Sport tourer / semi comfy sportbike under 4K?

Me and a few buddies are making plans to ride from Milwaukee to Laguna next year for the GP. I have nothing street legal in the garage, and have never owned a Sport touring rig. I've got a $4,000 or so ceiling, but I'd like to come in under that.

I have a nice set of Tourmaster side bags and tail bag, and a nice tankbag too that are barely used so hard bags are not a necessity.

I'm considering:

1st gen Bandit 1200 - reasonably comfy, and I can mod it into the hot rod I want after the trip.

FZ1 - same gig as the bandit

ZRX1200 - I like 'em, but I'm not too sure about the lack of a real windscreen.

Busa/zx12/CBR1100xx - Cheap, fast, and from what I hear reasonably comfortable.

BMW K1200r - I really like the naked one, but again the wind protection may be lacking, and the ones I've seen on Ebay are not landing in my price range but some are coming close.

FJR1300 - Probably the best bike for this, but I don't think I'l find one in my price range, and it's a pretty "committed" sport tourer so I can't mess with it later and make it into a cool street beast.

What sez the beeb? Other options I may be missing? Best choice among these?

 

I'm a bit biased, but I'd vote CBR1100XX. One of the most bulletproof streetbikes ever made, all day comfortable, handles reasonably well for such a heavy bike and won't lose much more value at this point. Under 4k shouldn't be a problem.

I made the run from Chicago to Sacramento in 38 hours on one, and that included 10 hours in a hotel room.

 

aprilia futura

 

Haybus.

 

ZRX1200R

I have an 02 ZRX1200R with an aftermarket (Puig) windscreen that is 2" taller than stock and it provides surprising wind coverage. I am 5'11 and it works fine for me and the fellow I bought it from is 6' 1" and he liked it as well. The pegs are a bit forward but every other aspect is great. Plenty of torque & Hp, handling is stable and it runs like a champ. All the bikes you mentioned are perfect and I may experiment with one or two in the future.

Del

 

I think Id take a older busa over a zx12. Plus the likelyhood of known wearable parts would be easier to obtain on the road.
$4k should buy a clean low mileage example... but I doubt it would come with the necessary touring gear.
I liked the Ventura rack setup on mine. Plus if you hollow out the hump you get a huge water resistant area for storage of valuables. For easy to reach stuff... I used a small magnetic tank bag

 

FZ1! 1st gen's are a dime a dozen.

 

I went cross country on an SV650, it was bad ass and you'd be a pansy to do it on anything bigger. I vote metallic green 1964 Buick Skylark convertible with a white top. Don't stop in Alabama.

 

I'll be fine as long as it isnt a Tempest with posi.

 

Don't leave out 94-97 VFR750's. Plenty of those out there with low miles for less than $4000. I have 75,000 on mine with only a failed R/R and water pump. CBR1100XX, Bandit, and FZ1 were the other 3 that came to my mind.

 

Of the bikes you mentioned, I've ridden the zx12r and fz1(1st gen). I'll say that the kawi is a dream on the highway with the puig db screen... the wind protection is just great all around on the thing. Of course it's got tons of power but also handles ok too. Between those two, I think it would be the better bike for your trip.

and yeah i'd check out some Honda VFRs also.

 

Not sure if you could find a k1200 for 4k. Maybe a salvage one. I might also suggest the earlier k100's. You can pick them up all day for 2-4k. I bought mine for 2100 with 11,000 miles and have put 40k on it and its not even broken in. Its no speed demon but it'll go 100 all day, has bags, you can carry crap, the S model is sporty but with decent wind protection, insurance is cheap and nobody wants to steal it :up:

 

I was just looking at 5th Gen (98-01) VFR's on ebay today and there are a few good examples in that price range. 98-01 is generally considered the best of the breed: gear driven cams, fuel injection, more power, no vtec, good linked brakes, decent styling, etc.

This could be the perfect bike: http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/hnp/mcy/1942213107.html

It's even nearby

 

I went across the country on both a FZ1 and Bandit 1200 first gen.

Both bikes are solid and up to the task...the Bandit is best if camping or carrying a ton of gear...I found the FZ was sportier and I traveled lighter on it as a result.

FZ1 handles much better and the 12 has more low end grunt....a big rear sprocket change on the FZ will give you some more of that back for cheaper than a computer mod...my .02

Try and find some generic highway pegs as both frames can adapt to them and they are worth it 100%

 

If you are considering a FJR don't leave out the older Concours and ST1100. Busa isn't a bad ST mount, I've don't +500 mile days on mine.

<edit>
Here is a fairly clean 2000 Concours with 15k miles for 3100 bucks, so they are out there in your price range.

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/mcy/1981206591.html

 

My ZZR1200 was aweome for touring. Plenty of oomph and all day comfortable.

 

The two youts .....

 

+1 ....I like the 98-2001 models personally....great all round bikes.

 

I totally forgot about the VFR. I have always wanted to ride one of those, that could be the ticket.