fr499y

they can't even get the weather right for the next day, let alone 2-3 days time

http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/isle-of-man-news/competitor-dies-after-accident-in-tt-race-this-afternoon-1-6650274

iPhones, owned by apple fan boys who have more money than sense

Not sure about that. The triumph thruxton's had a tendency to leak oil through a seal on the side case where a sensor wire goes. Woke up to a small spot of oil every day when i owned that felt like a classic british bike in that sense! Mop the oil up, polish the chrome, go for a spin, lock it up and repeat the next day lol

unless you can find a local stealer that can get them in stock and compare the prices

http://www.ventura-bike.co.uk/products/bikepacksystem.aspx

Don't think i will be going, they have killed it with the entrance fees

I think someone got scared. Hardly, just from the comfort point of view i found it bloody horrible. admittedly, it was more comfy than i was expecting, just still felt like a perch Hard to beat a muscle bike for a good all rounder though. If i still had my xjr Dave, i would of let ya take it out with Mel.

and from being a pillion on a busa, its f****ng horrible

Touring on your own is one thing, but touring with a pillion and them being comfy is where these other bikes come in. Most bikes that you can tour on ( aka pretty much anything ) are fine for rider, but not pillion. Try doing 100+ miles on a perch 6" higher than the rider with your knees under your chin, it ent gunna be comfy! I could travel all day on my old KTM ( if it worked ) or my ducati, but the gf was crippled after 20 minutes or so on the back. This is where 'touring' bikes come into it. Muscle bikes are also good for it like you say, the xjr, gsx, zrx etc, mainly down to the riding style, the flat seat and low pillion pegs.

Any chance the info of where it is etc can be added to the opening post of this thread? Just for those that are coming up on the Saturday for the ride out only?

FJR 1300 lovely bike, plenty of power and light for what it is. Boxes are a decent size, stock seat is pretty damn comfy and the screen is big enough for most people under 6 foot. ( plus adjustable on the newer models ) BMW R1200RT heavier than the fjr but not by a huge amount, again plenty of torque and power, bit flatter feeling when riding due to the engine layout but super smooth ride! better seat than the FJR, luggage is roughly the same as the FJR ( possibly a bit bigger? might have to measure up to be sure ) roughly the same sort of price range for a few year old bike. BMW reliability and built like tanks! Honda ST1300 Big heavy bike, brilliant for touring but they do take up a bit of room, heavier than the two above but silky smooth! Boxes are big enough to put the kitchen sink in. Screen is bigger than the FJR, Fairing is a lot wider, but the good thing is the mirrors clip on and off so if you do knock them off, they will clip back in ( regular thing with us to knock them clean off whilst getting them out the gate!! ) out of the three above, FJR would be my first choice as it would better fit your riding style There is always the smaller tourers VFR 800 Cracking bikes, plenty of poke, handle like they are on rails and pretty comfy. Screen isn't bad for a sport tourer, the bars are low but not as low as sports bikes ( still too low for me to ride comfortably ) but the v-tec takes a lot of getting used to! Has a chain though! F800GT Again, plenty of poke ( suprised me to be honest!! ) bit of a whippy bike to get used to but a boosterplug and a decent end can soon sorts the running out to give you a rocket of a twin! Stock seat is not bad, BMW comfort seat is lovely but does raise the bike up a bit from stock. No chain to worry about as its belt drive and has a long life span. Heated grips, traction control, electronic suspension etc make it a good buy if your looking for a smaller second bike that will do it all Plenty of 'sport tourers' but if your serious about distance, stick to one of the proper ones! I've tried some more than that but they are the only ones i can think of that might be suited.

yeah I'm the same.

you going?

well done

G11 NGR is available Just remember that the vehicle has to be newer than the reg of the plate ( aka P** *** has to be on a vehicle newer than 1995 ) I'd say one like CC05HAD is your best bet, but again, would need to be on a 2005 or younger car

Italian bikes for you, They look good, they go well, they sound brilliant, but god do they cost a lot to fix!

Wise words *A motorcycle is beyond transportation, because it connects you with life *

I should of guessed that right! *tank bag? why would anyone think of putting a tent in a tank bag?* Written by someone who has never touched a bike, let alone traveled with one geared up.

top box would make the most sense as the weight will be even. Panniers, nope because of weight distribution tank bag? why would anyone think of putting a tent in a tank bag? Backpack is a no go-er because of the weight on your back. Now if its a heavy tent, then no boxes would be recommended, im sure the weight limit on most boxes is 10KG tops. I just strap it to the luggage rack with a fair few bungee straps But in the case of the highway code, top box

just be bloody careful on them, will bite you on ya ass if you abuse it!