Can you tour on a naked bike?

[Zookman]

Well guys as someone who has a naked and an adventure style bike I personally won't tour again on the naked. Everyone can call me a wimp, not a proper biker....oh wait they have already done that....anyway, after riding from the black forest to Belgium today in the persistent, non stop heavy rain on motorways and back roads for nearly 9 hours I know which one I'll be using for touring in the future.
And strangely enough everyone who we met this week has either been on a full blown tourer or ADV style bike.
I think that speaks for itself..

When you started this thread, myself and others advised you to get a screen, so I cant understand why you didn't !
I have a naked street bike and the smallish Givi universal screen I have on there makes a huge difference. Just taking the wind blast off your chest makes for far less rider fatigue because your body isn't then acting like a sail. But I still wouldn't tour on it over my S10.... unless, like yourself, I had no choice.

[92kk k100lt 193214]

I too was one of those who advocated the screen as a minimum. Those with experience all suggested the screen unless you were tootling around country roads at low speeds with the odd motorway run.

I have done the touring on naked, screen and full tourer and most definitely recommended against motorway trips especially in the wet on a naked bike. In May in France on the K100s we met all sorts of weather including some torrential rain. The full fairings meant we remained comfortable and able to travel and never got cold or wet.

No matter what age you are or what naked bike you have trying to do over 100kmh in the wet on a motorway makes no sense. Rider fatigue, discomfort, spray etc eventually leads to error of judgement. Its not about being a wimp or whatever, but avoiding rider fatigue and discomfort is being sensible and should not be made fun of.

[spoky0]

second that, man up or get a car!

[macvisual]

In the late 1970's when I first passed by motorcycle test I rode my Honda CG125 from Belfast to Co.Cork (Blarney), around 375 miles (single journey) with no main motorways then.

Just fuel up/adjust chain/check oil level and ride.

[peterekins]

second that, man up or get a car!

Wouldn't quite go that far, but I think the original question was unbelivable. What possible reason would anyone think that you can't tour on a naked? Of course it may be more comfortable on a fully dressed BMW or Goldwing, but surely you can tour on anything if thats the way you roll.
Can you do a track day on a RT, can you go off road on a Royal Enfield, can you carry lugage on a C90 etc?

[92kk k100lt 193214]

In the late 1970's when I first passed by motorcycle test I rode my Honda CG125 from Belfast to Co.Cork (Blarney), around 375 miles (single journey) with no main motorways then.

Just fuel up/adjust chain/check oil level and ride.

You didn't say anything about riding it back again? Are you still here in Cork?

But, you planned the trip based on what bike you had. Many of us travelled the country on naked bikes, almost always 125s and smaller bikes and were quite happy to do it.