the perfect bike...

[frozenpoet]

What would be the perfect bike for two up touring going from Deadhorse Alaska to Panama? If I was running solo it would be the NCX no problem, but not so much with a passenger. The BMW GS is an obvious choice but it's a bit heavy and pricey for my taste.

 

[bduffey]

How about this.............. 2015 CONCOURS® 14 ABS Supersport Touring Motorcycle by Kawasaki

 

[Deleted member 1183]

If you want proven reliability with comfort and a willing motor with trouble free shaft drive, then there is only one choice, and that is the Yamaha Super Tenere.

I would like to suggest my Triumph Explorer as it is a superb two up bike, but reliability is questionable on it.

The Kawasaki Versys and the Honda Crosstourer are also excellent motorcycles but as yet possibly not for sale in your area.

I hate to admit it but with the Euro bikes in general, reliability can be an issue more than the Japanese. BMW would be high on that list for me.

 

[Bug Dr.]

I would choose an adventure bike of some sort (I'm partial to the Tenere) for that route. I know of one couple is doing this same thing on a Tenere and several do it on GS/GSA. You will want more suspension travel and spoked wheels for the varied terrain than something like a sport-tourer or tourer. Someone will find somebody somewhere that did the same on a GoldWing and say it was easy but it still wouldn't be my first choice.

An adventure bike will be able to carry two people and their gear with relative ease. There are several Teneres available for sale around the Country both new and used. You can get a new leftover 2013 Tenere for around $10K. There are well farkled 2012s and 2013 with less than 5K miles for under $10K. A new GSA will run right around $23K without luggage and about $19.5K for a GS.

The Tenere isn't perfect and has the potential to break like any other bike. For me, its all about probability of failure. That is why I chose Yamaha over BMW for my adventure bike. I had a BMW RT that was trouble-free and a great bike at the same time I had an NC 700. I wanted to combine them into one bike and that left the Tenere or the GS/GSA. I had a good experience with BMW.....but for how long? I never had the confidence in the BMW as I did my ST 1300. I'm not sure if my paranoia would've ever been realized.

Whatever you decide, I'm thoroughly jealous. I would love to do that trip and beyond.
Mike

 

[frozenpoet]

I'm slowly trying to work on the woman to get her class M, and maybe by the time I can actually do this she will. That would open my options up...even use the NCX. Of course that would issues in finding her a bike that I would feel comfortable in her taking being as though she's only 5'0 tall. All the duel/adventure bikes are too tall for her that I know of. As far as two up, she doesn't care what I get as long as she's comfortable. She doesn't like the NCX stock pillon seat, that can be fixed, but it gives us no room back or forth. Putting my toes on the pegs put my heals on her shoes. It also tends to make me sit a little forward than what I like. FYI I'm 6'0 and around 200 lbs, as stated she's 5'0 and around 100 lbs in full gear and soak and wet... and can out eat me, but that's a different gripe lol.

Doing on it on a Goldwing? I'm sure it's been done. I was impressed by a woman doing a solo ride from South Carolina to Alaska on a little GZ250. I think that was the bike, I know it was an insanely small cruiser.

Of course the inspiration for this trip is because I just finished watching "The long way around" and "The long way down".

 

[Bug Dr.]

Well in that case, you need a full support crew with many vehicles.

If I were to do the trip by myself, I'd think seriously about owning another NC. I think that would be a good compromise to the ultra small dual sport and the larger adventure bike. If they made a NC with a 19" front wheel and wire spoke rims with an additional 1-2" suspension travel it would be just about perfect.

Having the ability to run low octane fuel is a consideration south of the border. Also, repairs are very easy on the NC with readily available parts. But two-up......oh heck no!
Mike

 

[frozenpoet]

Well in that case, you need a full support crew with many vehicles.

If I were to do the trip by myself, I'd think seriously about owning another NC. I think that would be a good compromise to the ultra small dual sport and the larger adventure bike. If they made a NC with a 19" front wheel and wire spoke rims with an additional 1-2" suspension travel it would be just about perfect.

Having the ability to run low octane fuel is a consideration south of the border. Also, repairs are very easy on the NC with readily available parts. But two-up......oh heck no!
Mike

I had to laugh at the entire process, the support crew etc. They did the over planning and such and made a big deal out of everything, while other "normal" people just kind of get on and ride. Granted, I'm neither famous or trying to make a t.v. show out of this. Watching long way around I was laughing at everything they were taking with them. I'm also a backpacker so that tends to be my frame of mind as well. When they finally decided to dump a bunch of their junk towards the end, after breaking the subframe twice, I was like finally!

If I would do the trip solo with my current setup (oem luggage, barkbusters, heated grips, rear hugger, seat concepts seat) The only things I would change would be the saddlebags, oem has a lot of wasted space, more off road worthy tires (angle GT tires currently) mount a rotopax or two just to be safe and maybe a bash plate.

 

[itlives]

Well, two votes for Tenere. I'll be able to get back with reliability of the Tenere after my trip next week.
The Tenere is VERY comfortable with loads of power whenever you need. At 80 mph both the Tenere and the NC are at the same rpm. But the Tenere has a higher red line.
Two up with all your gear, I'm guessing you'd get about 40 mpg. But you'd also have ABS brakes, drive shaft, 19" front tire, traction control and adjustable suspension.
As BugDr. said you can get them for a good price, too. I got mine for $9100 (9,000 miles) out the door. Had to get panniers for it (thanks BugDr.!) but it did have the Yamaha top box.
I was looking on Cycle Trader. Some real good deals on it but you have jump when you see them.

 

[Deleted member 1183]

At 80 mph both the Tenere and the NC are at the same rpm. But the Tenere has a higher red line..

You forgot to mention that in a throttle roll on at those revs the ST would leave the NC for dead, even two up

 

[pismocycleguy]

If you want proven reliability with comfort and a willing motor with trouble free shaft drive, then there is only one choice, and that is the Yamaha Super Tenere.
The Kawasaki Versys and the Honda Crosstourer are also excellent motorcycles but as yet possibly not for sale in your area.

The Versys for two up touring is questionable. I owned one for 2 years and it was hardly roomy enough for me, and I'm not that big. Maybe two people under 5 feet tall and less than 100 lbs each might be doable?
But I'd say get a roomer bike for a long comfortable ride. You're suppose to enjoy the ride and have a memorable journey.

 

[Cyclerosis]

Gold Wing would probably be the most comfortable two up option. Or a Valkyrie. I'd go with something that runs at high speeds at a low rpm and has some weight for stability.

 

[Deleted member 1183]

The Versys for two up touring is questionable.:

Sorry, I should have clarified. I was referring to the Versys 1000

 

[670cc]

The OP specifies starting in Deadhorse, Alaska. I suppose people do the Dalton Highway 2-up on Gold Wings and maybe Concours14s, but are those really the best choice? My Goldwing loaded with gear and two people weighs about 5/8 of a ton.

And, if you're starting at Deadhorse, you need to get there first, so that's doing it twice.

 

[gboswellsac]

If you want proven reliability with comfort and a willing motor with trouble free shaft drive, then there is only one choice, and that is the Yamaha Super Tenere.

I would like to suggest my Triumph Explorer as it is a superb two up bike, but reliability is questionable on it.

The Kawasaki Versys and the Honda Crosstourer are also excellent motorcycles but as yet possibly not for sale in your area.

I hate to admit it but with the Euro bikes in general, reliability can be an issue more than the Japanese. BMW would be high on that list for me.

I saw a Triumph Tiger (Adv model with bags) at a gas stop and it had shaft drive. I Asked the owner he said the ADV model with bags+ is shaft while other Tigers are chain.... just an observation not necessarily the perfect bike.

 

[Deleted member 1183]

I saw a Triumph Tiger (Adv model with bags) at a gas stop and it had shaft drive. I Asked the owner he said the ADV model with bags+ is shaft while other Tigers are chain.... just an observation not necessarily the perfect bike.

Yes, the Tiger 1050's and 800's are chain drive while the Explorer is a shaft. As suggested above, mine is an Explorer and again as implied not perfect due to questionable reliability.

 

[L.B.S.]

My buddy has a Super Ten, and having ridden it more than a few times, I can say it's a really nice machine. It's a big ol' comfy Barca Lounger of a thing, that can eat up miles like nothing. It is, however, beastly heavy. You sure as heck don't want the thing falling over on you, or getting stuck in mud or sand! I nearly gave up the ghost a few years ago, helping to pull the thing out of a sand dune, that I had easily ridden over on my F800ST. It took enormous effort for both of us to drag the thing out, and I thought I was going to have a stroke, lol.

So, it depends. Would I like a Goldwing for all the pavement miles between Alaska and the end of South America? You bet! For dirt, gravel, mud, sand, snow etc.? Ya, not so much...

A DR350 for the fun and ease of tooling through all the off pavement zones or sketchy road surface conditions, absolutely! For gazzilions of miles pavement slab droning? Ugh, been there, done that, no thanks!

I am really, really happy with the real world compromises between weight, comfort, abilities, and economy that the NC700X brings to the equation. Not the best bike in any comparison test, and not the bike for everyone for sure, but it is for me!