snofrog
Well-Known Member
I see new bikes called this all the time . these bikes look like ours or any other out there . so what makes an adventure bike different than any other ?
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so what makes an adventure bike different than any other ?
I see new bikes called this all the time . these bikes look like ours or any other out there . so what makes an adventure bike different than any other ?
The Ducati MultiStrada, The BMW R1200GS, The Triumph Tiger, and the new Yamaha Super Tenere are examples. Maybe the Suzuki VStrom. Supposedly they can do some off road biking as well. The problem I have with all of these is that they're relatively heavy and I believe they're easier to drop off road and of course tough to pick up once they drop. If I was going to do significant off pavement riding, along with on pavement I personally would get something like the Kawasai KLR 650. For a brief period I had a Kawi KLX250SF and it was super on dirt roads, easy to maneuver, get a foot down to correct things after a bump or divet, etc. I think Lee (OldSchool) has the KLR so he can speak to that. The so called "adventure bikes" you speak of don't hit any of my personal requisites for a bike. I'm 99% on road and bikes like ours were made for on road and likely much smoother than the adventure bikes. I also rode a Yamaha XT 250 with knobby tires for about a week (1000 miles): Very competent off road but buzzy and less sure footed on road. Typically anything that has multiple purposes is not great at any one of them, but hopefully good at most of them. Hope I didn't offend anyone's ride. It's just my own opinion you know.
A slow bike with a mushy suspension???
I've never understood the appeal of them, they do most things so-so. If I want to ride off road give me a big 'ole XR650. Fro the street, well you all know what I like there.
I do see the attraction. Like many it would be an additional bike. I have ZERO dirt experience so I would need to start with something like the Kawasaki Lee did. A little less expensive and won't make me cry if I drop it. I think it would be a blast to get off the beaten path.
You probably have seen that movie "Long Way Round" where the 2 actors rode their GS1200's through every God forsaken place in the world. They originally wanted to do the trip with KTM's but KTM refused to sponsor them and BMW paid for their bikes so they went with BMW. Watching that DVD I personally feel they would have been much better off with the KTM's.