Beginner/intermediate rider looking for entry sporttour/or adv ride. Duc St3? vstrom?

[scottieducati]

I love my ST2, one of the benefits of a pre-2000 one is the fully adjustable suspension. To go from track setting to street takes me about 2 minutes and a flat-headed screw driver. You'd be surprised how compliant a fully adjustable suspension can be if you take the time to fiddle with it. I can't speak to the FZ6 or V-strom other than they have great reputations, but neither one sounds nearly as good as my ST2, one of the best sounding bikes I've ever owned (including other Ducatis)... and for a sport tourer... she sure is purdy.

[kbroderick]

YMMV, but I'd throw the BMW R1150GS onto your list. If you can find a good deal, you can get one in your price range (albeit with a lot more miles than a comparably priced Strom). They ain't light, but they can go off-road, and at the slightly-above-posted speeds mentioned, they work quite well. I'm sure that at 110 MPH a true sport-tourer (or a sportbike) would be a better choice...but for me, at least, it's best that I'm not on a bike that wants to go that fast. Having a suspension that will let you run twisties with ease whether they're freshly paved or beat to hell is rather nice in this state.

[dipthat]

Welcome.
Keep Vermont weird.

[nhbubba]

You know, I don't even know what an ST2/ST3 costs. Can you get those for $4k?

If the R1150GS is on the list, the RT variant probably should be too. I rode one 'round the block once. It didn't suck. Costs still scare the bejezus out of me, personally.