Commuter bike advice

[SVRACER01]

Im looking at jobs further away from my home. My supermoto, while capable, isnt really the kind of bike i want to eat highway miles on.
Ideally id love a road glide or SD 1290gt, but i cant afford another car payment.
Ive been poking around and looking at adventure bikes and have kind of homed in on the KTM 950/990 adventure. I can find some pretty well set up in the 6-8k range. I realize they are more offroad biased so im curious how they do slabbing. I know Chip had one, and maybe he will have some input, but has anyone else? Or maybe some other suggestions i havent thought of.

[Chippertheripper]

They’re fine on the slab with the right sneakers.

I have a wee for sale for next to nothing, buy that instead.

[MattR302]

Yeah seriously, buy Chips DL650. Plenty comfy for slabbing on the miles, luggage for your lunch and whatnot, and should get you over 50mpg on 87 octane.

[TheIglu]

Great commuter. Also saves money by doubling as birth control.

Buy it and have $5k to blow on fun stuff.

[SVRACER01]

Not sure the Wee is really in the running.

[Chippertheripper]

Not sure the Wee is really in the running.

I get it. It’s a total dad bike.

[SVRACER01]

I just dont want another sv650 for the street. If im gonna get an adv bike then im gonna do it right

[dankatz]

Super Tenere should fit the budget and be reliable, but I would think for long highway miles something FJR would be more comfortable - no?

[tsorfas]

I get it. It’s a total dad bike.

Does the baby need to be here to qualify or dads to be can ride them too?

[golden chicken]

Busa.

Actually, when I think of slabbing it, I think more FJR VFR Ninja1000 than big ADV bike. Multistrada?

[FriskyDingo]

Multistrada?

Attachment 50696

2011 Ducati Multistrada 1200S Touring Ed. - motorcycles/scooters - by owner - vehicle automotive bike sale

[MattR302]

The 2014+ Vstrom 1000’s got a ton of updates over the previous generation and is a bit more road-biased than the KTM’s. I’ve seen some lightly used ones for $6k-ish.

[SVRACER01]

Super Tenere should fit the budget and be reliable, but I would think for long highway miles something FJR would be more comfortable - no?

the S10 is so unappealing to me that i forget it exists. FJR isnt a bad idea but i fear ill be constantly stopped for doing 150. also, i like dirt roads.

990 ADV is nice. Small screen, meh weather protection. Skinny seat.

They crash nice.

is this you telling me it would be an awful commuter?

In 2013 I was riding the wee Chip is selling and I asked about track bikes. I was convinced a track prep'ed SV was just like my DL but with less plastic and less suspender travel. But the forum told me I was wrong.

I was.

The wee and the SV are different animals. Engine doesn't even spin the same.

for me it would still feel under powered.
EDIT: let me qualify that statement. my buddy has a Wee. ive ridden it. i also have been riding a bike for the past 7 years that makes the same (or more) power with half the weight.

Then take out the car loan.

790 ADV-R looks pretty badass.
Maybe a 1290 SA if looking more sport tour and less dirt-bike. I damned near bought one instead of the RK, it was choice.

I agree, i would love a 790 but its not in the budget at $13k

Busa.

Actually, when I think of slabbing it, I think more FJR VFR Ninja1000 than big ADV bike. Multistrada?

i fear that all of those bike will have me licenseless in under 6 months. i do like the multi though. not sure if those are in the budget either with service intervals and not a Duc dealer to service it within an hour of me.

Attachment 50696

thats nice. i always liked them. i wish they were a little more off road oriented
EDIT: now youve got me looking at them. still concerned about services though

The 2014+ Vstrom 1000’s got a ton of updates over the previous generation and is a bit more road-biased than the KTM’s. I’ve seen some lightly used ones for $6k-ish.

i like that the ktm is off road biased because i would still like to ride dirt roads. i do it on the supermoto now and it would be way less sketchy on something actually designed for it

[Chippertheripper]

I basically used my 990 for a commuter and let my buddies crash it on the rare occasion.
Wind is a non issue, for me, it’s a motorcycle. I did have some giant cone of silence type windscreen that I put on when it got cold just to cut down on some of the freezing.
However, if you need a bike to keep all the weather off you, it ain’t it.
It’s more sheltered than a bonneville, but you’ll still get wetter than an RT.

[SVRACER01]

I basically used my 990 for a commuter and let my buddies crash it on the rare occasion.
Wind is a non issue, for me, it’s a motorcycle. I did have some giant cone of silence type windscreen that I put on when it got cold just to cut down on some of the freezing.
However, if you need a bike to keep all the weather off you, it ain’t it.
It’s more sheltered than a bonneville, but you’ll still get wetter than an RT.

thanks, i agree about wind. the 690 doesnt have any real protection to speak of. i have rain gear which would be why id want a bike with bags big enough to carry shit like that.

[Chippertheripper]

You should’ve kept the SE.

[FriskyDingo]

i do like the multi though. not sure if those are in the budget either with service intervals and not a Duc dealer to service it within an hour of me.

thats nice. i always liked them. i wish they were a little more off road oriented
EDIT: now youve got me looking at them. still concerned about services though

this may help alleviate the maint issue, if your "location" under your pic is in NH this place is pretty close, just a thought......Ducs are a HOOT

clubhouse motorsports llc contact page

1180 Whittier highway (rte 25)
Moultonborough, NH 03254

No personal experience, but they had a good rep with some Duc people I met, I talked with him twice regarding some work but I never followed thru cause, well i'm in RI and i'm lazy...

[SVRACER01]

You should’ve kept the SE.

meh, i dont really miss it. it was fun but it was lifted V8 jeep fun so not practical at all. it didnt even have a tach and im not even sure why that bothered me. the house also needed a fence, which was the primary reason for buying it. i doubled my money and all i did was ride it all summer.

this may help alleviate the maint issue, if your "location" under your pic is in NH this place is pretty close, just a thought......Ducs are a HOOT


1180 Whittier highway (rte 25)
Moultonborough, NH 03254

thats an hour away. so is SSC.

I'm confused. Wee isn't powerful enough but a leaderbike sportstourer is gunna get you arrested?! Weird.

i want some get up and go. the wee just doesnt do that for me. probably because its a 500#, 70hp bike. i like the Wee. i recommend it to a lot of people. my friend that has one for example. its just not my bag. i also dont like how they look.
if i get on a sporty bike, im gonna ride it like a sporty bike. like an asshole doing triple digits on the highway. a big lumbering adv bike like a GS, 9x0, or multi will not be ridden in such a manner even though they are capable of doing so.
the 990 is about 100hp. its not some hp monster. but 100 hp on a 500# bike (its actually 20# lighter than the Wee) is a fair requirement. arm straightening acceleration with mild hooliganism perpetuated by just using the twisty thing on the right bar is what i want.

[Chippertheripper]

You don’t want an adventure either then. Also too tall.

[SVRACER01]

You don’t want an adventure either then. Also too tall.

i dont follow...

[feralchimp]

Hyper with touring screen and chunky tires.


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[Chippertheripper]

It’s lifted like your Jeep.
It’s no rav4.

[MattR302]

FJR for arm-straightening acceleration and comfort on your slabbing commute, semi-knobby tires on your 690SM for around-town hooning and dirt road riding.

[SVRACER01]

ADVs are tall. Almost all of them. They are make believe dirt bikes. It’s their shtick. Take a sport tourer and lift it.

They also do triple digits on the highway.

How about a nice road king?!

Yeah, i know what they are. Im unclear why youre mansplaining it to me. My truck will do triple digits too...but i dont drive it like that because its not an STi. Thats also why i dont havevan STi.
No road kings. They have no radio or fairing. Hard pass.

[SVRACER01]

It’s lifted like your Jeep.
It’s no rav4.

I dont own a jeep. Jeeps are for girls.