Smallest bike for 2-up Sport Touring?

[AJP]

From your experience, what is the smallest sport-touring bike that can comfortably be ridden 2-up?  I love my current small bike (CBR125R), but there is no way I would carry a passenger on it.  

I love how nimble small bikes are in the corners, and how easy they are to maneuver at low speeds (I have never dropped my bike).  

My insurance (with State Farm) is based solely on engine size, so the smaller it is, the cheaper to insure...

All that being said, I would love to take my wife with me when I go out riding.  How small a bike can I get that can do the things I enjoy (commuting, touring, taking a spirited ride in the twisties) and also comfortably carry a passenger on the back?

[RickC1957]

  The VFR....the ST3.... But I won't call either small. SV650 I can't imagine doing two up Sport touring on a GS500

[tigertim955]

 Insurance up here IS a factor in bike choice. My girlfriend and I will ride good distance on our '69 BSA 650 , 200kms +, but it's a killer by the time we get home.( I've got lots of respect for the guys who rode them across the country back in the day ! ) I figure an EX500 or similar Suzuki would give lots of power and room for two. Those CBR 125 's look like a blast to ride ! You'd never have to let up on the throttle on the 511 !!!

[davop]

The Yamaha FZ6 has the ergos of a liter bike and would work two up. But, you'd have to keep the revs up cause it's not torquey. Another option is the Suzuki DL650. It has a torquey V-twin and is very roomy for two up. But, it does ride high, which maybe intimidating for your passenger. The Kawasaki Ninja 650 might work, but it's not as roomy.

[JReazor]

SV650

My wife would not recomend the SV. The engine isn't a huge issue but she finds the pillion seating position too uncomfortable for more then a short ride. The pegs are too high.

[Rincewind]

I've often heard the V-strom 650 does ok 2-up, but I don't have any personal experience with that bike.  If you want to stay under 600cc for insurance, the Honda 599 (maybe called Hornet 600 in Canada, I'm not sure) appears to have a reasonable pillion seat with legroom.  

[birdrunner]

I've often heard the V-strom 650 does ok 2-up, but I don't have any personal experience with that bike.  If you want to stay under 600cc for insurance, the Honda 599 (maybe called Hornet 600 in Canada, I'm not sure) appears to have a reasonable pillion seat with legroom.  

+1



And RE  CBR125.   Did you get in on the Promotion this spring.   They sold very well here!   Can't beat the price.     I want a used one for track days.

[cosmoose]

All that being said, I would love to take my wife with me when I go out riding.  How small a bike can I get that can do the things I enjoy (commuting, touring, taking a spirited ride in the twisties) and also comfortably carry a passenger on the back?

If you're clever about it, you could probably fit her onto the back of a Bandit 400 with a custom seat (like a Russell) that's wider than stock.  Ditto the GS500 or Ninja 500.  Maybe you could rig a Ninja 250 similarly, but I don't know how wide or long the seat pan is on that one.  

The seat, obviously, has a lot to do with how comfortable the bike is.  Pick something with the widest, longest rear pad you can find, budget about $500 for the custom work, and make your wife happy.  

That said, I have a V-Strom 1000 with a custom seat, and my wife still isn't happy.  So a lot depends on the woman...

Dave

[Avigar]

It would depend on the combined weight of the rider + passenger + luggage capacity. I'd go with the VFR800 as a minimum. You'll need an aftermarket seat with a backrest.

[JReazor]

So a lot depends on the woman...

Ya got that right!

[AJP]

The Yamaha FZ6 has the ergos of a liter bike and would work two up. But, you'd have to keep the revs up cause it's not torquey. Another option is the Suzuki DL650. It has a torquey V-twin and is very roomy for two up. But, it does ride high, which maybe intimidating for your passenger. The Kawasaki Ninja 650 might work, but it's not as roomy.

I sat on the FZ6 today.  It felt pretty big for a 600; I couldn't comfortably flat-foot it with both feet.  I understand it can be lowered.  The DL looks big too, but I haven't sat on one so can't say for sure.  I love the Ninja 650, and the rear seat looks bigger than on many 600s, but I don't know how high the rear footpegs are...does anyone have experience riding pillion on a Ninja 650?

My wife would not recomend the SV. The engine isn't a huge issue but she finds the pillion seating position too uncomfortable for more then a short ride. The pegs are too high.

Yeah, I was afraid of that...it looked like they were.

I've often heard the V-strom 650 does ok 2-up, but I don't have any personal experience with that bike.  If you want to stay under 600cc for insurance, the Honda 599 (maybe called Hornet 600 in Canada, I'm not sure) appears to have a reasonable pillion seat with legroom.  

I'm a little hesitant to get a bike with carbs at this point, since I'd trust the fuel injection more when it gets cold (which of course it is often up here).  The 2007 Hornet that was released this year in England looks amazing...love the new engine too...yet to hear if we will get it in Canada next year.  I wonder if it would be tougher to take long rides on a naked bike (I have never tried a naked)?

If you're clever about it, you could probably fit her onto the back of a Bandit 400 with a custom seat (like a Russell) that's wider than stock.  Ditto the GS500 or Ninja 500.  Maybe you could rig a Ninja 250 similarly, but I don't know how wide or long the seat pan is on that one.  

The seat, obviously, has a lot to do with how comfortable the bike is.  Pick something with the widest, longest rear pad you can find, budget about $500 for the custom work, and make your wife happy.  

Any recommendations (other than Corbin) for custom seats?  Or do you mean CUSTOM custom?

It would depend on the combined weight of the rider + passenger + luggage capacity. I'd go with the VFR800 as a minimum. You'll need an aftermarket seat with a backrest.

I'd say 500 lbs?  The VFR is heavier than I would like, and will cost more in insurance, but it is attractive in just about every other aspect...

And RE  CBR125.   Did you get in on the Promotion this spring.   They sold very well here!   Can't beat the price.     I want a used one for track days.

I did get in on the GO promotion.  I LOVE the bike.  I'm hoping to keep it and add a second bike, but we'll see.

[Rincewind]

I'm a little hesitant to get a bike with carbs at this point, since I'd trust the fuel injection more when it gets cold (which of course it is often up here).  The 2007 Hornet that was released this year in England looks amazing...love the new engine too...yet to hear if we will get it in Canada next year.  I wonder if it would be tougher to take long rides on a naked bike (I have never tried a naked)?

In my experience carbs will run fine in the cold.  It would have a choke for cold-starting.  You can tour as long as you want on a naked bike.  If you notice, a lot of naked bike riders install windscreens of one sort or another.  By buying an aftermarket windscreen you can get the exact level of protection you want for however cold you want.  A Hornet with a National Cycle Plexifairing would have more wind protection than most any other faired bikes in that class.  And when it is hot you can ride free of the windscreen and get clean, good air with less bugs, generally, than a faired bike.  My last bike was a naked Triumph Thunderbird and I had a Plexifairing for winter weather - it easily provided more protection from the cold than my Tiger does.  

The Hornet is also a smaller, more compact bike that may be easier if you are uncomfortable with the size of the FZ6 or V-strom 650.

Also of note int he low cc, short-bike category would be the Ducati Monster 620 or 695 - you'd probably need a different seat, though, as the pillion seats are small.  They do have a shorter range though as the tanks are a little smaller.

If you are going to do a lot of 2-up touring on a small, economy bike you may want to factor in some cost for an upgraded rear shock.

[Rincewind]

Also forgot to mention the Kawasaki 650R, which seems to have good legroom for the passenger, though maybe not the widest seat.  That's a cool little bike that you could get fully faired.  Or perhaps a fully faired Suzuki GS500 if you want to go even smaller.  

Depending on how short your passenger is, a 599cc CBR600F4i with a banana-seat might work well, too.  If your insurance is just looking at cc's and not bike type, I'd be very tempted to get a F4i.

[AJP]

Also forgot to mention the Kawasaki 650R, which seems to have good legroom for the passenger, though maybe not the widest seat.  That's a cool little bike that you could get fully faired.  Or perhaps a fully faired Suzuki GS500 if you want to go even smaller.  

Depending on how short your passenger is, a 599cc CBR600F4i with a banana-seat might work well, too.  If your insurance is just looking at cc's and not bike type, I'd be very tempted to get a F4i.

My wife sat on a 650R with me last year...she said she was genuinely surprised at how comfortable she found it to be.  Mind you, she was only up there for 30 seconds...

My insurance does indeed care only about engine CCs.  I have never sat on an F4i; I sort of presumed the ergos would be too "sport" to be comfortable for a passenger.  

Also of note int he low cc, short-bike category would be the Ducati Monster 620 or 695 - you'd probably need a different seat, though, as the pillion seats are small.  They do have a shorter range though as the tanks are a little smaller.

If you are going to do a lot of 2-up touring on a small, economy bike you may want to factor in some cost for an upgraded rear shock.

I visited the local Ducati dealer tonight, but they were completely sold out of the 695 and will not get more until next model year.  No used ones in stock either.  Is it true that repairs and maintenance on those are horrendous?

I'm going to hold off on a Honda 599 until I find out if we're getting the new version next year...

Thanks for all the input so far!

[davop]

My experience with handle bar mounted windscreens is that they are very sensative to wind conditions. Frame mounted farings affects the steering less.
I wouldn't want to go two up on the interstate for any distance on less than 600cc.

[tigertim955]

 As for Ducati,the maintenance is a bit more intensive . But it's not nearly what I'd expected when we bought our Multi. ( the '07's have longer service intervals )The Duc dealer in Ottawa is very good. I've only had service done there and have never needed help on the road. 25,000 kms and never a problem. ( add a Scottoiler....... fantastic product ) If you're a newer rider though, the insurance demon may raise his ugly head.
 A Ducati won't get you into trouble , but it's a willing and able accomplice !!! Greatest fun I've ever had on two wheels. Highly reccomended.

[Sorthum]

Were it up to me I'd investigate different insurance; two up on the SV650 is downright PAINFUL, as the suspension goes completely to crap.

[county]

60 + Hp will do the job.

750 Nighthawk or that 750 Kawasaki would work.

I'd stay away from anything "sporty" and go for a standard.  Take the s/o and go sit on some.  

[cosmoose]

Any recommendations (other than Corbin) for custom seats?  Or do you mean CUSTOM custom?

I meant CUSTOM custom, but a good Sargent might do you okay.  Frankly, most of the true custom shops aren't that much more expensive than a standard aftermarket seat.  And I wouldn't put anyone I liked on a Corbin.  

My list of seat makers:

Cee Bailey's
http://www.ceebaileys.com/seats/seatservmain.html

Rick Mayer
http://www.homestead.com/prosites-rmcycle

Rocky Mayer (under dad Bill's name)
http://www.billmayersaddles.com

Sargent (mine)
http://www.sargentcycle.com/custserv.htm

Russell (the be-all and end-all)
http://www.day-long.com

Russell's seats are more expensive, but they have an internal spring structure that allows the seat to be wider than the pan.  They're not pretty, but they will coddle your backside like nothing else.  If your butt ain't happy on a Russell, there's nothing to be done for you.  Dig what they did to this FZ1.  Now there's a passenger perch!

http://www.day-long.com/NewBikePges_9_07/Ymha_FZI.html

But the other guys do good work, too.  Any custom seat is probably better than stock by a long shot.  

Dave

[Mastros2]

+1 for the Suzuki sv650 of the Wee Strom

[tigertim955]

( re. Russel seat ) I can absorb a LOT of pain before doing THAT to any bike. What was that guy thinking!?! Certainly my own opinion.

[GooseMan]

If you're clever about it, you could probably fit her onto the back of a Bandit 400 with a custom seat (like a Russell) that's wider than stock.  

I wouldnt really recommend the Bandit 400 as a good tourer. The engine is pretty high strung, matched to pretty low gearing...so its revving at around 8000rpm at 120kmh! I'm thinking of changing the sprockets on mine to calm it down a bit.

I'm not a big guy (5'9, 165lbs) and I find the Bandit to be pretty cramped even for me. After about and hour or so, my knees hurt and my ass falls asleep...although a custom seat would improve comfort quite a bit.

On the upside, I finally found a rack kit for mounting hard cases (side cases AND top case!), it is a fun bike when NOT touring, and it is very cheap! My insurance is only $86/year!  

[Lon]

V-Strom 650 is probably the best bet:

GVWR: 925 lb
Wet weight: 471.5 lb
Carrying capacity: 453.5 lb

src: http://www.classicmotorcycles.biz/classic/suzuki/thread84.html

FZ6, 599, and SV650 weight load capacities available here:
http://www.ridermagazine.com/output.cfm?id=775099

Remember that GVWR is there for a reason, and it's not arbitrary.  Luggage will add extra weight, so don't forget to factor that in (wingracks are HEAVY!).

[CODan]

Don't get fixated on horsepower.

I very successfully road 2 up on a 70s Suzuki 750, about 65 or 70 hp. Did fine, wasn't a rocket, but plenty of power for reasonable riding. Any 500 and up bike will have that much hp these days.

IMO, what you want is something physically big enough to seat two in comfort. GS500 maybe, Kawaksaki 650 twin (ninja maybe?).

If you seriously tour you'll probably want a custom seat.

Stay away from the crotch rockets imo.

[UHOH]

From your experience, what is the smallest sport-touring bike that can comfortably be ridden 2-up?  I love my current small bike (CBR125R), but there is no way I would carry a passenger on it.  
...

in my opinion, sport touring and 2-up can only be done comfortably with 750 cc and above.
 a big step up from 125cc

what ever you get, however, politely suggest you make yourself comfortable
with it before you start carrying a passenger.   One way to do this is
to seek out small group rides (2-4 bikes).   Try to seek moderate riders

[Rincewind]

V-Strom 650 is probably the best bet:


src: http://www.classicmotorcycles.biz/classic/suzuki/thread84.html

FZ6, 599, and SV650 weight load capacities available here:
http://www.ridermagazine.com/output.cfm?id=775099

Remember that GVWR is there for a reason, and it's not arbitrary.  Luggage will add extra weight, so don't forget to factor that in (wingracks are HEAVY!).

Very good point, I didn't realize the 599 load cap was so low (378lbs).  This should definitely be considered in the equation.  SV load cap is alot more -very near the Weestrom!

[AJP]

Wow, i would have thought the 599 could carry more than that...I think my 125 is close to that.  

I am going to check out the Ninja 650r, and see if it is a compromise between the small bike I love and the bigger bike I "need"...but what I may end up doing is keeping my CBR125R, and adding an older second bike for 2-up riding; maybe something late 80s, early 90s.  Hopefully insurance on it will be lower.  Maybe a VFR750?  Has anyone gone 2-up on one of those?

[Playinthestreet]

Dogboy and his wife do a fair amount of two up riding on their DL-650.  Might want to pm him for his thoughts.

[andmoon]

dl 650
burgman 600
all maxi scooters 400 and above.

[Stormer]

Bandit 650S here, and it's just GREAT.
Maybe even a GS500 could to the job.

[vadim]

V-Strom is very high - check your inseam.

Honda 599 is nice but missing windshield and seat is a torture - can't handle more than hour and a half.

YZF600R does it for us - enough power, not too heavy, fully faired, and has a good seat (especially if you compare with modern middleweights! ). Did 300 miles two-up (highway and mountains), could do more but pillion objected

[FiremanBob]

To carry the load comfortably what you want is torque, not high rpm horsepower.  That would argue in favor of twins. The Kaw 650 looks good. An 80s 500 Interceptor might also work for you - that V4 is pretty torquey for a small engine.

[Grainbelt]

Nobody mentioned the Versys!!!!

It is based on the Ninja650R but has fully adjustable suspension and a bigger seat, and is tuned a bit more for torque IIRC.  Already have them all over in Canada, just released in the US this year.

I love my 650R, but if I was doing alot of passenger time I'd definitely look at the Versys for the legroom, better seat, and adjustable suspension.

[Lon]

Maybe even a GS500 could to the job.

I'd stay really far away from a GS500 for 2-up duty if 2-up duty is more than a couple of miles at a shot.

edit...

Unless you're trying to prove something ... heh.

[Ant]

Bandit works well for me, I've just done 1350 miles 2-up around Scotland with full luggage  

[Cpl Punishment]

Douglas Dragonfly.  

But seriously, most of the Jap 500-600 commuter bikes would do fine.

[R Doug]

Nobody mentioned the Versys!!!!

It is based on the Ninja650R but has fully adjustable suspension and a bigger seat, and is tuned a bit more for torque IIRC.  Already have them all over in Canada, just released in the US this year.

I love my 650R, but if I was doing alot of passenger time I'd definitely look at the Versys for the legroom, better seat, and adjustable suspension.

A big old +1!

That's exactly what I was thinking as I was going through the posts.  IMHO, it would make a better touring bike than the Ninja 650R for the reasons you mentioned.

[FiremanBob]

Robert Pirsig (Zen and the Art of MC Maintenance) went from Minneapolis to San Francisco with his son on a Honda CB77 with no problems other than re-jetting the carbs for altitude in the Rockies.

[county]

Robert Pirsig (Zen and the Art of MC Maintenance) went from Minneapolis to San Francisco with his son on a Honda CB77 with no problems other than re-jetting the carbs for altitude in the Rockies.

As I recall, the son wasn't full grown.

[AJP]

I think the Versys is a little too tall for me...I'm only 5'9, and have a 30 inch inseam.  I really prefer to be able to flat-foot the bike with both feet.

I'm trying to find a Ninja 650 to demo, and if I can ride a Versys at the same time...we'll see how it feels.

I'll have to look up the max weight it can carry though; for two of us + soft luggage, I need over 400 lbs.  The Euro Hornet 600 (which I would be really interested in if it came to NA) takes a max 375.    That's the same as my CBR125R...

[burmbuster]

I would seriously consider the BMW F800ST. Rotax engine is very good and I almost decided on the F800 as my next bike. The Triumph Sprint ST is by far the best value.

[davop]

The V-strom has a knob reachable while on the bike, to adjust the rear suspension. It affects ride height, so it may adapt to you. I don't know if the Versy has this handy feature too.

[bomber]

lots of good data here -- without knowing (or having seen) you and your wife, it's a tough call to make (people come in such a bewildering range of shapes and sizes)

dedicate a Saturday to roaming the dealerships in your neck of the woods and do a sit test -- this'll narrow the range of choices a great deal

[motoguy128]

I vote also for the DL650 or 650R if you're on a tighter budget.

THe BMW F800ST is also a great option.  Great useable power on the top end as you get more comfortable, but like a 600cc sportbike, at the bottom end, it's very manageable without being too underpowered with a passenger.

The big advantage for 2-up riding for the F800ST and DL650 is that the passenger pegs are low, so the passenger isn't balled up like on a sportbike, and both have standard luggage racks you can mount a top case on.  That way, your SO can even bring her purse.

Yes, not many BMW dealers, but I'll take 1 good BMW dealer 50-100 miles away, than 5, 6 ore even 10 typical Kawihondazuki dealer.

[ctfz1]

Best insurance cruncher is buy used, pay cash, and get liability only.
Bonneville Liberty would work if 50 rwhp is ok.
Like the Ninja 650 much.
USED FZ6 or FZ1 (01-05) can lower by dropping forks 1 in. and longer dog bones $30-60.  Best if resprung for two up ($250) but many do not. and are happy.

[SV Sid]

Though I never did it I'm old enough to remember when folk toured two up on a 350 or 500 single (I suppose at the time they might have called it sport touring had the term been invented for in those days the object was to carry as little as you could get away with, which remains my philosophy) so any modern bike of 500 and up should provide an enjoyable tour on real roads with adequate speeds on motorways if you insist on using them.  My old Revere 600 (Bros type thing to you guys) sat at 100 two up quite happily.  Modern police attitudes have prevented me testing the SV in the same manner but I'm sure you could add 10 or so mph to that.

Being an old fart I don't consider my SV 650 a small bike but I suppose it is in your terms.  That being the case I can say that we travelled two up from Scotland to Italy with camping gear and two panniers and had no problem up the Alpine passes without having to screw the neck off the thing.  Handled fine and no complaints about comfort from "her on the back" either.  It even got us to the top of the Col del Sommelier in several inches of snow at the Stella Alpina rally.  The DL we tried got the thumbs down due to the battering her head got from the screen turbulence.

It's all in the mind to a certain extent, a lot of people "overbike" probably due to the magazine hype, so go with what you feel you can get away with.  My personal choice would avoid an in-line four as, to me, particularly for "touring" it just does not give that motorcycle feel, too much like riding a vacuum cleaner.  Two up touring with your partner is a very intimate experience and the psychological aspect is important to the enjoyment.

[JReazor]

Though I never did it I'm old enough to remember when folk toured two up on a 350 or 500 single...

This isn't 'Big Sid', formerly of the SVRider.com e-mail list is it?

[SV Sid]

No, merely someone of a slightly alliterative tendency when called upon to come up with a name quickly when registering.

[cbsnbiker]

My insurance (with State Farm) is based solely on engine size, so the smaller it is, the cheaper to insure...

Hmmm, just thinking out loud (so to speak), but you could always buy an early '70s BMW R50/5. It's a 500cc bike. Then you could throw 750cc jugs and pistons on it, rejet the carbs, and have a 750cc bike that is titled as a 500. Or you might be able to go even bigger.  

[hig4s]

the key to two up touring on any bike that is not a full dress touring bike is a good custom two up saddle.  I put a Rick Mayer on my ZR-7. Before the custom seat I could do about 200 miles solo and about 50 miles two up in a day. After I could do 450 miles solo and about 200 two up in a day. Of couse the wife and I are getting older and I have bad knees, back and other things.

[cbsnbiker]

As has been mentioned, load capacity is important when planning on buying a bike for two-up riding.

So is passenger comfort. If you can, take your passenger for test rides before buying. If all she's unhappy about is the seat, that can be altered or replaced. Other stuff is harder to fix or adjust.

FWIW, the BMW F650GS has a load capacity of over 400 lbs. It doesn't have a huge amount of HP, and you won't be able to do lightning-fast passes like your friends on sportbikes, but it certainly has enough HP to get around, and you'll get 65+ MPG in the process. It's probably best for more petite passengers; zaftig or tall ones might be less comfortable.

For more HP, the Wee Strom is a better choice, but it's also taller and heavier.

[tripntx]

My wife and I ride an '07 Kawasaki ZZR600 out-fitted with Givi Luggage which I painted to match the bike. Purchased in Jan '07, we now have over 8k on the bike. It'll cruise all day long 2-up at 85 mph and maintain 40+ mpg. It is light, and lots of fun. Corbin seat, throttle mister bar ends, heli bars, and touring screen made it mine. MSRP is only $7299 and full coverage insurance for the yr is $300. Can't go wrong if on a budget, want something to commute to work on and have fun in the twisties with sport bike riding friends.

[RBEmerson]

In the early 70's my wife and I toured lower New England, out to Cape Cod, on a Yammy YDS-3.  We followed that trip up with a trip to New Hampshire, including riding up Mt. Washington on a Suzuki T-305.  A couple of years later we wussed out and put a gold Suzuki T-500 Titan II in the back of our center-engined Econoline, parked at a KOA near Williamsburg, rolled the T-500 down the loading ramp, and tore up the Colonial Parkway area.  Ah, to be young and clueless...  

[whitewolf]

OK, it may just be my wife and myself, but we went on a trip to Colorado on my Gs500f. We had everything we needed in the saddle bags and tank bag. The only mod I did make before the trip was adding a lamb skin on the seat. We spent a week in Colorado on it. We both rode comfortable on it and had fun. If you think I am just a kid bragging, I am not. My wife and I are both 43 years old.

[Heath3n]

Casting my vote for a ZZR600 and a VFR.

[uvakat]

Being an old fart I don't consider my SV 650 a small bike but I suppose it is in your terms.  That being the case I can say that we travelled two up from Scotland to Italy with camping gear and two panniers and had no problem up the Alpine passes without having to screw the neck off the thing.  Handled fine and no complaints about comfort from "her on the back" either.  It even got us to the top of the Col del Sommelier in several inches of snow at the Stella Alpina rally.  The DL we tried got the thumbs down due to the battering her head got from the screen turbulence.

I may have to disagree with that. I've only been on the back of the SV a few times since I prefer to ride mine instead of  being a passenger. I can honestly say I could not imagine touring on it. The 30 minute ride felt like torture for me.

[xsrider]

60 + Hp will do the job.

750 Nighthawk or that 750 Kawasaki would work.

I'd stay away from anything "sporty" and go for a standard.  Take the s/o and go sit on some.  

I have a Kawasaki ZR-7S (750cc and it has a frame mounted half fairing).  I have toured with my wife on the ZR-7S and it has worked very well, thank you.  The ZR-7S also has a 5.8 gallon gas tank - that's a big plus.  They are also fairly inexpensive - but only available used.

[WBBG]

It is with great regrets that I must inform you that in order to find the bike you are looking for you have no alternative but to move to Europe........best of luck to you.

[hig4s]

I have a Kawasaki ZR-7S (750cc and it has a frame mounted half fairing).  I have toured with my wife on the ZR-7S and it has worked very well, thank you.  The ZR-7S also has a 5.8 gallon gas tank - that's a big plus.  They are also fairly inexpensive - but only available used.

I have a ZR-7S with a custom Rick Mayer two up saddle. Never had any problems with it riding two or long distances. But I'm getting old and went and bought a full dress touring bike for two up riding and I'm selling the ZR.

[Cpl Punishment]

Anybody6 want to buy my fine Kwak GT550? T'will do the job!  

[cbsnbiker]

Or my '74 R90/6? It is a proto-sport-tourer!

[SV Sid]

I may have to disagree with that. I've only been on the back of the SV a few times since I prefer to ride mine instead of  being a passenger. I can honestly say I could not imagine touring on it. The 30 minute ride felt like torture for me.
[/quote





Well I haven't been on the back of the SV myself, having to rely on the opinion of my "professional passenger".  Mind you she was happy enough on the back of the Royal Enfield 500 (27 bhp) we tested a month ago.  This was quite brisk on real roads but not suitable for the freeway if you insist on using them though 85 mpg Imperial = 73 mpg US has its attractions, particularly with petrol at the equivalent of 7 dollars 84 cents per US gallon.  3 dollars a gallon?  Yes please.

[Sameraz]

I think it depends totally on the people...moreso than the bike.

http://forums.ninja250.org/viewtopic.php?p=617967#617967

I followed Eric and Erin down 101 from where we all ended up camping at Patrick's Point down to Arcata to visit Fred.  They were cruising down the road at speeds nicely above 70 (indicated).  I was pretty amazed how they had the bike packed and had themselves set up.  My wife didn't like riding pillion on my 250 for more than 30 minutes at a time.

[chiltech500]

rebel 250

my wife's is for sale!!!!!!!!!!!

[Bug R]

( re. Russel seat ) I can absorb a LOT of pain before doing THAT to any bike. What was that guy thinking!?! Certainly my own opinion.

After 9,000miles in ten days you might change you mind, Fuction over of form any day.

Chris

[ctfz1]

Nighthawk 750 or Pacific Coast 800 or  Suzuki VX800. old enough to need only liability insurance, yet quite capable. Suspension and sadde upgrades as needed.
Concours can be had from $3000 or so.
Late 90s Valkyrie or V4 Yamaha.

[Outrace]

I think the decision is more a matter of your expectations than any particular bike model.  You have a 125 now, so shifting and mild power are your current environment.  A midsized standard will feel like a tank - heavy and massively powerful in comparison to the 125.  Even the 500 Ninja will be a monster.

So, since you're quite familiar with stirring the gearbox and spinning the motor, I'd suggest you:

1) Determine your budget
2) Find a bike that allows her to sit comfortably.
3) Buy it, whatever it is.

[Mastros2]

Ever think of a maxi-scooter?  Maybe a 650/400 Burgman or a silverwing?  Also, Piaggio parent company has a few 500 models to choose from.

[Allan]

I have owned both the FZ6 and the DL650 and both are adequate for two up. The DL650 more so than the FZ6 because of its larger seat, more upright riding position and the face that the twin puts down way more torque you don’t have to keep the revs up high all the time. Plus with the luggage rack on the back of the DL650 there are allot of cheap options for a top case.

P.S. Unless it different in Canada the DL650 is a FI bike.

[Fourstring]

Ever think of a maxi-scooter?  Maybe a 650/400 Burgman or a silverwing?  Also, Piaggio parent company has a few 500 models to choose from.

Oh, yeah, especially if you're worried about seat height.

If you're not worried about top end, the Burgman 400 has one of the most comfortable stock seats for a passenger on two wheels.  My wife hates the Concours, but she could sit on back of the Burgman all day.  Yes, it will do 80 mph two-up.

Hey, mine's for sale!