What is your minimum size bike?

[JamesW]

Just thought I would through this out there to see what older or physically challenged folks are doing and maybe get some ideas for my future. Little over a year ago my 923lb Goldwing left the garage (right hip getting just a little achy) and replaced by my 505ish lb dl1000 V-strom. Lighter is nicer in my case, and it is still a traveling bike by my definition. Course the FJR is still here, and my favorite for a long way in a hurry type stuff. 660 lbs is manageable but noticeable at times.

 

[lonerider]

Of the four I have on the road right now - '85 Madura, '93 GSX1100G, '07 FJR, and 2010 GL 1800 - the little Madura has been getting the most miles. Most of the riding I've been doing is backroading and day trips; the little Suzook has all the necessary power for that and is easiest to handle in tight places. I also have a hip that's going to need a replacement; it's now the limiting factor as to how long I can stay in the saddle. If I were going to replace any of my present ones, I'd seriously consider an FJ 09. All the power I need, acceptable weight, and GIVI is making a fitment kit (at least at present) for it that would enable me to use my GIVI cases without having to make my own adaptation.

 

[erixun]

The lightest I have in my garage is my Honda Ruckus - about 190lbs. The 'wee' machine. But it only goes about 35 MPH....

 

[Redfish Hunter]

1300cc.

But I would be willing to add a Honda CRF250L to the stable.

 

[wheatonFJR]

1298cc

 

[rushes]

It's a large, but it only weighs a bit over 19 lbs.

 

[Warpdrv]

^^^^ Ha - winner at this point, I got one of those in the garage, but I never use it....

I was unwilling to go with anything smaller then the FZ-09 as a secondary bike personally...

 

[rbentnail]

But I would be willing to add a Honda CRF250L to the stable.

I'd love to have one of these. The XR650L even better but I could go for someone dropping the CRF off in my front yard, saying "Happy Whatever-the-Hell Day!" and driving off.

 

[Rain Dancer]

Have a '74 DT250 I love, and my wife's '78 KZ200 is a blast to ride (as long as you really plan your stops!)

200 miles is the limit for a day for me on either tho.......and both weigh more than 19 poubnds!

 

[Heen]

I'd seriously consider an FJ 09. All the power I need, acceptable weight, and GIVI is making a fitment kit (at least at present) for it that would enable me to use my GIVI cases without having to make my own adaptation.

Yamaha make a kit that allows you to use your FJR bags on the FJ-09.

 

[lonerider]

I'd seriously consider an FJ 09. All the power I need, acceptable weight, and GIVI is making a fitment kit (at least at present) for it that would enable me to use my GIVI cases without having to make my own adaptation.

Yamaha make a kit that allows you to use your FJR bags on the FJ-09.

Actually, I'm in the process of adapting my GIVI bags to my FJR. I use the GIVIs on my Suzukis and prefer them to the FJR factory bags.

 

[escapefjrtist]

In the interest of a decent road trip, I'm thinking a Wee Strom or similar is as small as I want to go.

For around town and my local twisty roads...that's open!

--G

 

[Fred W]

1300cc.
But I would be willing to add a Honda CRF250L to the stable.

Make sure that you test ride that Honda before you bring one home.

I owned a WR250 for a while, and it was just too small for my size person (I'm 6'2" ~220 lbs). The top end HP of the WR was OK when you wrung it out, but the torque just wasn't there for the slower going sections without a major gear down that would kill its on-road ability. For that you need more displacement, but usually with displacement comes more weight. A 400 class bike may be the sweet spot for dual sports.

For primarily road travel and especially multi-day touring with loaded bags I'd say a 650 would be the minimum and ideally a multi cylinder one. The 1000 Strom is only 40-ish pounds heavier than the 650 variant, so it fills that bill with a little more weight and a little more giddy-up.

 

[user 8909]

I'd seriously consider an FJ 09. All the power I need, acceptable weight, and GIVI is making a fitment kit (at least at present) for it that would enable me to use my GIVI cases without having to make my own adaptation.

Yamaha make a kit that allows you to use your FJR bags on the FJ-09.

This is a pretty cool setup

BentAero bought my bags and did this.

My lighter bike is a K75c, had a KLX650 at one time but is was a bit too tall. Everyone needs a lighter bike especially in the summer months.

 

[Bungie]

250 for me. I've had a string of them. Ninja 250, CBR250 and now a CRF250L. Just yesterday I saw an add for a dealer in Ottawa selling brand new Yammie R3's (300cc twin) for under 4K. I'm very tempted. But I'm sure its not good enough to warrant the divorce.

 

[rogdeb]

1330 cc triple, and I don't feel the weight at all

-- but I miss the weight ! But it will have to wait !

 

[gixxerjasen]

For the street? 434cc is my current minimum.

 

[N4HHE]

1300cc.
But I would be willing to add a Honda CRF250L to the stable.

A friend has a CBR250R in Red, White, and Blue. Its quite fun and capable once you get used to riding 6,000 to 9,000 RPM.

Guess my smallest bike now is a 2016 Beta 430RS.

 

[Geezer]

I think the Grom is one of the coolest motorcycles in many years and I actually sat on one more than once trying to figure out if it would be possible for me to fit on one and ride it. No way. But it's still cool and it's 125cc.