Moving Up

[kemp]

I moved up last year from a Ninja 250 to a Bandit 1200S. Everyone here basically said if you respect the power, the transition can be made. Once I grew accustomed to the extra girth and power, everything went smoothly. I would recommend a used Bandit; it makes pretty seamless power, and is fairly comfortable on long rides.

[kendenton]

If you're looking mostly at Triumphs, how about the new Tiger 1050?  Sat on once today at a m/c show and it's very nice.  About the same seating position as my Multistrada.

[soonerfan85]

Having moved up to my 955cc Daytona from a sloth like carburated 800cc V-twin some time ago, I would agree that the jump to a modern liter bike is a reason for concern; however, if you are the responsible rider you appear to be from reading this thread, the Sprint would be a great choice for the riding style you describe. Used Sprints are very good buys on the used bike market, but they are a little bit more difficult to find. The 955cc triple engines are pretty much bulletproof, and nothing sounds more wicked than a triple with offroad cans moving up through the gears. The Sprint engine is basically the same as the 120hp Daytona, except the Sprints are tuned to be more tour friendly. Their performance numbers may not be at the top when compared to other liter bikes, but the Sprint's road manners and rider friendly ergos are top notch. It's a bike designed to be ridden on real roads, not race tracks. Once you have some saddle time on the Sprint, you can always do the popular (and inexpensive) front and rear sprocket change to achieve more low end grunt if needed. And, if you really want to get the most out of the 955cc engine, buying a TuneBoy to load custom maps to the ECU will be a worthwile investment. If you decide to go for a Sprint, check out the Triumph dedicated websites for info on used bikes and all things Triumph.   Good luck.  

[Grainbelt]

I moved up from a GS500 to a Ninja 650. Doesn't sound like much, but fuel injection, modern brakes, 70hp, and better luggage options mean it is a tremendous improvement over my GS. I didn't want a lot of weight, power, or complexity, and the 650R is a good comprimise for me.

[Zerosum]

 Any of the bigger bikes require you to learn to not hamfist the throttle.  In fact I think that's the biggest issue when you have ridden a lower powered bike for a long time.

Very true.  I just "stepped up" to my VFR750 from my Hawk GT.  A few days after I got it, I cranked on the VFR's throttle like I would on my Hawk's... and broke the rear wheel loose.    (The tires that came with it were quite old.)  If it weren't for the super-stable VFR geometry, it probably would have turned into a tank slapper.

Also, coldsilence I must say I'm impressed!  10,000 miles in six months?  I WISH I was able to ride that much!  I'd also suggest looking at either the Ninja 650R or the V-Strom 650.  If I could only have one bike, instead of the two I have, I'd choose a V-Strom 650.

[Rabidsnipe]

I'll put in another vote for the VFR.  It will have more power than what you've got now but in a very stable, easy to use platform.  It is heavier than other sport bikes, but not enough that it'll give you any trouble handling at slow speeds.

Another bike that could serve very well as a step up is the V-Strom 650.  The utility of the bike is just amazing.  It is a little taller seat height but it is very easy to handle and has great useable power.  Plus there are a ton of aftermarket acc. to add when you feel like it.