Adventure Bike Rider Forum

Just wondering, are there many middleweight shaft-drive motorcycles available say from 500cc to 850cc?
All I can think of are two, Honda Dueville 650/700 and Moto Guzzi V850TT.

I'd eventually like to change to a shaft-drive machine but nothing too bulky such as the usual contenders being; GS BMW/Yamaha 1200 Tenere/CrossTourer/GT-R1400 Kwak.

Seems to be not many middle ground cc machines with shaft-drive, have I missed any....?
Any knowledge welcome, cheers.

mac

Dan't for get the Guzzi V7 also...charming little bikes, much under-rated and also quite affordable.

Dead easy to home-service, too

If Suzuki would only produce their 650 V-Strom in a shaft-drive version, that would be me sorted.

mac

I'm just waiting to take delivery of my V85TT and a large reason for picking it over the others was because of shaft drive. On the longer trips it's just nice not to have to carry the chain lube.

It's been interesting to watch the Guzzi being launched and reviewed by the press. Very few even make mention of the shaft drive, or only in passing. They don't seem to really see the benefit or distinction of it in a travel bike. For other manufactures looking on they might interpret that as meaning none one really cares whether it's shaft or chain, so let's stick with chain because it's cheaper to build.

To me the Guzzi is the reincarnation of the original GSs and I'm surprised BMW hasn't done something along similar to it, but then I guess they don't need to with the 1250 still selling so well.

Honda also made a Pc800(Pacific coast) in the 90s. Like a bigger deauville and a smaller pan European. Mainly imported but my dad had one a few years back and likes, having previously owned the st1100, then onto the nt650v and now the nt700v .

The Kawasaki GT 550 was very popular with mc couriers in the 90s - don’t suppose there’s many around now. The old BMW airheads were light in comparison to today’s offerings. Well built, easy to maintain and capable of huge mileage - Classic insurance too.
CX 500 - popular with the hipster crowd as, once chopped, they look like a Guzzi.
I had an XLV750 - import - very popular when I was in Oz. I thought they were a poor mans GS so I sourced and bought one when I got back to the UK. On paper a great bike but the one I had was a dog unfortunately - some mysterious fuelling problem that I just couldn’t get fixed.
A shaft 650 would be popular I reckon.

Great replies guys......thanks.

I know there's quite a few older motorcycles that are mentioned here and shaft-drive etc, but in today's age there's not many middleweight machines that offer shaft-drive which seems unusual nowadays....

I like the look of the Moto Guzzi alright, but the Dueville 700 shafty V twin would be a much cheaper contender and value for money.

I'd love to have the Yamaha XT660Z Tenere with a shaft-drive unit, all you'll ever need. Probably better off with a big Maxi Scooter.

mac

macvisual wrote: ↑Mon Jan 27, 2020 6:22 pm I'd love to have the Yamaha XT660Z Tenere with a shaft-drive unit, all you'll ever need.

mac

The last thing it needed was more weight added!

Honda NTV 650. Afaik it's basically a naked Deauville but fits the criteria

More middle weight shaft drive classics the early stagger crank Honda VT500, NTV600 and Suzuki 650 Katana.