Quote from: DucHead on August 21, 2013, 06:52:13 PM
Beware half-wits and fan boys who call Jap bikes soulless...never believed in souls and if I did, I certainly would think an inanimate object had one.

I've ridden the Ninja, its quite nice, very fun and beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Quote from: zooom on August 23, 2013, 07:44:21 AM
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1998-Bimota-DB3-Mantra-with-low-miles-/321189293867?ViewItem=&item=321189293867&forcev4exp=true

The Mantra is a pretty slick bike BUT it has a nylon tank which ... ugh.. expands...

Quote from: bdub on August 20, 2013, 03:46:49 PM
Thanks ! I have been thinking the same (sorta).  My wife
has implied I might be able to get another bike and I would
be interested in fairings and hardbags so she can go.
Right now I'm just thinking out loud.  Have always liked
the ST 3 but haven't ever been on anything but my 900
Monster.

Also y'all have been really good about the open ended
question   Thanks

Have a look at the Ducati ST series.

I owned a triumph sprint RS for a year and rode it on a few long trips, but all the time I was on it, I was wishing I was on the monster. It was a fantastic highway bike with a fantastic engine, but top heavy and had shitty suspension. The triple 955 was a fantastic engine, but still lacked the visceral feel of the monster for me.

I also rented an FJR 1300 out in Colorado for a week and put a number of 10-12 hour days on it over 7 days. It too was a fantastic bike and certainly awesome on the highway. However, once we got into the tighter twisties I found it to be a little cumbersome. Don't get me wrong, it handled well and certainly very well for it's weight, just obviously not like the monster.

I also did a couple short rides on a buddy's VFR (2002 I think, but not sure) and didn't really care for it. It's a fine bike, but wasn't all that comfortable for me (5'9) and lacked the visceral feel of the Ducati.

About 2 months ago, I traded one of my 2 monster 900's (a 2000) for a 98 ST2 straight up.

I was prepared to be underwhelmed as a few people on the ducati ms forum claimed the engine was a "dog".

I have been really surprised and pleased at how well it goes and with stock exhaust and unmodified air box and filter. I've since added a sargent seat and an upright set of rizoma bars and risers I had sitting around and it is super comfortable for my 5'9 frame. My knees usually get sore after an hour on the monster, but I've done up to 4 hours on the ST2 with no knee issues.

I hate to admit it, but I think I prefer riding the bike to the monster. It munches miles on the highway yet handles far better than the triumph sprint in the twisties. Most importantly it gives me the ducati feel I was missing when on other ST bikes.

I'm riding it out west to Colorado in a couple weeks for a 10 day blast, which should really give me an opportunity to put it through paces in all types of riding.


When I look around at what some used ST3 and ST4 and 4s bikes are going for ($4,500-$6,000) it seems to me one can get a whole lotta bike for the money, if it's in good condition.

Which year was your Sprint? I've heard good things about the last batch.

2001, so yeah, not the latest generation.

I've heard good things about the 1050, although I hear the suspension still sucks.

If you think you are turning Japanese... the only problem I have with my V-strom is the little markings it leaves when it parks.  I don't think I ride it like the typical V-strom owner, though.

The wife likes the pillion seat best of all she's tried so far (and that includes about 1000 miles on a Honda ST1300, I hate that bike for being a fat heavy pregnant dog and ridiculously hot in the summer).  Her only complaint on a 400 mile day in January was the cold (on a stock seat).

The forks need help for twisty stuff, but it's a bargain basement ADV tourer and mods are relatively cheap (coming from the duc world).

also, 17k miles for the first valve check...

For a little different flavour... check out the Tiger 1050.  It's advertised as an "adventure tourer", but it's really just a comfy standard/sport tourer with slightly taller landing gear.

Only thing folks recommend is getting the suspenders worked over.

If I'd had ten grand when they were running a killer sale for leftover 2010's back in February/March 2011, that's what would be in my garage.

Instead I have the much cheaper to buy (but more expensive to maintain) Cagiva Gran Canyon.  It's a lot of fun, but there are times I wish I had the grunt of that big triple, especially 2-up.