OK Bob, I'll play.  Dream bike, huh?  Just one????

I'd like my current K1200S to be 75 lbs. lighter, just a tad shorter in length, and 2 inches shorter in seat height.... oh.. and instead of the beautiful tricolor that she is, I'd paint her a rich tricolor of rubies and oranges.  Love this bike.

Next, I'd get one of the newer BMW crossover bikes with knobbies and tons of power - but I'd make it SHORT!!!

Do you kinda see a pattern here???

Hey BMW Corporate - MAKE SOME FREAKIN BIKES THAT SHORT PEOPLE CAN RIDE -and- PARK!!!

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Rmcclung said:

This morning while going in to catch up on records I admired a big black chopper that came to a red light to my right.  Was pretty old school, chrome extended forks, springer front end, wire wheels, gunslinger style seat set low on a hardtail rear.  Looked no more than 25" from the ground to the top of the seat. The bike was probably an Iron Horse or Big Dog as we see quite a few around here.  Very pretty to look at in that venacular.  The guy looked about my age (semi old), looked like he could fit in at a businerss meeting if you put in a suit, and was wearing jeans and a tee shirt.  No major tats, no beard or long hair, no helmet. 

 As I sat there waiting for my light I watched him paddle foot the bike around a right turn on red and wondered "why would anyone want a bike like that?"  This got me to thinking about how each of us has a list in our head, conscious or unconscious, as to what makes the perect bike.

So what's your purpose and list like?

Weigh in.

Bob

I guess there really is no accounting for taste Bob,

My list is pretty much like yours, but somehow the picture don't match.

I love having a bike that wears it's engineering on the outside, and that I can stand on the pegs to stretch my legs at (lower) highway speeds, and that I can pass, with confidence, on the gravel shoulder at 80 with...

Kip

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If you meet the Buddha, kill him

Being one of the poorer BMW owners, I can only have one bike at a time.   And my list of bikes is short.   I have had 3:  A Honda 600 Shadow - nice cruisery bike.  Was fun to customize, was fun to ride (far a while) and suited me fine to get into street riding.   But wasn't the "perfect" bike for me.  

In 2002, I read a press intro of the Suzuki Vstrom.   BMWs were priced out of my range.   After going to a "cruise in", I was window shopping the local suzi shop and there, lighted from the heavens, with a host of angel singing above it, was a Vstrom, VIN # 00086.   I started riding 28 years ago on an XL350 on my grandfather's farm.  So I knew the handling would be similar.   And after reading the reviews, decided that I must own that bike.   It was the perfect bike for me.   Power to weight was great (for me).   Ergos were reasonable.  Seat height that allowed me to look OVER most cars and many SUVs.   And so on.   I owned that bike till 2006, when it was killed by an errant Honda Accord piloted by elderly Canadian Tourists.  

After the accident, when looking for replacements, a freind offered his 03 LT.   Hmmmm, maybe?  A nice touring rig, with all the things I had made fun of over the years, but nice and comfy for the rare occasions when the wife & I can get away.   The Vstrom was nice, don;t get me wrong.   But the wife has been keen on a Gold wing.   And the prices on used LTs was much easire on the wallet than teh Wing are.   And it looks like something George Jetson would ride.   It's an "anti Harley", to me.  I am sooooo tired of loud pipes and that whole genre.   I want a reasonably good handling bike, with a some creature comforts ( the LT has these in Spades).   Modern looking.   Reliable ( the LT may fall a bit short in this one - we'll see).

 IF not the LT, I think I would go for another strom possibly.  Several bikes make my blood race. 

can't really identify the traits they need and many of them have different things abouyt them that do it for me.   If the Vstrom would evlove a bit more (ABS, electric w/s, etc) I could see me owning another.   And keep the price LOW, like it was in the beginning.   Some of the BMWs do this.  I love the look of the Boxer motor. 

 Anyway, that's not a clear answer, and it's long, but there it is.

 Randy

I'm pretty happy with my F650GS, in the six years I've had it it's always done as I asked without complaints.  My only issues:

• Ergonomics:  I'm a tall guy (6'3") and while easy bent-legged flatfooting was  great as a new rider, I could use a few more inches between the seat and the ground.
• Vibration:  It's a big thumper, this is unavoidable I guess.  Generally I don't mind, but Interstates can be a bit wearing.
• Seat comfort:  That thing is JUST not designed for my rear-end.
• Range: Of course, given the vibration and seat comfort issues, this falls low on my priority list.

Some of these issues I can address on the bike as it stands.  Years ago I removed the rubber from the footpegs for a little extra clearance, and I'm planning on eventually replacing them entirely with some that sit a bit lower.  The seat I can replace with aftermarket.  Even range can be addressed, if I so choose, and if I'm that solvent.

But I think that for my taste, a bike that doesn't (yet?) exist might just be perfect:  I'm thinking F800GSA, with twin-cylinder goodness, huge fuel tank, the G650X/HP2 air suspension, and either an OEM or aftermarket subframe with the beef to easily and safely carry big heavy panniers and top box while riding two-up over rutted dirt roads.  A GS Adventure Lite, weighing maybe 330 pounds stripped down for dirt, but with the oomph and smoothness to knock off 500+ mile days without beating me up.

Yeah, that's what I want. 

Redstreak2 said:

Next, I'd get one of the newer BMW crossover bikes with knobbies and tons of power - but I'd make it SHORT!!!

Do you kinda see a pattern here???

Hey BMW Corporate - MAKE SOME FREAKIN BIKES THAT SHORT PEOPLE CAN RIDE -and- PARK!!!

Pat,

Be very careful Pat. I hear Randy Newman is lurking on this forum and considering a new rendition of one of his old songs.

Short people got no .....well I'll stop there.  Mostly because I'm and although you are short in height (about my mom's size) you are tall in the saddle.

The perfect crossover for you would be a Yamaha TW200 with an 800cc BMW engine stuffed in it.

Always felt Yamaha missed their calling by not making a TW450 or so.

Chris 

Redstreak2 said:

Hey BMW Corporate - MAKE SOME FREAKIN BIKES THAT SHORT PEOPLE CAN RIDE -and- PARK!!!

 Hey Pat, I think that's what F650GS is for... but since you have one in your garage, you already knew that... right?

 A yammi with a BMW engine- yes, that WOULD be a crossover bike.  yes,... yes... I can hear the music too....

As for the F650GS being a good one for me for dirt - no way - tooooo tall.  Sure, the power is there, but a real dirt bike that has lots of grunt and is ... dare I say it... short as well as lighter!!

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Redstreak2 said:

OK Bob, I'll play.  Dream bike, huh?  Just one????

I'd like my current K1200S to be 75 lbs. lighter, just a tad shorter in length, and 2 inches shorter in seat height.... oh.. and instead of the beautiful tricolor that she is, I'd paint her a rich tricolor of rubies and oranges.  Love this bike.

Next, I'd get one of the newer BMW crossover bikes with knobbies and tons of power - but I'd make it SHORT!!!

Do you kinda see a pattern here???

Hey BMW Corporate - MAKE SOME FREAKIN BIKES THAT SHORT PEOPLE CAN RIDE -and- PARK!!!

Here it is you asked for a short person bike I got it

Redstreak2 said:

OK Bob, I'll play.  Dream bike, huh?  Just one????

I'd like my current K1200S to be 75 lbs. lighter, just a tad shorter in length, and 2 inches shorter in seat height.... oh.. and instead of the beautiful tricolor that she is, I'd paint her a rich tricolor of rubies and oranges.  Love this bike.

Next, I'd get one of the newer BMW crossover bikes with knobbies and tons of power - but I'd make it SHORT!!!

Do you kinda see a pattern here???

Hey BMW Corporate - MAKE SOME FREAKIN BIKES THAT SHORT PEOPLE CAN RIDE -and- PARK!!!

[/quote] 

Here it is you asked for a short person bike I got it

It would be short enough for Pat if you filled the bags with Lead.

Chris

Since when was a GS short?

Sitting on that bike, my feet would each be at least a foot off the ground - I know as there is one in the garage.

While Bob and others ride those beauties with style... my style would be to ride it, without ever stopping cause I couldn't put my feet down without tipping over!! 

Definition of short:  5'2"

So, back to Bob's question - oh.. add the MV Agusta F4

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Rmcclung said:

So what's your purpose and list like?

Weigh in.

Bob

Hmmmm... dream bike.... not sure it exists for me if the word 'dream' is meant ot be synonomous

with near perfection... or ultra utility. Not sure you can be a passionate Knife collector and

get terribly jazzed by a Swiss Army Knife... too  much utility ... not enough character.

I think any bike that has the capacity to transport my soul at the same time that it's haulin' my

a$$ would probably make the list.

My new Road King is a major crack of the bat and is doing a great job of seriously exceeding my

expectations. I share Pat's lust of the MV Augusta F4. I think the new Moto Guzzi Sport is delicious

and i am greatly attracted to the new bmw 650 Cross Country. My hot rodded Sporty is a dream in

progress and i can still iamagine a Triunph Thruxton in my garage at some point.

Interesting that none of the bikes mentioned do a particulary good job at  everything. I own two of

the scfoots named above and they both paste a huge grin on my face every single time i wheel

them out of the garage. Whenever i walk away from them, i toss them a look back over my

shoulder and most time they wink back at me. I imagine that i would have a similar relationship

with the other bikes on the list. In my dreams 

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" I've tried cruising. I felt dead the whole time i was doin' it ". me

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"There ain't no Devil, there's just God when he's drunk." -- T. Waits