Can you tour on a naked bike?

[peterekins]

What a stupid question! I've done 600 mile days on my XJR1300, at 80/90 +. Is every biker these days turning into whimps? You'll be complaining about being cold next. Only had 2 faired bikes, a RF600 and a XTZ750, unless you count the leg sheilds on a C90, and neither were that good at covering miles.
If you don't want to feel the elements as you drive then get a car and leave proper bikers too proper bikes. B)

Sit back and wait for abuse.

[bimota]

What a stupid question! I've done 600 mile days on my XJR1300, at 80/90 +. Is every biker these days turning into whimps? You'll be complaining about being cold next. Only had 2 faired bikes, a RF600 and a XTZ750, unless you count the leg sheilds on a C90, and neither were that good at covering miles.
If you don't want to feel the elements as you drive then get a car and leave proper bikers too proper bikes. B)

Sit back and wait for abuse.

yep your right. (thumbs) (thumbs)

[92kk k100lt 193214]

Do some exercises to strengthen your neck muscles?

I toured Germany two-up in the 1970s on an unfaired Honda 400/4. Even 40 years later I remember how painful it was hitting bugs at motorway speeds.

I did a lot on a 500-4 back then too.

I wasn't long fitting a full wrap around fairing so got to compare completely naked, a screen and a full fairing on the one bike. Fully naked for a lot of motorway runs is not really a good idea, but other than that should not be a problem.

I would look at modifying my plans a bit but definitely not cancelling out. Naked is perfect for touring in countryside, in many cases its much more enjoyable where speeds are lower and you don't get over heated travelling slowly in the sun. If however you are happy to tootle around the lovely French countryside cruiser style enjoying their D roads and 50kmh in the villages then you will really enjoy it on a naked bike and I would jump at the opportunity. I did a lot of that in Ireland and in good weather and nothing has matched it since. There are lots of lovely posts here of naked bikes in Scotland, Wales and wherever with very positive reports.

But for longer trips as I got more adventurous the fairing was the answer.

In the short term try and get a screen that you can mount on the handlebars, like the old police screens you saw on 70s bikes. They are generally universal and you will not regret it. I had one and it made a fantastic difference at higher speeds and didn't soil the country lane riding. Keeps wind and bugs off your chest and also the worst of the rain if you get unlucky with weather. Don't laugh, but if you have the misfortune to hit a bird it may be a lifesaver. I have done it twice. Insects on a naked bike feel like bullets so you must keep your visor closed, 60mph and an open visor you are risking losing an eye and an off. The pleasure of a screen and riding with an open visor is not to be underestimated, so try get one and enjoy those off motorway trips. As Tim said, and I will too, neck and shoulder muscles suffer badly. Thing is, we were young guys then but not now. My son has a naked bike and he wont even take a decent run, has had enough of our long trips.

Weather is more critical, I would invest in a one piece plastic rainsuit and a pair of boot rain protectors, all very cheap. If you have to do a motorway trip its great to stop you getting chilled, that can happen even in summer if its damp out. On a naked bike at higher speeds you need a little more warm gear too, an extra layer.

[Redmurty]

People tour on push bikes so yes you can tour on a naked. Just need a little more planning

cheers Spud

[Sand Rover]

People tour on push bikes so yes you can tour on a naked. Just need a little more planning

cheers Spud

So what more planning do you need to tour on naked bike.... Call the campsite in advance to tell them your riding a naked bike to there campsite to make sure no one is offended.....ffs people are going round the world on C90's .... I am starting to think that half the members of this site don't even have motor bikes or scooters

[92kk k100lt 193214]

Well said.

I did the touring on the push bike too, its all about planning and flexibility. Anything can be done with the right planning and know how.

My recent trip to France saw us change plans due to weather. Torrential rain for the first two days. We cut out one place I wanted to visit because it was going to be unpleasant getting there but more important it wasn't going to be nice when we got there so it has been left for another trip.

I took a 1984 K100. Met lots of people who were in the horrors of taking 'such an old complicated bike'. Always a negative somewhere so just go with what you want, with the right planning and the right gear anything can be done.

[Redmurty]

People tour on push bikes so yes you can tour on a naked. Just need a little more planning

cheers Spud

So what more planning do you need to tour on naked bike.... Call the campsite in advance to tell them your riding a naked bike to there campsite to make sure no one is offended.....ffs people are going round the world on C90's .... I am starting to think that half the members of this site don't even have motor bikes or scooters

sorry read it wrong thought he asked "if you could tour naked on a bike" :whistle:

and do I actually need to have a bike to be on here :pinch:

If I was touring on a naked bike I would probably plan more stops and a little less daily mileage but other than that it makes no difference.

cheers Spud

[ross dean]

A thought .. 'naked bikes' (just 'bikes' when the Z900, GS1000 and Jota were around) provide the fundamental biking experience. Add fairings, large screens and so on and the experience is, in many ways, diluted. I have been known to shout "Get a car!" at passing bikes with integrated stereos blaring which means I may have 'issues' but, when all is said and done, the truism 'Only bikers know why dogs stick their heads out of car windows' reveals the naked truth B)

[Boo Cock]

You can tour on a naked bike and you can if you so desire tour naked on a bike. The bugs hurt at anything over 30mph tho'. I've never had a fared bike before and never had a problem. I find it is less tiring, providing you keep within the speed limits, than with a screen. The buffeting and wind noise is minimal with no screen and after all, why do you need to keep out of the wind? Isn't that what a bike is for?????
P.S. Do you want any pictures of me naked on my bike?
Boo.

[92kk k100lt 193214]

You can tour on a naked bike and you can if you so desire tour naked on a bike. The bugs hurt at anything over 30mph tho'. I've never had a fared bike before and never had a problem. I find it is less tiring, providing you keep within the speed limits, than with a screen. The buffeting and wind noise is minimal with no screen and after all, why do you need to keep out of the wind? Isn't that what a bike is for?????
P.S. Do you want any pictures of me naked on my bike?
Boo.

That's exactly what I mean when I said about the D roads in France and travelling around Ireland on the scenic routes, slowly and smelling the flowers and feeling the wind. At those lower speeds no screen is indeed preferable and even the lower weight is preferable.. Which is why I sometimes take the screen of the K.! But there is a difference between doing it at 18 and 58 as I will put it.

Over here we meet many sorts of bikers touring around, from top of the range tourers complete with air bags to small singles that sound like they are about to expire. the one thing apparent is that they are at one with their bike and whatever imitations we might think it has and they set off on their day with a smile. I admit I would happily pile my gear on a Honda 50 and travel on it but my expectations would be matched with the bike.