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Need suggestions on a smooth ride

Posted: Thu Apr 08, 2010 2:45 pm
by tymanthius
Been a while since I've been on this forum, life just gets in the way, and I'd rather ride than type.

Anywho, my g/f loves to ride with me, but her back gives her significant issues, so she can't ride on my thumper any longer.

I'm guessing a big touring bike, with the long wheel base and heavy weight, might be ridable for her. I'm partial to BMW's myself, but the important things are comfort for her, and price point. She needs a full back rest like the GoldWings have.


As I ride a BMW F650GS, it should be obvious that I don't care about the bells and whistles like radio, heated this & that, cb, etc. But it needs to have the smooth ride, and comfy passenger seat.

Please suggest away!

Re: Need suggestions on a smooth ride

Posted: Thu Apr 08, 2010 8:01 pm
by sapaul
R1200R with a topbox and back rest, or an RT. Cruisers in the 650 class, Hyusong Aquilla. Aprillia Tuano. Suzuki Bandit

Re: Need suggestions on a smooth ride

Posted: Fri Apr 09, 2010 8:00 am
by Wrider
+1 on sapaul's suggestions. You can also get top boxes for most bikes like the Yamaha FZ6 or 1, the Honda 919 or 599.
Might want to look into an older Goldwing 1100 or 1500, possibly a K1200 series. Even a used K1300GT would work well for you.
Other suggestions...
Strap a board to her back, problem solved! haha JK JK.

Re: Need suggestions on a smooth ride

Posted: Fri Apr 09, 2010 2:08 pm
by tymanthius
Wrider wrote:Other suggestions...
Strap a board to her back, problem solved! haha JK JK.

If we thought it'd work, we would!!

Even being in a car hurts, but she deals with it. We have a friend with a 700(?) shadow that has a sissy bar. Might borrow it and see how that works out.

Re: Need suggestions on a smooth ride

Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2010 11:40 pm
by Marvin
Depends on your budget, what you want to spend, if you want a cruiser touring or a sport touring bike.
The best and most expensive is the Honda Goldwing .
The best value for the money cruiser-touring bike is the Yamaha V Star 1300 Tourer, I did ride this bike and I was impressed with the extreme engine performance it has compaired to the Honda VTX1300
The Honda ST1300 is a great bike, but it has a old school handling feel and feels heavy and hard to ride
Suzuki V Strom 1000 (the V Strom 650 is underpowered for a passenger) The V Strom 1000 is a great bike, but it sits high and it won't work if you have short legs, and don't believe the guys that say the 650 is just as powerfull as the 1000!
Suzuki Burgman 650 Exceitive, yes, its a scooter, but its a FAST scooter, very comfortable for a passenger, excellent wind protection, you can ride one down the road at 70 mph and hear the birds singing in the trees.
Yamaha Venture, excellent cruiser for comfort and touring.

Re: Need suggestions on a smooth ride

Posted: Sat Apr 17, 2010 1:42 am
by mgdavis
The Strom 650 is underpowered, but the Burgman is "FAST"? :roll:

You can probably MacGuyver a back rest onto most things.

The Buell Ulysses has a kind of cool flip-up back rest.

The Strom 650 has, I think, decent power for two-up. I'll admit that I'd want more displacement if I was making long, luggage laden, multi-day trips with a pillion, but it works fine for day trips. More importantly, the 90* v-twin is pretty smooth.

Re: Need suggestions on a smooth ride

Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 5:55 pm
by steavemark16
I have read your deficulties regarding to smooth ride. Suzuki is the best bike for ever. It has low mentainance and provides a good average which we expect. It has a affordable price. I am also ridding it since last10 years. The seats are comfortable for long drive.the another bike can be also suitable for us. If you able to buy expensive bike, it is good but the mentainace and average are not well at all.

Re: Need suggestions on a smooth ride

Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2010 4:30 pm
by erbgottie
Those Suzuki v-twins are pretty darn smooth IMO, put 15K on mine and it's prob been the smoothest I've owned!

Re: Need suggestions on a smooth ride

Posted: Fri Apr 23, 2010 4:39 pm
by steavemark16
It is good to have a smooth ride. You have manage a different bike for her. You have to find on Google. Heavy bike it is good for pick up.

Re: Need suggestions on a smooth ride

Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2010 6:08 am
by JTRogue
I will admit the Burgman has good power and quite smooth. I would recomend it and since it is lower and the shiftless feel it may be easier on her back.

More than enough power for me and I am 3bills plus and had the thing in triple (I do not endorse law breaking) didgets with more power left.