What to buy Last bike

A Street Glide.

http://rapidcity.craigslist.org/mcy/3559579726.html

63 here and a long term rider. Creature comforts have become all important, so upright riding position and lots of leg room. A strong alternator to power heated gear. Lighter is better and I avoid really tall bikes these days.

Simplicity and reliability are high on my list. No more fussy bikes for me.

The new F800GT nice middle weight tourer, good fun for short trips even better when you head cross country
I am partial to BMW's hence the suggestion, so perhaps you might want a versys/vstrom. Or you might consider a retro/older bike something fun to ride and tinker with in the garage, however I do not know your mechanic skills.

I'm not a 30+ year rider just reasonable suggestions that came to mind.

Problem solved. Ive never had more fun on a bike in my life.

Comfortable. Massively intuitive. Brakes. Torque. Speed.

....and it sounds like nothing else

Oh for Pete's Sake!

HERE!
This is your bike



As for "Fun" and "Performance" (modified version shown)

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EDIT; Almost forgot...

Ural. You retire and take that Alaska trip on your own schedule and tootle around town on it.
I'm 37 and I have one. Take my daughter with me on errands. It makes trips to the store an adventure instead of "work."

I hope you watched the video. That Hammerhead Industries, Jack Pine Scrambler RIPS!

Oh I saw it the day it came out. Im not only a huge Scrambler fan, Im a pretty big fan of anything "Desert Sled".

I looked for a scrambler for months before I stumbled across the Speed Triple that I bought. The Scramblers that popped up were only on Craigslist for about an hour and for what they were asking, I might as well have bought a new one.
Im pretty dammed happy with the Speedy 3......Im just going to have to find a Scambler as well in the future.

I'm buying my third last bike in a couple of weeks.

here, cut out the middle man;

I can't believe that someone claiming riding for 40+ years and owning that many bikes, still doesn't know what he NEEDS. Is that some kind of joke? The OP sounds like a Bike Owner, not RIDER.
My sugestion would be - Get out and do some riding! Find out what you like, where you ride, what makes you tick, are you good with tools, do you like thinkering with your bike, are you in good health, etc, etc.
Once you know that the selecion will be easy.
On the other hand if the OP doesn' t know that by now, he'd be better in a convertible.
Just my $0.02.

I am ashamed that with my bike expierance and age I should know exacly what I want and be happy. I sorta feel that shouild be true. I have loved Motorcycles for 40 years and have owned about every one / type out there I guess. So here is how it goes...buy a bike I think I want, I tinker with it, I ride it some and then I'm bored with it so I sell it. But I live in a place where there is no bike riding for 6 months!..This A.M. it is 4 degrees and another inch of snow on the back deck ! So with my Cabin fever and depression I look at all my motorcycle mags and read on the interweb motorcycle stuff and reviews. I have a scooter that I will always keep for putting around town but I feel I want another real motorcycle. To show my open mind I really thought I wanted a Nx700 Honda for 7K sounds fun. But I am worried that it will become boring quickly and since I can't test ride one from mjy dealer. How do I really know? I also got the Big Twin Harley itch again...I have owned 5 of them over the past 20 years. And have been to dealer and made a offer or two on Craigs list and still haven't found the one yet. How do I ride? Short 30 minute rides after supper, Short 100 mile trips ..not very often. I like riding alone and not interested in the join a group thing. I have found several used Harleys that average about 2000 miles a year...a 2009 with 7400 miles? So thats where Im at. I get great Ideas from people on here and that is also part of my hobby...comming up with new ideas and then hunting up that bike to buy!

Thanks for input it is unbeleiveable ...but it is true
Hap

Why? I have had more than 18 "last bikes". Probably a few more in the future. WTF?, it's only money.

I hear you brother and didn't intent to sound bashing. Being in the same bucket (age and bike passion) I understand the urge. Wanting the next BEST thing is an infectious itch and hard to fight until NEED replaces "want". With that comes peace. In my first post I capitalized NEED, once you figure that the rest is easy.
Now, when I get the "want" itch, I hop on the bike and go for a ride. The grass is still greener (on the other side of the fence) but I am happier because I'm riding and not wasting time questioning my choices.
With the current bikes the limitation is the rider not the technology. Anyone that tells you different is lying to you or trying to get your money. Get out and ride while you can, invest in gear and training.
The bike is a tool, the ride is what you make of it.

stone cold reliable. gas, tires, oil.
as fast as you want it to be.
handles as well as anything out there.
always puts a smile on.