sport touring motorcycle

{{Distinguish|Sport Touring (class)}}

{{Short description|Type of motorcycle}}

Image:K1200gt.jpg sport touring motorcycle]]

A sport touring motorcycle (sometimes a "sports tourer") is a type of motorcycle that combines the performance of a sport bike with the long-distance capabilities and comfort of a touring motorcycle.

The first sport tourer is said to be the fully faired 1977 BMW R100RS.{{citation|title=The Art of BMW: 90 Years of Motorcycle Excellence|first=Peter |last=Gantriis|publisher=Motorbooks |year=2013|isbn=978-0760344125|page=121|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9Tyz__LOWW4C&pg=PA121}}{{cite web |title=First Ride: 1999 BMW R1100S |url=https://www.motorcycle.com/manufacturer/bmw/first-ride-1999-bmw-r1100s-1425.html |website=www.motorcycle.com|date=April 2012 }} Journalist Peter Egan defines the sport tourer as a "café racer that doesn't hurt your wrists and a touring bike that doesn't feel like a tank," and identified the R100RS as the first example he owned.{{citation|first=Peter|last=Egan|author-link=Peter Egan (columnist)|title=Built for comfort. Built for speed. A concise history of rambling around on sport-touring bikes.|journal=Cycle World|date=January 23, 2014|url=http://www.cycleworld.com/2014/01/23/sport-touring-motorcycles-a-concise-history-by-peter-egan/}}

Unlike a sport model, a sport touring model will typically have more wind protection with larger fairings and an adjustable windscreen, a transmission with lower gearing, a shaft drive instead of chain drive, side and/or rear pannier storage systems, a larger alternator for more accessories, heated handlebar grips, remotely adjustable headlights, a larger fuel tank for increased range, and a more upright seating position. Unlike a full touring model, a sport tourer will typically have more ride height ground clearance for better cornering, less stowage, lower weight, a less relaxed seating position, less room for the rear passenger, and higher overall performance. {{cite web |last1=says |first1=Eric |title=Sport Touring Motorcycle History |url=https://www.theridingobsession.com/about/sport-touring-motorcycle-history |website=www.theridingobsession.com |language=en |date=2 January 2015}}

When designing a sport tourer, some manufacturers make economies by using an existing engine, technology and tooling from their recent sport bikes, rather than creating a dedicated engine design from scratch. Sport tourer engines could be differently-tuned versions of their sport bike siblings, the emphasis becoming mid-range torque rather than peak horsepower. This often includes a different cylinder head and exhaust system. For example, the Triumph Sprint motorcycle shared its engine with the Daytona, Speed Triple, and Tiger models; the Kawasaki 1400GTR/Concours 14 shares the basic engine with the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14; and Ducati's ST4 sport tourer used the 916's engine; the Aprilia RST1000 Futura used a differently-tuned engine from the Aprilia RSV Mille sport bike. As consumer expectations changed, some sport bikes were redefined (for marketing purposes) as sport touring bikes, for example, the 2000 Kawasaki ZX-6R sportbike became the 2004 ZZR600 with just a change to a fairing bracket.

Rider magazine noted in 2013 that the line between sportbikes and touring motorcycles was becoming blurred "with [touring] horsepower rising higher and higher and lists of standard [sportbike] features growing longer and longer".{{citation|work=Rider|title=2013 Sport-Touring Comparison Test: BMW K1600GT, BMW R1200RT, Kawasaki Concours 14, Triumph Trophy, Yamaha FJR1300|date=May 6, 2013|author=Greg Drevenstedt|url=https://ridermagazine.com/2013/05/06/five-fast-fellows-2013-sport-touring-shootout/}}

File:2010 Kawasaki Concours 14 at the 2009 Seattle International Motorcycle Show 1.jpg]]

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