Sport touring on a GSXR-1000

[John_Dumke]

Certainly our FJR's are the standard for Sport Touring. But in the the grand scheme of Sport Touring there is a big range. Fully loaded Gold Wings with trailer in tow, might be at one end. The FJR is somewhere in the middle, leaning towards sporty. And at the far end of the sporting extreme is my GSXR 1000, which can cut some pretty mean lap times on the race track and still wants to power wheelie at 130mph. It feels like a "scalpel" compared to my FJR which feels like an "Ice Cream Scoop" in comparison. Hey an Ice Cream Scoop isn't bad. A Harley Road Glide would be a "Bag of Marshmallows".

I have spent the last 6 months of ownership customizing the bike for sport touring. You can read about the changes made here GSXR 1000 Mods. A basic summary is electronic cruise control, Corbin seat, heli bars, taller gearing, powerlet port for heated gear, ram mount and electrical connections for radar detector and phone and serious jetting and smoothing out of the power delivery. 

But I am most proud of my fabrication of a mounting system for my Givi V47. Looks hideous, I know, but now I truly have a sport bike with legs and luggage capacity. Plus the location of the luggage, over the back passenger seat provides good weight distribution and aero's. I had to design and fabricate a bracket to attach the Givi mounting plate to the bike. You can read more about this 3D printing project here. Givi Tail Trunk and 3D printing. 

Now I just have to install my Ohlins front forks which are lying on my garage floor to complete my masterpiece. 

There is no doubt the FJR is the bike to take when the wife wants to come. She won't ride on the back of the Suzuki (And now she can't!). But when you want to really ring it out on pure race machinery for hours on end, this GSXR is the ticket. 

 

[Spartan0789]

I have been sport-touring on my '03 R6 for decades, but my S.O. and I just purchased an '06 FJR yesterday, so now I can do both!

 

[mophead]

Hey John.  How long is that inseam of yours?  Inquiring minds want to know.

 

[John_Dumke]

I have been sport-touring on my '03 R6 for decades, but my S.O. and I just purchased an '06 FJR yesterday, so now I can do both!

I thought the FJR could be the one bike that did it all, but I came to the conclusion that no one bike can do it all. I really missed my sport bikes. 

Hey John.  How long is that inseam of yours?  Inquiring minds want to know.

Hmmmmm, Why? I am 5'8" with a 30" inseam. While pure sportbikes have only become smaller, I have always felt at home in a race position. As long as the reach to the bars isn't too far, or I have to drown too long on the freeways. 

Why do you ask are you one of those taller riders that can't fold up properly? As a side note, while the GSXR is not as comfortable, I can do 400+ mile days on the bike on all twisty back roads and I am 58 years old. 

 

[mophead]

34" inseam here.  Too much to fold up on the Gixer but good for you.  Never thought of a Gixer for touring but you have mastered it it seems.  

 

[John_Dumke]

34" inseam here.  Too much to fold up on the Gixer but good for you.  Never thought of a Gixer for touring but you have mastered it it seems.  

Yes, being too tall would not be good. The GSXR and sport bikes in general are only good sport tourers if you are primarily on twisty back roads that require you to adjust your position for turns. This constant movement, setting up for turns, while it does tire you out, it also keeps a sporting position from becoming overbearing. If you do have to hit the freeway, 1-2 hours max is the limit, and then only if you have cruise which allows you to sit up straight and alternate arms.

So the gixxer is NOT a touring bike, but can work as a Sport Tourer, for strictly back roads. Just be smaller in stature, do yoga and have a hot tub at the end of the day. Lots of restrictions, but the reward is oh so good.

 

[David Morrow]

Yes, being too tall would not be good. The GSXR and sport bikes in general are only good sport tourers if you are primarily on twisty back roads that require you to adjust your position for turns. This constant movement, setting up for turns, while it does tire you out, it also keeps a sporting position from becoming overbearing. If you do have to hit the freeway, 1-2 hours max is the limit, and then only if you have cruise which allows you to sit up straight and alternate arms.

So the gixxer is NOT a touring bike, but can work as a Sport Tourer, for strictly back roads. Just be smaller in stature, do yoga and have a hot tub at the end of the day. Lots of restrictions, but the reward is oh so good.

I'm not too sure what "too tall" is but I'm 6'0" and I have no issues doing 400-500 mile days on my CBR1000RR and managed a 1000 mile+ / 1,744 Km day last year. Not as comfortable as my FJR but I did manage to prove to myself that you can most definitely tour on a sport bike.

 

[John_Dumke]

I'm not too sure what "too tall" is but I'm 6'0" and I have no issues doing 400-500 mile days on my CBR1000RR and managed a 1000 mile+ / 1,744 Km day last year. Not as comfortable as my FJR but I did manage to prove to myself that you can most definitely tour on a sport bike.

Good to hear it. Many people who are larger complain about being folded up on a sport bike. I can't speak for being 6' tall, as I am only 5'8". I do know that over the years the full size liter bikes have become smaller, almost 600 like in size. This has maybe exacerbated the problem. Certainly Honda's have been some of the sport bikes with a more civilized seating position. You are I are proof that it can be done. 

 

[SeattleTy]

I've got a similar set up on my 2015 R1 (Givi).

It comes in handy, holding alot for essential.

Nice set up you got, it looks really good.

Thanks for sharing