Vaquero

[flightdoc]

I'm with Trip. Next bike will be a Voyager or Wing. I like riding, on trips, with the wife and the next bike will be a full tourer. The Vaq is very nice looking but at that price and a bit more you could have the Voyager and five grand more own a Wing.

vin

[timebandit]

Vaquero at the Toronto show

[Dave]

I wonder if they will ever offer a chromed out engine version? If they're going to make a Road Glide knock off, they should chrome the engine.

[ponch]

Originally Posted by GregO

The problem with the Gold Wing, is, if you ride one, you'll want one. I've had the 1800 Wing since 2002, and didn't have any trouble with room. I'm 6'2" with a 32" inseam. It's an addictive bike. My problem with it was, I spent several years trying to get comfortable overall, and just couldn't get comfortable. The ergos just didn't fit me. The Nomad fits me quite well.

Re: the Vaquero, I wasn't wild about about the black plastic on the tank, either, but I'll bet it won't be long before someone, even Kawasaki, offers something nicer looking.

As much as I liked the Vaquero in person, I also like my Nomad, so I'm satisfied, and the only thing I'd gain with the "Big V" would be the short fairing and a sound system. And since I have already mounted a great sound system on my Nomad, I'd be gaining nothing over what I already have. Still, it's a great looking bike.

There are other choices than the GW. Just saying. ::)

[schoeney]

Agreeed Ponch. There are many good bikes from several makers. The GW's the reigning king but that new BMW K1600 will be stiff competition. 160 HP, wow.

[ponch]

Originally Posted by schoeney

Agreeed Ponch. There are many good bikes from several makers. The GW's the reigning king but that new BMW K1600 will be stiff competition. 160 HP, wow.

There are others too. The Vision for one and of course HD. The Beemer is an unknown quantity and expensive, but at 150lbs lighter than the GW with the HP and torque (130ft/lbs, with 70% at 1500 rpm), it has to be a lot of fun. For my money, I'd get the GT, not GTL and save 65lbs and $3-5K.

Now if I could only ride. The damn snow. :(" title="" border="0"/>

[vulcans2]

Well, Honda ought to be licking some wounds about now. The "baggers" are gaining a lot of popularity these days, and now, with the advent of the new Voyager and the soon-to-be-at-the-dealers K1600GT/GTL, the Wing will be facing some tough competition. Yep, there are clear alternatives to the Gold Wing. Still a great bike, but not necessarily the "king" anymore. It's time they had some competition in the luxo touring market. Me? I really like my Nomad. It's simpler than the Wing, and lighter, but handles just as well, and is more comfortable, and has a certain cool factor to it, as well. I don't miss the fairing, either. But that's just me.

[ponch]

Originally Posted by GregO

Well, Honda ought to be licking some wounds about now. The "baggers" are gaining a lot of popularity these days, and now, with the advent of the new Voyager and the soon-to-be-at-the-dealers K1600GT/GTL, the Wing will be facing some tough competition. Yep, there are clear alternatives to the Gold Wing. Still a great bike, but not necessarily the "king" anymore. It's time they had some competition in the luxo touring market. Me? I really like my Nomad. It's simpler than the Wing, and lighter, but handles just as well, and is more comfortable, and has a certain cool factor to it, as well. I don't miss the fairing, either. But that's just me.

I've never ridden a wing, but 900+lbs is a lot of bike. so was 818lbs for the Nomad. I think bikes, even the tourers, have gotten too heavy. With the technology available, they should be able to make them lighter and I have a feeling they will as sport tourers and touring rigs converge as they are starting to (the K1600 is really a sport tourers that's been turned into a full bat touring rig. I wish Kaw did that with the C14).

[jasonc32amg]

Originally Posted by ponch

I've never ridden a wing, but 900+lbs is a lot of bike. so was 818lbs for the Nomad. I think bikes, even the tourers, have gotten too heavy. With the technology available, they should be able to make them lighter and I have a feeling they will as sport tourers and touring rigs converge as they are starting to (the K1600 is really a sport tourers that's been turned into a full bat touring rig. I wish Kaw did that with the C14).

I'd be happy with a Nomad 2000.

[ponch]

Originally Posted by jasonc32amg

I'd be happy with a Nomad 2000.

Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on who you are, that won't happen any time soon. The V2K has been discontinued in 2011. I guess Kawasaki didn't think it was worth making the bike anymore.

[flightdoc]

Does anyone know the asking price of the Beemer GTL yet? Theonly thing I've seen so far is around $21,500. Seems kind of low to me. The good thing of the other manufacturers getting closer to the GW is it may cause the dealers to be more negotiable with pricing now. Same goes for the other models too.

vin

[ponch]

Originally Posted by flightdoc

Does anyone know the asking price of the Beemer GTL yet? Theonly thing I've seen so far is around $21,500. Seems kind of low to me. The good thing of the other manufacturers getting closer to the GW is it may cause the dealers to be more negotiable with pricing now. Same goes for the other models too.

vin

I saw it on their facebook page. I want to say 21-23 starting for the GT and 24-30K for the GTL? It all depends on options. BMW is one of the few manufacturers out there where you can configure it the way you want it when ordering the bike as opposed to buying a spec bike and adding accessories. All of these things add up though. One option I thought was interesting is the central locking on the GTL. From one key, lock or unlock all the bags/trunk/compartment like a car. You really should look at the options list on the GTL. The stuff it can have is incredible. That said, If I got such a bike, I'd get the GT, get a topcase and be happy. The GT is 700lbs wet, whereas the GTL is 765. Not bad for the size of the bike and the power it has. I'd love to try one, but my wife would shoot me for looking at it. She's still wary of me getting the RT. She prefers cruisers "where you can see the engine". If someone made one that does what the RT does, I would have bought it.

[vulcans2]

Originally Posted by flightdoc

Does anyone know the asking price of the Beemer GTL yet? Theonly thing I've seen so far is around $21,500. Seems kind of low to me. The good thing of the other manufacturers getting closer to the GW is it may cause the dealers to be more negotiable with pricing now. Same goes for the other models too.

vin

I was down at our local BMW shop recently and asked the same question, and they thought somewhere between $21K and $23K. I suspect that by the time you get all the stuff added that you might want, you will be looking, at the very least, at the upper range of the $20K's. Close to $30K. That's a lot of dough to through at what is essentially a purely recreational product. But than, BMW isn't really aiming at the less-than-three-figures bunch of folks, anyway.

[vulcans2]

Originally Posted by ponch

I've never ridden a wing, but 900+lbs is a lot of bike. so was 818lbs for the Nomad. I think bikes, even the tourers, have gotten too heavy. With the technology available, they should be able to make them lighter and I have a feeling they will as sport tourers and touring rigs converge as they are starting to (the K1600 is really a sport tourers that's been turned into a full bat touring rig. I wish Kaw did that with the C14).

Yeah, you're right, 900 lb. is a lot of weight to throw around, but you really only notice it when you're trying to roll it around in the garage, that sort of thing. It seems to lose half its weight as soon as you let out the clutch. But you still have to bring it to a stop, and that can be a fistful, especially with a passenger.

[ponch]

Originally Posted by GregO

you're right, 900 lb. is a lot of weight to throw around, but you do,really only notice it when you're trying to roll it around in the garage, that sort of thing. It seems to lose half its weight as soon as you let out the clutch. But you still have to bring it to a stop, and that can be a fistful, especially with a passenger.

All I can say is ride a lighter and more powerful bike and if you do, you
don't ride it like a cruiser, but operate it in the full RPM range. Check out the brakes and handling too. Ride a C14, ST1300, even the new BMW. As DanK says, it'll open your eyes, particularly the braking. Yes you get used to riding a heavy bike, but there's no comparison when we are talking about 200-300lbs lighter, without the penalty in carrying capacity.

Manufacturers could make lighter cruisers and touring rigs, but it's a marketing problem. People in those marketing segments want a certain look and engine size, regardless of efficiency and would eschew something that didn't fit the mold. I get that. But it wouldn't be impossible to put a more efficient vtwin, if that's your thing, in a lighter frame, but with cruiser like ergos. HD tried it with the VROD, and the results prove my point. Their demographic has rejected it to an extent. it's a shame, because it is a step in the right direction. Now, if they could get a Ducati 1200 in a touring/cruiser type of bike, who knows. That would be cool. Or a bored and stroked KTM to about 1200ccs. I think with the younger crowd coming up, things will change. I think if you look at the K1600GTL and compare it to the k1200LT, you can see that transition, they are pitching to the younger folks. HD on the other hand is going to have a problem (and to that end, killing Buell was dumbass).