Sport-Tourer.com

Sport-Tourer Comparisons Part 1

Here are the comparison results of the primary, purpose-built, sport-touring motorcycles, based upon the earlier noted sport-touring definition and assumptions.

HORSEPOWER

SPORT-TOURING MOTORCYCLE COMPARISON

If you are really a sport-bike rider at heart, but want to travel longer distances with more comfort, then your primary interest will revolve around power. Here’s how the bikes line up based on claimed horsepower from each manufacturer:

(Note: “RV” means “ranking value,” which is the relative ranking of each bike within this group).

• Kawasaki Concours14 at 156 horsepower (RV=1)
• BMW K1200GT at 152 claimed horsepower (RV=2)
• Yamaha FJR1300 at 145 claimed horsepower (R=3)
• Honda ST1300 at 125 claimed horsepower (RV=4)
• BMW R1200RT at 110 claimed horsepower (RV=5)
• Kawasaki Concours at 108 claimed horsepower (RV=6)

Get a Kawasaki C14 or BMW GT to satiate those power urges.

FUEL CAPACITY

SPORT-TOURING MOTORCYCLE COMPARISON

If “long-distance riding” and attendant fuel capacity are what drive your sport-touring requirements, then here’s how these bikes line up:

• Honda ST1300 at 7.7 US gallons (RV=1)
• Kawasaki Concours at 7.5 US gallons (RV=2)
• BMW R1200RT at 7.1 US gallons (RV=3)
• Yamaha FJR1300 at 6.6 US gallons (RV=4)
• BMW K1200GT at 6.3 US gallons (RV=5)
• Kawasaki Concours14 at 5.8 US gallons (RV=6)

An ST1300 or a used Concours ZG1000 will take you the longest distance with more than adequate power along the way.

HORSEPOWER & FUEL CAPACITY

SPORT-TOURING MOTORCYCLE COMPARISON

Now, what if horsepower and fuel capacity are both important to you? Well, you could multiply HP x US Gallons to establish a ranking order:

• Honda ST1300, (125×7.7) = 963 average
• BMW K1200GT, (152×6.3) = 958 average
• Yamaha FJR1300, (145×6.6) = 957 average
• Kawasaki Concours14, (156×5.8) = 905 average
• Kawasaki Concours, (108×7.5) = 810 avg
• BMW R1200RT, (110×7.1) = 390.5 average

You can see how that really shakes things up! The Honda ST1300 comes out on top when you consider fuel range and horsepower together.

WEIGHT

SPORT-TOURING MOTORCYCLE COMPARISON

Less Motorcycle Weight means greater riding agility. Here is how these bikes rank from lightest to heaviest:

• BMW R1200RT, 505 lbs claimed dry weight (RV=1)
• BMW K1200GT, 549 lbs claimed dry weight (RV=2)
• Yamaha FJR1300, 582 lbs claimed dry weight (RV=3)
• Kawasaki Concours, 595 lbs claimed dry weight (RV=4)
• Kawasaki Concours14, 615 lbs claimed dry wgt (RV=5)
• Honda ST1300, 659 lbs claimed dry weight (RV=6)

The BMW R1200 RT is the lightest sport-tourer. It’s 154 lbs lighter than the heaviest (ST1300) in this comparison. It’s also worth noting that the “RT” lineage represents the grandfather of all bikes in this category. The earliest RT’s go back to the late 70’s, although in that era an RT was considered a large, luxury tourer and not a sport tourer.

Click Here For Motorcycle Sport-Touring Comparisons II

Comments