Just completed a tour of the French ww1 battlefields on the 12r. 5 days And 1000 miles The monster certainly isn't the perfect touring bike, but for booming around French B roads it's pretty much perfect. Luggage choice was a sw motech micro tank bag and hepco and Becker c bow panniers. The panniers were sturdy but not really big enough. Despite a day with the bike cutting out due to a loose battery terminal it ran well and acted as a fairly decent touring bike
what i mean is that as a touring bike there are far better options out there, not necessarly ducati. However as a bike that can occasionally tour it is ok. I cant afford to have 2 bikes, so i have a bike that suits me for my main use, riding around the lake district, and can tour if i want it to. If i was going to spend the whole summer riding round europe i would buy something else.
I really think that deciding if a bike is good for touring is more of a state of mind. I have toured Europe on Kawasaki ZRX1100, ZRX1200R, Ducati Monster 1100, Monster 1100evo. None are touring bikes, but I was happy on them. If it is your only bike then just accept its limitations, work with it, enjoy it for what it is and tour on it. If I can ride 600+ miles in a day on a Monster then so can anyone else, although 600+ miles is quicker and more comfortable on my SF848. Have any of my bikes been the perfect touring bike? No, but they've done what I've asked them to and I wouldn't have changed them for another bike when touring. Other bikes may be quicker, offer more wind protection, be more comfortable, have permanent luggage, etc. so what. I have what I have and I have it because I like it and I still like it after 8 hours in the pouring rain on it. You found 40+ litres of panniers not big enough for 5 days? I would suggest that you need to pack lighter. 40-50 litres should be fine for two weeks.
I'm Pretty sure those panniers don't hold 40-50 litres. I was asked to give an opinion on what the monster r was like for touring. If you like sitting in it for 8 hours in the rain, good for you. I certainly don't. Please don't tell Me how to pack for a bike tour. I've done enough to Know what I'm doing
Oly, What was your tank range , whilst touring before the petrol light showed itself? I presume you did a bit motorway work on the way to the ferry, how did u find the wind blast over a sustained distance.? I'm off touring on mine shortly , only had relatively short rides to date.
Oly, As far as I am aware all of the current range of Hepco & Becker C-Bow panniers are at least 22 litres per pannier except the Scarlett which is 18 litres. This was why I made the comment that I did. You may have a different model which is smaller and I apologise for jumping to conclusions about the size of your panniers. I never said that I would enjoy riding a bike for 8 hours in the rain. It is something that I have done and it wasn't the most fun I've had on a bike. What I said is that I'd still like my bike after such a ride. I do agree with you that the 1200R is probably not the perfect touring bike. However I'd probably be happy covering 5000 miles on a two week tour on it.
No worries, I think there are different panniers you can get for the c bow system. I love the bike, and will tour on it again, because when you're at the destination it is fabulous around the French roads. I actually got caught in hale stones on the way back!! Tank range was pretty surprising, lift came on around 140 miles, I tended to go about 120 and then fill Up. Wind blast wasn't a problem , up to around 90mph However it was cold on the way back, 5 degrees and my hands were freezing, Could have don't with heated grips. Hope that answers all the questions The
One thing I must say is that the sat nav was invaluable. My sat nav was mounted to the steering damper with a mount made by telferizer.com it performed perfectly and didnt vibrate loose. made the sat nav in perfect view whilst riding
Hi were you touring solo or two-up? Plans for my 1200s are two-up European touring ... If it wont keep my wife happy on the back it will have to go
