1400GTR or Pan European

[2kwacks]

In my opinion As far as distance and sporty grand tourers are concerned the Present GTR1400 is the best on the market and the fact it's not the most expensive is a bonus it's a lot of bike for the money I only sold my 2010 GTR due to wanting the new model zzr1441 in-fact.. if Kawasaki introduce a new model this will cause me a problem due to me liking my zzr and versys and don't think my better half would be to happy if  "two became three"      

[Winston Smith]

The new FJR is an OK bike.  Sorry Bryn, previous one in my opinion was a god awful bike - had one on the job and found it understeered until it oversteered then regularly tried to kill me!

OK in a straight line with a stonking engine.

Civvie spec it's either panniers OR top case as Yamaha don't authorise both (which isn't good that they don't trust it to have all three on!!)

Crappest weather protection of all the current crop of Sport/Tourers too.

Great engine though, but five gears?  Really??

[Stephen.Stallebrass]

...the fact it's not the most expensive is a bonus...

Very true. I compared my Tessie (2011 GTR) to a similarly aged Pan and my GTR came out £2-3K cheaper! When you consider what you get with the GTR compared to the Pan... 

The GTR wins hands down every time.

[Boomer]

One last test.
Remove the panniers from the GTR and admire the lines.
Remove the panniers from the ST1300,.... and puke in the gutter. 

[2kwacks]

One last test.
Remove the panniers from the GTR and admire the lines.
Remove the panniers from the ST1300,.... and puke in the gutter. 

Remove the panniers from the GTR and admire the lines.. well I wouldn't go as far as that   but it's a much better bike than the pan with or with panniers

[Lonewolf]

The GTR without the panniers still looks a credible sports bike, the Pan looks pants. I did go look at a Pan before I bought the GTR, it was an ex Police Pan, cheap and cheerful but even my wife who hates bikes said it looked dated and that the GTR she had seen in a photo looked much better....who was I to disagree with the wife? The rest as they say is history. 

[tommytool]

In my opinion As far as distance and sporty grand tourers are concerned the Present GTR1400 is the best on the market and the fact it's not the most expensive is a bonus it's a lot of bike for the money I only sold my 2010 GTR due to wanting the new model zzr1441 in-fact.. if Kawasaki introduce a new model this will cause me a problem due to me liking my zzr and versys and don't think my better half would be to happy if  "two became three"    

You are sooooo right! I luuurve my GTR! I don't think the pan had a chance against us partisan lot. It's a good enough bike but its too dated to be a real contender side by side with ours.
I'm just a bit surprised that earlier this year there was more support for BMW than I'd expect here. I can't imagine  many compliments for our choice of bike coming from the Ruhr!

[Charlie747]

You are sooooo right! I luuurve my GTR! I don't think the pan had a chance against us partisan lot. It's a good enough bike but its too dated to be a real contender side by side with ours.
I'm just a bit surprised that earlier this year there was more support for BMW than I'd expect here. I can't imagine  many compliments for our choice of bike coming from the Ruhr!

You're so right.........................................so many are sucked in and  to the Mighty Munich Marketing Machine 

  Ye pays ye money etc etc 

[trousersnake01]

I rode the ST1300 at work for a couple of years until they pulled them and put an angle grinder through the frame. I was a comfortable bike, took a bit to get it going, was very bad on fuel.
If you like your speed like I do then you would find it disappointing, and they didn't like stopping.
I had one go into a weave at about 110mph and I scared the life out of me, I really thought I was going to bin it.
Honda have never admitted the fault, some say it had something to with the torque settings on the swing arm and something to do with all the extras the police used to bolt on. They were finally withdrawn after a coroners recommendation which was made at Hondas own test rider was killed on a test track riding a Pan 13 

I looked at a FJR but my price range of 8k I could only afford the old shape.
Then I went for a test ride on a GTR.
It just so happened that the GTR was parked next to a FJR, and the FJR looked so dated against the GTR.

Well the test ride went well but you can't really push it when its a shops bike.

But I knew it was for me and bought it.
My first real test was in France last year, what a fantastic bike, good on fuel, comfortable, carry loads of weight, stable, goes like the clappers.
Went away with a 2 fireblades and a bmw 1000RR, the only one to get near me was the RR

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2t4vCvwdMQA&feature=youtu.be

[Lonewolf]

That was like watching a video of myself and Dave coming back from Shropshire last year. 

[Ming the Merciless]

Hi Guzuntai,

I have had the ST 1100 which was a lovely bike then I got an 06 plate ST1300 which I really enjoyed and it was reasonably rapid and surprised many of my mates certainly sportier than the 1100. The missus liked it and it did everything well but I missed what I think of as the thrill factor so I kept an Aprilla RSV for my Sunday thrash with the lads. I put thousands of miles on both Pans all over the UK & Europe and they were trouble free and fun but still that 'something' missing. I have to say that I rode the Pans hard with and without luggage and never ever experience the dreaded Pan 'weave' . I believe has a lot to do with centre of gravity the weight of police issue radios and aerodynamics. I have few chums in the 'job' hugely experienced and confident lads who are surprisingly naughty when they are not dressed for work :)

Both of them have had first hand and scary experience of the 'weave' and yet one of them still rides a Pan and the other thrashed mine mercilessy whenever the opportunity arose but never replicated it in civilian mode.

Anyway one day somebody very kindly ran over the Pan in a truck whislt it was parked up and totalled it so I had a loan FJR which I became quite attached to, so I decided to buy one however missus did not like it at all! I was about to go back to the Pan when my local dealer (Dobles) suggested I take a spin on px GTR that had just come in to them.

I swear withing 200 yards I knew I was going to keep it! smooth, very rapid, looks good with out without the panniers and top box which the Pan never did! Once you get rid of the spud launcher on the side you end up with a fabulous all rounder that always delights, keeps up with anything out there if you want to be a hooligan, is reasonably economical if ridden sensibly (difficult to do) but I always look forward to every journey.

The missus likes it and I LOVE it! I got rid of the Aprilia because this gives me everything I need and whilst I had great fun on the Honda's the GTR is so much smoother so much quicker and so much more enjoyable! I shall def have a new model in the next year or so but could not go back to a Pan now for love nor money.

Take your time spend some time on both and give them both a good test ride, if you ride with your partner take them out with you and I suspect one of them will leave a mark on you and help you choose!

Enjoy and be safe

Ming

[Debs]

I've never ridden the Pan. I just don't like the look of it..

No point in test riding it if I don't like the look 

[O.C.]

I've never ridden the Pan. I just don't like the look of it..

No point in test riding it if I don't like the look 

I've always placed a bikes looks as one of the first requirements, if it looks pants then it probably will be pants.

Then I went and bought a Versys 1000 which some say is Fugly,    well yeah I kinda agree, it is a bit fugly....... BUT hells bells its a bloody good bike which destroys my theory completely 

[tommytool]

I've always placed a bikes looks as one of the first requirements, if it looks pants then it probably will be pants.

Then I went and bought a Versys 1000 which some say is Fugly,    well yeah I kinda agree, it is a bit fugly....... BUT hells bells its a bloody good bike which destroys my theory completely 

The Tiger 955i was a real head turner - most in the opposite direction, but the bike was so good at what it did I didn't care!
For the sports/tourers my opinion for looks is 1st FJR, 2nd GTR, 3rd Triumph ST.
Of course looks ain't everything ( just as well says the missus) 

[Kwikasfuki]

I've ridden a T reg pan. Was like riding a tank. My friend loves em though