I will be most interested in seeing if the AT can match the Vara's long distance touring ability and pillion comfort.
I will be most interested in seeing if the AT can match the Vara's long distance touring ability and pillion comfort.
I can say at next VCIM
Sure Varadero is the best for comfort (driver & pillion)
I will be most interested in seeing if the AT can match the Vara's long distance touring ability and pillion comfort.
The AT has a longer seat than the CT, I measured them. There is about as much room if not slightly more than the Varadero. A friend of mine has bought a manual AT for two up touring because in his words the bike was absolutely stunning and easy to ride and in his wife's words as the pillion, it was the most comfortable bike for two up touring they had ever been on. They've been riding bikes for over 30 years.
On paper the AT should have the legs advantage the Varadero for two up touring, same size motor and about the same power/torque curves, same room for pillion and better suspension. It was the suspension that my friend and his wife liked, so comfortable.
Will be interesting to see if zebulon gives similar feedback at VCIM...
I will be most interested in seeing if the AT can match the Vara's long distance touring ability and pillion comfort.
I can say at next VCIM
Sure Varadero is the best for comfort (driver & pillion)
Not sure. I have been reading some excellent comments on the new CRF's comfort (saddle) and all weather protection for both rider and passenger...
Not sure. I have been reading some excellent comments on the new CRF's comfort (saddle) and all weather protection for both rider and passenger...
Hope so for me & for Michelle
She will spank You for sure, Zeb, if she thinks differently
Hope so for me & for Michelle
We discussed this on the Norwegian National meeting in Kristiansund last year.
All (yes, all) the VFR1200X pillions agreed that the pillion comfort were better on a Varadero. Period.
IMO, as far as I understand from what I've read, the new CRF1000L is the kind of bike everyone expected back in 1999.
Instead, Honda introduced the Varadero. A bike we know too well, a bike that proved itself to be a great tourer. I, for one, have loved her for that.
Now the Varadero is gone and Honda presents what many have been waiting for years, a new Africa Twin, a bike with much better off road capabilities than the Varadero ever had.
Or than the Crosstourer. A bike that was presented in between; according to Honda aimed at the same kind of biker that had ridden their Varas.
But it wasn't really so. I have a Crosstourer because I find it great to have a shaft drive and it's very nice to have these 30 HP more. Besides, WRT Varadero, the bike has a nice modern design, well centered mass, better brakes, dashboard,... and a number of updated details.
But in a stupid (IMO) way, Honda seem not to have asked actual Vara riders about our opinions when they were developing the CT. We (Vara riders) are used to a certain degree of protection against the elements, so even if CT is objectively good in this aspect, Vara is better. Ditto with seat comfort. Or tank capacity. Or overall bulk and presence.
So, even if I am enjoying very much my new CT, I think she could've been done better just by taking into account these easy details. Of course, there are other additions I'd welcome, such as even larger brake disks, more suspension travel (or even ESA!) or 10 more HP, but these I understand that are not as simple to balance with the rest of the bike.
Also, I can see two annoying features that both, AT and CT share (and Vara lacked). One is the silencer position and the other one is the use of just one lamp for low beam (admittedly, this can probably be solved on the AT).
Happy riding to all,
Josep
Hope so for me & for Michelle
We discussed this on the Norwegian National meeting in Kristiansund last year.
All (yes, all) the VFR1200X pillions agreed that the pillion comfort were better on a Varadero. Period.
My pillion never complained about comfort on CT.
You can have both
If I had the AT, the CT would never be ridden. I prefer the AT over the CT. The AT is about the best adventure bike I've ever ridden and I love it's feel and ride. Very nice
. Dang...
We discussed this on the Norwegian National meeting in Kristiansund last year.
All (yes, all) the VFR1200X pillions agreed that the pillion comfort were better on a Varadero. Period.
My pillion never complained about comfort on CT.
Have they tried the Varadero ?