The internet thinks you're on the wrong adventure bike...

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Choosing the correct adventure bike is a minefield.The internet is full of 1000 different opinions that are 1000% correct. Both the ideology and the culture surrounding it are problematic, so let's address that a little bit.
Being honest and pragmatic about what you want to do and how capable you are will determine exactly what type of bike you should ride and that decision is perfectly good for you, in this moment.
Enjoy KZbin!

[@saddlsor]

Forty-six Thumbs Up! Oh darn, I can't do that here. Having followed you for many months now, this is one of the most in-your-face, let's-do-Reality-here commentaries I've seen in quite a while. (Then again, I just now watched a video of a guy telling the YT world that "adventure bikes are a myth." pfffttt!) Three key refreshing and relevant takeaways from your comments (which *should* be obvious to most): 1. It's usually the Rider, not the bike. 2. Take Responsibility for yourself and your decisions. 3. Practice self Reflection - what do you want to do with the bike, is this bike suitable for it, and how good are your riding skills? Fortunately, you do not internalize the naysayers, nitpickers haters who simply wish to argue, regardless of the merit of their arguments, or their excuses. Good on ya; a thick skin here on the interwebs is about as important as quality riding gear to avoid injury. And while riding motorbikes IS a very personal thing, there are at the same time some realities that must be faced, such as the very basic reality that every motorbike will compromise in some areas, will suck in some areas, and will excel in some areas. Let's ride our rides, improve our skills and our attitudes, and let's be curious -- not judgmental. Thanks for the voice of reason, and well done.

[@BrakeMagazine]

Thanks for the kind words and I'm glad it makes sense! Really good summary. Sometimes my skin is nowhere near as thick as it needs to be 😂

[@jammcguire1276]

Ride whatever the fk you want! The journey is the destination. Any bike can be an adventure bike if you put some creativity into it. Build your own fun as that is one of the best parts of it! Those sure as fk weren't adventure bikes in WWII but they got creative as hell! I grew up riding dirt bikes so my skill level is different than some of my friends who started riding as adults. My second nature is something they had to learn but that is half the fun. Just do it and you'll figure it out.

[@tbillyjoeroth]

sounds like you're all thumbs....

[@peteandalie]

The "right" adventure bike is the one in your shed.

[@krakosekrumpa]

Exactly

[@swoosh_italia_328]

If you don't have a bike in your shed?

[@ridemfast7625]

@@swoosh_italia_328 Find a friend that has bikes. Or, get a better job. A new friend is easier and cheaper. hahaha

[@swoosh_italia_328]

@@ridemfast7625 im asking for bike ideas i can get them i just have no idea or knowlege on what to get

[@richardahola692]

​@@swoosh_italia_328Then buy one. At least one. I bought an old GL1100 for $800 and rode it for 12 years. Now I'm up to a GL1200 and looking for a Tiger.

[@ultimatist]

Well said. Egos are out of control, humility is lacking, and the internet allows useless opinions to be broadcasted far and wide. Like I tell my kids: learning to ignore the noise is one of the greatest skillsets of the 21st century.

[@BrakeMagazine]

It’s tough tbh. I find myself checking myself on a daily basis 😅

[@whataboutjeff]

💯. We live in a world full of keyboard warriors…

[@MountainMotoMojo]

Same guys who have all of the negative opinions, who are self proclaimed 'know it alls' - are the same type of guys who have a 3 year old bike for sale on marketplace with less than 3,000km. All sorts of opinions, with very little experience-let alone talent or skill

[@ultimatist]

@@BrakeMagazine I've seen you qualify your recommendations. And you back up your arguments. That's why I value your opinion when I spend my coin 🙂

[@ultimatist]

@@MountainMotoMojo these overconfident, obnoxious bombasts have always been around. Now they can reach the world from their mom's basement...

[@FortyFourTeeth]

Excellent video. And even better is that you can apply this philosophy to EVERY discipline, hobby, bike, car, house, t-shirt, exercise, sport, school and profession on the internet. Bravo.

[@ultimatist]

yea but... I heard 45 teeth is so much better than 44!

[@Braapncamp]

@@ultimatist But everyone knows ...the number 42 👀☝😁

[@Braapncamp]

Spot on! 👍

[@AbdurrahmanZedSaeed]

​@@ultimatisti would take 46 for my 150cc

[@alexpryce555]

@FortyFourTeeth cheers nige

[@boomcity4942]

You forgot to say the magic words! Life is better when you’re riding. Your channel has benefited countless riders and improved the sport. Thank you for all you do!

[@justsomedude445]

☝👍👍fact

[@sengapore]

Well said! Thanks for pointing out and thanks to Brake Magazine!

[@55SabreDog]

I have a Harley and it makes me smile every time I ride. I have a 1250 GSA and it makes me smile every time I ride. I have a job and it does not make me smile. Haters gonna hate. Riders gonna ride. Thanks for your awesome videos and excellent riding tips. It’s good for all of us to remember that we are all unique individuals who are simply trying to make the most of this crazy adventure we call life. Be kind, have fun and embrace the smiles.

[@jgrc73]

Well put, glad I read this!

[@zanechristiansen]

​@jgrc73 me too, cool to read others comments who have a similar mindset

[@cowmath77]

C90 adventures is one of my favorite channels, and if I’ve learned anything from it, ADV can be done on anything with enough grit; and friendly locals 🤠

[@BrakeMagazine]

Absolutely. It's also a very different experience 😂

[@justsomedude445]

its amazin how far that guy has ridden those things isnt it

[@BrakeMagazine]

The level of perseverance is high.

[@justsomedude445]

love watching him do so , not interested in travelling that way myself though LoLoL @@BrakeMagazine

[@BrakeMagazine]

Exactly my thoughts 😂

[@BigStreams_]

This whole video is a bit funny from my POV. I've only ridden small bikes, an xt225 and a DR350, and I'm use to seeing the conversations about adventure bikes push really far into the larger bikes with anything smaller than a 650 being too small to be an adventure worthy bike (some even proclaiming that the DR650 is too light, small and underpowered for adventure riding). I've attempting to point to the riding of Itchy Boots with her CRF300 Rally and had people still claim that the bike is too small to be used as an adventure bike. It also seems the industry has really leaned into the larger bikes with the Tenere 700, V-strom 800 and 1050 as well as the 1250 GS still being quite the common bike to see on the road and in the dirt / gravel. Suffice to say, I think your title holds true. Whatever you're riding right now, the internet will probably have plenty of folks who will happily tell you how wrong the bike is for you.

[@BrakeMagazine]

The itchy boots things is the nail on the head. It works. She's doing it. Enough said :)

[@2217Video]

I too have an XT225. Great off road. Whereas a friend has a Benelli "Adventure bike" is taller than me and vastly more experienced rider. Yet my little XT225 is totally superior to his bike in my hands as a novice rider.

[@BrakeMagazine]

100% and that's the point right. Glad to here it's working for you!@@2217Video

[@bjohnson8190]

Great vid. Heres hoping humility catches on.

[@lastsonofkrypton36]

Same here, longtime XT225 fan. Even after riding a DR650 into the woods while exploring some land w/ a friend, I was missing that XT. I've since sold them and gotten a CR250L to enjoy the fuel injected life, but I still feel like we're all wanting a modern 400cc dual sport and a 450-550 "small" adventure bike from the Big 4 in Japan. It looks like the new CFMoto 450MT may address the latter. Still waiting on the former. After much hesitation, I may be stepping into the KTM and Husky waters to address this missing cc range.

[@foehammerE419]

Last year I had my adventure bike at work and my coworker with a Harley swapped bikes with me to go to lunch. It was actually amazing. You can't judge a bike without riding it.

[@kevlow2295]

Well said young man. I recently bought a Tuareg, it is more bike than I'll ever need as I'm a novice off roader but I will learn. I will take a course and practice and my bike will take me to the gravel roads of Scandinavia or down to Spain. I will have fun and other people can say what they like.

[@BrakeMagazine]

Enjoy that!

[@seanholland9576]

I was hopeless on a dirt bike, always looking at others seemingly doing it all easily. I bought a trials bike and I was awful at first as you would be. Fast forward 5 years and I can pop a 701 over a fallen tree on its back wheel. Now everything is easier because I have so much more feel and time when doing anything tricky. It really pays to do trials if you ride off road.

[@nickg2431]

Its true!I saw your video ,good choice sean!

[@Qbasz007]

I am a short person and i was afraid to ride big bikes offroad, so i bought myself a cheap dualsport a DRZ400s. After a year of practice with my "little" bike my confidence and my skill raised so much that my fears had disappeared. Bought a KTM 790 ADV R and rode it on the same trails where my DRZ, no problem what so ever. As a bonus because it is a lower bike I crashed way less times than on my DRZ :D

[@BrakeMagazine]

I mean, this is the perfect story for this video. The right bike, in the right moments for you! Thanks for the comment :D

[@FirstName-qq6rq]

Short mean how many cm? 170 or 175cm?

[@Qbasz007]

@@FirstName-qq6rq 174cm, 74 inseam.

[@94SexyStang]

you must ride some easy trails........the ones I ride, anything past 300lbs you're NOT making it, regardless of rider skills.

[@Qbasz007]

If you ride on such extreme places why the hell do you want a large motorcycle? You already have on that is clearly capable for your style. @@94SexyStang

[@jimpartin1144]

It’s what Dirty Harry said: “A man’s got to know his limitations.”

[@Mdviousdt]

I’ve been riding an “inappropriate” bike for ADV for years. On some obstacles a KTM890 or T7 will walk away from me, however I have become very accustomed to using a 2013 Triumph Scrambler 900 for the past 128,000miles. It’s the everyday bike that works for me, there’s also something to be said for becoming so familiar with any one bike that you know exactly what went wrong and how to repair it the moment it happens. So ride your ride often, get familiar with it, that’s probably the best advice I could give.

[@AdvBrewery]

It's straight forward, the reason the adv bikes (classic bigger machines) sell so well is they don't just sell a bike. They sell the idea of adventure. The need to go buy lightweight kit/gear, and buy this and buy that. You can buy BDR routes, GPX tracks and buy tours! Its a consumeristic thing over anything else. You can adventure on anything, even foot, in case some have forgotten haha.

[@Kai-ze2rb]

That sounds extreme - on foot 😂 It's all about the emotion that is been sold with the bike. At least that's what Peter Pierer (KTM CEO) say. You wanna be adventurous and found your way - the only right way, because it feels so exciting that it must be true. Marketing works very well...

[@rfulop]

Light ADV bikes are just great all-around starter bikes. I bought a 2022 Royal Enfield Himalayan 411 last year and I've been using it as a commuter bike with locking side boxes, and an exploration bike on the narrow forest roads near my house. I've taken it on longer 3-4 hour rides on tarmac, and it pulls that off comfortably too. Is it a great off-road vehicle? No. But it gets the job done and it is super fun

[@devilslawyer1646]

you nailed it, I'm just surprised so many don't get it, buy the bike that best suits your style, ability, and where you want to ride. So simple, why are we even talking about this? Now if you don't like GS1200's, fine, don't buy one, but just shut-up about it, because not one single GS rider cares what you think, they are too busy covering huge miles in comfort.

[@davidmatthews3093]

Or waiting for their bike to come back from being repaired under warranty.

[@user-hk7fp6qf8i]

or getting 3 mates to help pick the lumps up when they drop them...pathetic bikes@@davidmatthews3093

[@alelectric2767]

Or still trying to pull it out of the mud.

[@I_am_Thursday]

Actually they really do care because most only buy one to conform and haven't an original thought in their egotistical brains.

[@bartlaemmel8325]

I and my mates, rented stock GS 700's with zero armor and road tires in Oaxaca, Mexico. We rode hundreds of miles of rough mountain roads for 10 days. After the first day of 130 tough miles, I realized something. The best adventure bike is the one you have.

[@damerowr]

Wow. Some impressive comments on free content, no one is forced to watch. I enjoy watching your channel and I appreciate your relevant prospective on the channel's subject. Unlike you, I have not finished (or even started) a Dakar race, my experience level is no where near yours, I lean much from your riding tips, and I have an idea as to how much work goes into providing the content you provide. A heart felt thank you and please keep up the good work, Llel!

[@jonwoodworker]

One of the best Adventure bike videos ever. And the 800DE is a very capable weapon.

[@sercio994]

Here's my 2 cents. I went with a group here in Italy, we were supposed to go off-road for 2 days. I came with my trusty V-Strom 650 and let me tell you, i've been laughed at my ground clearance, my forks, my tires (25K km roadish Pirelli 🤫😂) for all the evening. It was my first off-road weekend ever, i had NEVER touched the dirt but i'm a quick learner and i know i can ride it anywhere, if not, it's NOT the bike's fault, it's mine. After a few hours the leader that was watching me told my that i was "a horse", later on we stopped for some break-time and a guy with a Tenere yells "WHERE'S THE V-STROM GUY???", he kneed at me if front of everyone, the the leader took me to his 790R and says "just, try it...please" Meanwhile, another guy with a freaking 890 was so embarrassing even i was laughing... It's ALWAYS the rider, take responsibility for your skill.

[@martinbarabe4643]

Been riding for 32 years. Only just bought my first adventure bike a year ago. Am in my learning phase but nothing is better than being able to go wherever I want whenever I want. Already took two off road riding technique classes to improve my skills. Am now more confident in what i am able to do with this bike. Big adventure bike meet and ride organized over the weekend and that’s where I’m going to be.

[@RookieRider93]

Great video. I have been saying this to all my friends. ADV bikes can go off road, and are far more capable than most of our skills. And a lot of other KZbinrs spread similar misconceptions. Chaseontwowheels recently did a review of the Tiger 850, and introduced it as a bike that has NO off road capabilities. And of course he concluded that without ever taking that bike off road. I ride the Tiger 850 off road all the time and never once felt like its capabilities run out before my skill does. It may happen one day, but for 90% of ADV riders, it has more than enough capabilities. Glad you are talking about this in this video!

[@MaartenvanHeek]

That's quite the opposite extreme, then, of RevZilla taking a BMW M1000R offroad: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nGarm5aBbadqkLs

[@b0bChoK]

As an Africa Twin DCT adventure "occasional" rider, I couldn't agree more... If every time someone tell me "this bike is too big/heavy to go on trail" or "the DCT can't do offroad", I get 10€, maybe I would have a second Africa Twin by now... XD And most of the time, it end with "you're skilled to do that with this bike" but no, these adventure bikes are just amazing ! (and the DCT the ultimate cheat code)

[@sreimert]

Thanks for this - it's *brilliant*. I am "an old guy" (60+) and started riding at 52 on a DR650. I moved to a V-Strom 650XT and love it. I was thinking about "moving up" to something like a Transalp or something, but then I watched your video and started thinking, "What do I want to do that this bike can't do? How often is this bike the limiting factor on where I want to go?" And I realized that this bike is still perfect (for me). So thanks for the clarity.

[@janeharris9879]

Totally agree with you. I'm a senior lady going from an Enfield to a Transalp. I don't feel I'm a fraud.

[@jamescampbell4334]

Great vid.👍 I've put almost 11k miles on my DesertX in 10 months riding in north and west Texas. Over 1/3 of those miles off-road. In the 10 months advancing skills, I've become comfortable doing stuff I never thought I'd be willing to even attempt when I picked up the Ducati. I may be moving up to a DDX Rally later this year.🤔 Thanks for your channel. It helped push me to be a better rider.

[@mototrailz]

Great vid 👌. Just rode my 890R on a 4000km loop in Morocco. This bike is amazing...roads, gravel roads, sand, technical gnarly rocky stuff I was blown away she can do it all easily. Best fun I had since Iceland on my 690 ✌

[@TimRHillard]

I made my own crash bars and under protection on my old vstrom650. It weighed about 30lbs: I beat the absolute devil out of that thing. I put it up for sale when I thought it was almost dead. I liked the guy who came to buy it, that I gave it to him. And some old MX boots! I saw him three years later, still going!

[@MotocrossHideout]

"The key, however, is not bike time. It's purposeful considered practice." I hear so many people in the trail riding community say that "seat time" is the best teacher, but that's the longest and one of the hardest routes if you're not being intentional with practice and using proper techniques. I'm not an ADV rider (although I do have a Vstrom 650 for the street), but thanks for sharing, L-Pavey!

[@BrakeMagazine]

It’s a myth for sure 😂😂

[@Dogatemyhomework927]

My 1200 gs is a heavy beggar at 70 yrs!! As long as I go with a buddy, they help me pick it up. 🤣🤣 But the 350cc is starting to look like a good choice for back roads but not big trips. I live in forests with lots of roads and trails.. Rawhyde adventure bike school in Southern California is amazing Thanks for the perspective!👍🏽

[@BrakeMagazine]

Well said!

[@MrRickrm]

Very well said. My problem is going from dirt to street. Then going adventure bike with old skills still functioning well. Then shit hit the fan. Wrecked left eye. No depth perception, but still doing mostly off-road. Then, I blew out two disks in my lower back. No riding for two years. Then susuki Concourse 1000. Great sport touring. ThenVstromdl1000 and of the beginning of the adventure riding, too hard for off-road as picking it up was a No No. Three bikes later now a new CFMoto 800T. Great bike but so heavy. Good tires will make it better. At 70, it seems my skills have retired. Off road that used to be so easy are now difficult, but I did go dirt bike for that. A WR250R. The bike makes off-road fun, on the street it sucks. So you are right about picking the bike that works. Then practice skills like a newbie.

[@BrakeMagazine]

I think it sounds like the right bike in the right moment, and if you can still keep having fun that’s all that matters. Stoked to hear you’re still riding at 70 ✌️

[@vebez5993]

I feel the exact same way. I had a vstrom 650 that I treated like a dirt bike, I would ride it 2-3 hours before sunset everyday and it was hard at first but after 1-2 years I was taking it to some crazy offroard areas and was riding better than most dirt bikers I knew. I heard a lot of weird opinions about my bikes capabilities. It’s 80% the rider not the bike.

[@jenHry-ng3pw]

I figured out adventure is coming from NOT having the appropriate tools for the job. Honda hunter 125 is perfect. It is about the struggle, discomfort, doing something nobody did before. Doing something people said cannot be done. That brings joy and admiration of people.

[@andrewandlm]

Brilliant brilliant brilliant. Once again, very well put. Live your take on riding.

[@ChuckMahon]

Well said. I came from a light weight adv bike but when I purchased my R1200GS my eyes opened to possibilities. I'll take my "heavy" GS any day - touring, track, off-road, etc.

[@Ben-nj3lv]

Well made point which reminds me of the Thomas Sowell quote: There are no solutions, only trade offs. I prefer picking up smaller bikes but they can't powerslide.. trade offs.. there is no unicorn.

[@cortor558]

I am a 12 year old who lives in the socal deserts. I live where there’s a community of riders who make home made tracks that I ride and are open to the public that have some jumps and whoops. My dad bought a cheap bike for me to learn to ride on and practice. But now what I’m more capable I need an actual bike and I’m pining 4th gear going 45 on whoops and my bike is breaking down. I like what this video because of why you made it. It tells people do what you want and buy a bike for it.

[@BrakeMagazine]

Sounds like an awesome place to live! Thanks for the kind words :)

[@Ironhawx]

The carefully choreographed marketing ads tell me what ADV is. Scenic landscapes, desert terrains, rocky outcrops, but for me adventure is making it to the nearest coffee shop to show off the $35000 bike I bought over a $1.50 coffee ☕️

[@BrakeMagazine]

I feel sarcasm 😂😂

[@whataboutjeff]

And if that makes these people happy, if it is fun for them to buy such bikes for that money to be able to do xyz but then only drive to drink a coffee… why does it bother you ?

[@BrakeMagazine]

Exactly Jeff

[@johnmacdonald1878]

I almost always go for a coffee. Sometimes I get cake as well. Sometimes its 5 minutes down the road. Or where the road ends. I had a coffee and some Jerky at the Arctic Ocean. Then I turned around and rode home.

[@250LM4me]

I go and buy coffee beans on my PanAmerica then come home and wash the dust off of it.

[@michaelgorman164]

Not many are willing to go out on the limb and be politely blunt as you have done, and i applaud you Sir. People need to understand that the adventure is in you, not the bike. I've been in this for decades starting in the 20th century with an '81 XL185 and an '89 XL600V Transalp. Back then there was no social media, no magazines dedicated to off-road travel, you strapped your garbage bag covered tent to your bike, hand wrote your navigation and went. I still have those two bikes along with a KTM 500 and 950 Adv. The only thing these 4 bikes do very well, is make me smile.

[@fortyyearson6323]

Probably the best adventure bike video I've ever watched, total sense has been spoken.

[@JacobAnawalt]

You'll probably bin this for not cheering your take but... your piece starts out ragging on "problematic" people who tell others how to behave, then you tell them how to behave and that the problem is them, not the bike. Much of your take seems non-nuanced as you complain about others making, and in general to say "adventure bikes can do it all". This from the person/channel that just two months earlier was saying the V-Strom 800 DE was a "perfect gravel road bike"... Lets be fair, most riders dont have the skill to do the things you showed, and while offroad school is valuable, it isn't keeping a heavy bike from sinking in the sand, or not making up a very steep tricky bit without some serioius risky speed to carry it, no matter how fancy the traction control is, nor how perfectly matched the tire is to the terrain. Your adventure bike is not going to do extreme enduro or trials unless your skill level is max. Your rant on "its just your skill" seems to be discounting the choice made by all those non-adventure bike riders you crossed paths with on the TET. Was that you who faced the mountain on that TET in northern spain and backed off becaues it was too steep for the heavy bike, or was that another pair of riders? A heavy bike on steep sketchy single track is just asking for trouble for most riders. Some people may be just armchair quarterbacking their comments, but others paid the price of being oversold what they could do by marketing, and ended up having expensive misery, not adventure. Another issue is that offroad for one means extreme enduro and for another it means any non-durable surface. Instead of being told the adventure bike can do it all and they just suck, a more balanced approach is just to be realistic about the type of riding a bike is suited for, set your expectations and plans, and be encouraged to skill up to better enjoy that riding.

[@BrakeMagazine]

If there is one think that won't ever happen on this channel, it's binning thought out comments that question the viewpoint in the video. I genuinely believe that discussion is a huge part of the learning process. Your point about me telling them how to behave is accurate. It's a paradox. I'm not sure I quite understand the point about me saying the DE is a 'perfect gravel road bike'. The review is to outline where a bike's skillset lies and what it's good at, bad at and an average ADV rider can do with it. I actually disagree with regards to the V-Strom vs Transalp video. Most of the terrain in that video is relatively simple. I have taken people who are just a couple of days of off-road skills training into their adventure bike journey on a lot of those routes. I agree that when the riding gets difficult, sand, tricky steep hills etc. the limit of the bike is a lot lower if it's an adventure style bike, no argument there. You can't argue with the physics or the engineering and if the bike isn't appropriate for the skill level or the terrain you want to ride, then choose a different bike. That's the whole point of the end of the video. I'm not meaning to discount their choices, that's probably just my bad scripting. I'm stoked they made a choice, are hopefully enjoying it and are out there riding and exploring. Zero judgement from me. The point of this video is to encourage support in the community and guide people looking to make a bike choice that's free from the 'You can only do it this way or you're not doing it right' dogma and that means if a 500 EXC or a Honda CT 110 is the right bike for you, it's the right bike. I did stop at the top of one hill because the trail was not a trail. It was made by a bulldozer and didn't go anywhere. My friends had places to be and I was fucking around. It wasn't on the TET, it was south of Leon. I agree that if your skills don't allow you to avoid mistakes on a bigger bike it might not always be the best bike, or you might have to limit what riding you choose to do. As for the 'what off-road' means. That probably just means we need better descriptions. It's why I started using the term gravel road bikes.

[@flippy66]

Can you quote where he tells people how to behave?

[@mancavemoto]

@JacobAnawalt An interesting take, but your last three sentences sum up exactly what was being said in the video. I thought it was a well measured take on the subject. I agree, that people get sold a promise on what a particular bike can do, but surely anyone would realise that it is there riding skill that is the biggest factor. People can't expect a bike to do all the work, I've seen riders on BMW GS's with little to no offroad experience and assume that the bike will get them through some difficult terrain. I personally ride and Africa Twin Adventure Sports, its big and heavy, but I love riding it and my 'off-road' aspirations are nothing more than gravel trails and fire breaks, so I'm fine with that.

[@hershmergersh6733]

triggered

[@Weltbummler23]

100% - brake magazine seems to be all about having an opinion and telling others what to do, but not allowing others to also voice an opinion. Its tyrant-ish behavior. When you publish something, there will be a diversity of replies, some sarcastic, some critical - it just comes with the territory.

[@ddacaro]

Just going from a Honda CRF300L to a KTM 500 meant that I could save so much weight that fully loaded with the camping and photo gear, my KTM is lighter still than the stock Honda with no cargo on it - this means so much for safety - handling ability. I need gobs of low end power so I can lug slowly up hills, safely, without running out of power half way up, or requiring momentum to carry me up on less powerful bikes. And, to be nimble enough to chose any line I want. I can lift my ktm easily half a dozen times a day if need be without taking the piss out of me. Maintenance is meh...totally worth the small amount of time to do it. It sucks on the highway, vibey, too light/wind, but plenty of power to overtake at 80 mph big trucks, quickly. I love the bike at 60 and below cruising rural streets, makes me feel like a kid again riding dirty bikes around, only now with my plated bike, I don't have look out for the cops 😆

[@PCS_93]

Love this! I've did more gravel road miles on my Triumph Daytona than my dad has on his GS1250. Ride the bike you have and beat it until it beats you!!

[@curnobullen]

Great video. Training is key for me. The smile on the face when you open the garage, brilliant 👌🏻

[@DmitriyAdv]

Excellent video! You’re saying the things that us as a motorcycling community need to hear. All of us are guilty of thinking that we’re on the wrong bike or need some magic farkles to make us a better rider, and the companies selling these things are all too happy to reinforce this.

[@diogenes9809]

Best adv bike advice ive seen in a while. Im a mid level rider, (10 years now riding dirt bikes, sport bikes, and adv bikes on the weekends), am always annoyed when people say a bike "can't" do something. Almost no bike will break if you ride it up an enduro trail - ive even done some silly enduro climbs on an r6. It is true though that smaller is easier offroad and bigger is comfier on road. If you have a ton of experience you can absolutely shred on a big adv tourer - dirt is still easier on a small bike though. It's all trade offs and no bike really sucks. Main advice i would give though is if you want to improve quickly, you need a bike that's cheap enough you arent afraid to drop it.

[@steveoliver177]

Excellent video. Someone needs to talk about these subjects with this honesty and perspective. Well done!

[@Shacks]

The sentiment in this video is refreshing and positive, which I really appreciate. Being open to others’ views, opinions, wants, and abilities is the way forward. I’m a new-to-me 1250GS owner about to attend ORS and looking to take it on easy unpaved roads to “put a toe in the water”. Yes it’s a big heavy bike. Yes I’ve been lectured by others that I probably “should” be on a smaller bike for lanes, but I can only afford one bike and this is the one that for many reasons my heart has led me to. I’m only considering easy stuff because I know it’s a heavy bike and I need to work on my skills. Over 95% of my riding will continue to be road, with some big European tours. Got an eye on ACT too. I’m now a new subscriber to your channel off to watch some of the back catalogue 👍🏻

[@roryothen7005]

Well said, I’m now thinking about bruce smart on a gsrx1000 around the world and across deserts what a legend

[@spokewheel4085]

This is the best video explaining all this so far. I am a new rider and trying to decide what the best option is for me. Well done! Thank you!

[@steve.afendoulis]

Someone had to say it. You did it well. With style and diplomacy.

[@BrakeMagazine]

Thanks for tip Steve. Very kind.

[@fuelerr]

Great advice, bud. Appreciate your work. Best wishes from 🇨🇦

[@MichaelShaw206]

I started as a teenager on dirt bikes - motorcross and trail riding, and doing really stupid things. I then moved to street bikes, cruisers and fast tourers, continuing to do really stupid things. When I hit 50 years of age, I looked at BMW GS bikes, thinking they were the perfect "adventure" bike, but they were pretty expensive and seemed more like a 70's Honda Golden wing - a couch on wheels. Being middle-aged, I didn't want to have a bike that screamed that fact to everybody, but this adventure stuff seemed cool, and I really needed to feel "adventurous" as I neared the last quarter of my life during the pandemic. Then I read several "light is right" stories and watched too many videos and bought a WR250R and did the Washington BDR. I overloaded it, and it really struggled on the pavement portions, but I learned you don't need that much hp on the dirt roads that make up most BDR's, and a light bike made technical terrain more enjoyable. It was exhausting, however, on long jaunts. I moved on to a Tuareg 660 (great bike for the money, but 450 lbs and I worried about riding alone and picking it up), then to a Honda CRF 450L (light, powerful, but too uncomfortable on the street), then to a Kove 450 (better on the street and very capable off-road), and then purchased, due to a serendipitous interaction waiting for my Kove to be inspected, a used 2019 Triumph Scrambler 1200 xe, with all the shiny parts taken off and a new tune with a low pipe from a gentleman who tracked the bike.. I'll sell the Kove soon because I find that I just love the Triumph and it will go anywhere I want to go now that I'm 60 and recently had open heart surgery (can't ride yet). Most would argue that it's not a good "adventure" bike because it's heavy, and a naked bike, but it makes my newly repaired heart sing every time I walk by it and I would rather ride it than all the other bikes I have owned. My only advice to someone interested in riding, adventure or otherwise, is find a bike that you can love because this is a hobby and not an act of a reasonable person. If we had any sense, we'd all drive econo-box cars (or CRF 300Ls) and live long boring lives.

[@Praxics0815]

Someone once said something along the lines of the right bike is the bike you have. In the 1950s people rode around the world on something like a Harley-Davidson WLA surely you'll be fine on a Suzuki V-Strom. I own a Tuareg 660 and I'm fairly inexperienced in terms of off-road. I live in a place where on almost every forest path or farm lane there is a sign explicitly prohibiting motorcycles from entry (alongside cars). Of course you can ignore it and ride in anyway but I like having my license and I don't like trouble or to cause trouble for other people. So yea my bike doesn't see much off-road and if then just a gravel road. But I can only own one bike and it needs to do everything I want to do and adventure bikes do that so yea I own one of these motorcycle-SUVs. I'm fine with cruising down my gravel road enjoying nature and solitude. Thanks.

[@take5th]

Private videos speak to the vision in the speakers head seeking confirmation, ‘commercial’ videos speak to a hypothetical head in search of sales. I scoff at crash plates, bark busters, case savers, less than knarly knobbies, but i ride flat land, covered in sand, with no rocks. For short distances. Perspective matters and KZbin videos are random perspective generators. If but we could all try various bikes on various terrain at various times, but that is rare. Ride what you got, make it work for you, save some money to leave to your kids.

[@RollModel724]

@brakemagazine thank you for this. I have started adv riding a few years ago right before Covid in the U.K. Green lanes were terrifying on my Himalayan. I did a class at sweet lamb and that helped but it IS all about confidence and practice. I see huge differences over the past five years but I only get to go off road a few times a year due to life and work. Meanwhile I have mates who have no experience getting KTM 890s and ripping the trails screaming YOLO, while I am still plodding on my G650GS Sertao through the Pennsylvania woods. This video gave me some hope normalizing that there is no minimum ability to be good or not suck.

[@BrakeMagazine]

I'm really glad that came across.There really isn't. If you're having fun, doing what you wanna do then you're doing it right. :)

[@laius6047]

Well as you said the problem is not the bike but you and your skill level. And the skill level requirement drops when you're riding smaller and lighter bikes.

[@javi_scram]

Great message! It's kinda what I mostly hear with my scrambler 1200, is currently the only one that makes me smile when I see it

[@ElDuderino999]

The best bike is the one on which you’re up to the task… So if something doesn’t work out (yet), either - _you_ have to change (skill, technique, fitness), - _your bike_ has to change, or - _your challenge_ has to change

[@Izmash]

as a guy who rides harleys and a yamaha super tenere a bike the internet would say it too big and too heavy for any dirt trails this video speaks to my heart. people have a hard time getting past the spec sheet let alone off the pavement.

[@QuackLoud]

Thank you Soooo Much for speaking plainly on this issue. I'm a really old guy that has been riding a long time, but my son's friends tell me that "the internet says" or "KZbin says". Great video. Cheers.

[@jepomer]

At 72 and with short legs, my Africa Twin is fantastic when riding on the highway. But I struggle maneuvering it when riding slow on trails. My dreams of a long cross-country adventure trip have faded. I have been longing for the fun I had in the '70s riding my XL250. I needed a bit more than the XL250 to do any significant highway riding. I compromised and got a CB500X. It is definitely lighter and more maneuverable for me in tight parking lots and unimproved roads. The CB500X does what I want my motorcycle to do.

[@RedRupert64]

You're spot on. I love 21" front wheels and quality suspension, so use a KTM 890AR for sportsbike-fast road riding in France, also on gravel tracks in Latvia, Lithuania and Spain. After riding it, I'm buzzing.

[@BobsBikingAdventures]

YES! What an excellent, well thought through and thoughtfully presented video. The adventure biking community is so much better when we just let people enjoy things! I love little bikes. Had a ton of fun on one last year, but I also love my Africa Twin and had The Most fun on a Tiger 1200 Rally Pro last year. I'm a distinctly average rider. I have an office job and I don't get out biking nearly often enough. But I've done a fair bit of training with various schools, on various bikes. This has given me the confidence and techniques to know I can get my bike through just about anything. It likely WILL NOT be pretty, but it'll work. 😅 Great video. 😎

[@AwesomePlayers]

I went for a ride yesterday on my Husky 901. I’m not a great rider. A lot of pavement and some gravel. It was amazing. That’s all that matters.

[@Irish.adventures]

Great watch, nice to see the positivity and encouragement 👌

[@kieronobrien1872]

having just spent a week on a GS off-road (after riding to the tracks) followed immediately by getting on my 250 on the same tracks (but without the commute - lol), I can only say that while the ground, conditions, and bloke on top didn't change, the definition of getting it right clearly did. So, as you say, it all depends on what you're trying to achieve and using the correct bike for the job. Opinions online are frequently delivered without context and then battle with other opinions. As a content consumer, I can avoid the bait and make my own mind up. Good job Llel, that's my opinion 🤣🤣🤣

[@adr2567]

Most different perspective I’ve heard so far, what stands true is most people just don’t have the time to ever develop the skill to ride such a huge bike everywhere, but manufacturers tempt them with misleading visions of true adventure, hence it’s still true that for most people a large ADV doesn’t work.

[@BrakeMagazine]

I don't disagree with that sentiment.

[@TimRHillard]

Man, I have seen one percenters out camping and riding their Harleys crazy all out off road! Racing even. Course I am sure alcohol at least was involved. But these guys were sending it.

[@mmfmakemyfun]

The world of DeFi that your channel and the UIG has opened up to me is unbelievable. Even on a “slow” day I still make more than I really need. $2-300/day is not that hard and if that’s not good enough for you you’ve got your day back to make more with way less stress. Financial freedom is awesome.

[@gabriellopesmonteiro]

Thank you for the video 😊 I am someone still doing the class before my license, but the plan is to get a bike that gets me anywhere (plus a R3). My initial thoughts go around a dual sport, to get the hang of off road, with no trail in the forest kind of thing, but enough to learn to hide to where I want when I want to. So my thoughts so far were CRF250L, DR400S or perhaps go straight to a small adv like the Himalayan, Versys 300 X or even a V Strom 250. Though , I do not want it to be too weak, I know it would he best to be 300-400. However, it was great to have your point of view in here, to help me clarify a little bit more. Thanks again. 😁

[@V742]

I really like your comments about bigger bikes not always being inappropriate. Historically, small bikes have been maligned; it's wonderful that in the last 10 years, people have found the joy of downsizing and switching to a bike that is less intimidating or more suited in some other way - I'm considering it myself. However, this has come with an increasing bashing of large bikes. Not everyone physically fits on the smaller bikes - I'm 6'6" and flat foot my VFR1200X on both sides. Extra power is handy for effortlessness, which is something you appreciate on long highway rides or general slogs. Playing "row, row, row your gearbox, swiftly down the street" can get really old. Big bikes are heavier. Often a con, but if you ever pass road trains like I often do, you WANT that weight. The correct bike is whichever one you can ride. I have seen footage of an ST1300 and an FJR1300 going offroad. If somebody wants to get somewhere, they're going to get there.

[@irishrover63]

This video makes total sense. I have only ever been on one off road course here in Scotland for a day and it was amazing. It's all about your skill level to give you that confidence to ride the trails you always wanted to. To be honest dropping my bike is probably what keeps me from heading on those far off trails, but having said that I don't have my bike setup to be able to cope with those trails anyway. I have a 2013 Honda CB500X that I have owned from new, don't know why I'm scared of dropping it as I have done it twice already and could get it RallyRaid prepared if I want to. But that is the question also, you have to want to ride those off road trails in the first place.

[@OrangeManStan]

Great video as always. Its for sure skill level thats required. Only thing id say is when you pick that lane to go down unless you've walked it first you're never quite sure how difficult its going to get. If your level of skill suits the bike you are riding then its not generally an issue. I suppose thats part of the adventure

[@rjsalameh]

I always feel like I've learned something from these videos! TY!!!

[@magnusengelmark]

Love the message. Be inclusive and accepting of others who are not like you. I've been riding my 1200 GS off road for 10 years. I've always loved the challenge it brings me on day long rides with ever smaller bikes around me year after year. I put in about a 1000 hours of training off road riding skills the first year on my 1200GS when I got it, before I started doing longer ride outs on a regular basis. The training has made all the difference. I couldn't really ride it off road when I got it and would have probably replaced it for a smaller bike within a year if I hadn't put in the work that is needed :) Great channel mate!

[@powertrip1050]

I'm glad I subscribed to your channel. Even our little motorcycle world needs a little reality-check every so often. You did it really well....I hope some of the die-hards can relax and enjoy themsleves more.

[@migael92]

I did offroad course with my mate on xr250r's. We were so kinda convinced that we were gonna have it easy compared to any one who would show up on a big heavy adv bike. To our suprise a guy on bmw 1300gs on old 50/50 was able to do course just as well and made it pass every obstacle we did. Maybe not as fast or easy but he still managed. And he had less experience than we did . That said I still like small light bikes, they are great to quickly learn to ride offroad, test and develop your skill without getting you in to trouble ....

[@ride4adventure]

Well said. I totally agree with what you said and have also been guilty of some pre-judgemental comments 😉. No question, the more experience and practice you get, the more you open up the choices of bikes you can make work for the riding you want to do. The Unicorn isn't the bike, it's the rider. 🦄

[@julianelmo109]

That’s the reaoson I bought a 26 years old Suzuki DR 650. It’s such a great concept and the perfect dual sport in my opinion. I completely rebuilt it and it’s barely stock now. It does everything I want and need. Everyday rides, traveling and Rally racing. BUT I had to invest a lot of work and money. It definitely cost me the same price like a new modern bike. Absolutely worth it!

[@BrakeMagazine]

But that's the bike that you enjoy, clearly!

[@jonathanmillmore7756]

Bravo. Well said. It's so easy to get caught up in the comments sections, forming opinions on matters that really don't matter to you. Single model forums can be a great source of info for a potential bike purchase, but I get put off by owners slagging off everything other than the bike they choose to ride. If you're lucky enough to own multiple bikes and someone asks you what you ride, always start with the crappiest thing first. If the reaction is negative then don't waste your time telling them about your most prized possession, you'll be wasting your breath.

[@guywalkabout1914]

I agree with everything you said. The bike that is right for me is the one I can pick up on my own. When I'm riding easy terrain, it's my 2019 CB500X. When I'm very likely riding through ankle deep mud, it's my 2009 KLX250.

[@BrakeMagazine]

And that’s perfect 👌

[@C0lon0]

I see people riding through the Cassino Beach in Brazil (227km of a single beach) with all kind of bikes, from prupose built dirt bikes to even some crazy people on hayabusas with car tires.

[@thecorporategypsy]

Well said. As Dakar Jenny said re: what bike to ride on the TAT in the US, “the bike does not drive itself, it’s about the pilot and the skills of the pilot”.

[@rodh4512]

Excellent video and excellent points. With regards to skill level - I am constantly amazed at the amount of money people will spend on their bike yet spend nothing at all on the training that would make riding that same bike so much more pleasurable!

[@reinisrudzitis4802]

The adventure bike is a bike that youre taking on your own adventure. I bought my first bike month ago and it’s a Transalp 650. Before purchasing this bike I talked with friends and read a lot of stuff on the internet. Africa this, KTM that, everyone always has a different opinion. With the Transalps its the same. Some people are calling them boring, some are travelling around the world with them. Is it an adventure bike? Yes, because i’ll have my own adventures with that old piece of gear.

[@jhackett9482]

Perfect timing on this video. I commented on a transalp video stating i bought one for local gravel roads, country roads, trips etc and some stranger starts telling me how stupid I am for not buying an 800 de, how much better it is and how he will be ripping on it offroad while I am posing at the coffee shops on my transalp. Guy doesnt know me! I live in Illinois, all we have is paved, tar and a few gravel roads. Where am I going to go ripping offroad around here? Plus I'm 62 years old! Mom told me if you don't have anything nice to say, dont say anything at all.

[@BrakeMagazine]

Also, the TA is almost identically good to the DE off road, and a little easier to ride. 😂 The last line, amen.

[@AdventuresonZero]

I know this all too well. I converted my 2020 LiveWire to match exactly the bikes in Long Way Up. I was one of the first electric motorcycles to complete the MABDR (along with another EV rider). What's funny is I never caught flak from anyone in the real world, in person - even when I rode that same bike 1600 miles to the 120th Harley Davidson celebration last summer. However the internet just loves to critique, question, and admonish anything that isn't advertised as a proper 'Adventure Bike'. Last time I checked, I took a bike on an adventure off-road = adventure bike.

[@rdownmakeITbetter]

I agree with much of what is said here - especially the bit about matching your skill and the bike you ride to the terrain you're trying. However, one other thing to factor in is that most trails (in the UK at least) lie at the end of several hours on roads getting there. Suddenly, unless you own a van or bike trailer, you have to factor in the tarmac time getting to a location. For me, a Honda Africa Twin with my skill level limits me to tame green-lanes but makes getting there and back easy, quick and comfortable. (Plus, I can load it up with camping gear and make an overnight of the trip.)

[@loblolly777]

Great comments. I am fairly new to adventure bike riding and the strange thing is that I have found the community (face to face, group activities, or just meeting people out and about) to be unbelievably relaxed, fun and supportive. Strange things happen to humans when they get behind a keyboard. Nowhere is this more apparent than any Africa Twin forum and the endless (and endlessly boring) DCT vs manual discussions. People make choices, those choices are different, and it is that diversity of thought and approach that makes adventure bike riding so much fun.

[@dracer35]

100% this is exactly what needs to be said and I couldn't agree more. I absolutely love riding adventure bikes and taking them on the trips and into places people seem to think can't be done without a dirtbike. I've had a KTM 500 exc setup for adventure riding and I sold it. The road sections getting to the good stuff were terrible on that bike and then the bike was so good offroad I caught myself unintentionally slacking off not using good technique and just letting the suspension make up for poor lazy rading. A few weekends ago some friends and I went on a two day trip that was roughly 400 miles. They were on 500 exc's and I was on a Versys X-300 with knobby tires. By the time we did the first 150 miles of easy gravel they were tired, sore and wanting to call it a day as we started getting into the fun hard stuff with lots of water crossings, slippery rocks, soft creek sand/rock, mud and tight single and two track through the woods. I had an absolute blast the whole time and ended up stopping and waiting for the guys on the 500's to catch up at every intersection. Adv bikes are far more capable and fun than a lot of people give them credit for. I was one of those people years ago before I learned to improve myself and now I have a new love for riding all over again. Thanks for the excellent video's and keep up the great work!

[@2.wheels.are.better.than.4]

Ride what makes you happy, just like you said. No need to concern yourself with what others choose to ride and no need to try to convince them to ride what you ride.

[@PumpkinOnWheels]

Excelent point, it was exactly what made me change from a multistrada to a 390adv and now I am back to riding almost everywhere again. I fear even the 700-800 are still too heavy for me to feel confident when riding alone which is 95% of the time so yeah, I miss the power but at least now I have the courage to venture myself and get the skill I am lacking due to lack of practice.

[@ThunderBird80085]

Another thing to consider is that people over 6' exist. ADVs have by far the best ergos for me at 6'5. I also get to go on some low to moderate level skill trails to go see some neat things around the states.

[@user-qz5vb3ip2b]

This! I really needed to hear this. Thank you!

[@NZCycletherapy]

I think one good thing about the new batch of smaller adventure bikes coming out now (CF Moto, Himalayan, 2025 KTM 390 etc) is they offer an entry level platform for smaller/less competent people other than a dual sport such as the CRF/KLX type of thing that isn’t so comfortable on the road.

[@BrakeMagazine]

Agreed 👍

[@tonat7765]

Well said. I first got a taste of off-road riding in Nepal on a Himalayan 450. I came back from that trip, chopped the S1000R in for a 1200GS Rallye. Never took the GS off road, I was too afraid to break the thing and found it too bulky. Chopped that in and got a T7 instead and in essence learned off-road skills on that T7. I have loved it ever since and it suits my needs to a Tee (😅). So much so, I have two, one in the UK and one in Northern Asia to toot around the Himalayas. Ultimately we are in the prime riding era, with a little compromise there is a bike to suit your needs. Go enjoy yourself and give the GS riders some stick for riding a farm tractor but ultimately don't take it too seriously. Its a fun social hobby that we can enjoy more as a community.

[@michiganmoto7687]

I completely agree. Ride what makes you smile and can take you to the places you want to go. At almost 50 I still like to be playful and hoon a bit on my bike but I’m starting to rethink what is comfortable for hours on end. I love riding dual sport but not for entire days one after another anymore. My body demands more comfort. The TransAlp or a T7 is quickly moving up my list to my top spot for must have ride.

[@JakeBarlow]

I might have been a victim of marketing when I chose to buy a KTM 1290 SA for my first duel sport after only one weekend with Rawhyde, but I also knew my limitations and the bikes capabilities. I learned some hard lessons but also practiced a LOT, and did several schools. Lots of Purposeful practice! It got me through sections of two BDRs, including baby head hill in OR, but not without a few tumbles. The bike could still be intimidating at times, but I still loved the hell out of it and have zero regrets. Thank you for this video. My advice is to try to know yourself before buying the bike, but also be open to discovering yourself after you experience the bike.

[@hdjnfirnfnhdhdjjdkdk9349]

There will allways be some who will search and preach about the easyest way to do anything. They don't leave the couch to often or to long. But what it counts it's your ability to make the most of what you have

[@urbancavemanintheak7732]

Great video thanks for posting!