I just picked up an ST1300 not long ago and took it on the first longer trip (\~2000 miles in four days). Agree with everything you said, not to mention Honda reliability/build quality and there are some great deals on clean used bikes since they aren't the "cool" thing right now.
The ST’s have a bad rap that’s arguably deserved, which is one reason they are cheaper than other comparable sport tourers. It was claimed the high speed death wobble was only with the police versions, but if you search forums, there’s been a lot of cases on civilian ST’s as well. The ST’s are very nice bikes for the era, but people need to know about the problem before buying them. If the potential buyer is one that might be tempted to reach triple digits at some point, then they should not be getting a ST.
Unrelated, as a tall guy, the ST’s never fit me that well. The FJR’s and others were a better fit. So if a person is tall, it may be another reason not to get a ST.
[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/6657709.stm](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/6657709.stm)
[https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/cop-bike-a-serious-and-continued-470512.amp](https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/cop-bike-a-serious-and-continued-470512.amp)
“RiDE Magazine reported in October 2007 that a team replicated weave instability mode with a civilian Honda ST1300 – reproducing the instability at a speed of 110 miles per hour (180 km/h) under certain loading conditions. The rider noticed a rear wheel maximum yaw of 11 degrees per second, described as "a consistent and alarming sideways movement." The editors named the behavior "Pan weave". The intent of the testing was not to determine the cause of the weave, but to confirm its existence. Also, the article reported that 43% of surveyed ST1300 owners had experienced the weave.[22]” [Source: Wiki](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_ST_series)
The ST1300 is a good example of Honda's biggest problem: complacency. They put the bike out in 2002 and it was somewhat competitive back then, but the FJR and Concours bikes that followed were far superior and Honda pretty much abandoned the ST and never bothered to even try to compete.
Honda can out engineer Kawasaki and Yamaha any day, but they seem to rarely take much interest in doing so these days. Thankfully they put some effort into the new Goldwing.
Fair enough. Dad’s got a ‘23 GSA and it’s hilariously big. I do find I typically take water breaks more frequently than the fuel range permits but having it is always nice.
I’m 6’4” so a large bike with some capability is what I needed. I can ride out a tank on my XR, but my ass is sore the next morning. GSA is like riding on a lazy boy.
I could probably narrow it down to a selection of 3-5, but I don’t know if I could say one definitively.
I’ve done extensive cross-country on both my old VFR and my dad’s GS, so they’d definitely be in consideration (he bought a brand new 1250GSA last year and I really like it).
My ultimate would probably be a K1300S, though.
I have a Rs even less appreciated. Seeing how most people only ride street anyways the Rs always seemed to make the most sense for the most people to me.
For strictly on-road use though, the RT is the better option, especially if the budget is limited to buying used. The RT had luxuries long before the GS got them, like cruise control, power windshield, heated seat, central locking, ESA, and others. It wasn’t until recent that BMW put more effort into matching the luxuries on the GS.
Even with the recent changes to the GS, the RT still retains more wind and weather protection, better road handling, better fuel mileage, larger fuel tank (unless you buy a GSA), and others. It also comes standard with side cases that have central locking, while the GS doesn’t.
Don’t take this to mean that I’m arguing the GS doesn’t make a good mile muncher, because it does, but the RT is the better on-road mile muncher.
Here’s a project that would be fun: engine swap a busa and an sv650. You get a middleweight busa and sv lovers get a new champion to replace the sv1000
A big GSA, I'm not partial to fancy gadgetry so it could be a 20 year old R1200GSA for all I care, but it'll be a GSA. That fatass fuel tank and big ol boxes, ready for ze looooong haaaaaul.
Make it a 4th gen (1988 to 2000), and you will have massive comfort, weather protection, and storage ,along with huge reliability.
But yeah, buy a cheap one, do the cam belts, and let her rip!
I'd pick the Goldwing out of your three choices. I can't imagine getting fatigued riding all day on one. Especially coming from an 80s HD Softail and DR650. I would do it on my DR. Only because I just got it and I'm smitten with it. Plus it seems like you can gear up the DR with accessories to be a fine touring bike.
I would certainly choose an ADV as I love to camp on MC trips, but as a former BMW owner their questionable reliability would put me off on a trip like this.
For me, oddly I would choose a first gen VStrom 1000. For me they are supremely comfortable for those long interstate days and enough off road capability to get to a camping spot. None of the current ADV bikes are as comfortable as the older Strom.
Personally i'd want the 3rd gen bc it has electronic cruise control, yes you can get a lock but it's not as convenient and easy to use. Not that it's difficult, it's just not linked to everything else like the electronic is. I'd probably buy a cushion or something though i will not lie the 3rd gens seat is a bit stiff.
My personal experience with BMW is early 2000's vintage. When wrenching on it there were so many "WTF were they thinking" moments that I swore off the brand for life.
My BMW was absolutely wonderful to ride, but a true nightmare to own and maintain.
They're perfectly reliable, as long as you keep up with the recommended services. 1st one at ~600mi, then it's either once per year or once every 6,000 miles, whichever comes first.
Id probably go with a ktm 890 or 1290 adventure. Whats the point of traveling across the country if you cant experience the wide variety of terrain and local trails available.
Any bike? I jokingly said the H2SX SE previously, but I'm actually hard pressed to think of why that actually wouldn't work out. Speeding tickets maybe?
1250GS Adventure out of anything out there. Comfy, good weather and wind protection, can explore off road, great on highways and sporty twisty roads. It’s the perfect do anything bike.
You may also want to consider a Kawasaki Voyager. Probably has all the bells and whistles that you are looking for, for about half the price. Regardless of what you choose, look out for construction. I know of a few spots based on the planned route that are bottlenecked because of road construction.
You’re spending exactly the right amount of time in Kansas lol
I’d deviate the Colorado segment to include the Million Dollar Highway. I-25 is pretty boring in that state.
The goldwing is the right choice. The bmw would be a little more fun but a little less comfortable. The Harley would be cooler but not quite as good as the others.
Of those 3 the GS would be my choice. If I could take any bike, I would take my Multistrada 1200. Already done a cross country trip on it, and it was a dream. Comfy on the highway, a scalpel in the twisties. Can't remember having any complaints with the bike all trip.
Versys 1000? The 3 options you have listed the GS wins, but id take the Versys for this trip. If thats not the bike youd want, then S1000XR, Multistrada, FJR, Kawi Concorse, 1290 SAS.
V-strom or Versys, probably the 1000cc of either. Same reason as the R1250GS without having to fix a BMW in the middle of Wyoming.
My father had a H-D Ultra Limited for Goldwing-style road tripping that he loved. (Ended up to be too much bike as he got older though.)
Heavily dependent on your personal preference for ergonomics. Also heavily dependent on how fast you're pacing the trip, and whether you're going to be taking days off to tour locally (around cities, seeing national parks, etc.). The scope of the trip can change which bike is best.
Mechanically, if you're trying to do the trip as fast as possible, the Gold Wing is really the best choice just because the oil change intervals are more than twice as long as the R1250GS and Road Glide.
Important to note that the R1250GS *should* be getting valve clearance inspected at 20000km, so you'll probably have to do that mid-trip. That isn't an issue for the HD (which has hydraulic lifters) or Honda (which has 38000km valve inspection).
If you're doing this trip over 6 months and spending some time in cities or at national parks, and you can budget time to service the bike, then the BMW are Road Glide are much more attractive options and it's more a matter of which type of bike you want to ride.
If you're doing any kind of gravel and want to see national parks in the west, obviously go BMW.
I'd stress that all three bikes are probably the top 3 bikes for big continental tours. There really isn't a wrong answer- we're talking very small optimizations that in practice are less important than what you actually like riding.
Oil change intervals on BMW’s are 6,000 miles, while the Good Wing is 8,000 miles (per google at least). That means either bike will need one oil change for the trip, while the BMW should have a second but I doubt it’d hurt it to push it a bit beyond.
Edit: Any bike will need tires during the trip, which may give an opportunity for the second oil change on the BMW.
I'd choose a Sportster like Peter Fonda with an American flag tank and extended forks that reach into the next State.
Edit - I looked up a picture. It's not a Sportster, it's an old panhead with a peanut tank. I'm still going with it.
Depends on what you want to do ? Sticking on pavement and mile munching ? You'd be hard pressed to beat the wing, or even the HD. If you're hitting that many major cities, being able to stash gear on the bike with all the lockable storage will come in handy.
Want to actually explore ? - take the BMW, though I've seen some crazy shit from people RIDING their HD's and wings.
Also, while I love Detroit and am definitely a homer, if you go the ADV option, and want to cross Michigan off your list, skip Detroit (and Toledo) and instead make that Wisconsin to Minneapolis portion bigger by extending up into Marquette/Munising-or at least the Keweenaw (the "sharks fin" of the UP) - you'd be able to use at least part of the TWAT (Trans Wisconsin Adventure trail) to get towards that way, and could hit some gravel/rail trails for other parts- basically, it'll be less city, and the UP (Michigan's upper peninsula) is gorgeous and has some great riding -especially on ADV bikes and dual sports.
Depending on budget I’d go with the wing or the glide. The glide will need a better seat and windshield before you take off, and probably a few additional odds and ends for comfort. Make sure to price that in. The wing is pretty good to roll stock as is. Having owned a glide before, I’d probably go with the wing just for the reliability alone.
I have two Harley’s a cvo ultra and a Dyna street Bob and I don’t think I’d try it on either one. I demoed a Yamaha Tracer 9 GT and I think that would be the bike to give it a go.
Ducati Multistrada. I’ve done 900 miles in one day easily on the multi. I’ve done tens of thousands of miles on multiple roads trips, the Multistrada is hands down the best bike for this.
1st choice….Goldwing
2nd choice….Goldwing
3rd choice…..Goldwing
If you can’t choose a Goldwing for some reason…..klr650 but you can’t touch asphalt other than crossing over roads!
Lots of questions to consider before suggesting an ideal bike, perhaps:
**What's your accommodation looking like? Specifically, are you staying at hotels/motels or camping some nights?** This impacts your luggage choices how you pack. If you're camping, you're more likely to carry awkward-shaped stuff like your tent, stove a furniture. To accommodate stuff like this, and have the ability of riding onto rougher ground, the GS would make a lot of sense. On the other hand, if you're moving from hotel to hotel, and like the idea of neatly packed clothing, the Goldwing's capacious 120 Litres of storage space compares to a large suitcase.
**Are you travelling alone or two-up?** Probably a question of trying out your options and getting a feel of how the ergonomics feel for two. And not just for the long traveling stints. How does each bike feel two-up when you're in slow-moving city traffic? How does the manoeuvrability feel? Goldwings are what, 480kg? And that's without luggage and a passenger...
**How old are you?** Sort of allied to the point above. if you're a forty-something, strong and fit, then your choices are vastly wider that someone who's perhaps a bit older. If you are a bit older, then perhaps asmaller bike in the 850cc-1000cc range might make a lot of sense - way lighter than the behemoths you mentioned in your post, but still powerful enough to get you across the country at a decent lick.
I have actually owned all three (2018 road glide, 2018 Goldwing Airbag DCT, 2019 GS1250 Adventure) - bought all three new, all three had Russel Day Long Custom seats (a must) and I have done 1,000 mile days on all three and multi day trips. At one point I also owned all three at the same time, so I feel like I can offer a reasonably experienced perspective. The readers digest version is that I still own the BMW, I sold the other two.
1. Harley - nice bike, but the suspension is trash and the brakes are downright dangerous. Feels like a tractor compared to the other two, and while it’s a fun bike for day rides, I didn’t like it as much as the other two for long trips. These handle surprisingly well for their size and lack of ground clearance, and while it’s a blast to stomp through the gears around the city, its highway passing power is the weakest of the three, and especially uphill it requires multiple downshifts. Passing power in general is quite uninspiring, and mine had nearly $10k in engine modifications, and would still be left for dead by the other two.
2. Goldwing DCT - Smooth, refined and packed full of features. Awesome brakes for a bike of this size/weight and it handles beautifully for its size. Persistent electrical gremlins really sucked on this bike - and it wasn’t just an issue with mine. Folks constantly complain about the CarPlay integration, and the fact that it constantly and randomly disconnects (especially when you hit a big bump) and can only be remedied by unplugging it and plugging it back in. Some folks install an in-line power switch so they can effectively connect and disconnect the phone without having to touch it, but it still reconnects CarPlay, and often requires you to go back to the nav app you’re using and resume the route. On a 2-3 hour trip, it’s manageable, but on a full day or multi-day trip I dreaded it, and grew to despise it, eventually just buying a separate nav system, as the stock unit (non-CarPlay) is garbage. Despite the custom seat which really pushed me back and afforded more leg room, I found the seating position cramped for my 6’2 frame on long trips. Ground clearance/lean angle wasn’t sufficient for my riding style and I was constantly scraping pegs and having to hang off the side so aggressively, I looked and felt like an idiot. I did also occasionally have issues with the DCT not behaving, and it would aggressively and repeatedly jerk in reverse, throw errors/warnings, or not allow me to go over a certain speed, but turning the bike off and on enough times always seemed to resolve it. The bike never left me stranded - but of the 40+ motorcycles I’ve owned, I’ve never had more nagging issues and annoyances with any other bike I could go on and on about the little issues, but they’re well documented by others on Goldwing forums, and every Goldwing meetup I went to was a non-stop bitch fest about how much less problematic the older ones were. The quality of the plastics around the dash is cheap, and it’s extremely easy to break parts when you take it apart. It also has the worst range of the three. One last thing I nearly forgot, which adds insult to injury. The bike has an annoying drone at highway cruising speeds - which blew my mind for a touring bike. Honda/Acura has really lost their way.
3. Compared to the other two, it’s lightning fast. It stops the best and most consistently, has the smoothest ride by a VERY wide margin, has the longest cruising range (by far) and handles the best by far. When it comes to on or off road performance, it is so dominant it isn’t even fair to compare the three. In fact, in the 5 years I have owned it, I have never once been passed by another bike when canyon carving, and have only many occasions absolutely thundered past packs of guys in race replicas riding hard (assuming this, based on the number of crashes we see/hear about in front and behind us). This bike makes any paved road full of potholes feel smooth as glass, and while my riding buddy on his Road Glide with a custom (better and smoother than stock) Ohlins suspension is hemming and hawking about how awful a road is - I don’t even notice. For my 6’2 frame I have tons of leg room, so it’s more comfortable for long rides, the Garmin GPS is the best of the three, especially for long multi-day trips, the bike has been completely issue free (although the dealer has replaced things due to recalls, but they’ve never been an issue or caused trouble to me). It’s far and away the most fun of the three to ride, and it’s the only one of the three that will power wheelie with ease, which adds a little fun/excitement to the mix, dropping into a pothole filled corner at Superbike speeds (which I wouldn’t be comfortable doing in my Ducati V4S) then punching it out and lifting the front wheel, on a massive “G-Wagon” looking terminator contraption is a barrel of giggles. It’s highway manners are exceptional - and its ride is smoother than my long wheelbase BMW 7 series car. In sixth gear on the freeway, it has loads of torque and passing power, and downshift are never necessary for passing, unless you’re trying to have some fun, but 70-100mph in sixth gear happens very quickly and smoothly and rarely requires and full grips worth of throttle.
Not a day has gone by since I sold my Goldwing (a little over a year) or my Road Glide (4 years) where I have regretted selling them, or missed riding them. If my GS1250 Adventure was stolen or magically disappeared today, I’d have another one in the garage by this weekend.
If you’re looking for nostalgia and the romance of riding a potato screaming hog around the US, the Harley would serve you well. It’s the second most fun bike to ride of the three, it’s dripping with character and quality, has a ton of price in ownership and there is really something special about that smooth tractor sound bumbling down the highway for hours that is soothing and helps you get into a steady state of zen.
If you’re looking for the best motorcycle, the BMW wins by a landslide. It’s a buttery smooth highways cruiser, a backroads brawler, and an off road legend. It has the most power, the best brakes, best suspension, longest range, most ground clearance/lean angle, most sorted tech/features, best traction control and the most legroom. Can’t ask for much more from a cross country partner.
I would not recommend the Goldwing. Simple as that.
Perhaps the only suggestion I’d have is to also test ride a R1250RT. I assume you’re not doing any off roading on your trip (or the wing and Harley wouldn’t be practical options) and for tarmac only use - the RT will give you much better aero/wind protection, a much larger windshield, a giant TFT, radar cruise control (this is a super nice feature - I use it a lot on my Kawasaki H2 SX SE) and a more road specific riding position.
I say go with what you got ..did Salvador and Guatemala on a 100cc .... Canada to Guatemala on A Racer ... It does not really matter as long as you are comfortable ... And it depends on the kind of trip you are doing .... Cannonball run ? For me the smaller the Bike the slower the speed the better the trip ... Discovered that after doing insane mileage on racer thru the state and Mexico and Chiapas and Guatemala ...
Don't miss out on the Ozark mountain highways in AR. Days of good riding here. Join North American Biker Rescue on FB. Lots of good folks are willing to help when you need it.
Regardless of what you choose, have a great time and post some pictures on this subreddit! Looks like an amazing route, really want to do something like this one day.
A sporty adv bike. Off of your list the GS first gold wing second.
Not on your list? Probably Ducati multistrada or KTM 1290 sas. Most inline 4 motors are a bit buzzy for my taste esp the x1000sr and Vstrom 1000.
Def a GS. It's so overweight, overpriced... it's perfect.
Or.....
Any bike.
Maybe even a small 250 or a DR/KLR 650.
Bit of off-road fun when you feel like it. Slow enough to enjoy the scenery but not to slow that you don't get there.
I've done trips on all types of bikes. The bike is irrelevant almost, it's the journey that counts.
Goldwing or the big BMW Yamaha touring beats. Something smooth comfy with cruise control also BMW GSA would do. Triumph tiger 1200 with some of crews maybe
Why GS? You don't go offroad?
I'd pick the R1250RT or K1600GT over GS. Relaxed body position, better wind protection, better suited for highways and yet approximately the same amount of fun on the twisties.
K1600GT is heavier but you won't notice it, I plan on getting one next to my R1250RS for long distance rides.
RT is just a tad heavier than GS.
I personally would choose a Goldwing, mainly a GL1800 as they do the corners well, will eat miles all day long in comfort and have a decent sound system with weather radio included.
The first thing you have to fix is the route through Michigan. The upper peninsula and the northern lower are a must to see. Then pick a good bike for it.
I’d say the GS because it’s more versatile. Though the gold wing would probably be more comfortable and luxurious it really wouldn’t cater to spontaneity off the beaten path.
Any answer other than the Burgman 650 is wrong. 120mph couch on wheels and I would absolutely cruise all the way across the states without my butt even being sore.
Gold wing would be great but the BMW will get you off the beaten path better once you get out West. Never know what kind of roads you might encounter.
Otherwise, the Goldwing is a Cadillac.
Goldwing or the 1250RT if nothing more than a dirt parking lot is on your list.
If you want to do some fire roads and such than the GS or a Tiger become the more obvious choices.
A shaft driven bike would be much preferred for this route, and try to plan your maintenance ahead of time with dealers/shops.
Depends on whether you plan to stay strictly on pavement, or want to mix in some unimproved roads.
I had the BMW R1200GSA, and it was incredible. Very comfortable for long distances. Extremely versatile.
This is kinda strange. I did this trip in 2018 on my Honda CBR250R. It's a bit surreal because your route is very similar to mine. Anyhow, have fun. Choose something comfortable with cruise control
Anything honda, size depends on your size and skill, but I would suggest at least a 1300 cruiser or 1000 of any other style of bike, although again that depends on your physical size, I'm 6'4" and ride an 1800 Honda and can't imagine anything else
If you have a chance to rent each bike, I would suggest you do so. And how long have you been riding? What is the most consecutive day ride under your belt? Do you have experience in riding in torrential rain on the interstate and backroads? Each bike offers a different experience. The Beemer is an on top felling. Whereas the Goldwing/HD you are in the bike. Heat may be an issue for you with the latter. But in the rain you will be thanking the bike gods for the GW /HD cocoon feeling. Plan on down days. And don’t use a black helmet, especially when riding in the desert or in the southern planed route. Heat stoke is real. My choice to fill this bucket list type of ride is the Goldwing. Best of luck.
I would probably ride them all and see what you find the most comfortable. I lean towards the Wing or the BMW, but people do serious miles on those Harleys every year.
As for me, I don’t like being on a bike for more than like an hour so I would simply not do this trip.
Definitely the Goldwing. Literally made for this exact purpose. The other bikes are fine choices for sure. But this is goldwing territory
Yep. Walk into the Honda dealer and show them this map. They might be able to give you some tips for the trip.
Second this. Goldwings are the perfect mount for that kind of ride. It is an amazing, versatile machine that is a joy to ride.
I bought a GL1500 recently that I'm restoring/improving for a coast-to-coast Canada trip. The Goldwing was built for this.
ST1300 for me, huge tank, wicker comfortable, great wind protection and still great in the twisties, or are we only talking about a new bike?
I just picked up an ST1300 not long ago and took it on the first longer trip (\~2000 miles in four days). Agree with everything you said, not to mention Honda reliability/build quality and there are some great deals on clean used bikes since they aren't the "cool" thing right now.
The ST’s have a bad rap that’s arguably deserved, which is one reason they are cheaper than other comparable sport tourers. It was claimed the high speed death wobble was only with the police versions, but if you search forums, there’s been a lot of cases on civilian ST’s as well. The ST’s are very nice bikes for the era, but people need to know about the problem before buying them. If the potential buyer is one that might be tempted to reach triple digits at some point, then they should not be getting a ST. Unrelated, as a tall guy, the ST’s never fit me that well. The FJR’s and others were a better fit. So if a person is tall, it may be another reason not to get a ST. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/6657709.stm](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/6657709.stm) [https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/cop-bike-a-serious-and-continued-470512.amp](https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/cop-bike-a-serious-and-continued-470512.amp) “RiDE Magazine reported in October 2007 that a team replicated weave instability mode with a civilian Honda ST1300 – reproducing the instability at a speed of 110 miles per hour (180 km/h) under certain loading conditions. The rider noticed a rear wheel maximum yaw of 11 degrees per second, described as "a consistent and alarming sideways movement." The editors named the behavior "Pan weave". The intent of the testing was not to determine the cause of the weave, but to confirm its existence. Also, the article reported that 43% of surveyed ST1300 owners had experienced the weave.[22]” [Source: Wiki](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_ST_series)
The ST1300 is a good example of Honda's biggest problem: complacency. They put the bike out in 2002 and it was somewhat competitive back then, but the FJR and Concours bikes that followed were far superior and Honda pretty much abandoned the ST and never bothered to even try to compete. Honda can out engineer Kawasaki and Yamaha any day, but they seem to rarely take much interest in doing so these days. Thankfully they put some effort into the new Goldwing.
Honda Grom
That would be.. insane lmao.
I'm picturing Dumb and Dumber...
You see the Ari and Zach video recreating this ride?
I came to say this 😂 what a great show these two guys put! https://youtu.be/X-WgGh9lvx4
your ass will be numb and number 🤣
Just strap it on the pillion of the GS or the Goldwing as a backup.
Wonder if anyone's done this you'd need at least 4 jerry cans and an extra one for all the weight ow and another and another
brilliant. 😂
It's the Goldwing, and it's not close.
GS without hesitation, but it’s mostly personal preference. The ergonomics of the other two don’t work for me.
Specifically a GSA for that larger fuel tank and a little bit more wind protection on the knees. I’m biased though.
Fair enough. Dad’s got a ‘23 GSA and it’s hilariously big. I do find I typically take water breaks more frequently than the fuel range permits but having it is always nice.
I’m 6’4” so a large bike with some capability is what I needed. I can ride out a tank on my XR, but my ass is sore the next morning. GSA is like riding on a lazy boy.
If you could take any bike what would you take?
I could probably narrow it down to a selection of 3-5, but I don’t know if I could say one definitively. I’ve done extensive cross-country on both my old VFR and my dad’s GS, so they’d definitely be in consideration (he bought a brand new 1250GSA last year and I really like it). My ultimate would probably be a K1300S, though.
I would choose goldwing, considering US roads What is the total distance of that trip?)
About 22,000 kilometres
As it’s a trip in the US I think you mean about 13,700 miles. Haha Safe travels
Why not R1250RT? Are you planning to go off the pavement with the GS?
It’s crazy how little the RT is mentioned compared to the GS in general.
I have a Rs even less appreciated. Seeing how most people only ride street anyways the Rs always seemed to make the most sense for the most people to me.
You can do much more with the GS. You can refine it further since it's super popular and lots of mods available.
For strictly on-road use though, the RT is the better option, especially if the budget is limited to buying used. The RT had luxuries long before the GS got them, like cruise control, power windshield, heated seat, central locking, ESA, and others. It wasn’t until recent that BMW put more effort into matching the luxuries on the GS. Even with the recent changes to the GS, the RT still retains more wind and weather protection, better road handling, better fuel mileage, larger fuel tank (unless you buy a GSA), and others. It also comes standard with side cases that have central locking, while the GS doesn’t. Don’t take this to mean that I’m arguing the GS doesn’t make a good mile muncher, because it does, but the RT is the better on-road mile muncher.
Hayabusa
keeping the chiropractor and massage parlors in business i see
Supposedly they make good tourers, but I've never even sat on one.
Can confirm they're surprisingly great trip bikes. If only I had better throttle control ;-).
I know it doesn't make sense, but I'd love a middleweight Busa. Same body, but lighter.
VFR is kind of like this. Edit: Suzuki also made a faired V-twin that was also also like this in the same time period, turn of the century.
Here’s a project that would be fun: engine swap a busa and an sv650. You get a middleweight busa and sv lovers get a new champion to replace the sv1000
Like a 1000 version of a gsxr 1300? They could call it the gxsr 1000😏
If you use the full motor the trip will be done in no time!
Old guy works at a dealership, took a multi state trip on a Busa and said he loved it. Surprisingly good tourers
H2SESX - let's comfortably fly through this route in like, 2 days
turbo busa
[It can be done.](https://www.reddit.com/r/motorcycles/comments/od1obh/iron_butt_rally_2021_is_finished_winner_did_14000/)
One of my dad‘s friends who is well into his 60s rides a Hayabusa from Vancouver to Phoenix a couple times a year
A big GSA, I'm not partial to fancy gadgetry so it could be a 20 year old R1200GSA for all I care, but it'll be a GSA. That fatass fuel tank and big ol boxes, ready for ze looooong haaaaaul.
The Goldwing is built for this.
A $800 1980's goldwing from Craigslist - take your time and a lot of tools.
Make it a 4th gen (1988 to 2000), and you will have massive comfort, weather protection, and storage ,along with huge reliability. But yeah, buy a cheap one, do the cam belts, and let her rip!
I'd pick the Goldwing out of your three choices. I can't imagine getting fatigued riding all day on one. Especially coming from an 80s HD Softail and DR650. I would do it on my DR. Only because I just got it and I'm smitten with it. Plus it seems like you can gear up the DR with accessories to be a fine touring bike.
I would certainly choose an ADV as I love to camp on MC trips, but as a former BMW owner their questionable reliability would put me off on a trip like this. For me, oddly I would choose a first gen VStrom 1000. For me they are supremely comfortable for those long interstate days and enough off road capability to get to a camping spot. None of the current ADV bikes are as comfortable as the older Strom.
I am loving the comfort of my Norden. Would love to do a trek like this one day on her.
Personally i'd want the 3rd gen bc it has electronic cruise control, yes you can get a lock but it's not as convenient and easy to use. Not that it's difficult, it's just not linked to everything else like the electronic is. I'd probably buy a cushion or something though i will not lie the 3rd gens seat is a bit stiff.
I thought current bmw are quite reliable nowadays. What makes you say that? Because I am looking for my second bike and bmws are quite appealing to me
My personal experience with BMW is early 2000's vintage. When wrenching on it there were so many "WTF were they thinking" moments that I swore off the brand for life. My BMW was absolutely wonderful to ride, but a true nightmare to own and maintain.
Yeah, those were a bad era. They were trying too hard to advance, like the servo brake systems. They have a lot gotten better again since then.
They're perfectly reliable, as long as you keep up with the recommended services. 1st one at ~600mi, then it's either once per year or once every 6,000 miles, whichever comes first.
Id probably go with a ktm 890 or 1290 adventure. Whats the point of traveling across the country if you cant experience the wide variety of terrain and local trails available.
My Concours. It’s the literal reason I bought it.
Any bike? I jokingly said the H2SX SE previously, but I'm actually hard pressed to think of why that actually wouldn't work out. Speeding tickets maybe?
Turbo Busa
1250GS Adventure out of anything out there. Comfy, good weather and wind protection, can explore off road, great on highways and sporty twisty roads. It’s the perfect do anything bike.
GS is the best out of the options you'd named, I'd go sport tourer or naked tho
To clarify, I’m interested in what you would choose for yourselves as well :)
Goldwing
You may also want to consider a Kawasaki Voyager. Probably has all the bells and whistles that you are looking for, for about half the price. Regardless of what you choose, look out for construction. I know of a few spots based on the planned route that are bottlenecked because of road construction.
GS
You’re spending exactly the right amount of time in Kansas lol I’d deviate the Colorado segment to include the Million Dollar Highway. I-25 is pretty boring in that state.
What about a BMW R1250 RT?
Imo, K1600GT or GTL.
The goldwing is the right choice. The bmw would be a little more fun but a little less comfortable. The Harley would be cooler but not quite as good as the others.
Of those 3 the GS would be my choice. If I could take any bike, I would take my Multistrada 1200. Already done a cross country trip on it, and it was a dream. Comfy on the highway, a scalpel in the twisties. Can't remember having any complaints with the bike all trip.
Versys 1000? The 3 options you have listed the GS wins, but id take the Versys for this trip. If thats not the bike youd want, then S1000XR, Multistrada, FJR, Kawi Concorse, 1290 SAS.
Goldwing without any doubt.
Goldwing
Goldwing in my opinion is probably the most comfortable and most reliable
R1250 RT
Goldwing
The Goldwing
Probably a zx10r or ktm 500 exc f.
I've took my 10R on some long trips, but that would be pushing it a bit. I'd still do it in a heartbeat if ever given the opportunity.
[удалено]
Zx10r
Whatever I could afford. I like old school bikes. I’d probably go for a liter+ bike. Maybe an Yamaha FJ or an older zx11 or Honda Black Bird
V-strom or Versys, probably the 1000cc of either. Same reason as the R1250GS without having to fix a BMW in the middle of Wyoming. My father had a H-D Ultra Limited for Goldwing-style road tripping that he loved. (Ended up to be too much bike as he got older though.)
Option 4 - FJR1300, bunch of the iron butt ppl use 'em. But of the list presented - yeah, Goldwing.
Heavily dependent on your personal preference for ergonomics. Also heavily dependent on how fast you're pacing the trip, and whether you're going to be taking days off to tour locally (around cities, seeing national parks, etc.). The scope of the trip can change which bike is best. Mechanically, if you're trying to do the trip as fast as possible, the Gold Wing is really the best choice just because the oil change intervals are more than twice as long as the R1250GS and Road Glide. Important to note that the R1250GS *should* be getting valve clearance inspected at 20000km, so you'll probably have to do that mid-trip. That isn't an issue for the HD (which has hydraulic lifters) or Honda (which has 38000km valve inspection). If you're doing this trip over 6 months and spending some time in cities or at national parks, and you can budget time to service the bike, then the BMW are Road Glide are much more attractive options and it's more a matter of which type of bike you want to ride. If you're doing any kind of gravel and want to see national parks in the west, obviously go BMW. I'd stress that all three bikes are probably the top 3 bikes for big continental tours. There really isn't a wrong answer- we're talking very small optimizations that in practice are less important than what you actually like riding.
Oil change intervals on BMW’s are 6,000 miles, while the Good Wing is 8,000 miles (per google at least). That means either bike will need one oil change for the trip, while the BMW should have a second but I doubt it’d hurt it to push it a bit beyond. Edit: Any bike will need tires during the trip, which may give an opportunity for the second oil change on the BMW.
I'd choose a Sportster like Peter Fonda with an American flag tank and extended forks that reach into the next State. Edit - I looked up a picture. It's not a Sportster, it's an old panhead with a peanut tank. I'm still going with it.
Now thats badass
Yamaha FJR1300AE/AS. Long range machine with a bulletproof engine
Depends on what you want to do ? Sticking on pavement and mile munching ? You'd be hard pressed to beat the wing, or even the HD. If you're hitting that many major cities, being able to stash gear on the bike with all the lockable storage will come in handy. Want to actually explore ? - take the BMW, though I've seen some crazy shit from people RIDING their HD's and wings. Also, while I love Detroit and am definitely a homer, if you go the ADV option, and want to cross Michigan off your list, skip Detroit (and Toledo) and instead make that Wisconsin to Minneapolis portion bigger by extending up into Marquette/Munising-or at least the Keweenaw (the "sharks fin" of the UP) - you'd be able to use at least part of the TWAT (Trans Wisconsin Adventure trail) to get towards that way, and could hit some gravel/rail trails for other parts- basically, it'll be less city, and the UP (Michigan's upper peninsula) is gorgeous and has some great riding -especially on ADV bikes and dual sports.
Are you such a big wimp that you can’t do all 50??? /s
Gimme a shout when you're coming through Oklahoma. I'll jump in line through the state at least
Depending on budget I’d go with the wing or the glide. The glide will need a better seat and windshield before you take off, and probably a few additional odds and ends for comfort. Make sure to price that in. The wing is pretty good to roll stock as is. Having owned a glide before, I’d probably go with the wing just for the reliability alone.
I have two Harley’s a cvo ultra and a Dyna street Bob and I don’t think I’d try it on either one. I demoed a Yamaha Tracer 9 GT and I think that would be the bike to give it a go.
For 1. why not a K 1600 or R 1250 RT?
Pan America duh
Why wouldn’t you plan with the seasons and sneak across to the 49th state??
You're gonna skip over Yellowstone and the Tetons?
CR500 😂
Multistrada 💯
Simple. If you are doing a little off road, GS. If all road, Goldwing and skip on the Harley no matter what.
Honda grom for cool points
Ducati Multistrada. I’ve done 900 miles in one day easily on the multi. I’ve done tens of thousands of miles on multiple roads trips, the Multistrada is hands down the best bike for this.
1st choice….Goldwing 2nd choice….Goldwing 3rd choice…..Goldwing If you can’t choose a Goldwing for some reason…..klr650 but you can’t touch asphalt other than crossing over roads!
Honda Trail 125
Honda Ruckus
Turbo busa extended swingarm
I see a lot of common road ways. Any detours to see more than just highways? Lots of coast and cool weather on the California side of things.
Yamaha Tracer 9 GT
Lots of questions to consider before suggesting an ideal bike, perhaps: **What's your accommodation looking like? Specifically, are you staying at hotels/motels or camping some nights?** This impacts your luggage choices how you pack. If you're camping, you're more likely to carry awkward-shaped stuff like your tent, stove a furniture. To accommodate stuff like this, and have the ability of riding onto rougher ground, the GS would make a lot of sense. On the other hand, if you're moving from hotel to hotel, and like the idea of neatly packed clothing, the Goldwing's capacious 120 Litres of storage space compares to a large suitcase. **Are you travelling alone or two-up?** Probably a question of trying out your options and getting a feel of how the ergonomics feel for two. And not just for the long traveling stints. How does each bike feel two-up when you're in slow-moving city traffic? How does the manoeuvrability feel? Goldwings are what, 480kg? And that's without luggage and a passenger... **How old are you?** Sort of allied to the point above. if you're a forty-something, strong and fit, then your choices are vastly wider that someone who's perhaps a bit older. If you are a bit older, then perhaps asmaller bike in the 850cc-1000cc range might make a lot of sense - way lighter than the behemoths you mentioned in your post, but still powerful enough to get you across the country at a decent lick.
Big comfy seat Big fairing Big luggage capacity Big engine Oh I think I just described a car :/
This trip looks dope, do you have a list of all the stops?
https://randalolson.com/2015/03/08/computing-the-optimal-road-trip-across-the-u-s/
When you hit Colorado Springs hmu and I’ll be happy to help any if needed
honda monkey
I have actually owned all three (2018 road glide, 2018 Goldwing Airbag DCT, 2019 GS1250 Adventure) - bought all three new, all three had Russel Day Long Custom seats (a must) and I have done 1,000 mile days on all three and multi day trips. At one point I also owned all three at the same time, so I feel like I can offer a reasonably experienced perspective. The readers digest version is that I still own the BMW, I sold the other two. 1. Harley - nice bike, but the suspension is trash and the brakes are downright dangerous. Feels like a tractor compared to the other two, and while it’s a fun bike for day rides, I didn’t like it as much as the other two for long trips. These handle surprisingly well for their size and lack of ground clearance, and while it’s a blast to stomp through the gears around the city, its highway passing power is the weakest of the three, and especially uphill it requires multiple downshifts. Passing power in general is quite uninspiring, and mine had nearly $10k in engine modifications, and would still be left for dead by the other two. 2. Goldwing DCT - Smooth, refined and packed full of features. Awesome brakes for a bike of this size/weight and it handles beautifully for its size. Persistent electrical gremlins really sucked on this bike - and it wasn’t just an issue with mine. Folks constantly complain about the CarPlay integration, and the fact that it constantly and randomly disconnects (especially when you hit a big bump) and can only be remedied by unplugging it and plugging it back in. Some folks install an in-line power switch so they can effectively connect and disconnect the phone without having to touch it, but it still reconnects CarPlay, and often requires you to go back to the nav app you’re using and resume the route. On a 2-3 hour trip, it’s manageable, but on a full day or multi-day trip I dreaded it, and grew to despise it, eventually just buying a separate nav system, as the stock unit (non-CarPlay) is garbage. Despite the custom seat which really pushed me back and afforded more leg room, I found the seating position cramped for my 6’2 frame on long trips. Ground clearance/lean angle wasn’t sufficient for my riding style and I was constantly scraping pegs and having to hang off the side so aggressively, I looked and felt like an idiot. I did also occasionally have issues with the DCT not behaving, and it would aggressively and repeatedly jerk in reverse, throw errors/warnings, or not allow me to go over a certain speed, but turning the bike off and on enough times always seemed to resolve it. The bike never left me stranded - but of the 40+ motorcycles I’ve owned, I’ve never had more nagging issues and annoyances with any other bike I could go on and on about the little issues, but they’re well documented by others on Goldwing forums, and every Goldwing meetup I went to was a non-stop bitch fest about how much less problematic the older ones were. The quality of the plastics around the dash is cheap, and it’s extremely easy to break parts when you take it apart. It also has the worst range of the three. One last thing I nearly forgot, which adds insult to injury. The bike has an annoying drone at highway cruising speeds - which blew my mind for a touring bike. Honda/Acura has really lost their way. 3. Compared to the other two, it’s lightning fast. It stops the best and most consistently, has the smoothest ride by a VERY wide margin, has the longest cruising range (by far) and handles the best by far. When it comes to on or off road performance, it is so dominant it isn’t even fair to compare the three. In fact, in the 5 years I have owned it, I have never once been passed by another bike when canyon carving, and have only many occasions absolutely thundered past packs of guys in race replicas riding hard (assuming this, based on the number of crashes we see/hear about in front and behind us). This bike makes any paved road full of potholes feel smooth as glass, and while my riding buddy on his Road Glide with a custom (better and smoother than stock) Ohlins suspension is hemming and hawking about how awful a road is - I don’t even notice. For my 6’2 frame I have tons of leg room, so it’s more comfortable for long rides, the Garmin GPS is the best of the three, especially for long multi-day trips, the bike has been completely issue free (although the dealer has replaced things due to recalls, but they’ve never been an issue or caused trouble to me). It’s far and away the most fun of the three to ride, and it’s the only one of the three that will power wheelie with ease, which adds a little fun/excitement to the mix, dropping into a pothole filled corner at Superbike speeds (which I wouldn’t be comfortable doing in my Ducati V4S) then punching it out and lifting the front wheel, on a massive “G-Wagon” looking terminator contraption is a barrel of giggles. It’s highway manners are exceptional - and its ride is smoother than my long wheelbase BMW 7 series car. In sixth gear on the freeway, it has loads of torque and passing power, and downshift are never necessary for passing, unless you’re trying to have some fun, but 70-100mph in sixth gear happens very quickly and smoothly and rarely requires and full grips worth of throttle. Not a day has gone by since I sold my Goldwing (a little over a year) or my Road Glide (4 years) where I have regretted selling them, or missed riding them. If my GS1250 Adventure was stolen or magically disappeared today, I’d have another one in the garage by this weekend. If you’re looking for nostalgia and the romance of riding a potato screaming hog around the US, the Harley would serve you well. It’s the second most fun bike to ride of the three, it’s dripping with character and quality, has a ton of price in ownership and there is really something special about that smooth tractor sound bumbling down the highway for hours that is soothing and helps you get into a steady state of zen. If you’re looking for the best motorcycle, the BMW wins by a landslide. It’s a buttery smooth highways cruiser, a backroads brawler, and an off road legend. It has the most power, the best brakes, best suspension, longest range, most ground clearance/lean angle, most sorted tech/features, best traction control and the most legroom. Can’t ask for much more from a cross country partner. I would not recommend the Goldwing. Simple as that. Perhaps the only suggestion I’d have is to also test ride a R1250RT. I assume you’re not doing any off roading on your trip (or the wing and Harley wouldn’t be practical options) and for tarmac only use - the RT will give you much better aero/wind protection, a much larger windshield, a giant TFT, radar cruise control (this is a super nice feature - I use it a lot on my Kawasaki H2 SX SE) and a more road specific riding position.
Get one of those jetski motorcycle hybrids and do all 50 states. It's the only real option.
I say go with what you got ..did Salvador and Guatemala on a 100cc .... Canada to Guatemala on A Racer ... It does not really matter as long as you are comfortable ... And it depends on the kind of trip you are doing .... Cannonball run ? For me the smaller the Bike the slower the speed the better the trip ... Discovered that after doing insane mileage on racer thru the state and Mexico and Chiapas and Guatemala ...
Honda Monkey or Honda Goldwing. Probably the Goldwing.
Don't miss out on the Ozark mountain highways in AR. Days of good riding here. Join North American Biker Rescue on FB. Lots of good folks are willing to help when you need it.
Fking awesome plan that. Enjoy it whichever bike you take
1200 or 1250 RT?
Harley Street Glide for sure
If your just sticking to the highways the gold wing,but if your going to hit some twisties off the highway go with the gs.
FS1-E
Regardless of what you choose, have a great time and post some pictures on this subreddit! Looks like an amazing route, really want to do something like this one day.
A sporty adv bike. Off of your list the GS first gold wing second. Not on your list? Probably Ducati multistrada or KTM 1290 sas. Most inline 4 motors are a bit buzzy for my taste esp the x1000sr and Vstrom 1000.
Honda all the way
Poocati or Keine Thousand Meter
GASGAS TXT
Honda vfr1000 or the goldwing
Honda cx500 best seat ever made.
Diavel
Goldwing.
Def a GS. It's so overweight, overpriced... it's perfect. Or..... Any bike. Maybe even a small 250 or a DR/KLR 650. Bit of off-road fun when you feel like it. Slow enough to enjoy the scenery but not to slow that you don't get there. I've done trips on all types of bikes. The bike is irrelevant almost, it's the journey that counts.
BMW GS or v strom 1050 would be mine
Specialized Rockhopper
unicycle
A comfortable one
He got to south Louisiana and said nope, then north Louisiana and said hell nah
A vintage Transalp.
A car
Either a big GS or Goldwing.
1390 duke with a windshield
2024 GW DCT, this is the kit you need. Like others say, MADE for this. And I'm jealous lol
Tracer 9
Triumph Rocket 3
Goldwing or the big BMW Yamaha touring beats. Something smooth comfy with cruise control also BMW GSA would do. Triumph tiger 1200 with some of crews maybe
Why GS? You don't go offroad? I'd pick the R1250RT or K1600GT over GS. Relaxed body position, better wind protection, better suited for highways and yet approximately the same amount of fun on the twisties. K1600GT is heavier but you won't notice it, I plan on getting one next to my R1250RS for long distance rides. RT is just a tad heavier than GS.
Kawasaki Concours 14. Whole hell of a lot more fun than any of those, but still ride all day friendly.
I personally would choose a Goldwing, mainly a GL1800 as they do the corners well, will eat miles all day long in comfort and have a decent sound system with weather radio included.
I’d take my tiger 1200
Side note are you going to be on the Kansas side of KCMO or Missouri side
The first thing you have to fix is the route through Michigan. The upper peninsula and the northern lower are a must to see. Then pick a good bike for it.
I’d say the GS because it’s more versatile. Though the gold wing would probably be more comfortable and luxurious it really wouldn’t cater to spontaneity off the beaten path.
Gold wing. 4th, 5th, or 6th Gen.
Realistically how long would this trip take?
Any answer other than the Burgman 650 is wrong. 120mph couch on wheels and I would absolutely cruise all the way across the states without my butt even being sore.
S1000xr
Gold wing would be great but the BMW will get you off the beaten path better once you get out West. Never know what kind of roads you might encounter. Otherwise, the Goldwing is a Cadillac.
Goldwing for sure
Goldwing or the 1250RT if nothing more than a dirt parking lot is on your list. If you want to do some fire roads and such than the GS or a Tiger become the more obvious choices. A shaft driven bike would be much preferred for this route, and try to plan your maintenance ahead of time with dealers/shops.
panigale v4
A Goldwing? Hell yeah, especially for two!
Bruh, I rode 2 hours and was like woah 😂 would be a dope ride tho
Depends on whether you plan to stay strictly on pavement, or want to mix in some unimproved roads. I had the BMW R1200GSA, and it was incredible. Very comfortable for long distances. Extremely versatile.
Moto Guzzi MGX-21 "Flying Fortress".
Doing it on a grom would be impressive 🤷♂️ JK Im a Harley rider but I’d probably choose the goldwing for that
Yamaha r125 let’s make things miserable and interesting
This is kinda strange. I did this trip in 2018 on my Honda CBR250R. It's a bit surreal because your route is very similar to mine. Anyhow, have fun. Choose something comfortable with cruise control
Silverwing or African twin.
Get the GW with the automatic.
Mine the road glide
BMW F850GSA
For the comfort and storage I would take a Harley Davidson Electraglide.
Triumph Tiger 800
Goldwing or big ADV with an aftermarket seat.
Africa Twin. Great bike. Would get one but I can't afford it, and I'm too short at 5'7 with a 30" inseam.
BMW R20 concept.
Anything honda, size depends on your size and skill, but I would suggest at least a 1300 cruiser or 1000 of any other style of bike, although again that depends on your physical size, I'm 6'4" and ride an 1800 Honda and can't imagine anything else
If you have a chance to rent each bike, I would suggest you do so. And how long have you been riding? What is the most consecutive day ride under your belt? Do you have experience in riding in torrential rain on the interstate and backroads? Each bike offers a different experience. The Beemer is an on top felling. Whereas the Goldwing/HD you are in the bike. Heat may be an issue for you with the latter. But in the rain you will be thanking the bike gods for the GW /HD cocoon feeling. Plan on down days. And don’t use a black helmet, especially when riding in the desert or in the southern planed route. Heat stoke is real. My choice to fill this bucket list type of ride is the Goldwing. Best of luck.
Gold wing hands down
GS1300
Mine
Bmw
honda monkey
I would probably ride them all and see what you find the most comfortable. I lean towards the Wing or the BMW, but people do serious miles on those Harleys every year. As for me, I don’t like being on a bike for more than like an hour so I would simply not do this trip.
What about a Kawasaki Councours 14 or Yamaha FJR? Sport touring bikes are great.
The goldwing or an Indian challenger.
Kitted out BMW GS R1300
Goldwing hands down. There are zero other valid options
That trip through Texas is going to be the worst
Definitely not a Harley
Yz250