BIKES Q&A
QI love long rides and biking holidays but as a pillion, I want a bit of bum room and comfort and not to be just perched on the back in mid-air. What would you recommend?
A Clearly, all the big tourers are built with pillions very much in mind. Depending on your budget, we would suggest starting by trying a BMW R1200RT or a Triumph Trophy 1200SE. Some of the adventure tourers can also be great for a passenger: the Yamaha Super Ténéré and Triumph Tiger Explorer especially. If something more road-focused is needed, then you could consider the Kawasaki Versys 1000 — and the first-gen bike (from 2012-2014) is particularly good two-up. Q I’m looking for something small and cheap, for having fun on backroads. You can’t seem to buy a Chinese bike secondhand, so are my options only Honda or Yamaha?
A It sounds like you’re talking about getting a 125 and if that’s the case, we wouldn’t use the word fun to describe the riding experience; not if you’re coming from a bigger machine. Yes they’re light but you’re likely to find the suspension, brakes and especially the power disappointing to the point of frustration. You’d be better looking at a lightweight A2 machine — either the KTM 390 Duke or the sporty RC390. Not as cheap as a 125 but a lot more fun.
Q
I want a bike my wife and I can use for touring – but I want something fun. I love riding twisty roads so I don’t want a heavy tourer or an adventure bike. I’d rather not spend more than £7k – what do you suggest?
A You are describing the Yamaha Tracer 900... in either new GT or (less expensive) original MT-09 form. It’s upright but not adventure, has a cracking engine, is huge fun solo and works well two-up. Also consider the Versys 1000 and Tiger Sport (p14).