Thread: Holiday trip

Originally Posted by suz1k3

Just looking for some opinions.I've been looking at buying a low mileage sport touring bike ie:ST1300 or FJR1300?and resell it for what i paid.So i'm just paying for ensurance,gas,hotel's(as cheap as poss.)

Sounds like a fun trip. I've known friends who have done similar, some young, some older. I've done some real long trips with my VFR750 (and 800 when I had it ... such as Michigan to Nova Scotia, VT/NH yearly, a week in Colorado via Texas, etc.) and really like these bikes for that. You would need to add luggage, but might be a more sporting option than the ST/FJR bikes if that is the way you lean. Find what is comfortable and do it.

As for routes, it depends on what you want to see. Pick a few "I really want to see" things and then it becomes easier to string a route through the points. The great plains are boring (why they are named plain ) regardless of the country you are in and seem to go on forever. The benefit I see of going through the states is a little more population in those far away places for support, hotels, gas, and sight seeing opportunities.

From Toronto, your first decision will be how to get into the States (east of Lake Erie or west), and whether you want to take the loop through lower Michigan and out through Chicago or go upper UP and out through Wisconsin. Well, maybe the real first question is how many weeks do you plan to take and if you want a different return trip route.

Sounds like fun. Maybe one of these days I'll get that far.

Oh yeah, welcome to the addiction.

Originally Posted by Bagger

You will NOT be dissappointed with an FJR purchase... my suggestion though that if you do get one to try it out on some shorter weekend trips to see if you need to adjust the ergos a bit for more comfort... some like taller/bigger windscreens and some like the bars high and back a little farther. its all personal preferance. but like I said if you're used to the true sportbike type ride/handling but want the LD comfort and FJR will amaze you...

I just finished a trip putting almost 4,000 miles on my 06 FJR. It is a great bike. Comfortable, fast, carried a lot of stuff, and still did well in the twisty parts (not too bad at Grattan either ). They are big and heavy compared to a VFR. You need to figure out where you would like to be on the Sport vs. Tour scale.

Your older advisors are correct, if you can do it now go for it! Have fun

Originally Posted by Leelover

They are big and heavy compared to a VFR. You need to figure out where you would like to be on the Sport vs. Tour scale.

Your older advisors are correct, if you can do it now go for it! Have fun

I've posted the rave reviews on the VFR's elsewhere, so I'll save you here

I've done multiple 12 hour ride days in a row on both the VFR750 and VFR800 (in stock condition). Doing a few stretches at each stop and being prepared for the ride (do at least 200 miles in a row about a week before to get the muscles working ... it is all about training ... you'll need the week to recover and then it works much better without pain ... like the first day back to the gym syndrome )

Things like Yellowstone (I haven't made it there) and Mt. Rushmore (been there, it's cool) are the types of "must see" things to consider. The Badlands are cool, but might not want to do those in the summer, and just about anything in the Rockies. Look over the maps/atlases and see what you can fit in. Have fun.