With the demise of my BMW R1200RT at the unfortunate meeting with an SUV it was time to decide what our next bike would be. Before the BMW we had an 1800 Gold Wing and had switched from it to the 300 pound lighter beemer. We knew we were not going back to anything much heavier than the BMW. Being somewhat analytical I made a list of needs and wants which were as follows:
NEEDS
Alternator capacity for 2 sets of Gerbing heated jackets and gloves
Weight under 600 pounds
Mileage range of over 200 miles
Tubeless tires
WANTS
Shaft Drive
Cruise Control
ABS
Both of my feet on ground at stop signs when riding 2 up
The contenders:
Yamaha FJR1300
Kawasaki Concours 1400 (over weight limit)
Another BMW R1200RT
BMW R1200GS, concerns about weather protection
Triumph Tiger 800, concerns about weather protection
Even though there are no "cruiser" type bikes listed here I did not rule them out. However I found no cruiser bikes that met the weight and/or fuel range and/or alternator criteria. I really did not want one because of the footpeg position and low ground clearance but we did consider them and sat on a couple to get a feel for them.
Elimination
R1200RT was too tall, even the low version, but it's 7 gallon tank was a real plus
Kawasaki was too heavy
FJR1300 was a good contender but after 3 test rides it did not pass the comfort test but came close
R1200GS lowered version, this was a real contender but there was not a used one available plus I liked my existing Tiger 800XC better so I considered using it if I could get it setup with tubeless tires.
Triumph Tiger 800 ABS This seemed like a good choice even though it had chain drive but would be difficult to find used.
The Decision
Shortly before I bought my Tiger 800XC my friend Kern bought the Tiger 800 which is a version with cast wheels, tubeless tires and less suspension travel. I had considered one but bought the XC for it's better off road capabilities. After adding several touring accessories to his Tiger Kern decided that he wanted a BMW instead and decided to sell his Tiger. I considered buying it as I really liked my XC version and thought his bike would be a great touring bike for Linda and I and the asking price was very good. But I decided that buying it would be an impulsive act which Linda and I try to avoid. He sold it and for 6 months I regretted not buying it. Then while I was searching for our next bike I found Kern's bike for sale. The buyer had been given a job with lots of 3 month assignments around the world and had no opportunity for motorcycle riding. So I bought it and started the work of making it into a touring bike.
Modifications
The bike already had a much better Givi windshield, crash bars, throttle lock, panniers and skid plate. The panniers were smaller than what we would need but were perfect for my XC so I switched. I had built racks for the XC to use Givi bags so I switched racks and bags between the two. Also the Givi bags are rounded and I am hoping that will mean less wind drag on the bike. The skidplate will also be moved to the XC.I had a set of footrests that I had made for another bike that I installed on the Tiger's crash bars. These were made from a set of handlebar clamps and some Delrin. I also put on a set of Soupy's adjustable lowering links that lowered the bike 3/4" in the rear and I dropped the front the same amount by sliding the forks up in the triple clamps. I changed the gearing from 16:50 to 17:47 and installed Michelin Pilot Road 3 tires. While I was doing all of this I also did the 12,000 mile service on the bike. The handlebars were a little low for me and I received a great deal from PJ's Triumph on a set of ROX 2" risers so I added them to the bike. My BMW had an air temperature thermometer which I really liked so I bought a digital thermometer for terrariums from a pet store. It was less than $10 and takes up very little space. I needed power for my GPS, cell phone charger and air mattress pump. I also wanted a Battery Tender connection and another Powerlet socket for Linda's heated gear. Triumph has an accessory kit for another socket but it uses the same fuse as the front socket which is not a high enough rating for 2 sets of heated gear. I added an Eastern Beaver fusebox under the seat to handle the extra electrical requirements. This location may be changed in the future.
The bike was starting to take shape but there were still a couple of things needed. I rode the bike to Utah for Easter weekend, then continued on to Southern California and then on again to my father's house in Northern California. I was riding in wind for the whole trip and in rain for the last 50 miles to Northern California. The wind did not bother this bike anymore than my previous bikes however the protection from the rain was not near as well as what I have been used to with my "barndoor" windshields. I am especially concerned about what the weather protection will be like for my wife.
Future Changes
Automatic chain oiler, A can of chain lube takes up valuable cargo space when traveling. I also ride rallies and the time required when stopping every 500 miles to lube the chain can cost points.
Better seats, few bikes are made with seats comfortable enough for long distance touring let alone the 24 hours in the seat required for rallies so seat modifications are a must. The seats are actually done and are the subject of the next post.
Weight balance, this bike weighs less than 500 pounds when fueled. Adding 300 pounds of rider and passenger as well as 75 pounds of luggage to the rear of the bike means a lot of weight to the rear. This amount of weight in the panniers was not an issue on a heavier bike but I have concerns on a bike this light. I am considering a pair of tank bags to move some cargo forward for better weight balance. A stronger rear spring might also be needed. We are still not exceeding the bikes gross weight capacity.
Exhaust relocation, The trend is to have upswept mufflers on today's bikes. This means that the pannier on the exhaust side(s) must be moved out to clear the muffler resulting in a much wider bike. I want to move the muffler lower and orient it parallel to the ground so that I can pull the pannier in toward the center of the bike.
Auxiliary fuel tank for rally use
Auxiliary lights for rally use
Experiment with wider windshield, because I have relocated the handlebars I can use a wider windshield. In the standard location the handlebars just cleared the windshield with the bars turned to extreme left and right.
Reinstall hand guards, I encountered moderate rain on my current trip but it was enough to soak my leather gloves.
Pannier mounts, I want to redo the mounts that I originally made for the XC. I want to be able to adjust the width of the mounts and I may also want the panniers to sit a little lower.
NEEDS
Alternator capacity for 2 sets of Gerbing heated jackets and gloves
Weight under 600 pounds
Mileage range of over 200 miles
Tubeless tires
WANTS
Shaft Drive
Cruise Control
ABS
Both of my feet on ground at stop signs when riding 2 up
The contenders:
Yamaha FJR1300
Kawasaki Concours 1400 (over weight limit)
Another BMW R1200RT
BMW R1200GS, concerns about weather protection
Triumph Tiger 800, concerns about weather protection
Even though there are no "cruiser" type bikes listed here I did not rule them out. However I found no cruiser bikes that met the weight and/or fuel range and/or alternator criteria. I really did not want one because of the footpeg position and low ground clearance but we did consider them and sat on a couple to get a feel for them.
Elimination
R1200RT was too tall, even the low version, but it's 7 gallon tank was a real plus
Kawasaki was too heavy
FJR1300 was a good contender but after 3 test rides it did not pass the comfort test but came close
R1200GS lowered version, this was a real contender but there was not a used one available plus I liked my existing Tiger 800XC better so I considered using it if I could get it setup with tubeless tires.
Triumph Tiger 800 ABS This seemed like a good choice even though it had chain drive but would be difficult to find used.
The Decision
Shortly before I bought my Tiger 800XC my friend Kern bought the Tiger 800 which is a version with cast wheels, tubeless tires and less suspension travel. I had considered one but bought the XC for it's better off road capabilities. After adding several touring accessories to his Tiger Kern decided that he wanted a BMW instead and decided to sell his Tiger. I considered buying it as I really liked my XC version and thought his bike would be a great touring bike for Linda and I and the asking price was very good. But I decided that buying it would be an impulsive act which Linda and I try to avoid. He sold it and for 6 months I regretted not buying it. Then while I was searching for our next bike I found Kern's bike for sale. The buyer had been given a job with lots of 3 month assignments around the world and had no opportunity for motorcycle riding. So I bought it and started the work of making it into a touring bike.
Modifications
The bike already had a much better Givi windshield, crash bars, throttle lock, panniers and skid plate. The panniers were smaller than what we would need but were perfect for my XC so I switched. I had built racks for the XC to use Givi bags so I switched racks and bags between the two. Also the Givi bags are rounded and I am hoping that will mean less wind drag on the bike. The skidplate will also be moved to the XC.I had a set of footrests that I had made for another bike that I installed on the Tiger's crash bars. These were made from a set of handlebar clamps and some Delrin. I also put on a set of Soupy's adjustable lowering links that lowered the bike 3/4" in the rear and I dropped the front the same amount by sliding the forks up in the triple clamps. I changed the gearing from 16:50 to 17:47 and installed Michelin Pilot Road 3 tires. While I was doing all of this I also did the 12,000 mile service on the bike. The handlebars were a little low for me and I received a great deal from PJ's Triumph on a set of ROX 2" risers so I added them to the bike. My BMW had an air temperature thermometer which I really liked so I bought a digital thermometer for terrariums from a pet store. It was less than $10 and takes up very little space. I needed power for my GPS, cell phone charger and air mattress pump. I also wanted a Battery Tender connection and another Powerlet socket for Linda's heated gear. Triumph has an accessory kit for another socket but it uses the same fuse as the front socket which is not a high enough rating for 2 sets of heated gear. I added an Eastern Beaver fusebox under the seat to handle the extra electrical requirements. This location may be changed in the future.
Soupy's Adjustable Lowering Links
Clamp on forward footpegs/sliders
Eastern Beaver Fusebox
The bike was starting to take shape but there were still a couple of things needed. I rode the bike to Utah for Easter weekend, then continued on to Southern California and then on again to my father's house in Northern California. I was riding in wind for the whole trip and in rain for the last 50 miles to Northern California. The wind did not bother this bike anymore than my previous bikes however the protection from the rain was not near as well as what I have been used to with my "barndoor" windshields. I am especially concerned about what the weather protection will be like for my wife.
Future Changes
Automatic chain oiler, A can of chain lube takes up valuable cargo space when traveling. I also ride rallies and the time required when stopping every 500 miles to lube the chain can cost points.
Better seats, few bikes are made with seats comfortable enough for long distance touring let alone the 24 hours in the seat required for rallies so seat modifications are a must. The seats are actually done and are the subject of the next post.
Weight balance, this bike weighs less than 500 pounds when fueled. Adding 300 pounds of rider and passenger as well as 75 pounds of luggage to the rear of the bike means a lot of weight to the rear. This amount of weight in the panniers was not an issue on a heavier bike but I have concerns on a bike this light. I am considering a pair of tank bags to move some cargo forward for better weight balance. A stronger rear spring might also be needed. We are still not exceeding the bikes gross weight capacity.
Exhaust relocation, The trend is to have upswept mufflers on today's bikes. This means that the pannier on the exhaust side(s) must be moved out to clear the muffler resulting in a much wider bike. I want to move the muffler lower and orient it parallel to the ground so that I can pull the pannier in toward the center of the bike.
Auxiliary fuel tank for rally use
Auxiliary lights for rally use
Experiment with wider windshield, because I have relocated the handlebars I can use a wider windshield. In the standard location the handlebars just cleared the windshield with the bars turned to extreme left and right.
Reinstall hand guards, I encountered moderate rain on my current trip but it was enough to soak my leather gloves.
Pannier mounts, I want to redo the mounts that I originally made for the XC. I want to be able to adjust the width of the mounts and I may also want the panniers to sit a little lower.
