ADV fad | GTAMotorcycle.com

ADV fad

Wingboy

Wingboy

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Manufacturers have taken the adv idea and gone crazy with it. BMW started things with thier R80GS a long time ago. In my opinion most of these creations are just "standard" motorcycles with a bit more suspension travel and some factory accessories. When a bike weighs in at near to 600lb it's not a dirt bike. Most of them are just touring bikes without the acres of tupperware.
What i find interesting is the marketing behind the adv fad. People buy bikes that are already overweight, and then load them up with heavy crash guards and every manner of tip over protection that an engineer in China can dream up.
If you are planning a trip up the Dempster Hwy, fine. But most of this stuff is just bling.
The retro bike thing seems to be dwindling in popularity. Maybe we need a resurgence of the "standard" bike.

And if i get my Tenere more crossed up on gravel roads in the future, i may be adding a set of crash bars. Lol.
 
Wingboy said:
Most of them are just touring bikes without the acres of tupperware.
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And that's what most owners use them as. Touring on asphalt.

They're the SUVs of the motorcycle world: All the ads show them performing off-road. All the ones bought in real life never leave the pavement.

If you're not on some grand adventure, at least you can look like it.

Anyways, enough of the poopooing. I gotta put on all the Klim gear I own, and then I'm off to ride my ADV bike to Starbucks. And I'm taking the Long F-n Way Down!
 
Lightcycle said:
And that's what most owners use them as. Touring on asphalt.

They're the SUVs of the motorcycle world: All the ads show them performing off-road. All the ones bought in real life never leave the pavement.

If you're not on some grand adventure, at least you can look like it.

Anyways, enough of the poopooing. I gotta put on all the Klim gear I own, and then I'm off to ride my ADV bike to Starbucks. And I'm taking the Long F-n Way Down!
Click to expand...

youtube is censoring the boobahs :confused:

1634668215449.png
 
Yup, they're the motorcycle equivalent of SUVs. I remember when SUVs were also marketed as off-road vehicles, but now they don't even pretend any more.

Back circa 2004, before they started using the 'Adventure' term so much, Suzuki introduced the VStrom 650 and listed it in the Dual Sport section of their website, alongside the DR650 and DRz400. Hahahaha, LIES! I fell for it and spent a season taking the VStrom places it really shouldn't have been. I bought a real dirt bike the following season and left the VStrom for on-road work, where it is perfectly happy.
 
A lot of it is marketing, but that doesn't take away that an ADV style bike is an amazing on-road touring platform. Comfortable, upright, loads of room to stretch out, plenty of pillion room, large fuel tank, and able to carry an obscene amount of luggage.
 
Eh....I had a Kawasaki Z750 which was speedy, but uncomfortable and lacking in windshield protection. So I got a Tiger 1050 which was more comfortable, nice upright position but didn't do as well offroad.....so...got a KTM 1290 Super Adventure which does everything I want but is a lardy ADV bike requiring a crane and a butler to operate said crane when it falls over. So...I try not to let it fall over as much. Life is full of compromises, this one less so. I just need to up my bench press game.
 
"BMW started things with thier R80GS" --> 1980? That's when adventure riding began???
 
turbofj6 said:
"BMW started things with thier R80GS" --> 1980? That's when adventure riding began???
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Pretty sure they were the first to sell a purpose built dual sport, size xl. Someone will probably say Indian or Henderson did it first.
 
GreyGhost said:
Also lots of suspension travel to comfortably deal with crappy roads.
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I don't think roads in Canada need an adventure bike tbh. I have seen some bad roads and I have seen some great roads. I would classify Canadian roads as decent, though there is scope for improvement.

I'm almost positive that people who don't really need an adv bike are buying one just like SUVs. It would be sad if adv bikes take over the streets like SUVs. Unlike SUVs, there is nothing wrong with adv bikes but I like the variety when it comes to bikes (and cars).
 
voyageur said:
I'm almost positive that people who don't really need an adv bike are buying one just like SUVs.
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Theres a disconnect between design and use.

ADV bikes are designed to go on road and offroad, travel around the world, etc etc etc

but their use ends up being different because coincidently they're also very comfortable, can carry luggage, still retain sportiness (cant be said of cruisers)
 
Lightcycle said:
And that's what most owners use them as. Touring on asphalt.
Click to expand...

or wet muddy grass... Earning a tib/fib fracture.

ADVENTURE...!!
(to the ER)

dNyyXnB.jpg
 
Wingboy said:
Manufacturers have taken the adv idea and gone crazy with it. BMW started things with thier R80GS a long time ago. In my opinion most of these creations are just "standard" motorcycles with a bit more suspension travel and some factory accessories. When a bike weighs in at near to 600lb it's not a dirt bike. Most of them are just touring bikes without the acres of tupperware.
What i find interesting is the marketing behind the adv fad. People buy bikes that are already overweight, and then load them up with heavy crash guards and every manner of tip over protection that an engineer in China can dream up.
If you are planning a trip up the Dempster Hwy, fine. But most of this stuff is just bling.
The retro bike thing seems to be dwindling in popularity. Maybe we need a resurgence of the "standard" bike.

And if i get my Tenere more crossed up on gravel roads in the future, i may be adding a set of crash bars. Lol.
Click to expand...
Where is this coming from??? Considering you just bought a blingged ADV
 
bigpoppa said:
what did you think of the engine?
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Coarse-sounding, and with soft throttle response, but good driveability and fuel consumption. All the F800 series are like that. I'll rent them, but I wouldn't buy one.

The new F750 and F900 series are a total redesign, but I haven't run across one in a rental fleet yet.
 
sburns said:
Where is this coming from??? Considering you just bought a blingged ADV
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Just my observations of what it really is.
It is not capable of doing any single track.
It ticked all the right boxes when i needed a low maintainance comfy ride.
Funny you say it's blinged. Even the paint and plastic is matte finish. No washing needed.
 
I looked at a DRZ400 or possibly KTM 690 but I still wanted touring.
I’m not riding A dual sport 500+ km a day
I don’t need an all out dirt bike just a bit of a dirt bike but a lot of a touring bike.
I don’t need a track bike but I want to be able to ride a more spirited pace than my Road Glide offered and I don’t want to avoid a road because it’s tore up or turns to gravel or even a seasonal road.

Hence Adventure bike ticks all the boxes
Fast enough
Comfortable enough
Off-Road enough
Luggage it has enough and is more configurable than the Harley

I use my bike exact how I planned too and it’s capable of out performing me in all aspects and I’m loving the challenges.

I love a ride that has trail, gravel, poor condition asphalt or new asphalt and 500+km. And it’s Orange 😎

I think there are a few others on this sight that ride their ADV off-road?
I know my buddy thought nothing of heading straight to the forest with his new 890
 
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Wingboy said:
Just my observations of what it really is.
It is not capable of doing any single track.
It ticked all the right boxes when i needed a low maintainance comfy ride.
Funny you say it's blinged. Even the paint and plastic is matte finish. No washing needed.
Click to expand...

For what I do, if I had to replace my bike today I'd buy another ADV bike. Now...if you told me I can have three different bikes (in an alternate universe where I have a larger garage and my wife does not have violent tendencies) things may be a bit different.
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