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Past my MOD 2 yesterday and want to buy a bike. Ideally I would like to buy a Tenere 700 and go off road touring through Eurpoe.
Reality is I passed my test to commute 70 miles each way a couple of times a week mainly M25, M3, M23 or M40 so I need a comfortable mile muncher. Budget and running cost as little as possible so I have cash left for the Tenere.
Currently looking at either a Honda Dulville (c£3.5k) or NC750x (c£4.5k). Any other suggestions gratefully accepted and researched.
thanks
Ps what is the equivalent of STW for motorbikes
Depths of Winter, during a recession, you may well get a bargain (unless everyone else decides to flog their car and commute by bike to save money)
BMW F800 GT. Belt drive so no messy chain oiling, nice and economical
Kawasaki Versys 650
Honda CB500
Left field choice....VFR800
Have a poke about on the UK Motorcycle touring group on FB - lots of folk ask about bikes on there
+1 for VFR though...
I had a few bikes. VFR included. Too
Much temptation to go into red mist mode on that one.
Switched to more upright style which felt “fun” at lower speeds.
BMW K100 was too unwieldy (but good on m-way). 90’s Tenere far too top heavy and wallowy for road use.
BMW to the rescue with a GS1000 like this model
(
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Old tech now, but I’d definitely go for something similar.
A VFR style machine (rice rocket) requires reasonably high speeds just to lift the weight off the arms.
The Beemer was nice and flowy to ride. Think slack enduro bike v Scott Spark.
Kinda carved the corners with the geo and big for the wheel. Loved it. Had 2. So much more relaxing to ride and a nice little bar fairing to keep some wind / rain off.
Are you going into London / inside the m25 from 08/23 with your commute? If so you need to be ulez compliant so check any cheap stuff works or can be made to work
If that is not going to be an issue a bmw r1100rs was one of the fastest long point to point bikes I’ve owned but you could cross countries on it two up with no problems (and I’m 6’ and a big old lump) and can be cheap nowadays
MT07 Yamaha
Just buy the Tenere? Stick some more appropriate tyres on and save the money for decent upgrades. Whilst it's seen as leaning to the off-road bias it's still by all accounts a decent mile muncher. It's a big bike physically and any time spent on it will reap benefits when you get it off road. As the nicer weather approaches so e evening green laning on the way home might present itself.
+1 to getting one bike, unless you have a real garage queen, getting and using one bike through the year if cleaned and prepped properly is going to be the cheaper option & probably better for the bikes engine too.
Good advice from YoKaiser above.
Does it have to be a Tenere though? A Triumph Tiger (Rally variant) would be a great mile muncher and pretty good off-road also.
MT07 Yamaha
I ride one of these currently. It's good fun but the wind blast at motorway speeds would get tiring.
The older Tenere (XT660) looks like good value at the minute. That's what I'd buy. Comfy for commuting and when you get the chance you can strap on some bags and take off somewhere.
I passed my test on an MT07. Decent bike but at 6'2" I felt too big for it. The seat was brutal after a couple of hours. When you're uncomfortable it totally overrides any other good points.
Thanks I am sure wise advice from the experienced but I can't help feeling a Tenere on the M25 is not the right bike for that commute. My mate has a Tiger and says it is blown and buffeted around on the motorway. May be I am expecting to much from a touring bike?
Any feedback on the Dulville or the NC750x?
I do like the look of the BMW F800 GT - typically pushing the budget!
thanks again
My mate has an NC750, he likes it, its frugal and fast enough. Really bikers would say it's dull, but no motorbike is dull.
I would have thought a Tenere would be pretty much ideal for the job you want. I used to commute on an F650 BMW single cylinder....you really don't want that for extended motorway use, it would shake you teeth out!!!
Get heated grips and make sure you have alternative plans for icy days, motorbikes and ice really don't mix, I speak from experience!
I’d probably still go with the Tenere and stick some more road worthy tyres on it for the long commute. The Tracer 700 has the same motor but more of a tourer. It May have marginally better wind protection for long motorway jaunts.
I’d definitely avoid anything naked for long distance.
All bikes get blown about.
Truck overtakes, windy, fast riding, windy. Etc.
Stability plays a factor then and your own personal accepted limits.
I've toured on nakeds, they're fine, mostly. Wind only an issue over 80
Tenere and something like a set of pirelli scorpions are😊
I do a 70 mile round trip on an Xmax 300 scooter, it’s dirt cheap to run and absolutely fine on the motorway.
If I were doing 70 miles each way I’d be looking at something like a Honda X-Adv scooter. They’re cheap enough to run, good in traffic and the 750 motor is plenty fast enough for motorway miles. I’m very tempted to upgrade to one but it seems overkill for my commute.
The NC750 is basically half a Honda Jazz engine so it revs accordingly. It really is (IMHO) a dull bike, as is the Deauville. I'd have neither unless there was absolutely no other choice....there's loads of choice tho.
£4500 F800 GT
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/bike-details/202209240073237?include-delivery-option=on&postcode=bd229ql&make=BMW&radius=1500&advertising-location=at_bikes&price-to=17000&sort=price-asc&model=F800GT&page=1
Looks like I am pushing BMW...I am not.....what 'budget left' would you have if you chucked £4k at an NC750 ? I agree with those above, just get one 'do it all' bike.
I commuted daily (5 years) on an nc700, I was to tall for it at 6’1”, but solid as a rock, could make it fun’ish if you tried. Then swapped it for an unhinged KTM 1090, then covid happened and my commute stopped and still has so it had to go.
My words of wisdom - get heated gloves or grips.
Get a bike that doesn’t biff you around at 50-70ish. Adjustable screens help to a point.
Get a lid with a headset built in.
If it’s not comfortable riding experience you will grow to hate/begrudge it. This may not be the bike you thought you needed.
If i’m being honest I bought the KTM because it was orange and looked the nuts. I should have bought a Honda Africa Twin, then I might have still hung onto a bike as something nice for occasional use that didn't need to be ‘on it‘ for it to work properly.
My mate has a Tiger and says it is blown and buffeted around on the motorway.
On a big pretend off roader you sit up right with your arms out and without an effective screen you can be a bit of a windsock at high speeds and thus feel buffeted.
If you’ve only just passed your test and are riding in SE traffic I would advise against getting a helmet with a headset. Always wear earplugs and just concentrate on the traffic rather than music or having a phone conversation - all IMHO.
Good solid bikes and it’ll be a good tourer.
Decent bikes. Now you just need a second, more special bike for summer use 😉😁