In the throws of deciding whether or not to get a bike.

Does anyone know of good bike forums. I've found OzSportsBikes, but not much there on tourers.

I think I need a tourer with the fairing, cause most of the riding will be done on the highway, 200km round trip to work and back.

I do like the "hybrid" style bikes though, but not sure if they keep enough of the elements out.

As I understand it, as a mature age rider I am not restricted to the 660cc limit.

As as aside, a mate bought a FJZ1300 as his first bike and he absolutely loves it. That is the main reason I am now looking at bikes.

56astro,
Something you might like to think about. I've had faired and unfaired bikes and really unless it's blowing a gale...I never really noticed the difference.

I had a BMW R1100GS (paris-dakar jobbie) and it was fantastic. Put the wind up sports bike riders, had heated handgrips, was dead reliable and had huge easily detachable panniers. Could've bought a top box...but bungy cords worked as well. Flogged it between Canberra-Melbourne-Sydney regularly and a 15000 k trip including the Gulf Track.

Best of both worlds...good on the road, good on the dirt and the paralever front end/ABS was the ducks guts when braking.

Downside?....Porky weight and styling out of a German Architect's LSD flashback.....

As for the elements...Unless you've got a Hoggly or another bike with a massively tall screen....the elements will get you (nothing like hearing your beard crackle when you grimace inside your helmet, or being unable to have a slash because your fingers don't work well enough to unbutton)...but if you're extremeties are toasty...you can do anything/go anywhere...


Ctefeh

[ Edited on 20/6/2006 by ctefeh ]

I will be putting this up for sale very soon

The MISTRES

Gull, I'm after a bike,

not a dinky

try netrider (not sure on exact web address). i run a sv650s, love it as a sport tourer, if you want more tour'y try the dl650s that wes has. Love my bike