GSXR-750 For Sport Touring

[DigitalBarbarian]

I've been riding for quite some time (cruisers and smaller sport bikes on the road, motorcross for most of my life) and am interested in getting into bigger sport bikes. I've narrowed the field down to a VFR, FJR and the GSXR-750. My brother has an '04 VFR that I've ridden a few times, and while I like the bike quite a bit, I want something with a bit more power. The FJR has saddlebags and tons of power, but it's a little too large for my tastes and the price is more than I'd really like to pay. The Gixxer looks great, has an excess of power and great handling, but really strikes me as a bike that would not be as comfortable as the previous two bikes for a lengthy ride. As I said, I've been riding cruisers forever, so I am fairly used to being comfortable for upwards of 600 miles in a day. So, the question I'll pose is simple...Is the Gixxer 750 a viable sport tourer? I am speaking of the 06 model; I've heard they are more comfortable than previous years, and apparently many aftermarket saddlebags and such are available.

If anyone has some real-world experience with going on long trips on a Gixxer 750 I would be eager to hear their opinions.

[inspiron]

There was a guy here named Gixxerdale who did iron-butt rides on a Gixxer 1000. But, alas, Dale isn't around much anymore.

If you want a sport-touring bike, I wouldn't recommend the Gixxer. Sure it has tons of power, but it is still a race bike. A sport-touring bike will have more accessories available (hard luggage, soft luggage, etc.) and will have a more comfortable seat and rider position.

Have you looked at bikes like the Triumph Sprint ST? They are introducing the ABS version in the US this month. It's a 1050ccm 3-cylinder - more power than you need, but designed for sport-touring, and not for racing. The engine and transmission are setup for long runs at highway speeds (more torque, less horsepower).

Maximum Power 125PS (123 bhp) at 9,100 rpm
Maximum Torque 105Nm (77ft.lbf) at 7,500 rpm

[Clint]

For over 600 miles, a GSXR will be extremely cramped in the legs and stressful on the wrists. Sure, you can remedy both with aftermarket parts, but only to a degree.

Consider finding a late-model Bandit for $4000 and upgrading suspension, adding hard bags and modifying comfort to taste. For about $7000 you can have a 115 hp, 80 lbs-ft bike with a bulletproof motor and decent handling at about 540 lbs wet. I did 4400 miles in 8 days in June, with the first day covering 1029. See my page for more (though I haven't posted the ride report from this year yet).

I like the ST that Inspron mentioned, but I'm sure it's more costly.

Welcome to M-J.

[Rickster]

I tried doing some medium distance rides (200 Miles) on my sons R6, and it wasn't the riding position that got me so much as it was the harsh suspension. I could deal with the extra pressure on my hands, and arms. Even the sharp bend in the knees was something I could live with, but that suspension was so stiff (@ the softest setting) that I just couldn't ride more than about 50 miles at a time, and that distance would shorten as the day wore on. There are plenty of good sport touring bikes to chose from, they are just as much fun to ride as a full on sport bike, and you will still be able to walk at the end of the day.

[DigitalBarbarian]

Thanks for the responses, especially about the ST. I went to the bike shop today, rode the Gixxer around the parking lot then immediately got off before even hitting the road. I determined in a period of 20 seconds that my ass would turn to mush within the first 100 miles...unfortunate, because it's such a nice bike. Dealer didn't have any FJRs (went to three dealers, actually) that were not automatic, so I didn't bother test riding one, although the MSRP was staring me in the face and I thought long and hard about the bottom line. They had an ST and I sat on it and really liked it overall, but the asking price was a little too high for me. In a couple years I will definitely look at another ST. Last place I went to had a white '06 VFR on the floor, I asked the price. Turns out they had a black non-ABS '06 in a crate they were trying to get rid of. Asked about the hard cases, the dealer had them available for installation. I got $1500 knocked off the MSRP and some other goodies along with the saddlebags. I did not expect to purchase a bike today, but the price and the feature set could not be beat.

[dukestt]

just one comment on the ST, make sure its the 1050 and not the smaller one. other than that there is only this to say. comfort not speed.

[inspiron]

Regarding the FJR - I personally am not convinced that an automatic transmission is a good idea on a bike. I have no idea how that bike handles all of the slow-speed stuff that we do on bikes. On bikes, we use the clutch much more intensively than in a car.

Learning to drive a car, you are told "don't ride the clutch" - either it's all the way in or all the way out. But for bikes, we are often using the clutch right at the point of engagement, and we are much more sensitive to weight changes and other things that can affect our traction.

I know several people with FJRs (all pre-2006 models with a standard clutch), and they are all very happy with the bikes. The FJR is a great bike, but I'm just not sure that the clutchless shifter option is such a good idea.

[S83]

Yamaha themselves says it isn't for everyone.

[Jammer]

I'm really glad you didn't get the Gixxer for sport touring. It's ok..but...it's really not a tour. I ride to the shore...and I do have alot of fun on it. But for a ride like that I think I would love to have like a ...Boulevard or a Yama Roadliner S.

[wookie]

The longest I've ever done on my gixxer 600 was about 300 miles in one day, a round-trip from LA to SD of 200 miles (freeway) plus about 100 miles up on the infamous Mt. Palomar + other canyon roads. It was OK.

The longest run in one day I've ever done was a 540+ miles roundtrip from LA to Vegas and back (all freeway) on my fully-faired SV650S. It was better than the 300-miles-per-day run on my gixxer, save the bloody cross-wind. Now I eagerly await the day I do my 1000+ miles (roundtrip) run from LA to Reno (tentatively set for October 28 ).

[Z1000 rider]

i ride a kawasaki z1000, it handels prety close to a sportbike, and has more than enough power, and is prety comfy, and can be equiped with saddlebags.ect......

heres a pic, on 03 can be had for around 4500 i think.