Lord protect us from Motorcycle News specials (Adventure Bike of the Year, 19 March 2014)

[special one]

here is the top bikes voted for by owners in ride magazines adventure bike
catagory

in decending order top 20

trumph 1200 tiger

super10

1200adv bmw

800xc

800 non xc

multistrada

1200gs

capanord

ktm 990 supermoto??

1150gs adv

650 strom

varadero

800gs

1150gs

ktm 990adv

1000 strom

tiger 955

1100 gs

stevvio

f650gs

im amazed by this ....
i vcan only surmise that the likes of seteos .. 690s are in a duel sport catagory ???

it obvious to me that out of that list of twenty the ktm 990 is head and shoulders the best bike there ..and where is the 800gs ???
it obviuos that the vast majority of buyers ..want big engines and dont give a dam about going off road ....

to class a explorer above a ktm 990 for rugged road work is nothing but a joke


anyway these are the bikes that win ..... voted for by the owners

You see, you're confusing this genre with full off road capable big bikes, where does it say adventure bikes have to excel off road?
The 990 is superior to most big bikes off road, but will get beat by the others in other categories easily, I take anything that MCN say with a pinch of salt tbh, but the explorer is a great bike, I know, I've got one, I wouldn't wanna do a long trip on anything else and obviously many share my views.
Nobody is saying the other bikes are bad, but the whole package, quality, price and level of spec you get, the explorer takes some beating IMO.

[bond_yzf]

Yes and you cherry picked the lightest one for your reply to the last post, the average 1200cc adventure bike weight is around 250kgs wet.

You accuse me in error. I definitely didn't cherry pick, au contraire, I chose the two bikes that I know very well, the 1200 GS because I owned it (and the GSA version) and the F800GS because I owned the F650GS twin which was very slightly lighter than the F800GS (only had one front disc).

People look at the F800GS, the Tenere, and so on as being mid-weight bikes, and in comparison to the 1200 GS they are most definitely not. The off road advantage of the Tenere over the 1200 GS is mainly down to the longer travel suspension and ground clearance.

At 199kg the 1200 GS was a breakthrough in weight, I well remember the photos at the time of the launch ten years ago of a 30kg lump of metal that was kept on the desk of the project leader in a standing reminder of just how much they wanted to shave off the weight of the rather lardy 1150GS.

I know what I'd choose between the tenere and the gsa off road

and yes I've owned both and ridden them both off road

[bond_yzf]

The 990 may be superior off road but let's face it you're looking for fuel stations a damn site more and make sure your rac is up to date

[Spike941]

Let's face it. Most of us Adventure Bike riders are not really going to do much, if any, real off road stuff, nor do we really want to cover distances that require more than one fuel stop a day. (unless you set off empty) I'd guess most of us want comfort and reliability, and something that'll haul you, the misses and all your kit over the Alps and alike, with ease, what most of us would call an adventure, and some a holiday. So why shouldn't the big engined soft roaders lead this category?

[AndyB]

Let's face it. Most of us Adventure Bike riders are not really going to do much, if any, real off road stuff, nor do we really want to cover distances that require more than one fuel stop a day. (unless you set off empty) I'd guess most of us want comfort and reliability, and something that'll haul you, the misses and all your kit over the Alps and alike, with ease, what most of us would call an adventure, and some a holiday. So why shouldn't the big engined soft roaders lead this category?

Because there are a lot of people who ride their big bikes off road that think people like you (and me) make them look like idiots because we've 'jumped on the bandwagon' and the general public think we're all the same (thumbs)

I think it's hilarious because I didn't buy a Multistrada for its off road capabilities; I bought it because the engine bangs out 150bhp (at the crank) and they handle well, the only other bike I considered for more than a couple of minutes was the 990 SMT and in the end it was the lack of power put me off.

[Oop North John]

Irrespective of the label the journalists / makers put on a bike, a few hundred miles up and down a motorway isn't what most would consider an "adventure" unless it's trying to get from Manchester to the Channel Tunnel on a Friday, but that's another discussion. It would be an an "adventure" if you've never riden on a motorway, but that's not really likely if you're riding a 1000cc + bike.

Lot's of mention of taking these bikes "off-road" do you really mean non-tarmac roads?

[Tim Cullis]

I know what I'd choose between the tenere and the gsa off road

Seeing as you didn't state a preference... But I was actually comparing the Tenere and the 1200 GS, not the GSA.

...it would be an an "adventure" if you've never ridden on a motorway...

LOL :cheer:

Lot's of mention of taking these bikes "off-road" do you really mean non-tarmac roads?

I agree it's important to differentiate between unsealed 'country roads' and true off road.

In dry conditions most 'adventure-type' (loose categorisation) bikes should be able to tackle dirt roads used by local four-wheeled traffic. But when it's wet there's not many of them that you'd want to take across a ploughed field or up a narrow muddy footpath with rock steps.

[bond_yzf]

Do i need to state a preference there's no contest the tenere wins hands down

[bond_yzf]

I know what I'd choose between the tenere and the gsa off road

Seeing as you didn't state a preference... But I was actually comparing the Tenere and the 1200 GS, not the GSA.

...it would be an an "adventure" if you've never ridden on a motorway...

LOL :cheer:

Lot's of mention of taking these bikes "off-road" do you really mean non-tarmac roads?

I agree it's important to differentiate between unsealed 'country roads' and true off road.

In dry conditions most 'adventure-type' (loose categorisation) bikes should be able to tackle dirt roads used by local four-wheeled traffic. But when it's wet there's not many of them that you'd want to take across a ploughed field or up a narrow muddy footpath with rock steps.

rider ability comes into play in this also

[-Ralph-]

Who gives a damn what is or isn't an adventure bike. It's a marketing term, nothing more. If your bike suits you for what you use it for, or even if it doesn't but that's your choice, then happy days.

One of my bikes doesn't suit what I'm using it for at all





I'd be much better off with a Tiger 1050, or a 990SMT, or a Versys 1000, or a Multistrada, or a Crosstourer, kitted out with hard luggage, but I love it and can't bring myself to put it up for sale.

When did motorcycling become so sensible and boring? As Bernard Smith said on a few threads lately it's lost it's way, the marketing men are carrying the shepherds staff and we've all become the sheep. Where's the passion gone? Bikes used to be bought with the heart not the head, and you put up with it's unsuitability for certain tasks because you loved it.