My take is that:
To some extent the overall style of packing you pick defines the style of the tour. Each individual item less so. The specific details of the bike not much at all. So for example packing way too much or leaving home things you really need will really impact the tour experience, while differences in the bike itself would have to be pretty extreme to make much difference. Carrying 150 pounds or not having a sleeping pad would ruin the experience for me. Riding a $500 bike vs a $5000 bike would not change the experience in a significant way, at least not for me.

I think that it would be nice if routes and the tours themselves were discussed more, gear about the same, and the bikes themselves less. The thing is that people can and should discuss the aspects of touring they are interested in.

I do agree that touring isn't really about the bike or the gear though. When I think back on a tour, neither the bike nor the gear really come up much. The people and places do. The thing is that the tour experience just isn't a subject that lends itself to this type of forum. A journal format is better for that.