When the pavement ends ... and the dirt road starts.
An Adventure bike: a pig of a bike that on a good day might make it in and back out of my drive way,
but if it doesn't it will still have ample storage space for the essentials to keep you alive for a week.
I would imagine it’s very much targeted at the segment that the R1200GS is sold into. It’s my next GS will be an 800 as the 1200 is a little heavy for serious off road work
Except you can put enough km on an adv bike in a day that two oil changes would be required on the 450 (if your *** survived).
I 100% agree, off road adv bikes are heavy pigs. That being said, for me I haven't found a better vehicle for covering long distances over almost any terrain (except snow, holy bleeping hell is the Ape ever bad in wet snow).
Some of the competition is putting over 150 hp to the rear wheel (S1000XR). That being said, 100+ to the rear wheel is enough to compete. I was looking up data for the 1200 not the 1250, the 1250 is much more palatable.
Also remember most Japanese and Euro bikes quote their etest crankshaft horsepower -- not power at the wheel. HD numbers are at the wheel.
It's not uncommon for a 150hp bike to dyno at 120 through a shaft. when you have enough HP and torque for the job, the extra is for bragging rights, putting 100hp to the wheel brings than 99% of riders can ever use.
Except you can put enough km on an adv bike in a day that two oil changes would be required on the 450 (if your *** survived).
I 100% agree, off road adv bikes are heavy pigs. That being said, for me I haven't found a better vehicle for covering long distances over almost any terrain (except snow, holy bleeping hell is the Ape ever bad in wet snow).
Delboy lives in San Francisco, snow shouldn't be a huge problem, population and lack of dirt riding areas might be.
... why wouldn't my *** survive, the bike probably even has a vibration counter-balance and a padded saddle.
& just how many k do you plan to ride in a day on this adventure that I would need 2 oil changes
Delboy lives in San Francisco, snow shouldn't be a huge problem, population and lack of dirt riding areas might be.
... why wouldn't my *** survive, the bike probably even has a vibration counter-balance and a padded saddle.
& just how many k do you plan to ride in a day on this adventure that I would need 2 oil changes
I think you fellas kicking rocks at GS size bikes rolling around in the desert really need to show up for an overland journal rally, guys will show you how to ford steams and a ft of mud with a 700lb bike, and how to rescue one. The capabilities of riders that have been shown how to use one are pretty remarkable. BMW runs some really fun training days.
I think you fellas kicking rocks at GS size bikes rolling around in the desert really need to show up for an overland journal rally, guys will show you how to ford steams and a ft of mud with a 700lb bike, and how to rescue one. The capabilities of riders that have been shown how to use one are pretty remarkable. BMW runs some really fun training days.
So like, all I can think of is that hill in Nova Scotia we used to climb risking life and limb with 250 2x bikes. They didn't call it "Killer Hill" for fun. You get 1/2 way up, one mistake and it's off to the hospital. And the peat bog at the bottom of KH was limitless deep, like quicksand - the peril of many a Can Am and Suzuki motocross. Would be quite entertaining to see your heroes attempt that with a 700lb travel-barge. You might navigate the odd 2-3' mud hole or 45 degree rock slide but...everything you do with it is going to be harder than with a 350lb bike, except riding the expressways. Then there's fuel mileage. Why doesn't anyone ever talk about that? Like the Versys vs Rally review above where they bag on the Rally's power, but don't mention the Versys 300 only gets 50mpg vs 100mpg for the Rally? The motorcycle media still sells affairs of the heart. Practicality, no.
At almost 9k it’s a big investment and since they are new it’s not possible to get a used one. For the couple of days a month I would use it it’s hard to justify the cost
So like, all I can think of is that hill in Nova Scotia we used to climb risking life and limb with 250 2x bikes. They didn't call it "Killer Hill" for fun. You get 1/2 way up, one mistake and it's off to the hospital. And the peat bog at the bottom of KH was limitless deep, like quicksand - the peril of many a Can Am and Suzuki motocross. Would be quite entertaining to see your heroes attempt that with a 700lb travel-barge. You might navigate the odd 2-3' mud hole or 45 degree rock slide but...everything you do with it is going to be harder than with a 350lb bike, except riding the expressways. Then there's fuel mileage. Why doesn't anyone ever talk about that? Like the Versys vs Rally review above where they bag on the Rally's power, but don't mention the Versys 300 only gets 50mpg vs 100mpg for the Rally? The motorcycle media still sells affairs of the heart. Practicality, no.
I agree with most of what you say. I grew up running 125 and 250 CANAMS and for fun we climbed the walls of local sand and gravel pits. Any ADV bike (big or small) would struggle doing that.
Except for mileage -- I think the VersysX is the winner. Versys is proving out at about 71, about the same as it's sister Ninja. The Rally is proving out a 78. I'm guessing if you rode them side by side (i.e. didn't call up the extra power of the V), they should be about the same. It's hard to leave behind 40% more power for a slight gain in MPG.
I think you guys are missing the point of an ADV bike. And technically any bike you go on an adventure with is now by default an adventure bike. Your not going to " hill climb " on purpose with a 700lb bike, you are going up a lot of hills because you have great traction controls and hill start assist. Your also not likely winning Paris-Dakar on a Canam 125.
The mileage in the back country, AZ where I used to live is a concern, but gas packs and rotomolded gas tanks solved that. And you take a change of clothes, tire repair kit , 2 liters of drinking water and a 6 pk of Hieneken with you.
I agree with most of what you say. I grew up running 125 and 250 CANAMS and for fun we climbed the walls of local sand and gravel pits. Any ADV bike (big or small) would struggle doing that...
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it can go practically anywhere.
