Big touring bike

[bobgroger]

How about a Kawi Concours 1000? Plenty of them for a grand, decent bike. 1986-2005-ish when it was replaced by the 1400.

[red1100]

I've looked at concours and while certainly capable, to me they have all the styling appeal of a cardboard box.Just on styling alone I'd do the GK first.

[Wingsconsin]

I have quite a bit of experience on Goldwings --Having owned at least ONE of each starting with the GL1100

Depending on what your goal is -- each version of the Wing may offer differing results --

2 up Touring for Long Miles -- 1988 thru 2000 the GL1500 is the ticket _ have had 2 of them in my garage - only put 161,000 miles on the Blue one before I moved up
Final drives required maintenance when changing tires - Carbs need to be RUN - but they were never off my bike -
parts around for anything -

Integrated luggage WITH Sporty handling -- GL1200 1984 thru 1987
- BEST Wing I owned (until I bought my GL1800) EVER -
Hydraulic Valves - low maintenance - oil/fuel/ filters -- RIDE -
I DID have a stator go out It was about $600 for a dealer to do it
Change the oil - use regular DINO oil not synthetic

SPORTY long range rider -- GL1100 - 1980 thru 1983
I had the 1980 version - LOWER gearing - Higher Top End and Quicker -
Find a standard and add bags and a windscreen IF you want
Carbs jobs are a PIA (to remove the bank) and to get BALANCED -
But if you can do a GS - you can do the GL1100 Wing.

[kingofvenus]

Loved my 850, has the smaller vetter quicksilver and gk bags/trunk. Too small for two up. The 15 is the cats behind for two, but she is a portly one...

[red1100]

Leaning it down to the best GK I can find or 84-7 GW. In 86 my next door neighbor bought a new GW fully loaded so I rolled the 1100E red GS that I have now over to his driveway to compare.I couldn't believe all the doo dads he had on it.This thing made my GS look like a moped.Stereo,air suspension huge dashboard screen and heat and air vents and I believe adjustable seats with backrests. Color matched helmet.Astounding to a guy like me used to non essentials and max speed.He left in middle June for a trip to New Mexico and made it back late August with lots of good stories. Sounds like fun.

[Burque73]

I've kept my eye out for a GK for years. They pop up from time to time. There was a nice one here in Santa Fe a while back that got away as I couldn't act soon enough. The GK is still on my "someday" list if it works out.

Here's what a Craigslist search came up with.

https://tucson.craigslist.org/mcy/d/marana-82-suzuki-1100e-and-1100gk/7240987045.html

Not sure what will become of the Venture I was gifted last week. I haven't had time to do anything with it yet.

[red1100]

What year is the venture?

[Burque73]

What year is the venture?

It's an '89 Venture Royale Model XVZ13D with 54,500 miles on it.

[Burque73]

2nd gear on big Yamahas is pretty inevitable. My XS11 had to have that repaired, and the VMax I owned had already had it done.

Looking through the service records for my 2003 FJR, apparently it has already had the transmission rebuilt. This was in 2012 and the bike only had 23k miles on it.

The dealer's shop repair order says "it makes a sudden slip in second gear while accelerating hard".

Long list of parts, $675
14hrs of Labor $1,035

Ouch!

My only peave about the FJR's shifting is the rough clack it makes going into first gear while stopped. I try to avoind that whenever possible. Not sure if it hurts anything, it just makes me cringe.

[Rob S.]

My only peave about the FJR's shifting is the rough clack it makes going into first gear while stopped. I try to avoind that whenever possible. Not sure if it hurts anything, it just makes me cringe.

That was one of the fun parts of my Sportster. CLANK! "Don't pussyfoot around, take your left heel and stomp me into first!"

[Steve]

My only peave about the FJR's shifting is the rough clack it makes going into first gear while stopped. I try to avoid that whenever possible. Not sure if it hurts anything, it just makes me cringe.

Have you seen Mr. Bill lately? Next time you see him, have him shift his Spyder into gear.

I thought there was something wrong with my wife's Spyder, but have learned that they ALL do that.
Probably similar to Rob's Sportster, but I haven't been near one lately for comparison.

.

[kingofvenus]

My friends '07 venture royal stopped shifting altogether. The spring on the shift drum detent broke. Have to remove right saddlebag and the entire right side exhaust just to get the clutch cover off.

[Steve]

'07 is a V-twin, right? Not sure if that would be any easier than the V-4, just not sure when the V-4 Venture ended.

.

[red1100]

Yamaha supposedly fixed the trans problem in 85 after serial# 0001413.So anything after that must be operator error.

[red1100]

Well tomorrow I'm picking up an 86 Cavalcade with 56,000 miles. Supposedly everything working runs and rides. $500. Looks nice. I'll have more info by tomorrow night.