Adventure Bike Scene - will it last?

[johnnyboxer]

Reading the 'cafe racer' thread & some posters suggesting it may be short lived, it got me thinking

Is the Adventure Bike scene here to stay or just a passing fad?

I've exclusively had big traillies since 1994 - Africa Twin/Mk 1 Tiger900 & then BMW 11 GS & 1150 GS/GSA, so into them since before the big explosion of popularity

However there's more choice than ever, but with no new younger riders entering motorcycling because of costs/ image of modern biking & harder tests to ride - as current riders get older then there will be nobody to buy these massive adventure bikes

So we'll have to swap to smaller road or trail bikes

They might die out like the dinosaurs

Watching the excellent 'Turkey for £900' videos, it seems the perfect Adv bike was the cheap & cheerful CB500s, on road & offroad, with no fancy obligatory Adv bike scene - Heidenau tyres or metal panniers

It went everywhere that Yam XT 600 did

Adv bikes - Here to stay or becoming extinct?

[cocker]

good topic jb, (thumbs)

[xengibez]

I'm 47 and I've just bought a super 10 after years of doing the same old roads, and I'm enjoying the newly found freedom, so I'm another convert.

[Africa John]

well I'm 49 and switched from sports bikes (ZX7R) to the Africa Twin in summer 2012

the AT has got me going further as did Germany for the Dambusters Run last May, will be doing Ypres in 2 weeks and then the 10 countries run at the end of June whereas the ZX7R only went to the south coast, TT and Scotland

the AT has got me camping whereas the ZX7R was B&B

so the AT has definitely put the "adventure" into my life

but it was 11 years old and at £4k was 25%-33% the cost of these new beasties (£12k-£16k) but does just the same

seem to recall that adventure bikes/big trailies were the new big thing in the 90's when mainland Europeans stopped buying sports bikes (French and German power limits spring to mind)

seems that things go in cycles

I like the cafe racer thing as I do home engineering and can appreciate tasteful design and machining but then I also appreciate good farkling on an adventure bike!

[Tonibe63]

Adv bikes - Here to stay or becoming extinct?

Here to stay.

Offroad riding has never been the natural home of big adventure bikes and of those that have tried it most inevitably downsize if they wish to continue mud riding.

To me big adventure bikes have always been about the ability to munch miles with effortless comfort and as riders get older they will migrate to this to continue enjoying their riding/social scene with mates and still be able to lift a leg over the saddle.

Now with reference to the 'Turkey for £900' many of the now famous motorcycle adventurers were previously travellers using other modes of transport that came to motorbikes as just a different tool for travelling. To this group it is more often about the suitability of the tool for the job including overall cost of the journey and they often go for more affordable bikes that are easier to ride/maintain rather than brand/badge status.

So the 'adventure scene' is more than just the latest bikes that the manufacturers try to convince us we need to fulfil our nomadic dreams of escaping the rat race and with such a diverse group of riders from enduro bikes to Harleys I think the 'scene' will be around for years to come.

[Oop North John]

The 1100GS probably wasn't the start of "adventure bikes" but it fits the bill ie much too heavy / complicated for most to take on a RTW trip, and it's been around for quite a few years.

The style of bikes will last, the media hype / bandwagon jumpers will be much more short lived.

[Willandkate]

The fashion and desire for the latest fad will probably move on in a year or 2 to something else but the demand for large adv bikes will IMHO stay. They just make too much sense not to. Especially the big ones that can munch miles, carry gear or pillion easily, are comfy and handle well. What's not to like?
I can defo see the retro cool cafe race style getting more popular. Down in the market square at Settle intheyorkshire dales though it still seems that the hyper sports like blades, R1's etc rule the road. With the speed my tiger goes at down those twisties I cannot see the appeal of one to be honest. I reckon I'd go one of 3 ways on a rocket ship like that- laid up in be with a bad back, on the bus cos I lost my license or worst of all in the back of an ambulance.

Happy Easter to all!

[XF650]

It's definitely here to stay! (thumbs)

It's just too damn fun to disappear. Add the bonus of gliding over todays numerous pot holes, comfortable upright riding position for us old gits - it's always going to be a winner. :woohoo:

[paulh7021]

Iam sure its here to stay, manufacturers will make sure it does, if they keep making bikes that people want supply & demand. Adventurer bikes give you a lot more options and have added an extra dimension to riding a motorcycle & touring. Coming from an off road background the more upright riding position is so much more comfortable when touring.

Long live Adventure bikes.

Paul

[bond_yzf]

I think if anything is going to die out its gonna be the big litre and above adv bikes