If not your BMW than what......

[russell_bynum]

I don't own a BMW anymore, but when I bought my R1100RT the other front-runner was the ST1100. The Honda is a great bike, but I don't regret going with the RT instead.

 

BMW doesn't really make anything that lights my fire right now. I guess if someone stole my Tuono and said I had to replace it with a BMW (and gave me the money to pay for it), I'd buy the new S1000RR and figure out how to convert it into a naked.

[HighAngleHell]

I always wanted a Penton 175 Jackpiner or a Hercules 175. Something about being an ISDT competitor always turned me on.

 

DH

 

 

[bayoubengal]

R1200RT

[bendbill]

If I got rid of the RT, I'd get a . . . Oh wait--I already did that.

 

If I got rid of the ST 1300, I'd get a new Concourse with the city lids or wait for the new FJR or VFR 1200 T

[1LIFE2LIVE]

The new Ducati Multistrada 1200 Touring model.

 

I really like my 08RT but If this bike was available last year at this time it would have been in the running.

 

[dhanson]

BTDT

[JKelly]

I did move to the Buell Ulysses and absolutely love that bike.

 

Jeff

[wbrissette]

I sold my '04 RT and replaced it with an '09 RT. I already owned a Buell Ulysses at the time as well, so if for some reason I couldn't have bought another RT, I would have just kept the Uly. I've been able to do everything that the RT does (with the exception of the 245 mile gas stops) on the Uly. The Tiger, and Stelvio also peaked my interest, and I did look closely at the Tiger before I bought my Uly, but I just didn't like the stock luggage capacity.

 

Wayne

[Paul In Australia]

on my seconD RT now. If they didn't exist either a 07 VFR or the new Duc Multistrada 1200 tourer ( lowered)

regards

[bmwk100]

Mulitstrada 1200 Touring, Tiger SE, another Sprint ST or possibly the new Honda Interceptor in that order.

[Morrie]

I almost bought a Guzzi Nevada before I got the Beemer, and I'm still tempted by it. Quality construction, light weight, shaft drive, Brembo brakes (Non ABS unfortunately.) System cases and touring shield are available. Not very fast at 47HP, but I had it up to 90 indicated and it was still pulling. The main reason I didn't buy it was the 3.7 gallon tank. Even at only 750cc, that's pretty limiting.

 

 

 

[Jeepster]

The Triumph Speed Triple has been on my radar screen for a couple of years now.

Maybe when the economy settles.

For now I'm laying low as far as major purchases.

[ShovelStrokeEd]

I made this decision years ago.

 

First with my Honda Blackbird and then, after I crashed the 'Bird, a Triumph Sprint ST 1050. After modifying it to suit my tastes, it is the best sport touring bike I have ever owned. My only wish would be another gallon or so of gas.

 

Same with my recently acquired Tuono Factory although in this case, I'll just say it is the most "FUN" bike I have ever owned. The Sprint is smooth, fast and comfy. The Tuono is smooth, stupid fast and darn near as comfy. There is something about the bike that just brings out the hooligan I used to be when I was 20 and invincible. Maybe not altogether a good thing but it is gonna take the undertaker a week of work to grind the stupid grin off my face.

[Dousta]

For what it's worth, I'm on my second Triumph Trophy. My first was the 900 triple which I bought while in between BMW's. I ended up owning it for five years before returning to an R1150RT because I've traditionally always been a BMW fan. I always regretted selling it and was lucky enough to find a low mileage mint condition Trophy 1200 last year. I put 30,000 miles on my first with only adjusting the chain twice and doing the factory valve adjustment every 15000 miles. Most maintenance free comfortable sport tourer I've ever owned and if they ever decide to re introduce this model as the rumors suggest (with shaft drive) I will be first in line.

[JonathanE]

After I picked up a VFR800 and an R1150GS, I just never chose the RT when I was going for a ride. So my R1100RT went to a new owner that perhaps would ride it more than I.

 

If both of my current rides went away, I'd be shoppping for an F800GS or a V-Strom or a KTM Adventure or a . . . . There are so many great bikes out there, one of the two (I will try to always have exactly two bikes), one of them would be smallish street, and the other larger dual purpose. I'd be tempted to have three, and one of them smallish dual purpose, but I think I can resist as long as I continue to live so far away from good dirt.

[Knifemaker]

I have 3 BMW's and I do not own a RT but if they were not around I would break it down this way.....

 

Touring long distance...HD Ultra Classic...has everything and can be repaired anywhere if needed.

 

Sport Touring... Honda VFR

 

Around town, limited touring, and off road...KLR650

 

In town just for the heck of it and a cool feeling WOW factor.. I still love my 1965 Honda 150 Dream...

 

 

 

[KeithS]

When I bought my RT the runner up was the Honda ST. Right now, if I could not get a BMW, I'd look at the Concours 14 ABS or go smaller to the Wee Strom. At 62 and retired, I'd probably go for the Wee.

[Uncle Beemer]

I would go with an old school Concours.

[Morrie]

After all the great reports about the Wee Strom in this thread, I called the local Suzuki dealer out of curiosity. Suzuki has been out of ABS DL650s for a year. He has had an order in for one for six months with no luck. At $7900 list and 434 pounds dry weight, it sounds like a winner to me. Don't expect to get a dealer discount on an ABS model!

 

BTW...Our local dealer bristled when I called it a Wee Strom. He gruffly informed me that was for the blogs alone!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[NonComp]

BTW...Our local dealer bristled when I called it a Wee Strom. He gruffly informed me that was for the blogs alone!

What does he expect, when they give two different models the same name? Nobody calls the DL650 or DL1000, not even their owners...

[philbytx]

Vincent Black Shadow....

 

[BarrieSalvanda]

Yeah Ha,

Wanna repro of the Seeley Vinney!,er in bits cust now to go from dope to lead free 95 octane.

 

Barrie Salvanda

R1150Rt Gone

R65LS

Seeley Vinney

 

[lvnvbiker]

When I picked up the RT I was looking at the Buell 1125, Ducati Multistrada, and the Guzzi Stelvio so I probably would have gone with one of them.

[Lynn]

When I was looking, I looked at the FJR1300, the ST1300 and the BMW R1100/1150RT. I was looking at used bikes. The FJR had all the notorious (for early ones) heat issues-and then some. And it was the only used one that I found here in town. So it got narrowed down to the BMWs that one of the dealers had, and a nice used ST1300 at the local Honda dealer.

 

If the dealer hadn't been filled with a herd of absolute nitwits, I would have bought an ST1300 that was sitting at the dealer, begging me to adopt it. I was there, checkbook in hand and ready to spend money. Apparently, girl-money doesn't spend as well in some shops as boy-money.

 

So, I ended up at the BMW dealer, where they seemed to understand that money comes in green rather than pink or blue. I do love my bike, but I sure loved that ST1300 as well. Or would have if I could have gotten the time of day at the dealer.

[rad]

I just finished a 5 year break from BMW. I rode a 6th gen ABS VFR all over. It is a wonderful bike but shoulder surgery in December and old age had me looking for a touring bike. I considered everything and just could not go with the New Connie, or St1300 due to how big and heavy they are for the really tight hairpin two lane twisties I ride every day as part of my commute in the SC Mountains. The FJR came close, but I hated the engine and the weather protection was not that good.

 

If I had to live without BMW, I guess I would get back on my VFR.

[NonComp]

If the dealer hadn't been filled with a herd of absolute nitwits, I would have bought an ST1300 that was sitting at the dealer, begging me to adopt it. I was there, checkbook in hand and ready to spend money. Apparently, girl-money doesn't spend as well in some shops as boy-money.

Now if you had been standing beside a Rebel... The ironic part is that motorcycle manufacturers keep wondering where their next market is going to be??? Maybe its right under their noses...

[Lynn]

If the dealer hadn't been filled with a herd of absolute nitwits, I would have bought an ST1300 that was sitting at the dealer, begging me to adopt it. I was there, checkbook in hand and ready to spend money. Apparently, girl-money doesn't spend as well in some shops as boy-money.

 

Now if you had been standing beside a Rebel... The ironic part is that motorcycle manufacturers keep wondering where their next market is going to be??? Maybe its right under their noses...

 

Probably! What was really sad about the whole thing was that I had been in the day before looking at the same bike, but didn't have insurance money in hand. So they KNEW (or should have known) that I was serious about buying. Short of waving my check around in the air, I am not sure what it would have taken to get service in there.

 

To be fair, I later got to know the sales manager and told him the tale. He was horrified, to say the very least. And now, when I go in there to talk to the sales manager, the salesguys, I notice that the salesguys, unless they are all busy, greet every single customer...and even if they are all busy, they at least try to tell folks that someone will be with them shortly.