I don't understand "Adventure Bikes"

[wallrat]

I guess you didn't see my earlier post.  That was the exact same argument that I made - that an adventure bike is best suited to trips that are mostly road or easy dirt/poorly maintained roads and that I would have taken an adventure bike to Moab in a heartbeat rather than drive out in the truck.  Believe me I'd buy one today if my wallet would let me.

[ThumperJordan]

Shades of gray.

A perfect bike for highway and dirt is never going to happen. Polar opposites.

How gray do you want to go?

[ThumperJordan]

Just found this:

http://www.advpulse.com/adv-bikes/5-custom-adventure-bike-build-by-real-people/

There's a definite need for a lightweight adventure bike.

People are taking light bikes and adapting them.

Japan needs a version 2 adventure bike. It would sell crazy well.

http://www.advpulse.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/ktm690adv3_opt.jpg

Edited September 13, 2014 by ThumperJordan

[Wheelytime]

oh hush up, they are awesome bikes!

[54321]

I subscribe to ADVmoto so I've seen a few of those bikes in those links. The Franken SV bike build was featured in a ADV Rider thread years ago. The handling was FUBAR ... the owner scrapped the idea.

Whenever I see a so called Adventure bike builder fitting hard boxes on a small dirt or dual sport bike (or any real travel bike) I know I'm dealing with an amateur, likely someone who's never been out there doing it for any length of time.

 

That KTM is a joke for travel. Did you see the seat??  Two hours on that and you're ready for a wheel chair ... you can't stand up all day on a 10 hour riding day.

Also, how would its subframe (does it even have one?) hold up once those metal boxes have 25 kgs. each in them and 100 miles of serious washboard road on the menu'. I've been there, seen it. It won't

make it. If the KTM is a race bike (250, 400, 450, or 500 EXC ) then it would be unlikely to make it beyond about 5000 miles before major service would be required. I don't think it's a 690, but the 690 would make it ... if looked after.  Could any EXC series KTM run at 75 mph all day on a highway? Day after day after day? ?

 

Not sure why the KLR is included with so called small, light bikes. But trust me, that KLR is not light. Hard metal Boxes? Add 50 lbs. empty (if you include racks and hardware)

 

The Honda XR-R is the only one of the lot that's well thought out and put together by someone who's done it. I read the article on this bike that ADVmoto published in the print magazine. Very good project on a worth while bike ... and I believe it's actually been somewhere and tested in real world conditions. ?  Not really a "small, light bike" but a very good bike nonetheless.

 

For small dirt or dual sport bikes (200cc to 450cc) you really have to travel with minimum gear. Kind of like back packing. Soft luggage or Giant Loop type luggage is the way to go, even on a strong 650 class bike like the Suzuki DR650 (which is stronger than ALL the competition except the XT600E Yamaha or 660 Tenere'). Learning what to carry and HOW to carry it is a big part of travel on a smaller ADV bike.

A weekend camping is no big deal. 6 months in S. America or Mongolia or Africa ... different deal.

 

Check out Adam Lewis's ride reports and check out his evolution as he rides around the world, starting on a F650 BMW Dakar, then to a DR650 and finally a DRZ400. This is just one link but on his posts you can link to many other reports from Adam. Notice luggage on DR650 in pics below. (from Adam's report)

 

 http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=669987

 

Edited September 13, 2014 by 54321

[Flagstaff]

Kinda seems like this thread is getting elitist. Bottom line, what works for me, my style of riding, and budget, well, that's all I care about. And I don't think I've ever had a bad bike. Maybe not the best, but I can make do, and have a lot of fun.

 

Mike

[bowhunter007]

I live in a part of the country, where some riding areas are vast enough, one can ride for days. Can I strap some camping gear to my KX 250 and call it "adventure"? Hell yes! A lot folks can't afford to buy large displacement bikes capable off offroad use, so they build versions they CAN afford. Doesn't make it any less adventurous. "Adventure Bike" is a pretty generic term. When I hear "adventure bike" I think KTM 990, 1190R, BMW, etc. The adventure is what you make of it.

[Arctic Pride]

Been digging into some info on the 690 Enduro...Pretty impressed by its range of conditions it can handle comfortably

[Flagstaff]

Been digging into some info on the 690 Enduro...Pretty impressed by its range of conditions it can handle comfortably

 

That was on my radar for a while also, and if I ran across one locally, I'd take a look. There seem to be some issues that need to be sorted out, but that's true of any bike. The used ones I see for sale tend to be pretty accessorized. So for now, guess I'll stick with my KLR, got it sorted for me and it does the job.

 

Mike

[pterry]

Sometimes RTW riding may also have to do with parts availability. In the north and south Americas it might be more prudent to ride a Jap bike. In Europe it might be a different story.

[ThumperJordan]

My buddies all tell me Adventure Bikes are for old men....who ride down a groomed dirt road for a couple miles.

[Piney Woods]

My buddies all tell me Adventure Bikes are for old men....who ride down a groomed dirt road for a couple miles.

Which is generally true. As always, there are exceptions.

Edited September 15, 2014 by YHGEORGE

[NoFiddyPilot]

My buddies all tell me Adventure Bikes are for old men....who ride down a groomed dirt road for a couple miles.

My buddy told me that everything on the Internet is true.?

[michigan400]

My buddies all tell me Adventure Bikes are for old men....who ride down a groomed dirt road for a couple miles.

 

Then they ride down the local jeep or powerline trail for a couple miles.

 

Then they jump on the highway for a minute to get out of town, knock down some miles, or take their time and check out the scenic route to the next spot. Of course, stopping at Starbucks and saying hi to friends along the way. 

 

Then they hit some 2 track or fire lanes. Then they stop for a bite to eat on the way home. During the meal, the wife calls and needs you to grab some stupid ass thing she or the kids needs. You go do all that and then 10 hrs later your home and happy from a fun day of riding.

 

It's all about "the riding". Not so much "what ride" you have or don't have IMO.

 

A 450X does great off road. But what if you need to drive 50 miles to get to the "off road"? Sure you could load your truck or suffer on the highway with it. But available riding time is best used actually riding and enjoying if it's in short supply. You just turned what was 3-4 hrs of riding into 8+. It's not at the same pace off road, but you get all that road time in also and it's not torture to do.

 

That's how I see ADV bikes anyway. Your views (and everyone elses) may vary.  ?

 

Like mentioned before, ADV bike is a very broad term that can mean a lot of different things.

[SteveThe Snakes]

Hum yea then there's this 1000 mi adventurer on a CRF230.  https://www.thumpertalk.com/topic/1097132-1000-mile-ride-on-the-230/

 

So there.

[Flagstaff]

Then they ride down the local jeep or powerline trail for a couple miles.

 

Then they jump on the highway for a minute to get out of town, knock down some miles, or take their time and check out the scenic route to the next spot. Of course, stopping at Starbucks and saying hi to friends along the way. 

 

Then they hit some 2 track or fire lanes. Then they stop for a bite to eat on the way home. During the meal, the wife calls and needs you to grab some stupid ass thing she or the kids needs. You go do all that and then 10 hrs later your home and happy from a fun day of riding.

 

It's all about "the riding". Not so much "what ride" you have or don't have IMO.

 

A 450X does great off road. But what if you need to drive 50 miles to get to the "off road"? Sure you could load your truck or suffer on the highway with it. But available riding time is best used actually riding and enjoying if it's in short supply. You just turned what was 3-4 hrs of riding into 8+. It's not at the same pace off road, but you get all that road time in also and it's not torture to do.

 

That's how I see ADV bikes anyway. Your views (and everyone elses) may vary.  ?

 

Like mentioned before, ADV bike is a very broad term that can mean a lot of different things.

That second half is pretty much how I ride, except the Coconino is about 100 yards from my house. Pretty soon, a lot of old ground off road to get to new ground took half a day and most/all the gas on the WR450. Now it's usually an hour or two, plenty of fuel left. Trucking a bike seems sacrilegious to me.

Mike

[Cyclops]

I don't know. I put 12,000 miles on my KTM 950 this summer... a lot of that 2 up with my wife.

 I'll race it in a 24 hr Dirt Bike race later next month, just like I di last year, and then a 100 mile desert race in April,  Just like I did the last 3 years, all the while leaving guys on real dirtbikes shrugging their shoulders. The adventure is in your head, make out of it what you will.

 .

 

 

[Cyclops]

 

 ^{I love my adventure bike.}

[pterry]

54321 : "That KTM is a joke for travel. Did you see the seat? ?  Two hours on that and you're ready for a wheel chair ... you can't stand up all day on a 10 hour riding day.

Also, how would its subframe (does it even have one?) hold up once those metal boxes have 25 kgs. each in them and 100 miles of serious washboard road on the menu'. I've been there, seen it. It won't

make it. If the KTM is a race bike (250, 400, 450, or 500 EXC ) then it would be unlikely to make it beyond about 5000 miles before major service would be required. I don't think it's a 690, but the 690 would make it ... if looked after.  Could any EXC series KTM run at 75 mph all day on a highway? Day after day after day?  ?

 

Not sure why the KLR is included with so called small, light bikes. But trust me, that KLR is not light. Hard metal Boxes? Add 50 lbs. empty (if you include racks and hardware)"

 

54321, you always have something negative to say about KTM. Why is that? You always seem to praise Honda though.

[54321]

54321, you always have something negative to say about KTM. Why is that? You always seem to praise Honda though.

Did you follow the link from ADV Bike magazine that I was responding too? Uh huh. Did you read the individual stories on each bike listed on and ADV Bike site?  Hmmm?  I did.

You should knock off your asinine one liner bullshit and read up before putting foot in mouth.?   ..... AGAIN!

 

Turns out the only bike out of ALL OF THE bikes listed to actually go anywhere was the German guy who built the Honda XR650R. They didn't get that far ... you can read about it here:

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=892281