Nominations for the best all-round 2up bike

[Traveler]

Now that Srinath has vented his spleen on the hat thread, I'm hoping someone will weigh in with their thoughts on the best city/highway- comfortable- for- 2 people- lighter bike. Nope, don't need or want a hi-tech sport bike. The trouble and strife has to have decent comfort. Need a bike on which you would be prepared to ride at the back for 100 miles.... so nothing which makes a passenger sit like a monkey having relations with a melon, please.
All I know are older bikes.
The GS is my choice for a one person bike.
THe BMW K75RT for a 2up highway machine, but too unwieldy for the city.
The old 2stroke Yamaha rd350 for suprising verve.
A 160GS Vespa for skirted city riders (mostly female).    
84 Honda magna for sorta city cruiser.
Been there before, but still need inspiration for the next newish one.

[cernunos]

I am biased...Electraglide. Not light, but handles slow speeds with aplomb, passenger or no. But, I am biased and I am abby normal. Flyin' on the White Owl is as much fun, steering thru the forum minefield is...usually fun.

C.......

[Michael]

Consider any of the current crop of "Adventure tourers".  Eg, V-Strom 1000., BMW 1150/1200 GS, etc.  Closest things to a genuine all-rounder yet.  If your regular pillion is not too large, add the V-Strom 650

[Traveler]

Michael, don't know why I didn't think of the Vstrom's smaller version, excellent suggestion.
Are there many about so it be easy to get serviced? No wrencher me.
Total protean load 310 pounds, so it should cope.

[Kerry]

I haven't been able to find it, but about 18? months ago Cycle World (I think) did a comparo of several bikes -- from a real live passenger's point of view.

There were half a dozen bikes (or so) in the mix, which included cruisers, sportbikes,etc.  The same passenger rode on the back of all of them, and then wrote a paragraph about each one.  I'm pretty sure it was the V-Strom that came out on top.

Can anyone figure out which issue that was?

[Roadstergal]

When I was in Rich's Cutsom Seats talking to him about a seat for the F650, a woman started chatting with me about how she and her husband were going off to Canada.  Nice lady; I waved them off on their K1200GS.  Rich came up to me and said, "Check out the plate."  It was from Virginia.  They had driven straight out to Seattle from Virginia for a custom seat for the wife, and were going to take the scenic (long Canada tour) back.  That's got to count for long-term comfy points!  A friend of mine recently did the long BC tour - up through the Canadian Rockies to Alaska, then down to Montana and back to Seattle, also on a K1200GS.

My butt will take anything, though.  I did a 6-hour trip on the F650 on just the plastic seat, all of the foam torn off.  I haven't done anything longer than Pacific Raceways and back on the GS, but my butt hasn't complained.


Re: the K75RT - a friend of mine commutes on one.  I guess the unweildliness depends on the city.

[scratch]

Whoa, a K1200GS? Didn't know BMW made their flat four in a dual-purpose (GS designation) version. Do you mean an RS?

Traveler - Are you looking for a standard or a cruiser? The only thing I can think of right now is a 750 Vulcan. Unless, you're looking for hardbags.

Honda CB750 comes to mind.

[Traveler]

Scratch, I'm looking for a standard, lightweight, proven technology, allround bike with decent performance and comfort for 2. I wish.
OK, here's the problem, I have joint problems and don't need anything top heavy. My K75RT does not have a centrestand lift handle and it's a bugger to wrestle back. The GS is.... oops, was,  a breeze.
Most of the enduros are tall and plain ugly, but are light and excell around the city, plus are OK on the slab. The GS nearly meets the bill, but not 2up.
Maybe I should get a centre stand lift handle, or go and live in the desert where it's hot and dry and the joints are good :lol:
The Vstrom 650 does have me intrigued, though.

[Narcoden]

I just went through the same search for a good 2 up bike to replace my GS500 a few weeks ago.

Came down to the VStrom 650 and the FZ6.

My wife liked the FZ6, that's wat I'm riding now.  

The Vstrom was just huge.  I was way to short to fit on it.  I barely can keep the FZ6 upright, had to adjust the suspension ALL the way down so I can tippy-toe it.

SO far the FZ6 is great, my wife loves the grab rails to hang on.  Gives her a sense of confidence I guess :dunno:

[mp183]

Get the V-Strom 650.  It's big enough.  Plenty of power.  You won't even know someone is back there.  The seat is not bad.  Plenty of times I go 230-250 miles without getting off.  Had a passengers a couple of times and they can feel that the V-Strom seat if much better than the GS.

[scratch]

So I'm thinking:

Honda CB750 Nighthawk
Kawasaki ZR-7S (maybe; it's an option)
Suzuki DL650 V-Strom
Yamaha FZ-6

Do you really need a centerstand?

BMW F650
Kawasaki KLR650

[Traveler]

All good suggestions, Scratch; I will now contemplate my navel and do a little research on 'em.
The centrestand is like patting your back pocket for your wallet - a  habit impossible to break. Besides, it gives me more options on high cambered roads.
If Kerry  gets the time after his return to track down the 2up article, that'd be great, I did try, but drew a blank at Cycle World.

[Kerry]

If Kerry  gets the time after his return to track down the 2up article, that'd be great, I did try, but drew a blank at Cycle World.

What all did you try?  Looking through each issue?  Consulting an index of some kind?  I'm beginning to think that maybe it was more like 2-3 years back.  After a quick pass through the issues that are still out and available to me I "drew a blank" too.

But I haven't given up!  Just for you  :kiss:  I signed up on the Cycle World online forums and posted a query about the article.  If that link works, maybe we can both monitor that message thread for replies.  There has to be at least ONE "CW junkie" out there that can answer the question, right?

[Traveler]

ABABCOD!
That's  Above and beyond the call of Duty to those mnenomically challenged people.
John, I checked the indexes and also spot checked anything which looked likely, without any luck. If you do get any feedback, I'd appreciate the info, Thanks.
PS Why is mnemonic pronounced namonic.....who can remember that?

[oldsport]

OK, here you go.  I think I just went through a similiar investigation trying to find a "normal" motorcycle that was a little larger than my GS and had the following traits.

Affordable, "normal" pegs, handlebar, seat demensions, not styled too weird, comfortable.

I ended up with a Triumph Bonneville SE.  I paid $6875 + tax and lic., is about as normal looking as you can get (very cool if you ask me) and lets you sit in the standard "sit up and beg" riding position.  

I rode over 1000 mi. last weekend, mostly at 80 or more and it worked great.

You can read more about the Bonneville at this forum which seems to be the GSTWINS.COM for the Bonneville. You'll find that they are very dependable. http://forums.delphiforums.com/New_Bonneville/



More pics from my ride:
http://oldsport.home.comcast.net/bendraid/

[aplitz]

Goldwing

[geekonabike]

Whoa, a K1200GS? Didn't know BMW made their flat four in a dual-purpose (GS designation) version. Do you mean an RS?

Traveler - Are you looking for a standard or a cruiser? The only thing I can think of right now is a 750 Vulcan. Unless, you're looking for hardbags.

Honda CB750 comes to mind.

I read about the CB750 being good in that department a while back.  That was Cycle World, May '04, Peter Egan's article.  A couple felt the CB750 was so comfy but wanted something new and couldn't find anything that felt that comfy, including a Ducati ST2 and a Honda VFR800.  Not much information there except the CB750 worked well for them.  Now if you're going to ride with your Uncle Ed you might not want to be quite that comfy.   Of course in the USA the CB750 is a model that has been discontinued, for '04 anyways.  Why not give the "bike of the century" a try, even if it was last century?  Lots of support for that model out there.  I came very close to buying several different vintages of it before grabbing the GS500E, but then the wife-unit isn't THAT interested in 2-up.  (In Taiwan they I've seen five-up, on a scooter!  Two parents and three kids.  For another thread maybe.)

[oldsport]

I read about the CB750 being good in that department a while back.  That was Cycle World, May '04, Peter Egan's article.  A couple felt the CB750 was so comfy but wanted something new and couldn't find anything that felt that comfy, including a Ducati ST2 and a Honda VFR800.

I read that too.  Recently, I've seen several 2000 or newer Nighthawks (aka CB750) with almost no miles for $4000 or less.  They look particularly nice in black.