WOW. Great vid. I'm a 72yr young biker. Totally agree with what your saying. Owned numerous bikes over the years. Watched the price of bikes go thru the roof!! I've solo toured across the US and Canada numerous times. 95% on pavement. My fav bike was a 76 BMW, R75/6. ZERO electronics on it. Even kept the original points/condenser ignition system. This was before the internet, GPS, and cell phones. All I had was a road map tucked in the top of my tank bag! Owned that BMW for 26 yrs. ZERO problems. Was forced to sell due to a career change. Felt like I sold my soul. One thing I've learned is: Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. The more complexity, the more weight, the more repairs, the more drama. Keep your bikes, and your life simple. Ride safe everyone.
@slaveoptics8 ай бұрын
KISS is sweet
@michaelthomson76698 ай бұрын
I have a 73 R75/5 after more than 40 years, at 66 I wouldn't sell it, I still ride it.
@nahthravan8 ай бұрын
exactly why I'm not completely satisfied with my vfr800 from 2016. so much electronics, luckily I can take my mom's cbr600f from 1993 for a ride sometimes, since my parents stopped driving couple years ago. I am actually looking to get a original cbr250 from the early 90's for fun rides. the vfr will stay for commute
@mweskamppp8 ай бұрын
I do have a BMW from 2012. With electronics and stuff. But no problems yet after some tours all over europe.
@GuitarTherapy1448 ай бұрын
you talk about simplicity but was it simple for you needing go remove half of your r75 to get to the battery? bmw will be bmw....
@Wajang19 ай бұрын
Who needs hi tech when you got a spoon for the microphone. lol
@nuclear99779 ай бұрын
Hahahaa
@FreeMilesMC9 ай бұрын
As in many cases simple works just fine ☺️
@-runningwithscissors-97669 ай бұрын
Too bad it wasn't a clean spoon....looks like pasta sauce on it.
@koenmldr9 ай бұрын
@@-runningwithscissors-9766those are provisions for the next trip 😉
@karlfonner75899 ай бұрын
@@FreeMilesMC an old time mechanic told me the word KISS. keep it simple stupid. Enough said.
@akm030519 ай бұрын
I have an adventure bike, it’s a 14’ Triumph Bonneville. It’s an adventure bike because every time I go out for a ride, I’m on an adventure.
@FreeMilesMC9 ай бұрын
Exactly thats what i want to hear ☺️😍
@fabiopunk16619 ай бұрын
rrrright! same feeling here (I have a Vespa, a Harley, a Ducati .... they are all adventure to me!)
@TwinTalon019 ай бұрын
That’s me on my Buell XB9SX, every ride an adventure.
@ChrisSauer-oe5ve9 ай бұрын
I have many adventure bikes, from scooters to Mt-10sp lol here in 🇵🇭🙌 Everyday is an adventure 😂
@robertclark99 ай бұрын
lol….right! I ride a 650cc Maxi scooter all over the country. And have a blast doing it.
@doc650adventures7 ай бұрын
Great video and spot on! I have a modified Suzuki DR650 and it will do anything I need it to. Simple and reliable. Great information in this video!
@jeffowen30684 ай бұрын
Three thoughts as a 1250GSA rider who has been “adventure” riding for 20+ years: 1) I started touring on an XR650L. When I was pretty broke as a young man it was a bike I could afford! It could go anywhere and I paid $2500 for a very well kept and modified one. It was much more affordable than my $20k+ GSA. It was also lighter. It was also worse in every other way than the GSA except on tight single track. It was slow, vibey, top heavy, got worse gas mileage, sucked at any speed over 70mph, was a pain on long straight days, would overheat, couldn’t carry much weight, etc. I later bought a KLR650 because it was supposedly better for “adventuring” which really just means carrying things on the highway, you know, touring, lol. It was a pretty terrible bike as well. 2) Agree with your 2% comment. Turns out to go on long trips you may want to be able to take a highway potentially a long way before getting to your “adventure” track. I can take my GSA 500-1000 miles on the highway extremely comfortably, THEN when I get to the area I want to explore can hop off road…. And guess what, the GSA is pretty great off-road at least for me. I’ve taken lots of courses and practice and it’s well balanced, reliable, and not actually that much heavier than a fully loaded down KLR650. Having 140hp on tap is GREAT for the ride there, and the ride modes work great for off-road. The GSA is perfect on the ride there and good on the “adventure” roads. It’s a true Swiss Army knife. 3) You generalized people…I’m 6’4” 215lbs with a 36” inseam. I simply don’t fit on smaller bikes, I’ve tried, it just doesn’t work to have your knees hitting your elbows on most bikes when you’re turning the handlebars :) All in, ride what you want, where you want, any trip is an adventure bike. I owned a Hayabusa and that thing was super fun, and a decent touring bike, but it was a pretty terrible “adventure” bike. I’m not an “adventurer” but I do ride an “adventure” bike, simply because it’s the best bike for the job and for my size and I’m fortunate enough to have enough resources to pay cash for it.
@fire.smok33 ай бұрын
Thanks for this perspective, vid makes some good points but adv bikes are not all bad
@russwright3 ай бұрын
I love my R1250GS but not skilled enough or big enough (at 5'10") to deal with it off road at this point. Still a fantastic sporty touring bike.
@MrReymoclif714Ай бұрын
KLR 650=PHEW!!! Try lifting it?
@karatecadepijamaАй бұрын
I ride a 2018 1200 GS in Brazil every single day and I never had any issues with it whatsoever. It does it all. I had a Tiger 800 and it had a higher center of mass so it would be much more inefficient in daily traffic and the heat from the engines is something else. GS's are swiss knifes indeed.
@northseacowboy9 ай бұрын
I took a KTM 990 DAKAR from Shetland islands 16,000km to Western Sahara and back. I met a guy from the UK riding a HONDA C90. He left me for dust on the sand and tracks. He would go wherever he wanted, I had to play it safe as getting stuck on a 200kg bike without luggage wasn't an option. I returned years later on a Honda CRX125. A perfect all round bike, remember sight seeing is best done under 60mph. Don't get sucked in, this guy speaks the truth.
@danielnewcombe88657 ай бұрын
I am from the Shetland Islands live in Australia now, never thought I would hear that place in a motorbike video
@northseacowboy7 ай бұрын
@@danielnewcombe8865 hi it's just me, Ernie, putting my 10 pence worth in. Australia sounds like a good place for a desert motorbike adventure. Do you do much biking out there?
@northseacowboy7 ай бұрын
@@danielnewcombe8865I was at army cadets with a Daniel Newcombe... That's not you is it?😅
@danielnewcombe88657 ай бұрын
@@northseacowboy I was in the army cadets at the fort
@northseacowboy7 ай бұрын
@@danielnewcombe8865 Lol that must have been you then... Small world 😂 hope you are doing well 😊
@yuunjac9 ай бұрын
Here in India, there is a strong message reminding tourers that, "any bike you have can tour" I've toured a lot of countries, and one thing i learned... weight supercede everything else. A 300-500 cc engine bike on a reliable platform with ground clearance and proper tires, will do wondrous on adventure than any other bigger bikes.
@arslanalam43257 ай бұрын
Here people buy gs and tigers just for show, and the reality is that they never go off the road just bcos of the pricey parts, even they don't have the guts to tour a 1250 bcos they don't have time
@markymarknj7 ай бұрын
A Royal Enfield Himalayan would be PERFECT!
@exposurebyanjum7 ай бұрын
TRK 251 is perfect for me 😊
@elm-neo4 ай бұрын
@@markymarknj If it was 30kg lighter. Still, it's alright. They could drop 20kg by redesigning the body and removing all the superfluous parts.
@markymarknj4 ай бұрын
@@elm-neo I need to drop that much in body weight! That would make more difference for me than a lighter bike... 😁
@bikesonabudgetjapan8 ай бұрын
Can you provide a link for your mic-spoon? I'm using a spatula and getting a lot of background noise.
@christopherburson24657 ай бұрын
Are you using a wood or plastic spatula ?
@fendermon7 ай бұрын
This seems to be a known, and common problem. Maybe a different brand spatula?
@247Lang7 ай бұрын
😂😂😂😂😂
@Fernando7865able7 ай бұрын
🤣🤣🤣
@dennisvillacorte41227 ай бұрын
@@christopherburson2465 there is new brand of spatula made of carbon fiber🤣
@cmerighe22 ай бұрын
If you watch the queen of motorcycle adventures, Itchy Boots, you realize that a heavy motorcycle can be a huge problem when the road gets really rough and slippery, like deep mud.
@keyboarddancers7751Ай бұрын
She's just bought herself a fully refurbished and upgraded '87 XT600 in Germany for her next RTW trip.
@salazamАй бұрын
or if you're a girl pretending to be a man.
@MybeautifulandamazingPrincessАй бұрын
@@keyboarddancers7751 Nobody asked goofy🤓
@dcasteaux918129 күн бұрын
I have owned a few XT600s. Too heavy. Her Honda XR300 was the perfect choice in my view.
@maikelnait449528 күн бұрын
She’s awesome.
@chrissmith21147 ай бұрын
Bikes like the GS1200 are equivalent to a Range Rover with low profile tyres, which in UK get called a 'Chelsea Tractor' ( Chelsea is a very posh area of London ) and those massive 4X4 never go off tarmac and may never even leave London. You have to be mad or brave to take a 600lb bike off the tarmac, so what happens is that to find a GS1200 you go to local bikers cafe where the owner will be drinking Cappuccino...
@ZeroXSEED6 ай бұрын
A good comparison to that is good old Hummer for Americans. People who NEED Hummers
@occashares3 ай бұрын
"GS1200 you go to local bikers cafe where the owner will be drinking Cappuccino..." And whats wrong with that?
@chrissmith21143 ай бұрын
@@occashares That cafe is never gonna be more than a few metres from a tarmac road.... Adventure bike may A55, the only adventure is paying BMW service bills.
@occashares3 ай бұрын
@@chrissmith2114 Actually the service bills are not that high. Do you own one?
@chrissmith21143 ай бұрын
@@occashares Only buy Japanese.... cars and bikes.
@onerider8089 ай бұрын
The empty bookshelf and spoon microphone convinced me, before you even said a word.
@drusmith64639 ай бұрын
a natural!!! way to go
@allieb58419 ай бұрын
His mind and bookshelf are open.
@MaverickRenegade9 ай бұрын
As soon as I saw the spoon, I knew with certainty that this guy knew exactly what he was talking about.
@RandomParrot9 ай бұрын
Every library starts with one book, usually in the bathroom!
@geoffas9 ай бұрын
@@MaverickRenegade LOL
@hughtuller63448 ай бұрын
Vast majority of adventure bike owners never go off road. If they do go “off road” it is down a dirt road - a road that most standard bikes can easily go down. Want to regularly go down dirt roads, put a different set of tires on it. Want to really go off road, buy a cheap dirt bike and have fun.
@nogerboher52664 ай бұрын
Yeah but you can't realistically do multi-day/multi-week travel or any kind of long distance travel for that matter, on a dirt bike now can you? - That's where adventure bikes come in. They do well on mid to hard offroad, depending on which bike we're talking about, they do well on roads, on highways, on high altitudes/low oxygen, in all weather, all terrain and all climates, extremely hot or extremely cold, summer or winter, they allow you to carry a normal amount of luggage and even tools with you, they allow you not having to worry or panic about running out of fuel in the middle of nowhere because they cover 6 to 9 times larger distances compared to a dirt bike or an enduro bike (30-45 miles vs 300-350 miles), they are (in general) engineered to be way, way, way more reliable and so on and so forth... Long story short, there's a reason why adventure bike segment exists... Because It's just sad that so many bike manufacturers are taking advantage of it and have turned to capitalistic profiteering and greed clownery...
@shambu20124 ай бұрын
@@nogerboher5266 are you sure about that? So you are going to "hard offroad" with big bike for huge distances? That's b.s. You will be going along gravel roads, trails or alike and looking for most smooth and ridable surface possible. Or will bring camera team along to film few amazing shots in desert or dried lake. Don't fool yourself or us.
@nogerboher52664 ай бұрын
@@shambu2012 So far, over the past few years, I did 74,000 (+/-) kilometers out of a total of approx. 88,000 km (or 106,000 kilometers if you count in hard sections) of TET (Trans Euro Trail), which consists out of approx. 30-35% paved backroads, paved forest and country roads and some minimal highway riding - and approx. 65-70% offroad riding, out of which approx. 30% were medium to hard offroad routes - and over the past few years, I did those trips all year round, depending on the year I went on the trips, meaning anytime from January to December, from Spring to Winter, through dozens of different countries and multiple different climate zones, 17 different terrain types, 7 different paved road types and 9 different unpaved road types, through mountain dirt paths on altitudes of 1,700m and higher all the way down to muddy forest valley riding and crossing deeper river paths, through everything from sunshine and thunderstorms all the way to pretty snow paths and dirty ice roads... Point is, I'm not fooling anyone, I'm just giving out advice. And if you look at the hardest sections of TET, those are usually found around northern and southeastern Europe, with mutual agreements on France, Italy and Croatia having the most technical roads of all countries, roads which get pretty fuckin hard to ride even for very experienced riders, all the way even to extreme levels, depending on weather and time of year you're riding them... And guess what the most used bikes are for the Balkan region, Italy and France?! Most of the images posted on TET groups on ovaer different social media channels such as Facebook, different forums and so on, are riders with Africa Twins, VStroms and Transalps aka. adventure bikes with histories dating back to the very beginning of ''adventure riding.''
@arpytrooper26043 ай бұрын
@@shambu2012 i mean, i cant see why someone willth skill can do that. It wont be as comfy as a dirtbike for offroading but its not impossible and you dont have to talk down to them to make yourself feel better
@nomchomsley8543 ай бұрын
Okay, so? That means there's an entire market of people who need a road bike that can handle dirt so they make adventure bike for them and dirt bikes for you. Everybody's happy.
@phatsmitty8 ай бұрын
My T7 1) takes me to work, 2) takes me on scenic back roads, 3) takes me to the off road vehicle park. It does all of these things extremely well, and is an absolute joy to ride. Yes, when going off road, it is only a matter of time before it ends up on the ground. That is why I don't go off road alone. More fun to ride with a buddy anyway. Totally understand and agree with the topic, Free Miles MC - so many people need to hear this. Thank you and I think your red Yamaha is a cool bike!!!!
@jonr46512 ай бұрын
Definitely feel like the T7 and the rest of its segments are the limit. Anything bigger is a styling exercise the smaller ADV bikes are super underrated for their tour and trail potential. But a dual sport is the real round the world bike.
@kyjelly55242 ай бұрын
How’s it do on the highway and twisty roads ? Do you ever bring a passenger? I’m looking to sell my drz and get a T700. I want a bigger bike that will be smoother for the road. I find my self in fire road and leaving the single track behind these days. I like riding canyons, fore roads, camping off the bike. I have so much beautiful riding here on the California/Nevada border. The drz doesn’t cut it with a passenger or on the road.
@phatsmitty2 ай бұрын
@@kyjelly5524 1) highway - great, plenty of power and just heavy enough to be stable 2) twisty roads - it goes around corners , but nothing like my sportbikes did 3) passenger? No.... have not hauled a passenger yet. I'm comfortable on the bike for about 1.5 hours, I'd imagine a passenger would be comfy for about 20 to 30 minutes. 90% of my rides are 45 min. or less
@kyjelly55242 ай бұрын
@@phatsmitty thank you. Man I did over 200 miles or gravel roads, twistys this weekend lol. If I had a more comfortable bike I would do more. The drz wears me out at that point.
@KTM-ll8ld2 ай бұрын
@@kyjelly5524i have a T7 ist not such a big difference
@advorlando98557 ай бұрын
I rode in my 20s and in my 50s i started riding again. The adventure bike immediately caught my mind. The harley crowd was calling to me as well and for once in my life I could afford it. I almost got a GS 1200, but after riding it the search continued. A 650 vstrom won the day and I have and love it still. It has not proven to be a comfortable nor confident off road bike. I'd seen many videos of vstroms doing gnarly stuff. I now have a 300L and I'm looking for more off road exploring with almost equal comfort. I agree with this video!
@FreeMilesMC7 ай бұрын
Actually maybe you can make your vstrom more offroad capable there is a big aftermarket I made a video about it a month ago
@MrSolenoid7 ай бұрын
I have a 2006 Intruder M800. Only has 55 horsepower. Some friends of mine were going on an "adventure" ride and I said I wanted to join. They all had €30k adv bikes and they said they were going to go off road. That's fine I said. My Intruder has a shaft drive. One of them got a snapped chain, two dropped their bikes and needed help getting them up. I had no problem keeping up with their 120 horsepower bikes. The only service my bike needs is oil and coolant service. And brakes off course. But that's it. It's fuel injected and starts like a champ. They all looked down on me, but none of them would admit I had as much, if not more fun then they did. Just a bunch of snobs with more money than brain 😅
@ZeroXSEED6 ай бұрын
Suzuki M series are underestimated in general I have a Boulevard 400, which is the same Boulevard M109 with half size engine, but has enough punch for most Asian road anyway.
@RaptorGooseGaming3 ай бұрын
an M800 is totally the wrong bike to take off roading, that is nowhere near the same thing.
@MrSolenoid3 ай бұрын
@@RaptorGooseGaming any bike can go off-road. Even goldwings 😉
@davebevin3 ай бұрын
You took your Intruder off road? Ok champ. Sure.
@MrSolenoid3 ай бұрын
@@davebevin sure did. And by "off-road" most mean not paved. 😝 that's what 99.9% of all adventure bikes do too.
@FlyingBeardMan9 ай бұрын
You just made me even happier with my nice simple, mechanically robust Suzuki DRZ400E. I live in Australia, where off road is easy to access (sometimes even hard to avoid). I look at others on those huge adventure bikes and I feel that my medium sized unstoppable yellow bike was a great choice.
@ionflow10739 ай бұрын
I was thinking of a Honda XL dual sport, but the Suzuki DR series works, too. They're small, nimble with a high power to weight ratio. They're rugged as hell, and easy to fix with basic tools.
@ariohardickdo34189 ай бұрын
In Indonesia mostly klx 230 ...nice light bike too
@ionflow10739 ай бұрын
@ariohardickdo3418 absolutely!
@ozziejim84729 ай бұрын
I was thinking the same thing with my dr650. I sold bmw 800 for the reason mentioned in this video and never looked back.
@Ian-ny6ux9 ай бұрын
Those huge adventure bikes with big price tags & slow parts availability. No thanks.
@mrcintheuk46419 ай бұрын
I think you need to define how and where you're travelling. For example, you can tour the Cameroon on paved roads or via muddy tracks. My brother toured much of the world back in the 1990s on the original F650. When he eventually came home he said if he was to do it again he would take a Honda 125 because it's the most you need most of the time, parts are everywhere, every country can fix it and if the worst comes to the worst you just throw it away and buy another one!!! The Honda 125 Trail would be perfect. However, if you need to mount the kerb at your local supermarket then you definitely need a fully loaded GS Adventure.
@mauihugebong9 ай бұрын
I had the BMW F650 for 20 years and crossed North America three times on it. On pavement I found it too small quite often and remember the day I upgraded to a 900 cc bike… One of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I would rather pedal a bicycle across the US than ride it on a Honda 125😮
@martyn_g9 ай бұрын
Ask Mongrel Dog Productions on YT where he takes his GSA. He mounts more than a kerb, my friend.
@ChrisSauer-oe5ve9 ай бұрын
@@notexpatjoebest of both worlds Po. Enjoy & ride safe.
@Theravadinbuto9 ай бұрын
Off road in Africa/parts of South America, I agree - 125cc is perfect, as long as you carry very minimal gear. But in North America? No. Too many high speed highways to get to/between off road sections.
@Ian-ny6ux9 ай бұрын
@@notexpatjoewelcome and enjoy your stay. Tl
@NXatNight9 ай бұрын
Just wanted to add to the topic. Last year I was in Iceland on my 650 honda, and I could go literally anywhere despite having luggage on. On the same hand, I met a lot of people on BMW GS's which when we spoke, they also admitted that because of the bike of their choosing they just physically cannot travel to the places that I did because of couple of factors. Those being the weight of the motorcycle, the lack of strength to pick them up repeatedly and when they would break down, they just couldn't repair them themselves. On the other hand, with my limited experience, I didn't drop my bike even once, I memorized my service book to be able to do almost all my repairs on the road, I packed super lightly, which my friends couldn't believe, when they saw how little stuff I took, and I prepared the bike before the trip so I made sure that everything is up for the task. Knowing this, knowing my needs as a rider, I would never pick a heavy motorcycle because it's just not made for the type of lightweight go anywhere type of adventure I prefer. And as you said, I also when traveling back home, met the same guys that came with me on the ferry, and were just sad, because they did not go where they wanted and I was kind of bummed that when I showed them my footage and photos they just felt like they've been scammed, because they just did not visit and could not visit those places because of the bikes they've chosen. Thank you, and take care Miles!
@laurentvenet27589 ай бұрын
Super interesting feedback. Which 650 Honda do you have ? Thank you
@NXatNight9 ай бұрын
I have a honda nx 650 dominator custom build from 1995, I have a walkaround video on my YT, but it's basically an XR650L very similar @@laurentvenet2758
@ritoarellano45219 ай бұрын
Good information. This the other side of the marketing hype about the big adventure bikes
@NXatNight9 ай бұрын
Honda NX 650 Dominator 1995 custom build, I've de a short introduction of it
@jisnudeepmandal8 ай бұрын
Thanks for sharing your experience. Could you explain how you pack light?
@philanon1185Ай бұрын
Totally agree with everything you mentioned. If you have 2 identical bikes but one is lighter, it is always going to be better, especially if it's used off-road. It will be easier to control, less fatiguing. Just imagine trying to handle a 1250 GS at 268 kg in mud. It is a marketing scam, and your video proves that. Well done!
@jonteece5 ай бұрын
The wooden spoon is a clever visual metaphor for this video’s message. ((You shouldn’t spend $$$ to be a KZbinr or an Adventurer)) Genius 👏🏼
@Silbernagel1009 ай бұрын
You have the wisdom of an elder👍. I am a 65 year old dude riding a single cylinder aircooled, carburetor Honda CB125e. They built millions of those honda 125cc engines and there are very cheap to repair and get spare parts. Super easy DIY fixable in the bush. Put 50/50 Tyres on it and built DIY Leg crash bars and improved small baggage frame for soft saddle bags on back. The bike has only 10HP , weighs only 120kg, as heavy as myself for 1.90m dude, but is such an incredible reliable little donkey with best cruising speed around 65-75km/hr.at 2.5ltr/100km. Traveling 35-45 km/hr on loose gravely country roads is already fast enough!!! if you do not want to crash every 200m. So why buy a BMW 310 or 650 if you cant ride safely anyway more than above mentioned safe speeds. BMW are good as commuters. However for real world adventure, camping, fishing,hunting exploring. Those large Adventure bikes are definitly an unneccessary overkill, too powerfull and cost too much to buy and run. My bike new on the road 2 years ago was 1500€ in Australia. Thanks again for having the guts to talk about this. 🙏 Good luck and safe adventures.
@bertbarra10116 ай бұрын
I fully agree. I'm riding very fast machines on a highway and good roads, because I love the power, BUT I would never even consider to buy such a heavy nonsense marketing ADV bike and especially not for offroad. It's like those big heavy fancy SUV's with flat road tyres, the only use-case is to consume fuel.
@Synthwave89Ай бұрын
Depends on the location too. Maybe in africa or asia or some parts of europe a 125 would be fine, but in the states unless you are strictly local and have local adventure spots, you will need to use the highway. And a bike that small will get you killed there. I'm sure there are better options for that like a dual sport with more powerful engine but not as heavy as ADV
@MybeautifulandamazingPrincessАй бұрын
A BMW bike's maintenance isn't expensive. You're hela broke if regular maintenance bills are too much for you to afford
@Quest4us9 ай бұрын
This is a much needed discussion. The man speaks the truth of many valid issues of a big bike's enormous cost, the many dangers of a heavy bike, the costly repairs and the staggering depreciation that a long journey will do to one's bike. Thank you!
@allenjubin8 ай бұрын
Here in Vietnam every bike is an ADV bike! I have a Honda CRF 150L, couple of my buddies on a Tiger 900 and the other on a CBX 500 can't keep up with me on trails in the Jungle. Great Video!
@russwright3 ай бұрын
Especially in town with scooters swarming around you! That's an adventure.
@LimitlessSimpleton6 ай бұрын
I have a used single cylinder f650gs. I rode it from where I live in Michigan to where my dad lives in Texas. Its about 1500 miles, or 2400 km. It was a comfortable ride and the bike never skipped a beat. Just this week I explored some trails near my house and the bike did great. It probably would have been better on a 250cc dirtbike, but I could never have traveled 1500 miles on one of those. I think the 650 is the perfect solution for someone who only wants to own one bike. It is light and nimble enough to be fun off road, and sporty enough to be fun in the twisties while being comfortable enough for touring. I personally don't see any false advertising, only people with false expectations.
@lukastomasch5 ай бұрын
I agree with you 100%. An adventure bike is ANY bike you take for a ride. As kids we took 40 year old two strokes to places they were absolutely not designed for and we had stupid fun. And as for the unrealistic videos, even Pol Tarrés takes weeks of controlled environment training to shoot minutes of breathtaking clips. So I say, grab what you have, put knobies on it if you want and have fun. Just know your limits. Those will usually be way lower than the limits of your bike :)
@purificator10049 ай бұрын
The motorcycle industry is just another example of the big marketing strategy that moved from the "what" to "why". They convince you about a dream or an idea and make you think their product is the only way to achieve it...take the example of gopro camera ads: big advertisement of the adventure etc...but people end up buying them and use them in the swimming pool recording their kids. The truth is: if you want to live somethjng you have to work on your inner self only...once you master it then any tool becomes handy and doable for your self expression...and never the other way around...
@Nathan-zb6xz9 ай бұрын
Well said. That's why I ride a kawasaki z300. Cheap, easy, and keeps up with other bikes on rides. Lose the ego 🙏🏼
@RoadDogSteve9 ай бұрын
I think it's called what's trending.... lol
@purificator10049 ай бұрын
@davids.1126 buying a dream is the result of either being unable to dream or unable to work on realising a dream...instant gratification addiction is buying = fulfilling....the real achievement is the hardwork to move from a wishful thinking to actually doing.. and it is never easy...
@purificator10049 ай бұрын
@RoadDogSteve and the wish to be part of something..which means being with your ownself is not fulfilling and you need constant validation...really sad way of living
@A_n_y_t_i_m_e6 ай бұрын
"What" to "why" 🎯
@teestroyer9 ай бұрын
Every motorcycle is an "adventure motorcycle".
@michelt43907 ай бұрын
Isn't there something about an adventure is using inappropriate items, in ways they weren't intended to 😂
@think72999 ай бұрын
Spot on! I'm an Aussie and my 25HP Himalayan does just fine in the national parks and on the freeways to get there, no need for 140HP monster.
@charliequach63997 ай бұрын
I'm looking at a second bike, and the new RE Himalayan with 40 ponnies is looking really good. It even has ride-by-wire! I'll decide in a few months after tax time between this and a Honda CB500X/NX500.
@yendor9078Ай бұрын
@@charliequach6399 Mate you can't go wrong with a CB500x I absolutely love my 2022 model. I can't see myself wanting anything else. Love it.
@charliequach6399Ай бұрын
@@yendor9078 CFMOTO has a new model 800MT-X coming out next year. I'm looking forward to it.
@davenehilla96102 ай бұрын
Beautifully done. The world is full of people trying to separate us from our money by selling an image. I see these bikes here in my neighborhood……in Florida! Hell, I can’t find a single track mountain bike trail since I moved here from Tennessee! I have no idea where these folks are going. Too high, too heavy, too expensive. You nailed it brother!
@andrewdoran45725 ай бұрын
Ive done motorcycle touring on 1000cc and 250 cc bikes....the most fun i had was on my MZ 250, yup......took less crap and was better for it too. Its just a whole marketing trick to convince you that you need more lights and gadgets you really don't need. Imagine dropping a bike that costs 12 grand plus, apart from trying to pick it up you then have to pay for the damage. Others have mentioned on other threads here that touring is the journey, the sights, the memories and the people you meet along the way.
@PovilasPanavas9 ай бұрын
(1) I think people very often don't understand what means to use a lot of strength. Anyone who goes to gym understands this. For example, once you did your squats set, you're done for the day. No matter what you do for the rest of the day (even if you take a nap), you're done. The same with motorcycle lifting. If you lift it couple of times, you're done for the day. You will be tired, harder to concentrate, paying less attention to environment, etc. Big amount of muscles used close to the maximum power exerts the body immediately, and makes your brain go into power saving mode. This is dangerous.
@Wollestar9 ай бұрын
I just noticed it today again (and actually on a regular basis). Went to the gym for leg day, jumped into my car and went to the supermarket. Forgot half the things I wanted to buy and parts of the ride to the supermarket I was not focused on traffic. Doesn´t happen to me on off days.
@julianperry51419 ай бұрын
You guys are obviously soft, I have no problem remembering the eggs in the shopping after training...take some concrete pills
@DavidKD20509 ай бұрын
Yep, my VStrom 650 is lovely 🥰 around town, highway, and down the several km of dirt road where I live. I’d ride around Australia (where I live) or any other developed country. I can choose to stay on good roads in these countries. I am a good off road rider and can take my tank of a bike places it shouldn’t go. But no way in hell am I going anywhere near tricky stuff away from help, especially in a far off land. Tipping it over could break my leg. Could break the bike. And could be in an awkward spot that is impossible to extract from without considerable backup. Personally I’d choose a bike around 250 to tour on, the exact bike would be, as mentioned, something ubiquitous in the area I’m traveling.
@mapache_del_sur9 ай бұрын
@@DavidKD2050 when I get to take my wife’s XT250 out for a ride, it makes me brave! It feels like a mountain bike with a little motor after coming off my big bike. It’s arguably more fun, especially keeping it revving high and just letting it rip.
@robertthompson09 ай бұрын
Yep central nervous system does not want to be taxed like that repeatedly without recovery.
@mauihugebong9 ай бұрын
To each his/her own…. I bought a new Triumph Tiger 900 Rally in 2021 and since have finished 3 BDR routes, the Continental Divide Route, and made it to the Arctic Ocean via Tuktoyaktuk in addition to crossing the US coast to coast. Not once have I regretted purchasing this size or style of bike and I love the “adventures” I have had. I came to the 900 after almost 20 years on a BMW 650 that just felt too small more often than too big. If someone is lured into thinking they are Pol Terres or Chris Birch by the marketing clips they’ve got much bigger problems - A man’s gotta know his limitations!! BTW - I’m over 60 years old and consider myself an average skilled rider. I do try to ride smart though and do not venture off-road alone…
@FreeMilesMC9 ай бұрын
Riding smart is really important. As this video is mostly about the attitude and marketing around these bikes not encouraging that☺️
@mauihugebong9 ай бұрын
I’m all for honesty and truth in advertising and the media. When bone heads cannot distinguish fantasy from reality the world becomes a dangerous place
@happyness52939 ай бұрын
You have to admit, u bought just the right size adventure bike. Out of the top brands.. the 900 tiger doesn't feel top heavy, and the seat height is perfect..plenty of suspension, and priced right. BMW GS, on the other hand... way overrated, and priced.
@lvhdmya48079 ай бұрын
I don't think you're an average rider. You 'graduated' from that 650 knowing very well what you were getting into, so in my book that makes you well in the top 20-10% of riders.
@erickelly71617 ай бұрын
Great explanation. I have a 1250 gsa which I did the complete Idaho bdr and I'm taking my 890 adv r to death valley in 2 days solo. If you enjoy the trip to the dirt and want to explore and have confidence in your skills then a mid level adv is perfect
@rabukan58429 ай бұрын
This is one of the most honest and truthful videos on this subject. I recently bought a 2012 BMW f650gs for $1,500, then fixed a few things that needed repair, bought engine crash bars, panniers (Givi,) Michelin Anakee Adventures, and changed out the heavy lead battery and regulator for a lithium battery making the bike less top heavy. In total, I spent about $4,500 in total on the bike, and this thing is like new. It already had a skid plate and top box (Vario) and I could not be happier with the Givi's. I have taken it off road on gravel, small rocks, and sand and it did fine. I don't need any more power than this has, and I bring gear like my tent, chairs, stove, etc. and this bike is all I need. It doesn't have fancy electronics, but I don't need it. It's simple and easy to maintain, and very easy to handle. Thanks for saying what many of us want to say.
@okanaganrider433223 күн бұрын
I bought a 2004 F650GS some years back. It needed a lot of small repairs and a few time consuming ones. But when I was finished it was in excellent shape. It came with factory panniers and top box. I put more aggressive tires on it the second year and go on dirt back roads all the time. It’s a keeper.
@erkutgurun4 ай бұрын
I've usually always bought adventure bikes in the 10K Euro range and never go offroad. I buy them regardles, because of their straight seating position, their comfortable suspension settings and their error forgivingness when going in and out of potholes and speed bumps, and unpaved roads INSIDE the city. (living in Turkey, due to these reasons, adv bikes seem to be a good choice.) Living in Germany for example, I would 110% get a sport tourer or perhaps a maxi scooter.
@yarilich544Ай бұрын
Yeah, here in Ukraine there is no point in road bikes. An adv would suit these roads just fine
@michaeltaylor32762 ай бұрын
Great vid bud, spot on with your information, I've got an old suzuki dr350, gets me everywhere, on and off road, sure its not powerful, but its simple and easy to fix. Been scoffed at a few times by a couple of big adventure bike owners, but there you go! Keep up the vids 👍
@MrTrialamp9 ай бұрын
"All these points resonate with me completely. I've mentioned them many times in discussions with motorbike enthusiasts, and I get the impression that most people believe that by buying a Yamaha Tenere or a KTM, suddenly, as if by magic, they'll become the next Pol Tarres or Adam Raga. This is the reason why, for so many years, they haven't taken the plunge. Now, everyone thinks we'll conquer the mountains. That was the issue."
@kysakexpress9 ай бұрын
I think the first question before someone takes these bikes off-road is if they are physically able to handle them. I can pick my T7 up dozen times, but im 193cm, 100kg. Second is how comfortable are they with dropping it, because it WILL happen and something gets broken. And third to either if they are willing get some proper training and practice technique. T7 is pretty easy to ride off-road once you know the basics of riding and it's a lot of fun seeing what these big bikes are capable of. But people should be realistic about their ability, either physical or technical.
@franknada82358 ай бұрын
Yeah, I'm going for a scooter. Maybe also trade it to some other brand in another country depending on how common spare parts are etc.
@gpa19788 ай бұрын
@@kysakexpress Im in the lack of all of those things 🤣
@fuglbird2 ай бұрын
@@kysakexpress Why are many motorcyclists overweight? I always like to do some trekking along the way to get some exercise. I always ride in my hiking boots.
@fuglbird2 ай бұрын
Who are Pol Tarres and Adam Raga?
@mariog47078 ай бұрын
Totally agree - look at “Itchy Boots” - she tours the world on a 300cc Honda and it’s perfect for the job. Big adventure bikes are really just rebadged road tourers - it’s image over reality.
@The_Touring_Jedi7 ай бұрын
Itchy what???😂😂😂
@victorshackapopulus60787 ай бұрын
I hired a Honda CRF300 and toured Northern Thailand. It was so much fun. Light and powerful enough for those tight switchbacks and trails. Also fast enough to keep up with traffic on the bussy dual carriage ways. 70mph all day. 😊
@sunhead-x6 ай бұрын
@@The_Touring_JediYou should look her up. Enriching the scene with her content.
@The_Touring_Jedi6 ай бұрын
@@sunhead-x Give me a break...who watches that shit.
@sunhead-x6 ай бұрын
@@The_Touring_Jedishe gets praised by basically the whole adv community for a reason 🤷. But if you don't like it, it's fine 😉
@davedoingdavethings2479 ай бұрын
You can ride around the world on a 500cc anything. People have been off road riding and touring on old modified road bikes since ww11. Japanese bikes from the 80's and 90's are built well and still supported around the world today. Modern adventure bikes are too heavy, tall, and powerful.
@vincentcarmine87318 ай бұрын
Correct 👍🏻, they are over engineered and overly technical basically not suitable for the purpose the manufacturer says they are built for
@bertbarra10116 ай бұрын
Marketing bullshit, selling the nonsense to people as usual. Nothing new under the sun. Yes, especially tall, designed to fall.
@davebevin3 ай бұрын
Maybe, if you’re weak and short. Look, you can ride around the globe on the Honda C90 if you want to but will it carry all your gear? Will it do the speeds/miles you need to do? If all you want to do on a single ride is hit the trails etc, buy a dirt bike and chuck it on your truck. But, if like many of us, we might ride 300 miles to catch up with mates before travelling for days off road with all the gear that entails. That’s what ADV bikes are for. I have stacks of bikes, at least one for any occasion. You ride what is best to meet your needs for that ride. Many of you don’t have the money to be able to do that so you buy one or maybe two bikes to try and cover all. I get it. Doesn’t stop me enjoying mine.
@Synthwave89Ай бұрын
Dang, thats a whole lotta world wars. I'm sure bikes got a lot better since then
@SumPixelz2 ай бұрын
Simplify your life! This you can apply to basically everything. Nice video man! And I love that you put your microphone on a wooden spoon😂.
@TheStumpyfsr7 ай бұрын
Good points in your video. Modern adv bike are too heavy for hard off-road. However adv bike have some advantages over big sport tourers like bmw k1600: upright position, spoked wheels, suspension that works off-road better. That’s why most adv bikes are used as a tourers and never roll off of pavement. Clearance is important if riding on mountain passes, deep sand and mud. If dual sport had better wind protection and better highway capabilities I’d buy one in a heartbeat
@makethingshappen84279 ай бұрын
Bigger concern is becoming a target when riding around places where your shiny expensive bike cost as much as peoples houses in the area.
@mweskamppp8 ай бұрын
I would like to recommend the channel of "itchy boots". Noraly, a young woman is travelling the world with motorcycle for 7 years now. All by herself. Started in India with a royal enfield Himalaya. to Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia. By ship to Oman, to Emirates. By ship to Iran, then through all central asia, Kazakhstan, Russia, Caucasus, Turkey, Balkan, Netherlands. Then to Argentina for a tour to north canada. Had to stop in bolivia for Corona. Did a south Africa tour. Finished the Transamerikana tour. Is now on Africa tour. Started in Morocco down all of Westafrica, Nigeria, Kameroon, Congo, Angola, Sambia. Now with plane via Ethiopia to Madagascar for a one week site seeing... Updates about 2 times a week. She changed to a Honda since south africa tour.
@youtubehatestruthtellers80658 ай бұрын
You live in a created fantasy. Ppl would faster steal a car than a bike especially if you're "riding around town". Yes every type of vehicle gets stolen but i have yet to see a bike in motion get stolen😂
@makethingshappen84278 ай бұрын
@@youtubehatestruthtellers8065 you should go to nyc. They steal bikes moving, non moving, even parked inside homes. You got it, theyll take it!
@pawelwis72158 ай бұрын
Do you think she will brag about her problems? I won't believe for the life of me that a single white woman in India didn't have problems.
@humbertorequenadelarosa7268 ай бұрын
@@youtubehatestruthtellers8065I wish I wouldn't have to correct you, but in Mexico City big bikes from expensive brands do get stolen in motion 😔
@jonlough30748 ай бұрын
The biggest issue with the design of adv bikes in my opinion is the size as it relates to most riders. I dont have this issue bc i am a big guy. I look like a bear on a a bicycle when i ride my Africa Twin. I added 3 inches to the seat and I can still flat foot it. This helps tremendously with off road riding. Ive been through deep water, in the air, and on some single track. 95 percent of my riding is on pavement. If money wasn't a constraint, I'd have a different bike for every situation.
@fuglbird2 ай бұрын
And how would you take the bikes with you? Would you have a truck following you all the time?
@jonlough30742 ай бұрын
@fuglbird that would be cool too, but I was thinking more along the lines of "I am taking this bike today" or "I'll take that bike tomorrow."
@Taliinburged8 ай бұрын
I totally agree with you. I have ktm 390adv for 4 years and my riding buddy has ktm790 adv. When we are on sand or mud or when it rains I always have to help him to lift his bike up.
@cmerighe22 ай бұрын
The most fun I have ever had on a motorcycle was going down to the coast on a 125 cc Honda in Brazil.
@dzikieswinie7 ай бұрын
Agreed! In our opinion get a bike you can handle. The lighter the better for offroad. If you are riding in difficult terrain and you are a small person, tired after a long trip, you will not be able to pick a big motorcycle up alone, if it falls. No method will help.
@petradeter68829 ай бұрын
I can agree to many aspects. However, if you are getting older, you might also prefer the relaxed higher seat, knee angle and suspension comfort such a bike offers. And it has not to be that expensive either: I am very happy with my used BMW F700 GS!
@FreeMilesMC9 ай бұрын
Yes you are right about that. And I do think those bikes are amazing in that regard ☺️
@bigglyguy84299 ай бұрын
My KLX250 is pretty upright and relaxed, to the point wind resistance is an issue at higher speeds. So I ride slower and enjoy the scenery :)
@williambutler36309 ай бұрын
I agree completely if you can find comfort on that motorcycle for a long trip. Some of us, however, can only manage a couple hours. I love the weight and nimbleness of your bike, but the seat is just too narrow for me unless I lean over the bars like a sportbike and push my butt almost to the pillion.
@bigglyguy84299 ай бұрын
@@williambutler3630 On my KLX I fitted a Corbin custom seat, an inch lower and 2 inches wider than the original Kawasaki seat. I must say though, I still got a sore ass after around 3 hours. I angled the bars and levers for easy standing up, and if on a long journey it's not unusual for me to ride a couple of miles standing, to give my ass a rest. It's also great for airflow through the various vents in my clothing, which is super handy here in Borneo :)
@petradeter68829 ай бұрын
@@williambutler3630 I put on the comfort seat, that works fine for me😉
@discoveror95769 ай бұрын
Thank you - for the honesty to point out some realities. In the countless travel videos I've watched, you are the first one I've seen mention that bikes are essentially trashed/totaled/ruined by dirty off-pavement trips. Every time I see a video going North to the arctic via the Dalton or Dempster Highways, I ask myself, "Would I trash my bike/Jeep just for THAT scenery?". Going off-pavement, I ALWAYS think in terms of what I call the 'effort to scenery ratio' ... and ask myself, "Is that scenery worth the effort/price/risk?". You forgot to mention that Adventure bike marketers hire the BEST/TOP riders in the world for those advertising stunts; those skills were developed over a lifetime, including hospitalizations. Occasionally, I hear it said that the TOP/BEST riders can ride any bike (in any condition). That suggests to me that the electronic riding aids are seen/used as a crutch for/by those lacking such top riding skills ... and who think that their $money$ (for electronic riding aids) will overcome the skills that they lack. Despite countless videos outlining 'the Unicorn' travel/adventure bike, I see most bike offerings ignoring the requisite parameters (many of which you covered, too) ... instead offering heavier, more useless, but profitable, models for adventure riding. I think that the 'adventurer', challenging 'nature', is actually challenging God ... about THE MOST STUPID thing a human can do! Thanks, again ... for saying what needs to be said.
@FreeMilesMC9 ай бұрын
Thanks for the apretiation. The loss of value can be fixed by taking a bike there that can not Fall in value anymore. I have put my Yamaha xj through 40000 Kilometers and some quite ruff stuff. But a 500 Euro motorcycle can not become any cheaper. Also at the Moment there Seem to be a lot super cheap bikes on eBay I actually bought a second xj because of that. Somthing seems to be up with the market. Maybe I should make a video about that☺️
@mauihugebong9 ай бұрын
Did the Dempster last year- friggin epic!!! 45 days on the road camped out 30+ days, had good weather, bad weather and everything in between. No harm to my bike. Trip of a lifetime!! Just like the guy says- what you see/get in the videos is not see/get in real life…
@bigglyguy84299 ай бұрын
Regarding height, I've fitted a lowering kit on my KLX250S, so she's really low down now, as I also lowered the adjustable suspension and moved the forks to their limit. The result is I can easily put a foot down now, paddling through boggy stuff, and so far I've never had an issue with ground clearance. I don't use it for motocross jumping, just trail rides with panniers, top-box and a little windscreen. Wider, lower seat too, from Corbin.
@Cliffs-h8f7 ай бұрын
My 1986 Trail 110 is quite adventurous. Gets 89 mpg. Has crawl gears and is light. Goes where most other bikes can't...
@grimmbartrides7 ай бұрын
I agree with almost every point you make, and especially about the nonsense of going off-road with an ADV. However, I switched from a sports tourer to an ADV myself 2 years ago, for 2 main reasons: 1) the suspension is typically better suited for the often "adventuresome" 50-shades-of-grey road conditions in southeast Europe (and many other countries); 2) creature comforts. The elevated riding position makes for a much more relaxed knee angle and upright torso, which is so much more comfortable on long hauls. Either way, my pick was a 2nd hand V-Strom 1000, which cost me some 6.3k and works perfectly fine as travel bike.
@johnnyjohnn2819 ай бұрын
We need more spoon-microphones on KZbin videos! Love it. 😁
@soldierboy4259 ай бұрын
I agree 100%. I bought a 2018 Africa Twin brand new, spent another $2k on bars, and bags. Went out on a 2k mile trip through the deserts of California and Arizona. That bike was SO miserable to ride. I almost left it in Az. I couldn’t sit on that POS for more than two hours. It was constantly in the shop for electrical gremlins, and when I did take it off road. I was so terrified to drop my $17k bike. I couldn’t enjoy myself. I recently picked up a used Vstrom 650 XT for a song and a dance. It does exactly what I need it to do. It’s given me zero problems, and I don’t care if I drop it.
@dfaro84539 ай бұрын
What do you think about those Chinese bikes off Amazon?
@RocketPropelledWombat9 ай бұрын
Kinda surprised to hear that! I think the sit up and beg riding style would kill my back and i'd be terrified of dropping the thing if I owned one, but they're still a beautiful bike. Would still own one if I could keep more than one bike.
@srhintz8 ай бұрын
Yeah that should be real comfortable for 2k miles GTFO
@junglejarred63668 ай бұрын
@@srhintz what exactly is your point? I just did 9k miles on my 650 versys which is comparable to the vstrom. And 2.5k of that I had a passenger. Was very comfortable. I love my versys
@danreich43208 ай бұрын
@@junglejarred6366 the versys is about perfect.
@patkennedy19 ай бұрын
Every bike we might buy today is a compromise, as bikes have become increasingly specialised in the last 20 years. I totally agree that many of the big 'adventure bikes' are too much of a compromise, due to their size and weight, and I suspect many are realising this now, leading to the rise in availability of 'middle-weight' ADV bikes. In this class the Aprilia Tuareg is a star, being very capable off-road, but is quite expensive in this country (Australia) and is a little 'stretched' on the hghway. I bought a Honda Transalp as a cheaper, and more road-orientated solution, for an 'all round bike', and honestly - 9,400 kms in, it is doing a decent job. Fortunately we have endless miles of dirt roads here, most of which, yes, could be ridden on a road bike, but the suspension travel of a mid-sized ADV bike (and 21" front wheel) is much more comfortable/practical in this setting. Then on the long-distance sealed road sections, the Transalp is quite capable at higher road speeds. There is no 'unicorn' bike for this purpose, and every offering is a compromise, but a bike like theTransalp is relatively inexpensive, not as heavy as the 1000 cc offerings, and if it falls over? Well, it didn't cost too much. I still have a very light, very fast Ducati road bike, but the Transalp is close to ideal as a less-specialised alternative, and I find myself taking it out the most. It is easy and capable at most things. A 250 - 300cc bike, while much better in tight off-road situations, just won't do the longer road miles as well. But your point of view is refreshing and honest, and offers an alternative to the adventure bike obsession that the marketing teams have exaggerated, and which in reality don't suit as many people as they pretend. Well done.
@FreeMilesMC9 ай бұрын
Thanks for this nice comment. Going though Australia on a transalp honeslty sounds like a dream☺️
@cmerighe22 ай бұрын
I just finished watching this guy crossing the Trans America trail on a Honda CT 125 Trail bike. It doesn’t matter how much power your bike has when you are knee-deep crossing a river.
@raymadani2707 ай бұрын
very true. Thank you for the video and sharing your thoughts with us.
@gypsymonk82299 ай бұрын
You are right. In the past people would just jump on DR 650 or XT500 or Africa Twin....and make trip around the world. Or....get some old 4 cylinders 600 and fit off road tyres. Protect it and slightly modify it and here you go....I had SV 650 before Hornet 600 and before that ...XJ 600 Diversion !!!😊 ps. Hornet is much easier to kick start than SV ! 😅
@FreeMilesMC9 ай бұрын
Haha yes exactly that can be a way to do it. In the end getting going matters Most ☺️
@chrishart85489 ай бұрын
An old xj600 with off road tyres we be great for a round the world trip.
@gypsymonk82299 ай бұрын
She can do it. Better than 900 Diversion. She is light and it's better chain for off road. I had 600...it's fun . It had rear chock from Drag Star 650....a bit longer. It was perfect. @chrishart8548
@coconuciferanuts3399 ай бұрын
My humble dl650a/xa(v-strom) can do it all.
@janwind42659 ай бұрын
I agree with you very much and a good example, I think, is Itchy Boots with her Honda Crf 350. Simple, light, enough power and no fancy gadgets. But Puck Futin.
@shaneryan90769 ай бұрын
it got dropped in a river... imagine that was a gs 😅
@ffarmchicken9 ай бұрын
@@shaneryan9076 And she was lucky it dropped in the shallow part of the river. 😂
@m2menuiserie5409 ай бұрын
@@shaneryan9076 Upside down! A GS would have sunk deep in the silt, for a geologist to find a million years hence. Gigantosaurus?
@ByronWWW8 ай бұрын
That's a great bike but I imagine it would be miserable going on such a long tour on it - hours of motorways , skinny seat before you get to spots where it starts being useful.
@BruceHoult8 ай бұрын
I've got two bikes. A 1995 BMW R1100RT (owned from new), and a 2019 Honda CRF250 Rally. Sure, the BMW is the one to take if you're planning 900 km in a day, but the little Honda is just fine for 300-400 km, especially if you're going to stop and get off from time to time to look at the sights. The weather/wind protection is surprisingly good, and 110 km/h still feels like cruising. The seat gets a bit hard after two hours. You can get a comfier seat, but I haven't bothered. The RT will handle gravel roads (I live on one), but slower and a lot less fun than the 250.@@ByronWWW
@gerardomusano69199 ай бұрын
This is the same in the car world id you don't have a SUV you can not go on long journey
@FreeMilesMC9 ай бұрын
Haha yea I personally prefer station wagons for touring in a car as you just have more room and it’s easier to camp with. And also cheaper, took a Holden commodore through Australia
@zweispurmopped9 ай бұрын
Aren't the big and heavy "adventure" bikes just single track SUVs?
@-Mintyy8 ай бұрын
@@zweispurmoppedyea this is not true at all. I can’t tell if they’re being serious or pointing out that people wrongly think this way and say this kind of shit.
@Conzales4 ай бұрын
I do agree on the advertising, it's a false image. They never show fully loaded bikes which is a reality of touring. Have to get to the starting point of a big trip first. That's the difficult part with having to take all sorts of gear and supplies. I rather have a bigger stronger bike for highways than a moped that's just enough for offroad. That's the reason big bikes sell. Comfort on long journeys is important too. If one lives near nice motorcycle country roads, sure use a light bike.
@RobertTeneryFiremarkMinistries5 ай бұрын
I appreciate your wisdom on the “adventure” bikes. I was also turning my head sideways wondering how a big, high hp adv bike would be able to handle offroad. It didn’t make sense. I have a Harley for cruising, yet like your thoughts on the dual sport for offroad.
@jpc22249 ай бұрын
You are so very correct and accurate! That's why i still own my dr650. Often the new technology catches my attention but i go back to how much i adventure on my bike, can i see myself on a big expensive bike...and i go into my barn and find that i still love my classic dr650 and very happy with my decision to spend money on gear, my trips and good food rather than an expensive bike.
@dk.6509 ай бұрын
Same here😂
@KLRmurdercycle9 ай бұрын
😄 so true. I have a space for a triumph tiger sport 660. But my old school brain keeps me in line
@duncanb19818 ай бұрын
If I travelled the globe on gravel it would be on a DR.
@bigskunk8018 ай бұрын
I think you have the right kind of bike. The fact is the KLR 650 sold so many more bikes than the rest because of the larger tank and cargo area.
@ThrottleAddiction9 ай бұрын
100% I was watching a local (Australian) KZbin channel, where a heap of guys went on an organised ride. There were more than a few riders with minimal riding skills and amongst those were ones who had bought Africa Twins, a Ducati Multistrada, a big V-Strom and so on. They went to one place which had a gravel driveway going down to a building. Three of the unskilled and somewhat overweight riders had to get others to ride their bikes back up and out the driveway because they'd dropped, fallen off or just lacked any confidence at negotiating such a simple task. They had bought bikes that were effectively 'bitten off more than they could chew'. They bought the dream of adventure that they will probably never achieve.
@KeepItSimpleSailor9 ай бұрын
A lot of these riders should consider smaller adv bikes
@RadioSnivins9 ай бұрын
I think that was Shonky the CRF300L Rally chap - kzbin.info/www/bejne/fZSTc6OAasl-gbcsi=QfGSaQ3dE59UC7HL
@fabiopunk16619 ай бұрын
Ok so that was a little fraction of all "world bikers".
@kojoefante7 ай бұрын
So you’re basing your decision on Amateurs?
@andrewhuynh7 ай бұрын
yeah let's just gatekeep everybody who enjoys riding because they are beginners, why bother trying am I right? Everyone should just stick to cars.
@rogereverett90959 ай бұрын
Living in the uk I spend 50% of my time offroad on muddy gnarly gravel trails on my gs 1250. 22K last year. Yes I have to pick up my bike regularly but the beauty of the gs is that it can do both onroad and offroad comfortably. At the weekend I do ride my enduro bike maybe 100k on hard enduro trails , ktm 300exc. But only offroad, highway speed is definitely not comfortable. So for us lucky fortunate guys who aren't banned from offroading, do many miles a year ,the large adventure bikes definitely have their place.
@FreeMilesMC9 ай бұрын
Yes and as it sounds you also have realistic expectations what your big bike can do ☺️. As ofcourse they can handle the the one or other trail
@moorshound32438 ай бұрын
I still like my little Royal Enfield Himalayan. No way could I be messing about with a monster GS Far too big and far too complicated for me. My friend has one he won't even take it down a muddy farm track for fear of it getting dirty haha!
@neilgill22692 ай бұрын
WISE WORDS YOUNG MAN...SIMPLICITY IS WHAT MOTORCYCLES SHOULD BE ABOUT,..NO ROOF,NO DOORS,,ONE SEAT,ETC.LONE WOLF,,SOME TIMES YOU RUN WITH THE PACK!...PURE FUCK OFF FUN.!
@yari-youraveragerideronthe70013 ай бұрын
I love the simple and straightforward explanation. I hate that they're so heavy. So my current bike isn't getting more BS accessories as I used to as a newer rider... The bigger, badder protection the better. But like the upright riding position and more comfortable suspension on road indentations/ imperfections. Agree with you that we're just all SCAMMED... Marketers are just too good at their jobs.
@MKA639 ай бұрын
I can see the logic in most of your video, but it's not going to make me sell my 2023 R1250 GS. The amount I would use it on surfaces other than sealed road (probably only 5%), make it the perfect bike for me. Comfort and touring capability with the ability to go offroad when I want to are extremely important to me - it's knowing that the adaptability is there when I need it. All that power - well, not as much as the Multistrada or KTM in the same range, but I don't have to downshift to overtake because of all of the torque. Also, the weight has a very low center of gravity because of the positioning of the boxer engine - a huge advantage over other bikes in a similar category such as the Tiger 1200. Low speed maneuvering is also much better than other bikes in this class. I understand and appreciate what you are saying, but for my purpose, I have the perfect bike. This is my seventh bike, so I'm no noob.
@mcearl80739 ай бұрын
He does contradict a lot of what he says in this video. Obviously a small dual sport is more capable off road, we all know that. But he also says that the vast majority of an adventure ride is going to be on pavement, that is why these big adventure bikes are much more suited to the road. No one is buying a GS if their only plan is to do hardcore off roading. A dual sport would be better for someone who’s doing mostly off road with small stretches of pavement. And while you could use a sport tourer to do a lot of the off road an ADV comes across, they are also expensive and there’s less protection items you can put on and more easily breakable fairings so you’ll tank the value of an ST quicker taking it off road. People buying second hand ADV bikes are going to expect some scratches.
@heimdall41482 ай бұрын
He's not saying it's a bad bike, he only means that the marketing makes people believe that big adventure bikes are good off-road bikes, and in reality they are not.
@radiocrash9 ай бұрын
It all depends on what you like. Some people like fancy hotels, some like to rough it. There’s no arguing that if you want to do huge miles in a day a GS will be nicer than a xj6r
@gypsymonk82299 ай бұрын
Some like to pull their bike on the trailer.
@PovilasPanavas9 ай бұрын
@@gypsymonk8229 I think that would be a separate category, we are talking about adventure traveling (industry). If you pull your bike with a car, that's a separate category. Also, if you were being sarcastic, I missed that.
@FreeMilesMC9 ай бұрын
Yes you are First of all Right but in the end the gs is not really keepibg up with the advertisment promises especially when it comes to Price and utilety
@joedudz9 ай бұрын
So would a bunch of other bikes
@jimbroen9 ай бұрын
Wouldn't a Goldwing be even nicer?
@seanhewitt25219 ай бұрын
Yes, and no. My first bike was a used triumph trophy 500; with scrambler pipes and somewhat aggressive tires. My second was the Suzuki 750 water buffalo. After that I bought a series of twins that I could modify to do better off pavement. For me the sweet spot is a 650 single. I do like my comforts. My two favorite bikes gen one and gen three klr. Can big bikes be ridden hard off road? Yes. Should they be? It depends racing is one thing travel is another.
@davidgreenwood77973 ай бұрын
Spot on all points! Been riding an XT250 for 12 years motor camping trail riding and commuting. Bought for 5k sold for 2k. Now I trail ride (upstate NewYork) with en electric mountain bike. Getting a Hunter 350 for everything else.
@momoski682 ай бұрын
Excellent video, I have the GOAT of adventure bikes imho, the DR650. 366 pounds and tons of torque. Parabellum rally windscreen and an Acerbis 5.3 fuel tank with some Tusk soft bags and there is nothing my girl cannot do 🙂
@federiconaumow8 ай бұрын
One of the most honest and valuable videos I`ve seen on youtube. I just subscribed to your channel. That means I don't know anything about this channel and its content. Just this particular video. Being said that, I guess the big brands won't give you their top of the line machines for you to review after watching this video?. LOL
@FreeMilesMC8 ай бұрын
No they won’t 😂😂. But I still review motorcycles sometimes. Most of the content is more about the experience of riding a motorcycle then about the bikes itself. A lot of motorcycle travel content. Feel free to check out the motorcycle surf trip or my motorcycle trip through Iceland on a 500 euro bike ☺️
@SherKhan-b1kes9 ай бұрын
The majority of “so-called” big Adventure bikes only see off-road riding across a garden path or through the camping site. Itchy Boots rides through everything on a Honda Crf300 (Alaska) Not sure if I would recommend buying a secondhand bike from her. I was able to ride across a field on my Honda Vfr750F but most important, I’m an ex MotoCross racer. Get experience on courses will help getting you out of trouble. Greets from Düsseldorf 😉
@FreeMilesMC9 ай бұрын
I agree that experience is quite important. And the crf 300 is in my opinion a brilliant bike for that. Would love to ride it ☺️
@waimser9 ай бұрын
My gf has been exploring all the local gravel roads and single track on a honda cb250. The only thing she has trouble with is sand. Understandable as its still running street tyres. Plans were to put oofroad capable tyres on, but we finally found an xt225 that weve been hunting for. Ive taken the cb250 on some crazy trails and didnt hold back. It handles them just fine and is mad fun.
@MrMoneyHelper8 ай бұрын
Many people are using Honda Grom style motorcycles off road. They just put knobby tires on them. They weigh fifty pounds less than 250 cc dual sport motorcycles. Of course the ride is much rougher due to tiny wheels and fewer inches of suspension. Still, they have fun.
@Mountainchip5 ай бұрын
Adventure starts when things go off plan. Bikes today do everything possible to remove the unexpected and reduce the skills necessary to actually ride them. My daily rider and adventure bike is a 990 Adventure. It does everything I want, including single track with a weeks worth of camping gear. However I agree with you, to a point. The marketing of “adventure” bikes is ridiculous. Actual adventure is about the rider. The rider NEEDS the skills that are currently being stuffed into all the computers on bikes (and cars) today. Everything I do with the 990 I used to do on a KLR, which is why I’m putting carbs on the 990, and ditching the ABS. Fewer systems I can’t fix in the field and more real adventure. Keep it up brother.
@jeffreydunn49012 ай бұрын
This truly is a great video from a man who obviously knows what he’s talking about. I know because I fell into those traps. My adventure bike started with an Africa Twin, then a DR650, and now considering a Klx300 dual sport for single tracking. The one bike to do it all is an unachievable dream. If you’re young, strong and experienced the DR650 comes as close as any.
@MrMoneyHelper8 ай бұрын
People have crossed continents on 49cc scooters and bicycles. Which proves that big motorcycles are not a requirement to make such a trip. The cheapest adventure motorcycle is probably the Honda Trail 125. If riding on loose dirt, switch the tires to knobbies. Done. Just don't go places where you need to ride faster than 50 mph.
@davebevin3 ай бұрын
Yeah, they used to walk across countries as well 🙄
@cmerighe22 ай бұрын
Even on a simple unicycle
@AdventureSeekerАй бұрын
I just bikepacked the 48 states on a fat tire bicycle. Shit, give me a motor on anything and I’d go anywhere. In fact, I’m thinking about a North America back country tour on a small scooter. In all the years I’ve been adventuring, the riders have always expressed that they wished they had smaller bikes; the very reason I clicked on the video.
@offroadagain9 ай бұрын
Cheer up Buddy, why so negative? Riding bikes does not make sense at all. We do it just for fun. No commercial ever told me that I need an Africa Twin to ride around the world, but it can be done. This is proven by many, many happy riders all around the world. Everybody should ride the bike he feels good on. I know many people who are really happy on their big ADV bikes. I have participated in off road trainings and was amazed what is possible on a big ADV bike if you know how to. If the value of your bike after riding it is a concern, don't even start it. Put in in your garage and look at it. I don't want to argue on specific points I disagree here. I hope everybody enjoys many safe rides on whatever bike and I hope that you will find more joy in riding again soon (I see a negative trend in your videos and I doubt that this will help to grow your channel and make a career out of it). All the best!
@FreeMilesMC9 ай бұрын
I am Not disagreing with that those bikes can do amazing things. My Main Problem as clear in the Videos is the public Image and how they are presented in advertisment. Don’t worry the Channel will not go in a negative Direktion. Also many positive Videos to come
@LevinsThe8 ай бұрын
I ride f850gs simply because it's awesome:)
8 ай бұрын
He's right lol you just drank the ADV kool aid
@jacksjaunts85808 ай бұрын
Most people who buy big adventure bikes will not take them on any road you couldn’t take any road bike on. They buy them for the comfort they afford and because in their eyes they look good. If you have any off-road skills and are planning a big adventure with unknown road conditions you will be looking for the lightest bike you can get away with. Rider controls won’t be on your list.
@CabMech8 ай бұрын
@danielk34 I can drop the AT and pick it up easily all day, but I'm a bigger guy. Great bikes for me as anything smaller is deeply uncomfortable over long distances
@mephistovonfaust9 ай бұрын
I ride one of the big ADVs (KTM 1050 Adventure) and apart from it being heavy as a mf it is very capable offroad. Much more so than any sports tourer. I'm from southern Germany and wanted to go to the Balkans this year but I'm thinking about doing a three to four week Norway tour instead. As far offroad as possible, equipped with a tent. I'll bet you that I'll bring my bike home safe and sound.
@ApocGuy9 ай бұрын
Ktms are synonym for off roading no wonder why you prefer it over other brands. I had lc 640A, loved that bike, and I'm still kicking my ass for selling it.
@mephistovonfaust9 ай бұрын
@@ApocGuy oh for sure. I always thought that I didn't care that much for brands as long as the bike's right and while that still holds true I fell in love with KTM. It can go fast if you need it to, it has great balance if you go slow and offroading with it is superb. I'll do an enduro training next month on a 1300GS. I sat on a 1250GS before but never ridden one so I'm looking forward to testing out the competition but honestly, I don't know how much better it can get than my KTM.
@dracolupine94419 ай бұрын
Hey in trying to find resources to start adv motocamping. I'm based out of Sicily atm. Any advice
@Dunedain3139 ай бұрын
@@dracolupine9441you’re literally on youtube asking where to find information on something…😉
@mephistovonfaust8 ай бұрын
@@dracolupine9441 I suggest you start by taking part in an enduro course. Before wrecking your bike you should learn to ride off-road
@stevek82 ай бұрын
Some go for form, rather than function. Like those jacked, late 20's dudes who wear tactical gear all of the time. But, I degress. I bought a 12 year old R1200GS Adventure and I absolutely LOVE it. Not many off road areas in my immediate vacinity, but Mark Twain Forest is is about 50 miles away with hundreds of miles of fire and logging roads. So I just ride it on my .2 (point 2) mile commute to work. (I'm sure glad that it came with all of the aluminum cases to hold my lunch)
@nigelholroyd29422 ай бұрын
Ted Simon did 'The WORLD', a very basic 500cc Triumph twin, No fancy tackle, made it up as he went along, Brilliant. 4 years & 64k miles, I've retired my GS1150adv, It was too much angst, still rollong along 19 years later, But the MOST FUN I've even had off road, A very simple Kawasaki KLR 250...(yeah ancient air cooled job) Always with a smile & went absolutely anywhere. A bang on presentation, We were all conned by the media. Also watch Vince Austin & the Mondo enduro vid, Suzuki 350's, Hilarious.
@Joshua-le1vn9 ай бұрын
Idk about "scam" but you do make some valid points for them not being ideal in some situations.
@FreeMilesMC9 ай бұрын
It was with a catchy title in mind. A little bit of clickbait as long as I delivere is alright. ☺️
@Joshua-le1vn9 ай бұрын
@FreeMilesMC Yea it was a good video. Thanks!
@ferexx9 ай бұрын
i remember years ago i went on an overseas cycling trip and when i got home I went to the local bike shop to pick up a secondhand bicycle for 500 bucks. i was spotting my tan lines from the trip and struck up a conversation with another customer who was there to pick up his 2000 dollar bike. he said he was envious of my adventure but that it was out of his budget. i looked at his brand new bike and my second hand one and offered only a smile.
@johnleitnaker29259 ай бұрын
I have a 2011 KLR 650. We are able to find back roads that are rough, huge puddles, etc. I have dropped this tank a number of times but it doesn't evidence any damage. I ride with a few friends, and we can help each other in a jam. I enjoy rides that have some challenges a lot more than riding the twistys.
@MrReymoclif714Ай бұрын
High center of gravity. Heavy.
@MrReymoclif714Ай бұрын
Tank is a mild description.
@pg.travels29 күн бұрын
There's a coffee shop at a race track near to where i live. The car park there is absolutely full of ADV bikes. I think most people's biggest adventure on an ADV is an adventure to a coffee shop and home again...
@garryharris37777 ай бұрын
I love the minimalist studio. I live and ride my bike around Africa. I don’t recommend anything over 450cc. I’m not in Itchy Boots league but, I ride everywhere. Speed limit is 80km (50 mph) and roads are poor or non existent. There’s unmarked speed bumps everywhere. Often times there’s no shoulder. You will have to ride trails and ford creeks and carry across rapid water. Drivers follow no rules and are very dangerous while pedestrians, trucks, cars, push carts, rickshaws, motorcycles, cattle, goats, pigs, dogs, cats, baboons, monkeys, zebra, and an occasional giraffe and elephant will bolt in front of you. Smaller the better.
@clausentumsoton5 ай бұрын
Sounds like my trip to Kenya recently.. true I rented a car but I can see where you're coming from, I take my hat off to you sir!! I noticed on a very challenging and wet 'road' to a small village with HUGE potholes and dips ( a challenge in the 4x4) that locals on those little Chinese bikes just took it in their stride.. I couldn't believe it.. I remember thinking.. 'would I ride on my Enfield 650 here?' Yes but it would be 'very' risky
@garryharris37775 ай бұрын
@@clausentumsoton I ride a Hawk 200 slightly modified. You should be better off on a dual sport or small adventure. Boda Boda riders have to be the best rides in the world. Riding slow is much harder than riding fast. Bodas have sometimes 5 passengers on a 100 cc road bike and ride through dirt, sand and mud and never wreck.
@nduthiguy3 ай бұрын
I ride a SUZUKI DR200SE here in Kenya. Light and reliable.
@garryharris37773 ай бұрын
@@nduthiguy Where did you get it? I ride a Hawk 200 modified. Parts are abundant.
@ReallyStupid-j6d8 ай бұрын
Most 70s motorcycles were adventure motorcycle
@cgtarga1Ай бұрын
Only we were too cool to call them ' adventure motorcycles'. Sounds like something my Nana would have called them.
@FordManiac768 ай бұрын
As a short guy at 5’8” I find most adventure bikes way to big, way to heavy and way too under powered. My dirt bike is a WR450F with a cut seat and a 1 inch lowering rear bracket. It’s a great bike but I want to get into cross country adventure riding. So I am building a scrambler, we will see how it turns out.
@FordManiac768 ай бұрын
Adventure bikes are for tall guys!!
@CabMech8 ай бұрын
@@FordManiac76 tall guy here, yep. AT is a perfect size for me, I get it being too much for someone smaller but it makes me chuckle to hear people say these bikes don't go offroad when I've done BDRs on mine
@michelt43907 ай бұрын
As another shorter 5'8" guy... I've quickly learned that flat footing is way over rated... Practice some trial skills will help a whole lot. - Currently scooting around on a WR250R
@SergeyVikultsev9 ай бұрын
Just look at this from a different angle. They are touring motorcycles. Adventure is only used for marketing because that’s what is exciting for people. Everyone understands that big GS or Tiger or Africa are bikes to travel, not to his gravel. Manufacturers know that, and buyers know that. You need to keep with the “tradition”. Most people who can afford two bikes will keep GS and T7 in their garage. Just take it easy, mate. GS is a great bike, big and heavy, but great on highways. Not a problem to lift it by the way. People buy SUV and use them to bring kids to school and shop for groceries. Nobody do off-roading with them.
@FreeMilesMC9 ай бұрын
I partelly agree if you look at those bikes like that they are truly great. But I feel that many people in motorcycling especially that are new to adventure riding fall for the marketing, that’s why I made this video☺️
@SergeyVikultsev9 ай бұрын
@@FreeMilesMCdon’t get me wrong, I am big advocate for touring bikes (you can watch my channel), as “adventure” term is so broad. But brands sell what people buy. And that is actually the problem of people who don’t really understand what they want to buy. So they buy what is fancy. Most experienced riders I met over my motorcycle life, actually downsizing from bigger bikes and feel happy about it. If you look at GS, BMW struggle with this bike in a way. It just outsold all other bikes they have. And they have plenty of great touring and street bikes. But people still buy GS and cruising along the coast on weekend. So that’s why this bike became expensive - it just needs to have electronics for every scenario. Because adjusting this bike mechanically for every type of riding would be a nightmare. Look it this as iPhone. You probably won’t ever be able to use it in all possible applications. But you have a device which you can build up for all your needs, whoever you are. And because of such flexibility it comes with the price. I am not a big fun of BMW, but have an experience with them. They just targeted to people who want great bike and price is not a question. And they are great bikes for that purpose and type of use. Those bikes rarely get big mileage. You are doing a great work with your channel!
@SergeyVikultsev9 ай бұрын
@@FreeMilesMC why did you delete my next comment which I spent time writing?
@FreeMilesMC9 ай бұрын
Hey, that is a little bit strange. I didn’t delete anything what I see right now is your first comment, then my answer, and then a second comment that is quite long. and right after that you asked why I have deleted something. I don’t know if there was any other content but for sure, I didn’t delete a comment from you. Please check again and let me know if you can find your original text or if it is still gone.
@welfordxxx9 ай бұрын
Good points. Especially when you follow Noraly on Itchy Boots. One of the most skilled tourers off road. She rides a 250 or 300cc small light bike.
@buffalodebill1976Ай бұрын
A bit of an opinion from a cruiser rider.. 1. Electronics used "from the go" (aka being on bikes new riders use to learn themselves the WHAT TOs and HOW TOs) typically produce crappy riders.. In general, all those electronic aids can support the already developed / existing good riding habits, but can never really fix or even seriously mitigate the bad ones. I personally have none and frankly, I don't really miss them - and more, their absence forces me to ALWAYS focus on riding and ALWAYS drive in such a way, that I do return home (aka without any incidents). 2. Electronics as a mitigation for bad a/o unsuitable design (specs) of a bike per its intended a/o marketed use feels like a "let's save the day by something unrelated" afterthought. I think this is a general "let's produce bigger & stronger, but limit it electronically" kind of a trend. It's the same in many industries, and I tend to think it's just to save money on extra development. 3. In general - the ability to lift the bike is a good indication, if that particular model is suitable for the rider at that time. Yes, some practice can improve one's skills in doing so, but it cannot beat one's physical capabilities & limits. I myself have no issues lifting a Suzuki VL800 Intruder, but I'm still struggling a bit to do the same with the Suzuki Boulevard C90T (after one and half seasons). 4. Engine power is fine to have, but it's not a defining characteristics of a bike.. I did more touring (mountain roads and passes in Austria and Slovenia - paved roads only, of course (*)) on a 805ccm bike than I did on a 1462ccm one, mostly because it was much easier to handle. The trip TO and FROM a certain destination might be a different story, but for longer trips (4-5 days and more), the lower engine cubature did not really play such a role. 5. Lighter bikes are definitely more nimble, meaning, they are more suitable for multiple roles. Again, the VL800 was a perfect bike for both doing trips and daily commuting to work, as well as for going out for coffee or lunch in the vicinity (lets say some 30km from the place where I live).. The C90T is a different story - it's a great tourer, but sucks in the role of a commuter (wading through traffic is quite a chore) and is not that "nifty" for just riding out for a coffee. Ride hard & ride safe. (*) Back in 2017, while in Slovenia with my GF & fully loaded and in the middle of a forest, a road suddenly ceased to be paved and turned into one mostly used by forest machinery. On the VL800, we managed to get through it rather easily, though I admit I did not really enjoy it too much. This year, we had to pass some 500m on a similar road (my GF on VL800, myself on the C90T), and I have to say, it felt exhausting and most of the time, one could not stick a sharpened hair into my ass - that's how I felt. A video of it is here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/n3_dlaJ4jLJlqLs
@leebrand21722 ай бұрын
I have been riding off road for 40 years. Biggest off road "adventure" was a XR 500 Honda. Compared to my Yamaha 250 2T it was a bit of a whale but I got used to it. Did thousands of km on that old Honda. It never broke. Top speed was around 100kph. Then I rode a GS. For about 100m. Turned it around and gave it back to the owner. I need to be able to pick up my offroad bike when I am offroad. I need to drag the thing out of a hole. I agree with you 100%.
@SamOnABikeSweden9 ай бұрын
You already have the perfect adventure bike, the bike you already own! Just use that bike and ride!! My "adv-bike" is a sports tourer the Yamaha FJR1300. Superb on the highway but I also ride it on gravle roads... of course not as superb on gravle but it works, you do have to respect the weight, 292kg!
@FreeMilesMC9 ай бұрын
I love the Yamaha 1300 engine ☺️
@SamOnABikeSweden9 ай бұрын
@@FreeMilesMC I know, It's a beast!
@richardhretczak5369 ай бұрын
For me Tracer 900 GT works better lol.
@richardburdyn93699 ай бұрын
I had a fur. Loved it. Could not afford tires and tickets. Too many vibes from handlebars
@graememorrison3337 ай бұрын
There was a British mini tv series in the 1990s about three regular dudes/blokes who chucked in their jobs and went off around the world on XT350s. They thought about using bigger bikes but realised after the first few drops and breakdowns that they'd made the right choice. (It was excellent tv btw.) Also, Nick Sanders took the fastest RTW record using an R1 (after having previously circumnavigated the Earth twice by pushbike, once on an Enfield Bullet, and once on a Triumph Daytona.) And then of course there's 'C90 Adventures' on this here KZbin, by Ed March - who spent a few years traversing Europe, Asia and N and S America in a highly entertaining fashion on an old Honda moped. None of the bikes used were big adventure bikes.
@desconnell7995Ай бұрын
Mondo enduro. Dr350s.
@graememorrison333Ай бұрын
@@desconnell7995 👍 thanks! I'll have to find a copy and rewatch it.
@Smolboiyeah2 ай бұрын
Remember, guys. Adventure bikes aren't supposes to weigh a kjghpillion pounds. Your average dual-sport will do just fine
@TonyKitcatt27 күн бұрын
A very thoughtfully put together video. I saw some time ago that a woman did a world tour on a Honda 250 trail type bike, for much of the same reasons. In particular, she was able to get the bike, handled on to a small boat and ferried across a river, impossible on a larger bike as shown in the vid. I have a BMW KT 1200RS which is a great bike for motorway/main road cruising and would use it as such in touring but would use a much smaller, easier to repair/maintain if going 'wild country'. This has only reinforced my thoughts on such a tour. Whatever you folks ride, ride safely and easy. TK
@Shafiq19692 ай бұрын
Thank you for sharing this useful and informative video. I agree with everything you’ve said. Manufacturers have been pushing the boundaries on pricing over the years. The whole of Asia use bikes with less than 150cc engine capacity and many use these bikes on gravel roads and they work very well.
@thesundayrides9 ай бұрын
Good stuff! And agree! You don’t need much to have an adventure. Most importantly you need get up of a couch!
@FreeMilesMC9 ай бұрын
Yes exactly thats the First Stepp☺️
@lauraiss10279 ай бұрын
I ride ADV myself and find it comfortable since I never ride off road. What actually bugs me is the soulless, uninspiring, function-before-design looks of all ADV bikes while there is no actual function to all of it since they do not allow you any serious off-roading. Trade off for nothing. I never look back at my Transalp when leaving parking place and I don't care if it's dirty, it was nothing to look at straight from the factory. And KTMs look like robot-ants.
@FreeMilesMC9 ай бұрын
Maybe the old adv bikes with the dual headlights and so on could be for you I think they look great. Yamaha tdm 850 also is a road focused enduro that can look with some minor modifications like out of a mad max film. Moto Morini makes good looking bikes but I don’t like how they perform and the Chinese engine replica. But they will release during this year hopefully ,a 1200cc vtwin bike with an engine engineered in Italy courius if that maybe is any good
@mcearl80739 ай бұрын
If you never go off-road and don’t like how an ADV looks why don’t you buy something else?
@tofubutcher74569 ай бұрын
@FreeMilesMC CFMoto has a tweaked version of that engine now with a longer stroke that increases the power a bit, thay Benelli also seem to use, maybe MotoMorini will pick it up
@blikkiesblignaut69999 ай бұрын
Good one 😂. And you are correct. But I like the look. Thanks, I will name my KTM Robot Ant.
@mcearl80739 ай бұрын
@@blikkiesblignaut6999 I like the look of adventure bikes too. Ktms headlights are not my favorite but generally speaking, I do like the looks of ADV bikes. I do think it’s an acquired taste though. I find it hard to look at a cruiser and be impressed these days. I used to be the opposite
@yahoodlums9 ай бұрын
I think any bike has the potential to be an ‘adventure bike’. People go around the world on Vespas or Honda C90s.
@FreeMilesMC9 ай бұрын
Absolutely right about that ☺️
@dustyrider2447 ай бұрын
You are so right, many people make the mistake of trying to control a big adventure bike. I ride a CRF300, perfect duel sports option
@CecilAuret2 ай бұрын
You are absolutely right. Most people don't even go off road. Years ago when I occasionally went off-road, I found that my 2-stroke Yamaha 305 was good enough.