Is the classic sport-touring motorcycle doomed to extinction?

[Sadlsor]

The term "sport-touring" is so broad that it can encompass many styles of motorcycle makes it almost meaningless.

In my view, the same can be said for "Adventure bike."
But if you truly expect / plan to ride offroad, some bikes are severely compromised, depending on one's definition of "offroad." Little ground clearance, poor suspension, cast wheels, etc.
So it's like @ChucksKLRST and @Uncle Phil state... ride whatever moves ya, and dispense with market-speak, stereotypes, and the useless opinions of others.
I like this place. Y'all make sense to me.
(Well, ...mostly.)

 

[Big_Jim59]

In my view, the same can be said for "Adventure bike."

I am old enough to remember when there was no such thing as an adventure bike. I was working at a BMW dealer when we got the first GS80s. We liked the bike alright but didn't actually know what it was for. We sold two to a couple of riding buddies. They rode the wheels off them to work, touring and some fire road stuff. They were our best salesmaen. Now adventure bikes are a huge part of the motorcycling market. Who knows what product the market will deliver to us that we can't live without?

 

[TPadden]

To me, traditional sport-touring bikes were the RS, RT, ST, FJR and Connie.....all shaft drive bikes. Is that the distinction, shaft versus chain? I don't know.
Mike

Three ST’s with the emphasis on Sport that weren’t shaft… The BMW and Triumph were actually named ST’s.

Tom

 

[Bug Dr.]

Three ST’s with the emphasis on Sport that weren’t shaft… The BMW and Triumph were actually named ST’s.

Tom

It wasn't supposed to be an all-inclusive list. Many exceptions to every rule.
Mike

 

[TPadden]

It wasn't supposed to be an all-inclusive list. Many exceptions to every rule.
Mike

I think ST wasn’t necessarily shaft vs chain, but traditionally defined by sport/ with factory luggage.

Tom

 

[the Ferret]

I had 2 Yamaha FZ-1's a 2001 and a 2004 and I thought they made great sport touring bikes (emphasis on sport) in their day. Kinda of like lightweight chain driven FJR's. Also had an FJR.

I actually like my 81 GS850G Suzuki a lot too, with shaft drive.

 

[Uncle Phil]

All the time I was writing I was thinking of a Grom with giant, hard plastic, saddle bags as the wave of the future. In John Pirsig's book Zen And The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance he and his son were touring on a 1966 Honda Superhawk. Yes, you can tour on anything. You may have to take more breaks however.

Or you might 'encounter' more 'breaks' (as in equipment) ...

 

[TPadden]

I had 2 Yamaha FZ-1's a 2001 and a 2004 and I thought they made great sport touring bikes (emphasis on sport) in their day.

Been there done that; I’d say the FZ1 was more of a sporty UJM (Universal Japanese Motorcycle). You can hang bags on anything and tour, to me a “Classic/ Traditional” Sport Tourer can be ordered accessorized from the factory ready to tour. Everybody has their own definition though…

Tom

 

[Uncle Phil]

Been there done that; I’d say the FZ1 was more of a sporty UJM (Universal Japanese Motorcycle). You can hang bags on anything and tour, to me a “Classic/ Traditional” Sport Tourer can be ordered accessorized from the factory ready to tour. Everybody has their own definition though…

Tom

I reckon you should know - you've owned about one of everything 'two wheeled' ...

 

[the Ferret]

I'm of the mind, that if it comes with a large fairing, a big windshield, hard bags and shaft drive and weigh over 600 pounds, it's a Tourer. To me the ST 1300s, FJRs, RTs and the like are touring bikes that can be ridden in a sporting manner

If it comes with a small fairing and windshield, chain drive and you have to add luggage it's more a Sport bike that can be ridden in a touring manner

But, that's just in my mind lol and I don't think classification really matters if you like the bike and it does what you want it to do.

For me my NC 750X isn't an adventure bike as Honda designates it (as in off road adventures... even though some people ride them that way... sorta) it's just an "adv looking" street bike which I ride in a sporting manner sometimes and in a touring manner sometimes.

 

[the Ferret]

As I always say, electronics is great ... until it isn't.

Yea I miss kick starters, points, condensers, drum brakes, clutch, brake and throttle cables, petcocks, tubed tires, conventional light bulbs, speedo and tach cables, Windjammer fairings, Bates saddlebags ,carburetors, non O ring chains, bias ply tires etc. Dang progress lol

 

[Uncle Phil]

Yea I miss kick starters, points, condensers, drum brakes, clutch, brake and throttle cables, petcocks, tubed tires, conventional light bulbs, speedo and tach cables, Windjammer fairings, Bates saddlebags ,carburetors, non O ring chains, bias ply tires etc. Dang progress lol

At least when that stuff broke, it was possible to fix it.
Now if a tech can't plug a computer into the bike and it tell them what part to replace, you are out of luck.
BTW, a lot of the stuff you mentioned has nothing to do with electronics - and you forgot to list Amal carbs you had to tickle and Zener diodes that were fickle ...
I'm talking about 'throttle by wire', ECMs cratering, 'electronic suspension adjustment' - the list goes on.
At least if a throttle cable broke, you might could get home if you had a pair of visegrips handy ...
I'll keep my ST1100 throttle cables, non-ecm, speedo cables, bias tires on the back and carburetors thank you very much!!!

 

[RobbieAG]

I don't think sport touring bikes are extinct. Obviously adventure touring bikes have taken most of the market. There are still options but much less choice. BMW has stayed the course, but Kawasaki (Ninja 1000, Versys 650 and 1000), Suzuki (GSXS1000, VStrom), and Yamaha (Tracer) have options along with other manufacturers. I don't see much from Honda in the US. I suppose they think many will upgrade to a Goldwing and many have, but they're too expensive for me. If they brought over the NT1100, I'd consider it. Or maybe a more road oriented version of the Transalp.

 

[Erdoc48]

‘Ride what one likes, Like what one rides.’

I like that thought- I have to remember that! Similar line from a song:

‘It’s not about having what you want, it’s wanting what you have’

 

[Uncle Phil]

As I say -
"When it comes to 'stuff', if you're not happy with you have, you probably won't be happy with what you get.
Happiness usually comes from within, not without."

 

[W0QNX]

I've been told that you can tour on anything

They should be rules on what is a Sport Touring bike. They is no Sport in that Grom.

If those tires are 12" front and rear than those bags must be 7" tall! I carry more chapstick then those will hold.

 

[st11ray]

Chimney Rock and Lake Lure

Photos: Lake Lure, Chimney Rock devastated after Helene

www.wsoctv.com

 

[jdmccright]

IMHO, there is nothing sporty about a ride with less than 1000cc and a tiny fuel tank. Slap bags on a 750cc "adventurer" and it'll feel like a really hot dirt bike...for abt a hundred miles or so...if you're on dirt. Put it on pavement and it'll feel slow in the curves and whiny and overworked on the straights.

And the only reason for the tiny tank is because your butt can't take riding it more than a hundred miles before getting off to replenish blood flow, disguised as a gas-up.

A true sport tourer has both: plenty of power to haul you and your stuff, plenty of fuel capacity to get you long down the road away from the rest of civilization, and enough comfort to be enjoyable in between those extended fill-ups. The ST isn't the only one that checks these boxes, but it's the one I choose.

 

[Donk]

Yea I miss kick starters, points, condensers, drum brakes, clutch, brake and throttle cables, petcocks, tubed tires, conventional light bulbs, speedo and tach cables, Windjammer fairings, Bates saddlebags ,carburetors, non O ring chains, bias ply tires etc. Dang progress lol

I'm getting tired of progress. It's been going on for too long.

 

[Donk]

IMHO, there is nothing sporty about a ride with less than 1000cc and a tiny fuel tank. Slap bags on a 750cc "adventurer" and it'll feel like a really hot dirt bike...for abt a hundred miles or so...if you're on dirt. Put it on pavement and it'll feel slow in the curves and whiny and overworked on the straights.

And the only reason for the tiny tank is because your butt can't take riding it more than a hundred miles before getting off to replenish blood flow, disguised as a gas-up.

A true sport tourer has both: plenty of power to haul you and your stuff, plenty of fuel capacity to get you long down the road away from the rest of civilization, and enough comfort to be enjoyable in between those extended fill-ups. The ST isn't the only one that checks these boxes, but it's the one I choose.

I've been "sport touring" on a Honda NC750X this summer. I'm riding the thing like a supermoto in the twisties while running 200 miles out of the tiny tank of regular gas on the highway. AND I have witnesses! You are not going to tell me what a 750 can't do. It does it well too.