The Sport-Tourer Is Lifeless. Lengthy Dwell the Sport-Tourer.

A reader named Joe Salz not too long ago despatched me the next e mail.

I journey a 2005 Honda ST1300 ABS, which has supplied 94,000 miles of trouble-free driving pleasure. However it’s 20 years outdated, and I would really like a brand new alternative. Sadly, Honda stop making the ST1300 in 2013.

I might accept a Yamaha FJR1300ES, however Yamaha stop constructing this mannequin in 2024. The Triumph Trophy was a pleasant rig, however the final one rolled off the manufacturing line in 2017. The Kawasaki Concours 14 emphasised the game facet of sport-touring, but it surely was dropped in 2022.

Amongst machines at present in manufacturing, the Suzuki GSX-S1000GT+ and GX+ declare to be sport-touring machines, however their chain drive and tiny windscreens make them nonstarters for me.

If one needs true two-up capability, shaft drive, built-in baggage, cruise management, heated grips, and a decently sized electrically adjustable windscreen in a machine that’s not so large that it wants a reverse gear, there’s however one lone survivor: BMW’s R 1300 RT.

What the heck occurred?

Joe’s e mail arrived as we had been making ready a assessment of the R 1300 RT for Rider‘s November situation. Along with the RT, BMW additionally makes the Ok 1600 GT, which meets the factors he lists above. However Joe’s bigger level – the loss of life of the open-class sport-tourer – is legitimate.

For Rider’s Could 2013 situation, I participated in and wrote a sport-touring comparability check of the BMW R 1200 RT, BMW Ok 1600 GT, Kawasaki Concours 14, Triumph Trophy SE, and Yamaha FJR1300 (as seen within the pictures). The ST1300 was absent as a result of it had already been lower from Honda’s lineup. Solely the BMW RT and GT are nonetheless in manufacturing.

We’ve all the time been followers of huge sport-tourers. Of the 35 bikes we’ve chosen as Motorbike of the Yr since 1990, 12 have been sport-tourers, and eight had been open-classers.

Open-class sport-tourers fell sufferer to the juggernaut of open-class journey bikes, which supply much less wind safety however as a lot energy, expertise, and luxury with the added bonus of off-road functionality. However not everybody needs an journey bike with a tall seat, a 19-inch entrance wheel, and 90/10 tires.

At present’s sport-tourers are typically primarily based on sportbike or journey bike platforms: Honda NT1100 DCT, Suzuki GSX-S1000GT+ and GSX-S1000GX+, Kawasaki Ninja H2 SX and Versys 1100 SE LTand Yamaha Tracer 9. All are highly effective, refined, extremely succesful machines (three have been MOTY), however they fail to test among the packing containers on Joe’s (and different individuals’s) record. Most put extra emphasis on sport than touring, particularly in the case of passenger lodging.

Nearly as good as BMW’s RT and GT fashions are, we miss the number of open-class sport-tourers, with completely different manufacturers providing distinctive engine configurations, styling, and character. Sport-touring isn’t lifeless, however the section has undergone a paradigm shift. Is it higher or worse? Tell us what you assume – drop us a line at rider@ridermagazine.com.

See all of Rider‘s sport-tourer bike critiques