amounts of gear road trips just fine. I rode from the east coast to/from Sturgis this past summer and tore up the Black Hills for another 1,000 miles in addition to the t/f travelling - love that bike!
I have a 1250S Bandit that I put mild up & back risers on, lowered the pegs to get a little more of an Old Man's riding position and added a V-Stream windscreen which, to be honest, puts a blast of noisy air right on my face/head at just about all speeds. Did I mention that I absolutely adore that 1250cc lump? Great engine!
Despite having too many bikes, I have a void in my stable. I was planning on getting rid of the Bandit for a V1000; it's actually why I joined this forum. That said, the 2008 fat Bob was supposed to go to Daytona to be my Florida bike - but after this past Biketoberfest I realized that I just can't part with my '10 Road King - which is already in FL. The Fat Bob, great bike that it is, is either going to be sold or traded. Someone will great a great bike.
The mission profile for whatever new mount I get is weekend trips with the inevitable slabbing of getting to the good stuff in a timely fashion, then curvy back roads in some new/exciting place with some (i.e. fire roads) mild dirt here and there. Though the DR650 I have (and want to keep) does enough dirt good enough for my riding style - it ain't doing the slabbin' the way I want to slab to get "there."
The Bandit 1250S is a good bike with a great engine but I just can't connect with the riding position despite flipping the peg mounts over for more reach and the mild pull back risers. I'm only 5.9" with a 30" inseam but I just ain't 20 years old!
Soooooo ...,
Do I keep the Bandit 1250S for "Sport Touring" and get a 650-Strom for weekend ADV-ing?
Just run that Bandit in everything; maybe with dirtier tires?
Sell/trade the Bandit 1250S for V-Strom 1000 for longer range ADV-ing and the inevitable slabbing that goes with it? (This was my original thought)
The V-S1000 can do what the Bandit does but not what the DR650 does.
The V-S650 can kinda/sorta/mostly do what the V-S1000 can do but not so much of what the Bandit 1250S or the DR650 does for me. I'm a torque junky.
If all of this weren't enough, did I mention that I have the Italian Model hots for that Moto-Guzzi 850TT?? :kiss:
HELP! :bom_juggle::mod2_helpsmilie: