The middle of the road ADV's Africa Twin, Norden, s10

[Paul_C]

Paul C - interested to know what you needed to do to the Norden to fit at 5'6" and if it's not rude, what inside leg are you? I like the looks but I'm a midget with stumpy legs

Just the standard 901 is fine for me. 29" inside leg. To me it seems low compared to my 701 with a 25mm lowering link. Just got to keep swinging that leg over... Even at nearly 67.
Currently enjoying the Portuguese ACT and TET on my 701.

[johnnyboxer]

I think you should try a Moto Guzzi V85 TT

Perfect for …….
Character
Shaft drive
V Twin
Tubeless rims
Heritage
Mild off-road potential for adv travel and gravel tracks
Comfy seat



I have a T700 and the engine is fab (best bit) and only use it for day rides (the GS Adv gets the touring duties and will do gravel tracks fine)
It’s needed some mods to make it better on the road - screen and seat (I have fitted a Corbin for potential touring on it) and the suspension will need an upgrade next, just as Minky has said

There is no unicorn, they all need work to improve them

[Tonibe63]

You don't need an adventure bike to ride Houndkirk Moor and if that's the sort of stuff you will be riding on your trips why compromise the 99% of road riding for the 1% of bumpy stuff that could be ridden by choosing the right line. It's not about the badge on the tank or the label that makes a bike useable ...... it's about the rider having the confidence to ride their bike in the situations they may encounter.
If you need a bike that can do 600 mile days, carry luggage, low seat height and still do Houndkirk Moor on road tyres then you don't need to limit your choice to (overpriced) adventure bikes ....... I've done the above on a 650 Versys, an f650gs (non dakar) and a 1200gs, often 2up ........ I am a distinctly average/poor rider who has fallen off enough times to have confidence that the bike is better than me ..... all I need to do is ride it, pick it up and get back on again.
The history books are full of people riding the World on 'normal' everyday bikes and I don't think we need to reinvent the wheel.

[adventure steele]

Hi everyone I just wanna say absolutely excellent information an very balanced viewpoints which is always great an why I love the Abr forum.

Lots to think about just on the way up to Scotland with dad trying not to get car sick with him thinking his i10 is a gsxr ha!

I absolutely love the look of the Guzzi Johnny but the insurance was a bit insane the last time I quoted on one I'll have to have another look. Always loved the look of them as they remind me off the 1150gs.

I think we are near a Husky dealer while we are up this week so I'll have to have a nosey.

At the moment I'm quite taken with the Africa Twin which suprised me an the Norden I really love the look off.

Yep thats what got me thinking Tonbie my old man is really in love with the 300 Rally with it being revvy an light so that's him taken care off. It's interesting as we all see them differently which I think is cool something out there for all of us. He's been bikeless since the Ktm 390 disasters. Was a real shame that as those fitted the bill, just wish they would put the updated TFT on them that all the other bikes in the range have got.

I get any marque can have issues an rogue bikes though so don't tend to blanket it across entire ranges or other ones of the same model.

I was very tempted to buy a 2nd Rally but thought it'd be a good opportunity to try something else variety being the spice of life and all that. Which is why I'm not revisiting the vstrom 650xt even though I think it'd be a perfect fit again + god knows what's going on with Suzuki Insurance wise at the moment.

Least I've got 2 months till we are up in Scotland permanently to think it all over properly an research

[Magnusson]

If that voting list is "middle of the road ", what is the top models then?

[adventure steele]

I think in my mind it depends if more trail riding or full on touring like a gsa or super adventure 1290.

Been thinking middle of the road in price ability and weight.

Both the AT an Super 10 used although bigger are affordable at the moment. An the Norden seems to sit in the middle of all of it half through price of a GSA.

Could include the Vstrom 650xt in the list for sure really loved that bike. Just weird that all the Suzukis seem to have shot right up on the insurance.

Anything will do with a bit of determination an will as dad just said next to me. The rugged determination you can't buy for any of them

I have heard that the at service is a bit eye watering for the valves seen mention of 1500 quid ouch! (7 hours labour) Would end up doing that myself sod that.

[Snaf MKII]

Are you intending that this is the bike that you'd ride with your dad on the CRF300 on these long trips, if it is, I'd suggest another CRF300. We've (her ladyship and me) ride together a lot and having two wildly differing bikes just doesn't seem to work in terms of riding to each bikes strengths. Even the KTM640ADV and BMW F650GS didn't play nicely together, we also found that bikes with dissimilar fuel range caused problems.
There's a lot to be said for running two bikes the same on longish trips.

[adventure steele]

Hi Snaff that's actually a really good point especially about fuel range.

Dads used to riding a gsxr 750 in the past with me on a variety of stuff from 4.9hp nortons from the 1920s to rzv500r's so pretty used to matching them up pace wise.

[OnHellas]

Surely when the two bikes have different fuel ranges both fill up each time the one with the shortest range needs more?
This way there is less faffing about with multiple individual bikes and the tank that holds the most acts a bit of a bowser for the other one.

[adventure steele]

That's the way we've done it in the past

Is anyone currently riding a 1000 Africa twin ? How are you getting on with the circa 2018-2019?

Hopefully gonna get a nosey at a Husky at some point.

Thanks in advance.