Two up touring on a Wee Strom | GTAMotorcycle.com

Two up touring on a Wee Strom

timtune

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Trouble with my hips means the Gl1200 (GoldWing) has to go. It's width combined with my short stature means putting both feet on the ground now is uncomfortable.
I have no trouble at all riding my KLR650 which is much narrower.

I still want to travel 2 up with the Squeeze so I'm looking for a smaller lighter bike. We're both smaller. I'm 145lb and she's 120.

My first choice was an older Concours but it was uncomfortable as well. Now I'm thinking an adventure tour type bike might be the way to go.

Would a 650 VStrom be big enough for long distance tours? We get along fine on the KLR for a few hours, but of course it would get tight on a longer rides and there is not much space for gear.

Any thoughts or suggestions?
 
650 carries more weight than the 1000. I found that I had to relocate the Suzuki made 2009 DL650SEA trunk further back, to allow more passenger seat room. But my passenger(s), and I are more gravitationally challenged. Givi and other trunks may be different.
 
At your combined bodyweight and sizes, the DL650 would be just fine - older or newer generation models. I have only done long weekend trips 2up on the DL650, usually maxing out at around 800km/day, but 500-600 is the ideal. I had a KLR and moved to the DL650 primarily because 2up touring on the thumper KLR wasn't fun. With the DL650, you'll get much more power on the highway while loaded down with gear and 2up. It's a good bike for that purpose and there are endless ways to make it fit better for whatever your purpose.
 
you might want to consider a CBF1000. Lower than the Vstrom ( I own both ), more power, lighter - a true sports tourer and three seat heights. ( tough to adjust but at least you can ).

Mine is for sale but there are several out there. I didn't know anything about the bike then discovered what a gem it is. Very popular in Europe - never brought to the US ...only to Canada.

CBF1000%20red.jpg


Best brakes in the business...they took a Fireblade race motor, detuned it for more torque and stuck it in a CB600 chassis.
You would never know it's a litre bike sitting on it - till you hit the throttle and then there is endless pull.

I think you might find the Wee tall and top heavy. My inseam is 30" and I had to lower the Wee and get a lower seat as well.

The range on the Wee is excellent - over 400 km and there are tons of farkles. If I was home from Aus I'd let you try it but my kid is using it elsewhere.


I found the ST1100 wide as well and bothered me. The CBF1000 doesn't.

500 lb bike would be a big change from your current ride and you are both small enough to fit nicely on the CBF.
 
you might want to consider a CBF1000. Lower than the Vstrom ( I own both ), more power, lighter - a true sports tourer and three seat heights. ( tough to adjust but at least you can ). Mine is for sale but there are several out there. I didn't know anything about the bike then discovered what a gem it is. Very popular in Europe - never brought to the US ...only to Canada.
CBF1000%20red.jpg
Best brakes in the business...they took a Fireblade race motor, detuned it for more torque and stuck it in a CB600 chassis. You would never know it's a litre bike sitting on it - till you hit the throttle and then there is endless pull. I think you might find the Wee tall and top heavy. My inseam is 30" and I had to lower the Wee and get a lower seat as well. The range on the Wee is excellent - over 400 km and there are tons of farkles. If I was home from Aus I'd let you try it but my kid is using it elsewhere. I found the ST1100 wide as well and bothered me. The CBF1000 doesn't. 500 lb bike would be a big change from your current ride and you are both small enough to fit nicely on the CBF.
What's the gvwr on the CBF? I had a Concours which was also a lower, larger engined, Sport tourer, but would carry much less of a load. My 32" inseam is fine for me to flat foot the Wee.
 
Anyone with 32" inseam is fine on a Wee...OP says "short stature".

430 lb rider, pillion and luggage for CBF 1000. OP will be fine.

Wee will haul 508 LB ....one reason I call mine the Mule.
 
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Just did some DL650 reviews. Any London area Wee owners? Willing to swap bikes for a short ride so I could get a feel for it?? My ride is a 2006 KLR650.
 
If you can handle the KLR 650 you'll be fine with the DL ...lowering is easy as well.
I think you might enjoy the CBF tho cuz the KLR and Wee are similar rides...and the Wee has some mechanical clatter ...the Honda inline four is uber smooth by comparison ......you'll get a little rush each time you wind it out. The Wee gets the job done ...more grins with the CBF tho and brakes are better.

I put 10k km on last fall with the CBF on 2-4 day rides into the us and enjoyed it a lot. In Aus this fall tho :(
 
...

I still want to travel 2 up with the Squeeze so I'm looking for a smaller lighter bike. We're both smaller. I'm 145lb and she's 120.

My first choice was an older Concours but it was uncomfortable as well. Now I'm thinking an adventure tour type bike might be the way to go.

Would a 650 VStrom be big enough for long distance tours? We get along fine on the KLR for a few hours, but of course it would get tight on a longer rides and there is not much space for gear.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

I have not done two up touring but can tell you power wise there is no issue. I put 202,000+ km on my 2006 DL650 V-Strom and 139,500+ km on my 2012 DL650. (Which was replaced by a 2015 DL1000 that is a year and a month old and has 55,000 km) Touring isn't the reason to get the DL1000 (and the DL650 is better sorted out than any DL1000 prior to the new generation DL1000.)

A very good friend and his wife (who are likely similar sizes to you and your gal) rode their 2005 DL650 over 150,000 km, most of it two up. Ironically they switched to a Gold Wing (I think the newer 1800) after his wife started talking to wives that were riding on the back of Gold Wings.

..Tom
 
My wife and I have toured on an R1200RT, Tiger Explorer & R1200GS, but my wife found my old 2008 Wee to be one of the most comfortable for her. Personally I think it is a little weak 2-up and fully loaded, especially for you coming off a Gold Wing. Maybe look at the new Verseys 1000, or if you really want to step up your touring pace, a Super Duke GT.
 
With those rider/passenger weights ...no issue at all and the 6th on the Wee is tall so will bang along at 120 indicated at quite low RPM and get 400+ km per tank.
The issue is the OP height/inseam as loaded with passenger and a full tank it's a bit of a bear. Once you are moving no problem.

Mine was heavily loaded for the cross country ( carrying stuff for two ) and I weigh just about what the two of of the OP riders do COMBINED!! :rolleyes:

....we were steady at 140-150 kph indicated across the Dakotas and there was some left.

Just before we left

Screen%252520Shot%2525202015-06-05%252520at%252520Jun%25252C%2525205%252520%252520%252520%2525202015%252520%252520%252520%25252011.14.58%252520AM.jpg


Jesse's were stuffed, 5 litres of spare fuel, tank bag ( went on later ) lots in the 42 litre topcase.

Put 10k + km on in 4 weeks and the K60 scouts easily passed safety when I sold it on my return. Man the bike was heavy but it did not complain ....only me at speed bumps and the kid complaining about me complaining :D Downside of SENAs.

The real question is the rider being able to handle a loaded Wee. My inseam is 30", I had boots on and a 3/4 lowering kit ....I can flat foot rigged like that ( my second Wee is rigged the same ) but had to be careful with the weight. on the black one.

No question the OP can make the bike fit. There are shorter riders out there riding Stroms.
The question is ...is it worth the effort.
 
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Just have to watch if you get a load on the back and start to boogie, the front end can get very light, very quickly.

But that's probably the same on most bikes.
 
I just moved my Wee on to a new home, for no other reason than multiple insurance was stiffling. Two up touring is just fine unless your a large couple, the fuel range is very good and the handling was better than expected. We always favored 'B' roads over expressways because it was a tour not a marathon however when you needed to go it would coast along at 120km all day.
Its a very different ride than a KLR and much smoother engine, and I think excellent value for the money.

Guy that has mine just installed Touratech hard panniers, $600 less than Jessie luggage and very servicable for touring (sourced through Motociccleta burlington, best price and service , and he shopped)
 
My DL650 is very capable around town or in long distance touring, but the very few times I've had a passenger, it was like having an anvil suddenly dropped on the bike. Handling and acceleration are naturally penalized. If I routinely toured with a passenger I'd definitely get the DL1000 which would take care of at least one item, acceleration.
 
Trouble with my hips means the Gl1200 (GoldWing) has to go. It's width combined with my short stature means putting both feet on the ground now is uncomfortable.
I have no trouble at all riding my KLR650 which is much narrower.

I still want to travel 2 up with the Squeeze so I'm looking for a smaller lighter bike. We're both smaller. I'm 145lb and she's 120.

My first choice was an older Concours but it was uncomfortable as well. Now I'm thinking an adventure tour type bike might be the way to go.

Would a 650 VStrom be big enough for long distance tours? We get along fine on the KLR for a few hours, but of course it would get tight on a longer rides and there is not much space for gear.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

What about the kawasaki 650 versus, and the lt version has 2 nice saddle bags included.
Plus, 5 gallon tank, great clearance, and pretty light..
 
What about the kawasaki 650 versus, and the lt version has 2 nice saddle bags included.
Plus, 5 gallon tank, great clearance, and pretty light..
I have a versys 650, this is my second season on it. It's a fantastic bike. It is not a two up tourer. My vstrom had better wind protection, better seat, miles better passenger accommodation. I find the versys feels sportier and faster (it's not, but feels it). For solo riding it's great, but on longer rides I feel the peg to seat distance a bit tight at 6'1". The only passenger on my versys so far has been my 10 year old son.

Sent from my Le Pan TC802A using Tapatalk
 
DL650 is very capable for 2up and some gears. Done many miles 2up on it. As for comfort, it is also a smooth bike but not like your goldwing, but it's ok. Big tank goes a long way too between fill up.
 
I have a buddy with an '04 VStrom 1000 and wishes he'd bought the 650 instead. For him and his Wife he says the WeeStrom would have been plenty and would have been less thirsty and thus given him a longer touring range vs the 1000.
 

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