Thinking of a new used ADV style bike, what are your thoughts? | Page 4 | GTAMotorcycle.com

Thinking of a new used ADV style bike, what are your thoughts?

My next bike would be an adventure bike or sport tourer. I don't really like the height of an adventure bike. Sometimes exploring new roads & you're lost & you need to make a U turn. Hard to do on a heavy tall bike. But I do love the fact that it's utilitarian.

the higher C of G does take some getting used to for slow speed stuff
but the spacier ergos are your friend on long days
amazing how much better the visibility is too, looking over the roof line of cages

and like JC pointed out, need to be more selective where you stop
for getting a proper foot down, and for ensuring good kick stand position
 
Have you ridden an adventure bike? It's way easier to U-turn on an ADV bike because it was made for slower speed turns rather than a sport bike, which is made for higher speed, small-input turns. The turning radius on an ADV bike is a lot tighter than a sportbike.
Never ridden one. Last time I wanted to demo the Tenere. Not sure if I will get to demo one.
 
Short of a dirt bike, ADV bikes are the easier motorcycles to do U-ies on, regardless of the seat height or weight.

It's all about turning radius.
Having owned all kinds of street bikes, I find the ADV bikes are so much more fun to ride than sport bikes. They also make for pretty good urban commuters, while running twisty roads with ease, or gravel roads off the beaten path or really long distance touring.
Often when I led a group ride and missed a turn (which used to happen a lot), I would signal to the group and do a quick u turn and then realize I have to stop and wait while the bikes behind me duck walk their bikes around.
 
I have to stop and wait while the bikes behind me duck walk their bikes around.

That's just it. If you're on a sportbike, cruiser or any other crappy-turning-radius motorcycle, you look at a tall ADV bike and think, "How am I going to ever duck walk that thing all the way around when I'm tippy-toeing?"

The answer is, you don't. Both your feet stay on your pegs, you look behind you, dip the inside bar down and before you know it, you're pointing in the other direction. I can U-turn a fully-laden 700 lb R1200GS within the width of a single lane.
 
Is the Vstrom 1000 good for 2 up? I love the styling & it's a Suzuki
 
1st gen is definitely good for 2up, because it's essentially the same as mine with about an extra 50lbs, and you've seen mine before.
Much more power and uses a bit more gas in general.

I haven't ridden the 2nd gen, but it's a much more refined bike than the 1st gen and I know many who have it and love it.

Lot's of aftermarket stuff to tweak it to your liking.
 
Hehe deja vu ...I picked up the CBF1000 in mid October in Ottawa and it was about 12 degrees....chilly ride into the wind on the 401 - no rain at least. Got pics yet?
I did about 1,000km this weekend to see how I like the wee Strom.

Seating: I have a 30" inseam so the Saddleman jelly seat was a bit tall but workable. I rode it home with an OE low seat which is about 1.35" lower than the Saddleman, the low seat would be ideal in urban riding where I'm feed down alot, but the high footpegs and low seat are a bit cramped for long distances on the open road.

Bags: This one has the Suzuki Hepco-Becker rotomolded bags -- they are smallish however they seem to really up the drag. I did notice a huge difference in mileage, bags on about 55mpg -- bags off 62mpg. That was a 40km loop, same speed, same road.

Mileage: Like most bikes, mileage varies. This bike is broken in and tuned well so the mileage I'm getting now its probably typical. Cruize at 130 with bags, 49.8MPG, cruise at 100 with bags, 67.5. Running backroads from Markham to Haliburton and back gave me 62.2MPG. That's more than 40% better mileage than my FJR.

Ride/Handling: It's an easy bike to handle, has a really tight turning radius. It's typical Suzuki clunky when shifting. A bit buzzy on the hands above 100kmg (a lot buzzy at 135), there seems to be a lot more buzz on the right grip -- have to figure that out. I rode the right track on some rougher roads to seee how the suspension soaked up the dips and potholes -- suspension is a lot more forgiving than an ST.

1v.jpg

3v.jpg
4v.jpg
 
1st gen is definitely good for 2up, because it's essentially the same as mine with about an extra 50lbs, and you've seen mine before.
Much more power and uses a bit more gas in general.

I haven't ridden the 2nd gen, but it's a much more refined bike than the 1st gen and I know many who have it and love it.

Lot's of aftermarket stuff to tweak it to your liking.

I am referring to the current model. They look a lot like a Multistrada.

I haven't analyze yours for 2 up but I assume they will be comfy if it has a top case at the back?
RG - thought your inseam was short. :D

Go over to http://www.stromtrooper.com/forumindex.php and chat.
I have the same insean as you but probably 30 yrs younger
 
and that helps how???
I ride a KLR with a 35" seat height.
If you do boots and maybe lowering you will be fine. You can get a lower seat as well. If you load a Vstrom up especially with two up you want to be sure of your footing.
 
I am referring to the current model. They look a lot like a Multistrada.

I haven't analyze yours for 2 up but I assume they will be comfy if it has a top case at the back?
Just make sure that the topcase does not have a hinge or anything else protruding where your passengers back would be. I used to have a nice Givi case that didn't work long 2up rides because of it.
I believe the current model of DL1000 takes premium fuel if that matters to you. Not sure why they did that.
 
Just make sure that the topcase does not have a hinge or anything else protruding where your passengers back would be. I used to have a nice Givi case that didn't work long 2up rides because of it.
I believe the current model of DL1000 takes premium fuel if that matters to you. Not sure why they did that.
I've seen some top cases with a cushion on the hinge.

Yeah, I don't like the idea of premium fuel.
 
The Shad top cases have very nice back rests. I likely have one I won't use.

shad6204.jpg
Shad has a variety of cases and backrests.

shad-backrest-for-top-case-sh48.jpg
 
The Shad top cases have very nice back rests. I likely have one I won't use.

shad6204.jpg
Shad has a variety of cases and backrests.

shad-backrest-for-top-case-sh48.jpg
Thanks for the info Macdoc
 
I did about 1,000km this weekend to see how I like the wee Strom.

Seating: I have a 30" inseam so the Saddleman jelly seat was a bit tall but workable. I rode it home with an OE low seat which is about 1.35" lower than the Saddleman, the low seat would be ideal in urban riding where I'm feed down alot, but the high footpegs and low seat are a bit cramped for long distances on the open road.

Bags: This one has the Suzuki Hepco-Becker rotomolded bags -- they are smallish however they seem to really up the drag. I did notice a huge difference in mileage, bags on about 55mpg -- bags off 62mpg. That was a 40km loop, same speed, same road.

Mileage: Like most bikes, mileage varies. This bike is broken in and tuned well so the mileage I'm getting now its probably typical. Cruize at 130 with bags, 49.8MPG, cruise at 100 with bags, 67.5. Running backroads from Markham to Haliburton and back gave me 62.2MPG. That's more than 40% better mileage than my FJR.

Ride/Handling: It's an easy bike to handle, has a really tight turning radius. It's typical Suzuki clunky when shifting. A bit buzzy on the hands above 100kmg (a lot buzzy at 135), there seems to be a lot more buzz on the right grip -- have to figure that out. I rode the right track on some rougher roads to seee how the suspension soaked up the dips and potholes -- suspension is a lot more forgiving than an ST.

1v.jpg

3v.jpg
4v.jpg

See if extra heavy bar ends will help with the buzz....manic salamander made some for my past bike’s. The buzz on my current bike isn’t that bad so some foam grip buddies were added and that has them mostly cancelled out. V twin....it will buzz somewhere.
 
So, I'm a couple of weeks into this ADV experiment and so far I'm thrilled. Having an addiction to liters, I was a bit worried that the Wee version of VSTROMS was going to leave me yearning for a DL1000. Nope, the performance is great, it's real easy in the city, fuel mileage is great, and I'm having no trouble keeping up with my friend's riding big STs. I've done a little gravel road riding and I'm impressed there too.

Should have done this years ago.
 
I only have the bags on when I need them. Same with my FJR (it's amazing how many motorcyclists stare at a bagless FJR -- I suspect they just don't recognize it without bags).

I have been lurking at Stromtrooper, sooner or later I'll bark.
 

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