I only own one bike now ( wifes 50th, 17yr old starting to drive have left pot empty for any investment in proper tourer). Light touring of 916 ? Any sadomasochism words of wisdom available from anyone ? Think we have finally got my 916 running properly, turns out tps used by previous expert was wrong and never returned to correct position + oxygen senor was on blink. Hoping to do the odd weekend trip in UK, thinking 25ltr alpine style rucksack and pairing everything down to almost sweet F.A Never done any touring, so any thoughts or abuse welcome.
I'd suggest your biggest challenge may be finding a touring route that suits the 916? If your bike is like mine, it's fantastic on empty flowing roads, but can be hard work in slow city/town environments. Are you thinking of touring in the UK or further afield? Knocking around Northern/Central Italy would be nice! Good luck & happy travels!
Get a Kriega tail bag, had one on my KTM 790 attached to the pillion pad. https://www.thevisorshop.com/en/gb/...MI88b5ubWOjAMVrqNQBh1t8CUCEAQYAiABEgIvefD_BwE The only backpack I’ve worn is the Kriega I bought for my GG700. Not sure I’d want a backpack on a sports bike TBH. For the same reason I don’t on my pusho. https://www.urbanrider.co.uk/kriega...MI9cDB5LWOjAMVLJJQBh29PAVLEAQYBCABEgLUjPD_BwE
My best mate has joined me on my annual tours on his 996 since 2010. Mostly on the continent, a couple of Scottish NC500 trips and a Wales & Peak District trip. He's now in his 60s as am I. Swapped bikes a couple of times and I don't quite know how he manages TBH, but he's not crippled by the experience and has no complaints. He's made a few adaptations: These were the early changes made for the initial 2010 trip (Route de Grand Alps and Cevennes). He's quite creative in the workshop and fabricated the pannier rails himself using the bi-posto pillion footrest hangers and some tubing. These are easily detachable before and after a trip with a few bolts and keep his soft panniers in order, out of the back wheel and away from the bodywork. The pillion seat adaptation provides a platform with integral eyelets and tie-downs for strapping a bag, or a case of beer, securely. The pillion seat cover still fits so the bike has a normal profile the rest of the time. More recently he's embraced the travel light approach with just a Givi top case on the platform. This gives better security as the base plate is bolted on and the case locks to that. The added ingenious touch is that under the pop off cover on the top side of the base plate he's found an ideal tool stash. The Givi base plate is only added before a tour and removed on return, again maintaining the std. profile of the bike. The rear shock, an Ohlins on the 996, has adjustable ride height and he backs that off if we have any serious motorway mileage. This, he reckons, gives a little relief on the arse up, nose down riding position. Once we hit the twisties he adjusts it back and has a ball. Our destination this year is the Dolomites. Due to his farming activities he's playing catch-up on my and another mates days 1 and 2 by riding this in one day: Gloucestershire to the Vosges in a single day, about 570 miles, mostly motorway/autoroute... We're taking two days. I don't envy the prospect of this in the slightest. We'll have his beer lined up in the hotel bar.
I tour my 916 once a year. Last year was 1200kms in 4 days, in the southern Alps. Aside from making sure your bike is mechanically fit and having a good road side assistance (that’s the same with any other bike), I would say rider fitness is the key to enjoy touring a Tamburini. Get three or four 200km day rides around your area to get your wrists, neck and legs used to the position. Also make sure your abs and back muscles are in shape. Finally, and most importantly, do not exceed your own daily bearable average distance or this can turn into hell. I used to ride 400km a day on a 916 or 900SSie without a problem that was 15 years ago. Today, I start hurting when I hit 300. I still do it sometimes, when I can’t chose otherwise, but not much fun anymore…
I'm only going to do Wales, Peak District I thinking about Wales (haven't been since childhood) maybe Peak District, if I really take to it maybe Scotland. I'm just outside London, so could also do South Coast.
Not done massive distances across europe but did take my 748 from Herts up to Harlech for overnight stop then on to Holyhead for ferry to Ireland and across to the west coast the following day. I used a tank bag and double Ventura luggage set up which worked really well and made me a big fan of Ventura.It helps a lot if you ride reasonable distances on a fairly regular basis to get your body used to prolonged periods on the bike, I used to go out all day on a Sat/ Sunday and do 300 plus miles which was hard at first but paid off later.
I have Kreiga bags and SW Motech blaze panniers on mine. I have a kreiga tank "bra" that a 10 & 20 litre bag fits comfortably. Had to make my own brackets to fit the panniers
I use a very good quality Alpine rucksack to carry my stuff. I also have a bagster. Used it once and hated riding with this blob between my arms so much I never used it again. And there’s no way I would make my 916 look like a GS with saddle bags at all. Actually, there’s no way I would use saddle bags. Not even on a bicycle. That’s for old farts! Touring a 916 is still about spirited riding on a Superbike!
If I may be so bold, living in the South as you do, then (and pardon my French) fuck the UK right off for touring and get yourself on the Eurotunnel and a couple of nights in that France. Even northern France will give you endless miles of (relatively) empty roads the UK can only dream of. A few years back some mates and I had a night in Caen. By carefully selecting a route you can enjoy a cracking ride without putting too many miles in. Ideal for Sportsbike touring. August last year, I did a two night dash to the ‘Ring on my Pani. Here it is fully kitted out in touring mode (note Quadlock mount) Look at the view! Unfortunately I didn’t get a lap in. Here’s why… As far as luggage goes, I wore a Kriega R25 containing the bare essentials. A small tail pack (Kriega US20 for example) is worth considering. Enjoy, and let us know your plans…
I would have done the ring at some point but unfortunately left it too late, as it’s now closed to bikes
Lot to be said in favour of "travelling light" but equally it's important to have everything you need. I used a humungous rucksack, I think it was 30 plus ltr capacity along with a tank bag when I went to Le Mans in 2005 and while it did a job it was far from ideal and I don't think I've used it since.
Flying out with my bicycle to hook up with my Son then 30 days to cycle from the South Island to the North. Then I fly back and he carries on with the rest of his stay until he has to return to sit an exam for his University offer. He’s bought a used bike in Japan that he’ll bring back. We were originally going to hire 2 CT125’s from Osaka. He loves Japan but says he couldn’t live there permanently, he’s had a good ski season though riding Moonbikes and snowmobiles.
Get it done, they've had epic snowfall this season especially so up North, some days they haven't been able to open the lifts the snow is that deep. A youngster died earlier in the season by landing head first in the deep snow and suffocating unfortunately. He's down South, but as you're aware Hokkaido is legendary, he's in a more tourist area than a hard core ski destination called Yusawa. Mostly dealing with Malaysians, Thai's, Filipino's with some from Guam and the smaller Pacific islands so his English was his only qualification required. He prefers the French Alps, the Espace Killy in particular.
@DucatiScud Having skied here and there, I also believe the Alps (French or else) are second to none. However, Hokkaido is so « exotic » from where I stand that I would really love to ski there… That and my recently imported Darmah SSD was titled in Sapporo.
I agree the Alps French or otherwise are the pinnacle, just for sheer vertical drop and it’s expansiveness. As would I, on account of the legendary powder. Very expensive though to stay anywhere close. People bus/drive in for the day from around2 hours away.
