What are big Adventure bikes for?

[AlanHolt]

If any bike can be classed as an adventure bike, then surely all bikes are adventure bikes and the magazine needs to start doing articles on every bike, not just the bikes that look like they can do both on and off road.

[sprintster]

A genuine question since I've never ridden an adventure bike,but doesn't sitting bolt upright put more weight down through your arse? I find my sports tourer comfortable even after 9 hour days with my weight spread between my shoulders and bum. :unsure:

[SteveW]

Really guys, the UK has billiard table tarmac compared to Eastern Europe, don't you think for a minute our U.K. roads are badly surfaced for mile after mile.
You can easily tour the UK on any road bike.
I'm just saying, once you leave Western Europe......my experience is mostly Romania, Ukraine, Bulgaria and other Balkan countries.....the extremes of temperature between Summer and winter, plus generally less road maintenance money available means the tarmac can be extremely poor and damaged, certainly on the more minor routes.
The big Adventure bikes have the capacity to get you from the UK in comfort and they are fantastic at dealing with the poor roads you'll find out East.
Big Adventure bikes are great on UK roads, don't get me wrong, it's just when you get to say Bulgaria they make even more sense, you see another side to them, you appreciate the increased wheel diameter and longer travel suspension.
You can float over the potholes rather than weaving in between them.

[herman]

A genuine question since I've never ridden an adventure bike,but doesn't sitting bolt upright put more weight down through your arse? I find my sports tourer comfortable even after 9 hour days with my weight spread between my shoulders and bum. :unsure:

yes it does and that is the trade off but in my case it's my shoulder and neck that suffer at lower speeds. I rode a vfr recently and whilst it was luverly my chiropractor would of been on overtime rates.

[Tonibe63]

My view would be there's no such thing as a do it all bike. I had an xr650r with the hope of it being somewhere between an enduro bike and a big ktm and while it was probably the best middle ground I've ridden it still sucked compared to a 990 on the road and was way too heavy, undersprung etc compared to an exc offroad - add some luggage etc and it was even worse. What we really need is a montesa on a trailer towed behind a 1290! (thumbs)

I think you got it about right on your Iceland trip Jim

[SteveW]

A genuine question since I've never ridden an adventure bike,but doesn't sitting bolt upright put more weight down through your arse? I find my sports tourer comfortable even after 9 hour days with my weight spread between my shoulders and bum. :unsure:

Your sports tourer would be a pain In the arse navigating the poor minor roads out East.
I like to get away from the busy major roads and explore the smaller routes.
These roads are hard work and slow going on a conventional touring bike.
With an adventure bike it's nice to stand on the pegs and use the extra travel suspension and larger wheels on rough roads plus your legs are like another shock absorber.
The higher, upright riding position allows you to look ahead and pick your lines on rough roads.

[SteveW]

Great touring bikes but, whilst better than a fireblade on seriously potholed stuff, a 250 would be better still. Big GS's have good load carrying capacity and, if the modern ones were less complex they'd make good overland/RTW bikes but still a pig on unsurfaced or badly surfaced roads (African Motorways).

I'm really talking to UK based riders. A big Adventure bike, will take a 1000 mile motorway/autobahn journey, loaded up with camping gear and luggage in its stride.
When you get to less than perfect tarmac, pot holes and broken surface, they are great.
I did Eastern Bulgaria - Lancashire return on a KTM 690 4200 miles in two weeks.......boy was I glad to get off it at the end of each day!
I've done the same trip on a 990r, GSA 800, GS1150, GSA1200 and a GS1200.....all fantastic and a pleasure to ride.

[ChasF]

I'd take my R100GS over my 690 on a trip like that simply because it has a better seat and a bit more wind protection. The GS has done the UK to SA trip and coped with the dirt roads reasonably well - touring not off-roading as we were 2 up with 90kg of kit. If I was to head off to Africa again I probably take theold GS simply because can fix it but the 690 is much more agile and fun on roads and trails in France and Spain.

[anthony29040]

Really guys, the UK has billiard table tarmac compared to Eastern Europe, don't you think for a minute our U.K. roads are badly surfaced for mile after mile.
You can easily tour the UK on any road bike.
I'm just saying, once you leave Western Europe......my experience is mostly Romania, Ukraine, Bulgaria and other Balkan countries.....the extremes of temperature between Summer and winter, plus generally less road maintenance money available means the tarmac can be extremely poor and damaged, certainly on the more minor routes.
The big Adventure bikes have the capacity to get you from the UK in comfort and they are fantastic at dealing with the poor roads you'll find out East.
Big Adventure bikes are great on UK roads, don't get me wrong, it's just when you get to say Bulgaria they make even more sense, you see another side to them, you appreciate the increased wheel diameter and longer travel suspension.
You can float over the potholes rather than weaving in between them.

steve your bang on about the roads it was a bit of a shock to my system when i first encountered them,but as you said the big adventure bikes even my gs 800 seem to be made for them.standing on the pegs for 4 or 5 miles at a time wasn't uncommon on my trip.never had to do that over here.mind you my front wheel bearings are fecked so some nice new SKF ones going in this weekend.have a good one steve we will have to catch up for a ride round the dales soon (thumbs) cheers tony

[sprintster]

A genuine question since I've never ridden an adventure bike,but doesn't sitting bolt upright put more weight down through your arse? I find my sports tourer comfortable even after 9 hour days with my weight spread between my shoulders and bum. :unsure:

Your sports tourer would be a pain In the arse navigating the poor minor roads out East.
I like to get away from the busy major roads and explore the smaller routes.
These roads are hard work and slow going on a conventional touring bike.
With an adventure bike it's nice to stand on the pegs and use the extra travel suspension and larger wheels on rough roads plus your legs are like another shock absorber.
The higher, upright riding position allows you to look ahead and pick your lines on rough roads.

I wasn't slagging off adventure bikes that's why I said it was a genuine question.I'm still happy to tour western Europe and have no need to pretend I will be standing on the pegs but how many adventures bike riders would say the same if they were honest with themselves? Obviously it depends on every individual but I don't see adventure bikes as being the Holy Grail for touring western Europe.