Two up touring on a Wee Strom | Page 3 | GTAMotorcycle.com

Two up touring on a Wee Strom

In what can probably only be described as a lack of judgement, tinged with nostalgia (I was not drunk!) I bought a 1983 Honda GL650 SilverWing. The buyers remorse set in shortly after I started strapping it on the trailer and realized that the leaking fork seals had actually leaked enough to coat brakes on one side.
Rebuilt the forks with new seals. Stripped, flushed, cleaned, and rebuilt the master cylinder and calipers along with new pads. And had new Bridgestones mounted.

Threw the plate from KLR on and took a short jaunt. That was all we needed to realize that although it was roomy enough for two (rider wise - the bags were kind of small) and VERY comfortable the old push rod V twin just didn't have the grunt. Also it was a little buzzy at 120.

Anybody interested in rare SilverWing???
 
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I had a Wee-Strom and my wife was really comfi for 2-up touring, but it did not have the excitement I was looking for. We've rented an R1200RT, Tiger Explorer & R1200GS for touring in Europe and really enjoyed the RT & Tiger, but both are expensive. My current ride is a 2011 Ninja 1000, which is a blast to ride, but my wife isn't up for more than 350 kms as the seat is small and the passenger foot pegs are high. I absolutely love that engine, so I see a Versys 1000 in our future for 2-up touring. It has good leg room for both, one of the top rated passenger seats, comes with 28 l side bags and is 3-bags capable (unlike the Ninja) and capacity for around 470 lbs rider, passenger & luggage weight.

After the failed SilverWing experiment (in my defense it was soooo cheap) I really think we need a full litre bike. I was looking at the Bandit again and it's only now dawning on me how easy it would be to lower the rear pegs on one of those verus dropping the front pegs on an DL.

That said I was picking up brake pads from the kawi dealer and the parts guy said they have a 1000 Versys that's been lowered (links like I installed on the KLR??) and we can demo it any Saturday that they have 2 sale guys working.
 
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That said I was picking up brake pads from the kawi dealer and the parts guy said they have a 1000 Versys that's been lowered (links like I installed on the KLR??) and we can demo it any Saturday that they have 2 sale guys working.

Let us know what you think when you test it.
 
I wouldn't buy a lowered bike myself. It's been compromised.
 
Seriously? Going 160+ kph all day long isn't enough for you in pouring rain?

..Tom

fans of the wee are a fierce bunch, come out in droves if you dare criticize the bike with the character of a lawnmower

understand the context, coming from a Goldwing, he and his sweetie will not like being on half the bike on long, shytty days
 
Speaking from experience instead of conjecture. They are not unless you consider 1" less clearance and a more stable footing for the rider being "comprised". :rolleyes:
Run it by your insurance company first?
 
fans of the wee are a fierce bunch, come out in droves if you dare criticize the bike with the character of a lawnmower

understand the context, coming from a Goldwing, he and his sweetie will not like being on half the bike on long, shytty days

I like the DL650 because it fades into the background and just let's you ride. It doesn't intrude into your riding with "character", ultimately it's just you out there riding.

I think the Goldwing is an incredible bike. If my partner did not have her own bike and I intended to ride all over North America carrying a ton of stuff there is no finer bike. I had the extreme pleasure of riding in the Canadian Rockies about 2,000 km/1,200 miles on a brand new 2010 Gold Wing 1800 starting in Calgary, Alberta and was blown away with how amazing the bike was. Apart from cruise control that felt likely had too much slack in the linkage making it react poorly (prob a simple adjustment), the gps that doesn't let you search while riding and my inability to find the hot tub (that had to be there somewhere) the bike was a near perfect two-up touring bike.

I also had the pleasure of riding a Harley Road King in Arizona and New Mexico (my wife was on a Sportster) similar mileage that I did on the Gold Wing and, while I/we are not Harley people we had to say they were very enjoyable bikes for riding down there. (My 2006 wife had. Gladius at the time and now rides a Triumph Tiger XRX 800 low)

Please don't try and paint me as someone that is a bike snob thinking I'm someone that thinks any one bike is the best. I'm a rider that rides 40,000 to 50,000 km/25,000 to 30,000 miles per year and find that riding Strom's suits me fine.

..Tom
 
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I wouldn't buy a lowered bike myself. It's been compromised.

I'm about 5'6" so I personally lowered my KLR about 1.5". Works just tikiddy boo.
 

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