Asport touring motorcycle (sometimes a "sports tourer") is atype of motorcycle that combines the performance of asport bike with the long-distance capabilities and comfort of atouring motorcycle.
The first sport tourer is said to be the fully faired 1977BMW R100RS.[1][2] JournalistPeter 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.[3]
Unlike a sport model, a sport touring model will typically have more wind protection with largerfairings and an adjustablewindscreen, atransmission with lower gearing, ashaft drive instead ofchain drive, side and/or rearpannier storage systems, a largeralternator for more accessories, heatedhandlebar grips, remotely adjustable headlights, a largerfuel tank for increased range, and a more upright seating position. Unlike a full touring model, a sport tourer will typically have moreride height ground clearance for better cornering, less stowage, lower weight, a less relaxed seating position, less room for therear passenger, and higher overall performance.[4]
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 differentcylinder head andexhaust system. For example, theTriumph Sprint motorcycle shared its engine with the Daytona,Speed Triple, and Tiger models; theKawasaki 1400GTR/Concours 14 shares the basic engine with theKawasaki Ninja ZX-14; andDucati's ST4 sport tourer used the916's engine; theAprilia RST1000 Futura used a differently-tuned engine from theAprilia RSV Mille sport bike. As consumer expectations changed, some sport bikes were redefined (for marketing purposes) as sport touring bikes, for example, the 2000Kawasaki 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".[5]
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