Top Three Best Bikes for IBA and LDR???

[Favor+]

I know this is like an oil thread and has hundreds of opinions but, I am taking a personal
poll of the most popular for LDR/IBA type bikes!!! Everyone's opinion counts!
I would like to hear things like dependability,
comfortability, adaptable for external fuel tanks, electronics and etc. TIA

RIDE, RIDE and RIDE!!!

 

[bikerbill]

Mine!

 

[Jerry L. Stevens]

One that you are comfortable with and comfortable on.
I’ve done a lot of LD rides on a Honda VTX1300R, Yamaha Royal Star Venture, Triumph Tiger 900GT, and Can Am Spyder RT. All have their + & - ‘s. I would say there is not one best.
I prefer shaft drive (maybe belt), liquid cool, heated grips, wind coverage, and a good range.
I like a minumin of a 200 mile range (300 better) at 70 to 80 mph into a wind before reserve. Therefore, I have always needed an aux tank on these motorcycles. Wish I had added one on the Spyder.

 

[igneouss]

If you search around you can find IBR results that include year/make/model of bike for each rider. A few bikes dominate the lists.
BMW GS(A), BMW RT, Honda Goldwing, Yamaha FJR (no particular order).

 

[keithu]

I've found my Ducati Multistrada V4S to be an outstanding LD bike. It's comfortable, easy to ride, and was easy to add aux fuel thanks to a crossover hose on the main tank. And so far (44k miles) it's been the most reliable and lowest maintenance bike I've ever owned. I honestly didn't expect that when I bought it.

So it works for me. Would I call it a top three LD bike? Nope. The biggest issue is I'm the only person doing this kind of stuff on the Ducati. The aftermarket is small and mostly for the race-pipes-and-carbon-fiber crowd. I have to do a lot of DIY and figure things out on my own. I enjoy that, but the simple fact is your life will be a lot easier with a GS, FJR, or Gold Wing. Those are phenomenal LD bikes with established aftermarkets, and the knowledge base in this community is vast. Need to add lights to a GS? Aux fuel on an FJR? There are folks who can tell you how, and off-the-shelf options available for sale.

We all agree the GS, FJR, and Wing perform well for LD riding. I think the momentum they have in this community is also an important reason why they're great choices.

You can be a weirdo and ride a Ducati or Husqvarna, but you'll be on your own.

 

[EricV]

Any bike can be a good LD bike with the right prep and rider. Still, I'll stick with Liter+, Shaft Drive and Made in Japan for the top of my list.

 

[keithu]

Still, I'll stick with Liter+, Shaft Drive and Made in Japan for the top of my list.

I notice Yahama have dropped the FJR and Super Tenere from their website. So unfortunately the Gold Wing is the last one standing that meets your criteria, if buying new.

It doesn't seem so long ago Yamaha even mentioned IBR success in their marketing of the FJR. Now it seems like the whole touring market has collapsed.

 

[EricV]

I notice Yahama have dropped the FJR and Super Tenere from their website. So unfortunately the Gold Wing is the last one standing that meets your criteria, if buying new.

It doesn't seem so long ago Yamaha even mentioned IBR success in their marketing of the FJR. Now it seems like the whole touring market has collapsed.

There are so many low mile, (and new '24'), examples of both that I really don't see a problem getting either for years to come. Besides, the FJR and S10 traditionally don't show up at the same time as the other bikes for the new model year. I wouldn't be surprised if they still make it to the US market.

Edit - And if Suzuki would buy their once a decade clue soon, we could see a shaft drive Sport-Touring bike from them too. It's practically a parts bin bike now. It wouldn't take much for them to step up. They would have owned the mid size ADV market if they had made the VStrom 800 a shafty.

The last chain drive car was the Honda S600 in the 1960s, when will bike manufacturers realize chains are dead? It's the lazy, sloppy, low tech, too worried about the market way to power a drivetrain. Stupid people can ride old bikes. Let the future arrive already.

 

[keithu]

Besides, the FJR and S10 traditionally don't show up at the same time as the other bikes for the new model year. I wouldn't be surprised if they still make it to the US market.

Except when they did that in the past they left the previous model years up until the new one was announced. The FJR was already a US-only model for the last year or two so we knew its days were numbered. My guess is the few '24s they built were just to clear out warehoused parts.

Edit - And if Suzuki would buy their once a decade clue soon, we could see a shaft drive Sport-Touring bike from them too.

You are an optimist! I personally doubt we'll see a new shaft drive anything from Japan ever again.

The sport tourer market is actually kind of hot right now. Suzuki has recently released the GSXS1000GT and GX; Kawasaki just updated the Versys 1100 and Ninja 1100; and Yamaha keeps revising the Tracer. Honda has the NT1100 but doesn't bring it to the USA sadly. From Europe we have the Guzzi V100 Mandello; Ducati Multistradas; new Triumph Tiger 800 and 660 Sports; and BMW should soon announce the R1300RT and R1300RS. Lots of options! But shaft drive seems to be turning into a BMW/Moto Guzzi niche.

 

[EricV]

Maybe you missed the part about sloppy/lazy. The Tracer is the low cost method to put a 'new' bike on the market. Yamaha needs to certify the FJR's motor for Euro5 already and get back into the game. It's just bean counters holding it back.

I love the V100 Mandello on paper, and would check one out if I was in the market. BUT, I suspect it's going to be like the Stevlio, built for smaller riders. I found the Stevlio cramped and I'm only 5'11" and tall torso'd. Most of the EU/UK stuff is aimed at 5'9" as the expected bulk of riders, or so it seems.

BMW should just cut to the chase and release the R2400XX bikes so that everyone will know they are the kings of excess garage queens. The market is screaming for well done mid size bikes and what passes for BMW Motoraad is still trying to justify dumping decades of shaft drive wisdom to sell chain drive bikes and still ignoring the elephant in the room of a poor shaft design.

 

[keithu]

I love the V100 Mandello on paper, and would check one out if I was in the market. BUT, I suspect it's going to be like the Stevlio, built for smaller riders. I found the Stevlio cramped and I'm only 5'11" and tall torso'd.

I haven't ridden either so I can't say for sure. But according to Cycle Ergo the Mandello has reasonably generous legroom. When I put in my numbers (6' 3" height and 32" inseam, so I'm also all torso) I get:

Moto Guzzi V100 Mandello:
Forward lean: 8°
Knee angle: 81°
Hip angle: 87°

Ducati Multistrada V4:
Forward lean: 1°
Knee angle: 82°
Hip angle: 87°

FJR1300:
Forward lean: 10°
Knee angle: 76°
Hip angle: 77°

So on paper at least, and comparing stock-to-stock, the Mandello is roomier and more upright than the FJR. The Mandello's legroom is very similar to my Multi and also the BMW RT.

They don't have the new Stelvio so can't compare to that.

 

[kwthom]

Ahhh...Suzuki *did* make a LDR/IBA bike back in the day...

Discussed a bit on this very forum: https://forum.ironbutt.org/index.php?threads/gsx1300r-hayabusa.1542/page-2

Could *I* make a bike like that work? Twenty years ago, perhaps. Today? Not so much, but good on those who can.


"I would like to hear things like dependability, comfortability, adaptable for external fuel tanks, electronics and etc. TIA"


As mentioned earlier in the thread, go find the list of those steeds that have competed in the IBR for some general baseline statistics. As noted, the bike that you are most comfortable for 300 miles may well be the bike that you're comfortable 3000 and three days later.

 

[keithu]

Ahhh...Suzuki *did* make a LDR/IBA bike back in the day...

Discussed a bit on this very forum: https://forum.ironbutt.org/index.php?threads/gsx1300r-hayabusa.1542/page-2

Suzuki still makes the 'Busa, and yeah I think there's at least one person who did pretty okay on one. The new Hayabusa should be even better now that it has electronic cruise control. But it doesn't have shaft drive which is what Eric really wants. I think the last non-cruiser shafty from Suzuki was the GSX1100G which disappeared 30+ years ago.

 

[keithu]

It seems to get overlooked a lot, but the Triumph Tiger 1200 is still available with shaft drive, too. I know a few people use these as LD bikes.