Cheap, comfy, practical two-up bike?

[preachan]

I'm moving to Oz and will have to get a new mode of transport when I get there and as fortune would have it my girlfriend (who was hardly on a bike before) went over before me stopping off in Vietnam where she took some time to rent a bike and travel around. Long story short, she loved it and is now well up for doing a serious two-up trip. I've done travel in Africa on an old XT600 (which was recently stolen) and have learned a lot from it so would be very comfortable working on it but haven't worked with anything other than 30-year old technology.
She's a well able girl and has no problem roughing it but if I give her the best possible introduction to motorbike travel then hopefully it could be the first of many happy adventures!
So, I'm looking for a bike that:

• Two-up capability
  Going to need something that's big enough and comfortable enough for the both of us and all our gear. If she's on the back of a cramped bike that takes forever to get anywhere it's all over. Bike's gotta have a bit of oomph and size.
• Cost to buy/run/repair
  Funds are always going to be a factor, I'm going to be buying this as my main commute bike well before any travelling is done but as this will eventually be our trip bike then we can invest in a little more. I'm thinking Japanese brands only, due to accessibility (which ties in with price) of parts if something does go wrong on the road. Also, there's a lot more reasonably priced 2nd hand Japanese bikes out there than there is of anything else.
• Fun Factor
  I loved tearing around on my old XT600 and I know it's a different story two-up with gear but I'm not retiring either! - I want something that's going to be enjoyable to drive!

The only bike that sensibly seems to fit the bill at the moment is a 650 V-Strom, I don't know why though but I don't like it, it just seems.. well, boring..
KTM 690, always thopught KTMs were out of my price range but there's some reasonably priced ones out there but don't they have very short service intervals?
Triumph Tiger 800XC, looks great, meant to be fun to ride but expensive to buy, probably impossible to get parts for remotely but I love the look of it! It's the bike I really want to try out!

[mollydog]

I'd suggest she ride her own bike. You say she rode round Vietnam and "loved it". If she can survive there I'd bet she'll survive anywhere.

Also gives you your bike for work/commuting and she would still have a way to get around. That will work till you two have kids and buy a nice SUV.

I don't know how your girl feels about riding pillion, I hate it myself, only have done it in emergencies. (as passenger) I'm also not real fond of carrying a pillion. I can do it, but not my favorite set up. YMMV.

Of course two bikes doubles all expenses ... and for that reason your girl will probably never ride. Shame. We have some great Women riders in our riding group.

Regards bikes ... the V-Strom IS boring ... I agree. But it's also supremely capable and stone frickin reliable too. KTM's? I'd trust one of the twins, never a 690 ... which would be a true torture device two up. But try as many bikes as you can ... see what suits. Bike shopping is fun. Go for it.

[robson]

Originally Posted by preachan

The only bike that sensibly seems to fit the bill at the moment is a 650 V-Strom, I don't know why though but I don't like it, it just seems.. well, boring..
KTM 690, always thopught KTMs were out of my price range but there's some reasonably priced ones out there but don't they have very short service intervals?
Triumph Tiger 800XC, looks great, meant to be fun to ride but expensive to buy, probably impossible to get parts for remotely but I love the look of it! It's the bike I really want to try out!

I agree, don't like v-storm either mostly because is top heavy what you don't want to have riding with pillion.

Also agreed about ktm, overpriced and not sure about reliability. Same as bmw BTW.

As for the tiger XC I am considering one as well along with yamaha super or just the xt660z tenere. Unfortunately xt660z is no longer built in Japan and reliability is not too good as it was. Many serious problem reported with clutch, engine etc. Not sure yet where is the super tenere built but is a little bit expensive. Tiger XC seems to be just in the middle, reliability of triumph is quite impressive and what you get for the money is very good. Not sure about the parts all over the world though.

Have you consider honda crosstourer or maybe new transalp as it shows up?

[preachan]

@mollydog Two-up is the only way to go for the immediate future anyway. Like you say two bikes is twice the expense. Down the line definitely though. And whatever about kids, there'll be no SUV, it'll be a 4WD camper at that stage!

Originally Posted by robson

Have you consider honda crosstourer or maybe new transalp as it shows up?

Hadn't heard anything stand-outish about the Crosstourer, there's also not many of them around or at an affordable price. The Transalp could definitely be an option though, what particular year/version were you thinking about? How would it compare to the V-Strom?

[robson]

Originally Posted by preachan

The Transalp could definitely be an option though, what particular year/version were you thinking about? How would it compare to the V-Strom?

the year they stopped transalp was I guess 2012 so you could buy used one although I heard not so many for sale, got to be a good bike.

v-storm as I said is top heavy making slow speed maneuvers tricky. That feature alone disqualifies bike for me. Besides I like spokes on transalp.

[VicMitch]

if you think a V-Strom is boring, you're not riding it right!.

imagine you just robbed a bank and the cops are chasing you, then you will see how capable and fun it can be


V-Strom, embaressing sport bikes for 10 years

[jkrijt]

I don know about the prices in Oz but here in the Netherlands, you can get a very good BMW K100 or K75 for a bargain. Very good reliable bikes and very well suited for two-up riding.
If you don't care for lots of chrome or fancy "adventure" style, it is a very good choice.

Another option is a older GoldWing. I bought my very well maintained GL1200 with less then 60000 miles for about € 2000 and this is the kind of bike your girlfriend will sit very comfortable and you will have plenty of luggage room.

If you want to ride a lot on dirt roads, the BMW may be a better choice but for tarmac, I love riding my GoldWIng.

[island Doug]

Unless you plan a lot of riding on dirt consider a Yamaha TDM. Dead reliable ,cheap 2nd hand and your pillion will thank you.
On dirt I'd go with the vstrom. How you ride it is what makes them exciting.

[mollydog]

Originally Posted by VicMitch

if you think a V-Strom is boring, you're not riding it right!.
imagine you just robbed a bank and the cops are chasing you, then you will see how capable and fun it can be

V-Strom, embaressing sport bikes for 10 years

Don't be too hard on the guy Vic, it's obvious he's never ridden a Strom. I owned two of them, put 90K on one. Many severe trips to Baja, Copper Canyon and beyond. Lots more off road than recommended. My DL1000 never missed a beat and DID embarrass a lot of sport bikes ... and positively ATE big GS's for lunch. Many many 10 hour, 400 mile days, over and over and over. Boring?
To the Brits and the inexperienced, maybe. But as you know, in the USA it's one of THE most popular ADV bikes on the road in the last 10 years. (DL1000 and DL650)

I bought a Tiger 1050 just to break the monotony of owning a bike that never had a problem and rarely needed service.

[mollydog]

Originally Posted by island Doug

Unless you plan a lot of riding on dirt consider a Yamaha TDM. Dead reliable ,cheap 2nd hand and your pillion will thank you. On dirt I'd go with the vstrom. How you ride it is what makes them exciting.

I traded in my TDM when I got my Vstrom. I put about 30K miles on my TDM, all year riding on California roads. No comparison really.

First off ... the TDM is a torture rack two up compared to the Vstrom. Vstrom has better seat, has more room for two, handles better, is faster and stops better. Also fantastic when loaded with luggage. Very easy to load up.

The NEW DL1000 is especially good ... but many many well set up used Vstroms around too for cheap. I recommend the 1000 over the 650 for two up. Ridden BOTH bikes a lot, owned two DL1000's.

My TDM was reliable but really a poor handling bike. Not easy to work on. Also, the 17" X 17" Tires means no Off Road. Scary off road (I did it on mine). The Stroms all have 19" front wheels so TKC80 knobbies can be fit ... They transform the Vstrom ... it's actually pretty good on dirt roads, and a great LD touring bike.

[Djimny]

Hi,
I think the V Strom will be good. Strong, good seats and easy to handle.

Djin

[g6snl]

After a lot of research and dilly dallying I went for 650 vstrom.
Done loads of 2up touring on paved and dirt /gravel too. Fully loaded with camping stuff.

Its cheap reliable and comfy can be tweaked and improved with add-ons at reasonable cost. As with any bike, get the right tyres for the terrain you are on and it's great.

Most importantly for me it gets there and back where ever that might be, without me giving it a second thought, apart from changing oil as required.

Not once have I wished for the 1000cc version.

[Squily]

Preachan

Maybe I missed it, but you didn't say where in Oz. And this will make a difference on your machine choice.

E.g. Tasmania- riding is great and mountainous, twisting fun. You could really have lots of fun on any bike, but something like DL would supply you with most options. Whereas if you're going to Perth, it gets a bit more 6 of one, half-a-dozen. Perth is Sand on the plains- so you if you want to do the tracks, light and nimble is fun. Distances and fuel range is not an issue, and you won't worry too much on vibration.

The hills can be a mixture of both. But if you intend to see/tour, you're looking at long distances and not too many twisties. Making a bigger/heavier/more comfortable machine with less vibration a bit more attractive.

If you're stuck in Northern Territory, well- you might be screwed (Just kidding- great rides, but fuel is a major issue and you'll want tank-capacity and reliability)

Have a look at ADV site for bikes for sale and to get an idea of price. OZ Flea Market ** PLEASE-READ THE RULES in FIRST POST BEFORE SUBMITTING AD*** - ADVrider

In general, any European brand tends to be more expensive than it's Japanese counterpart. And there are less support for it. E.g. we're 'remote', but stay in a bigg'ish town. Here they support Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki. That's it- anything else- no factory warranty etc. I've just had to wait two weeks for a rear sprocket (aftermarket no less- not even original) for my Tiger 955.

The DL is a VERY popular machine here in Oz. And they're relatively cheap- around 1k cheaper than the equivalent Transalp. But I don't like it either- my size 14's just can't deal with the mandatory size 7 shoes you need to shift gears on the bike But I can't necessarily agree about some of the other comments made- for one: the DL has one of the lowest center of gravities of bike in this class- definitely less top-heavy than the Transalp. But this mainly due to it's low-slung engine, which reduces ground clearance considerably.

I prefer Honda. Thus I'd prefer the Transalp, but not the latest 700cc incarnation with the 19" front wheel. The Transalp feels less powerful than the DL (and has about 2000 rpm less to use), but with a 21" front wheel, it offers more off-road ability.

If you're thinking of a big (budget) single- the DR650 is very popular here as well. Yes, the KLR appears to be popular to, but the DR is better for here. And you'd likely pick up a brand new DR for not much more than a second hand Transalp/DL. And if you go for two bike- the DRZ400 would be a great little machine for the missus.

My final 2c- it doesn't matter how good a bike looks on paper, unless it 'moves' your soul, you won't want to ride it anyway. So what does your HEART tell you to buy?