I would love to add a new 1000 Ninja to the stable, that is for sure. That is more on the sporting side of sport touring, but from my understanding they are quite capable of long distance touring

I don't know what to say....except welcome back!

I don't know what to say....except welcome back!

+1

I would love to add a new 1000 Ninja to the stable, that is for sure. That is more on the sporting side of sport touring, but from my understanding they are quite capable of long distance touring

Parole or early release?

I would love to add a new 1000 Ninja to the stable, that is for sure. That is more on the sporting side of sport touring, but from my understanding they are quite capable of long distance touring

Well, you CAN tour on just about any sports bike... especially one that is more upright.  Just depends on how good your body is (and mine is certainly broken) and/or perhaps how much you can mod the sucker.

I don't know what to say....except welcome back!

Indeed!

Parole or early release?

Yikes

I have been AWOL for a bit I must admit, but I will still drop by here now and then for sure. 

You better or I'll give you a good thumping...  I know where you live.    Besides, we miss you.

Well, you CAN tour on just about any sports bike... especially one that is more upright.  Just depends on how good your body is (and mine is certainly broken) and/or perhaps how much you can mod the sucker.

Indeed!

Yikes

doesn't even have to be a sports bike, I did 500 mile days on knobby tires consistently, and one day was 912 miles (had to be at the meet spot in time in TX...I was in AZ! 

The Ninja 650 was my previous sport touring bike.  I almost replaced it with a Triumph Sprint ST, but wanted to move away from the chain.





My buddy has over 20,000 miles of touring on his ZZR600

My Versys 650 is considered a sport bike by Kawasaki.  It is now my backroads adventure touring bike.




My buddy went everywhere I went on his ZZR600.


There are SPORT Touring bikes, and Sporty TOURING bikes, but unless you actually ride it somewhere it is just a garage queen.

I would love to add a new 1000 Ninja to the stable, that is for sure. That is more on the sporting side of sport touring, but from my understanding they are quite capable of long distance touring

I did a test drive with that in mind and walked away dissapointed. The main issue is the vibrations/buzz of the ninja 1000, with only one balance shaft. That made it a no go for me as a long distance tourer, while I find my 1400 butter smooth, to the point that at some rpm range is absolutely comparable to the K16 from BMW. Your experience may vary.

I did a test drive with that in mind and walked away dissapointed. The main issue is the vibrations/buzz of the ninja 1000, with only one balance shaft. That made it a no go for me as a long distance tourer, while I find my 1400 butter smooth, to the point that at some rpm range is absolutely comparable to the K16 from BMW. Your experience may vary.

Makes sense, and I am sure I would just flog that Ninja too much anyways. 

I did a test drive with that in mind and walked away dissapointed. The main issue is the vibrations/buzz of the ninja 1000, with only one balance shaft. That made it a no go for me as a long distance tourer, while I find my 1400 butter smooth, to the point that at some rpm range is absolutely comparable to the K16 from BMW. Your experience may vary.

I found the exact same thing when I tested a Z1000! Vibration was horrible. I got a Yamaha FZ1 which is smooth as warm butter.

Sportsbike like performance (about the same as a 750 w.r.t. straight line), good enough handling and brakes to stay the course in the twisties, but WAY more comfortable than a crotch rocket.
Ride 600+ miles on superslabs on day 1, then the next day give the twisties a damned good ragging. Most importantly,...... enjoy BOTH days.

Sportbike = Broken back/neck/arms/wrists on day 1, ecstasy on day 2.
Tourer = Comfy on day 1, struggling badly (hard work!) on day 2.
Sporttourer = comfy enough on day 1, having a blast on day 2.

Compromise is the most important word.

* Gearing:  An ST will usually have a transmission geared lower than a typical sports bike or at least have a much lower geared top gear, to allow cruising at lower RPM's to reduce vibration and noise and increase durability and fuel efficiency.

ST bikes have higher (or taller) gearing than sports bikes. Lower geared bikes spin faster at a given speed than higher geared bikes.

Dan

I don't think there are really any rules, merely certain expectations and things usually found on sport tourers. I believe Kawasaki lists the ZX 14 as a sport tourer (!). Part of the reason as I understand it is for insurance purposes but the bike is really too long to be a pure sports bike. But of course the ZX 14 and C-14 are worlds apart so if they are both sport tourers then there is a lot of flexibility in the term.

Brian

What is a "sports touring" (ST) motorcycle and how does it differ from a "sports" motorcycle?  (Or, what makes a Concours GTR 1400 different from a Ninja ZZR 1400?)  I will attempt to answer this question in this article based on my observations and opinions (I am by no means a "bike expert").  Your observations and opinions will likely vary, and that is perfectly OK.

There are few (if any) "rules" about what makes a bike an ST or not.  Generally, ST is just a spectrum of bike designs or configurations that fall between a sports bike and a full touring bike.

<snip>

-/\/\axtog

I believe Kawasaki lists the ZX 14 as a sport tourer (!).

Not in the USA.  And, my views are certainly USA-centric (since that I what I know).  The C14 is listed as both "Supersport Touring" (and NO other bikes listed) and "Touring" (along with the Vulcan).  http://kawasaki.com/home/

Now, in the EU, the C14 is listed as "Sport Tourer" and oddly along with Z1000SX, ZZR1400.  They have no "touring" category and the Vulcan is listed as a "Cruiser".  http://www.kawasaki.eu/motorcycles

It gets stranger.  In Australia, the C14 is a "Sport" bike along with quite a few other models, and there is a separate "Supersport" category.  No such thing as a Sport Touring nor Touring.  http://www.kawasaki.com.au/motorcycles

In Canada they have a narrow "Supersport" category and then throw just about everything else (that is not a cruiser) into a broad "Sport/Touring" mixed category (even the Ninja 300 and Ninja 650).  http://www.kawasaki.ca/

On the Japan site they avoid labels as much as possible, but slip the tag "Transcontinental Supersport" on the Concours.  http://www.kawasaki-cp.khi.co.jp/mcy/street_e.html

Nothing consistent except inconsistency

All fine but if you take the VIN to an insurance company, they will acknowledge both a ZX 14 and a 'Busa are sport touring motorcycles. As you mention the spec's are a gray area but in fact both bikes are too long and too heavy to be true sport bikes. Another in that class is the K1300 BMW. Again, get an insurance quote on any one of them and then check the price of insurance of a true 'liter' sport bike- I think you will find a substantial difference.

Compare them with the Japanese liter bikes (not the relaxed one such as the FZ1 but a RZF-R1 or an BMW S1000 RR) and see if the liability insurance changes at all.

Brian

Brian

<snip>

Nothing consistent except inconsistency

Full coverage on my Concours is double full coverage on my Voyager even though the Voyager has a value several thousand higher than the Concours.  That tells me the insurance company see it more as sport than touring. 

The Ninja 650 and Ninja 1000 are easily sport touring bikes.  They have the same riding position as the Concours.

The Ninja 650 and Ninja 1000 are easily sport touring bikes.  They have the same riding position as the Concours.

Again, just depends on one's criteria.  I personally don't consider the seating/pegs/bars position to be the only thing that defines a sport touring bike.  Although it is probably one of the most important by anyone's definition.

Again, just depends on one's criteria.  I personally don't consider the seating/pegs/bars position to be the only thing that defines a sport touring bike.  Although it is probably one of the most important by anyone's definition.

Many of the owners of those bikes consider them sport touring bikes and many add the hard bags and tour on them.  Just like some on here loose the bags and sport ride on the Concours, there are a small percentage of Ninja 650 and smaller percentage of Ninja 1000 owners that put clip ons and rear sets on the bikes to turn them into sport bikes.