So who are the Adv riders here?

This is the good and the bad of ADVrider. There's so much good info, but some of the threads are so long and 3/4 filled with mindless banter that it's hard to get to the meat of the conversation.

 

Here's my current adventure bike options:
2006 400 EXC
2006 525 EXC
2016 1190 Adventure

 

You seem to be winning at this game called life my friend!

 

It's still a pig compared to a 990R.

Smooth, well graded two track . . . like the stuff in the video . . . it is a hero bike, particularly on hero dirt like he described. Gnarly, true adventure tracks, boulder fields, steps, slick creek crossings . . . . It's a poser. Better than GS's used to be, no doubt. The last real "adventure" GS was the original R80GS . . . before GS's gained 200 lbs.

Cheers,

Dave

 

I appeared to have lost this day (I'm fine, bike is totaled).

 

Well that sucks, glad you're ok. Looks like they pulled out in front of you ?

 

Damn, that could have ended bad. Glad you are ok!

 

I loved that 1190. I was looking for a bike that I could comfortable commute on almost year round (I rode if it was above freezing when I left the house), as well as a bike to take camping trips off of, as well as get me into adventure riding. I was tired of riding out into the boonies and seeing a dirt road that I'd avoid with my streetbikes. This bike did all of that and so much more. The engine was exhilarating and it was capable in the corners making me feel like I was on a sport bike. I could ride down very narrow unlined backroads at slower speeds and just enjoy the ride (unlike a sportbike where I felt like I always needed to be riding fast or it wasn't fun.) I took it on a 5 day dual sport ride where I was the only big bike, riding through creeks and down medium single track, and at speeds up to 80mph on dirt/rock roads. I could also cruise for hours on the interstate to make good time home if I spent too much time having fun on the really good roads/trails. It took all of the abuse I could throw at it and never really faltered.

It wasn't perfect. It was over 500lbs and as soon as you went off road you noticed it. Riding an adventure bike removes the frivolity from a dual sport ride that you get when you're on a dirt bike. Everything is serious on the big bike, which takes full concentration. I remember riding a very narrow piece of single track that went up a steep hill, covered in huge rocks, with a massive dropoff on one side. The only way to make it up was lots of speed and great line choices. Going off the edge would have been a many hour mistake. It was just short enough that I could ride it confidently on/off road, by myself or two up at my 5'8" of height. The first 1190 I sat on was the R model and I was pretty dejected. I had my heart set on a KTM Adventure and I immediately knew there was no way I could be comfortable on such a big bike. Luckily, I didn't give up as I found out that the standard Adventure had a much lower seat height, which worked out great for me.

My other complaints are somewhat minor.
- The headlight was insufficient for nighttime riding, which surprises me as it looks like a super expensive/capable. I also think I needed to adjust mine to point further forward, which is obviously my mistake.
- I also didn't much care for the connected wheelie control/traction control settings, nor the fact that it didn't remember my ABS/Traction control settings. When I did the dual sport trip, I ended up using the kill switch to turn off the engine, but leave the bike on when we stopped all the time. I worried about my battery, but it was much easier than going through all the menus to adjust my settings each time.
- The brakes were linked and not in the ideal setup. After riding Deal's Gap semi-aggresively, my rear brake was smoking hot, while the front was barely warm, yet I never applied the rear brakes.
- As tires started to wear a flatter spot in them, the bike loses high speed stability, especially with the more off road tires I put on it. If I kept it under triple digits it wasn't an issue though. Beyond that, it would start to slowly headshake.
- I had a problem with buzziness in my hands. Reading on the forums, it seems like this not common with this model.
- Many people hate the heat coming from under the seat, I didn't really care.

Oddly, as much as I love the bike, I don't feel "right" replacing it with the same thing. It seems to me that chapter has closed and it's time to move on to something new. I can't think of any bike that would be as exhilarating, comfortable, capable and fun to own, yet here I am. I think it just pisses me off that I spent the money on a brand new motorycle, so it would be "my" bike for the foreseeable future. A bike that I knew 100% of the service history and life of it. They don't really make this model any longer. I paid close to $12k for this 1190 due to the deep incentives from KTM and it being a leftover model. New 1290's are closer to $18k.

So, now I get to decide what bike to buy next. Doing a quick market look makes me think the 790Adventure R would be a good fit for me, but I doubt I'll be able to find one this year. At the moment I'm considering trading an old airhead BMW I've had in the corner of my basement for the last two years on a 2012 Triumph Tiger 800 XC. I wouldn't have much money in the bike, and it would be something new to try for the hell of it.

 

Yeah, pulled out of a driveway. I was going down a hill probably around 50-60mph. I saw him early and got on the brakes early, but wasn't able to fully stop.

 

As off-road as I get .... there might be gravel on the way to Starbucks , I like to live dangerously .

This thing has been surprisingly fun , I enjoy it more than the gsa12 but it’s just not as comfy . I’m good for about 4 hours of seat time before I need a beer and a nap . Planning on doing the Colorado trail this summer with it .

 

Friend just bought a new 18 Tiger 800 XCa. Super nice bike! If the Yamaha T700 doesn’t pan out next year this time around I’ll be back on a new Tiger 800 XCa. Already had a 16 XC and it was a remarkable bike, the A just adds so much more and the new ones have the fancy TFT dash and rider modes.

I’ve grown tired of the big 500+ lb ADV liter bikes. Just too heavy and big for my body size.

@cBJr

 

@cBJr
Tell me more about the air head. I have a Tiger XR i’d consider trading. I’ve wanted to try one of those old BMW’s out.

 

It’s a 1989 R100RT in decent shape for the 70k miles that are on it. It’s my Dads that he bought new. I own an R80rt as well and I just gel with it better. I moved away from the r100 because I wanted to get into adv riding.

 

We should swap for a season or something.

 

if you want something sooner but maybe more off road focus but still want to be able to haul the mail on the pavement and not worry about street manners, take a look at the older KTM 950 Super Enduro. It's a big dirt bike. 950 v-twin, good suspension, good enough off road, etc.

It's still a 450# bike but it's more fun to ride off road (it crashes a lot better!) and there are a few for sale on ADV rider for a decent price. The other nice thing is you can pick one up, try it for a year and if you don't like it probably sell it for close to what you have in it (they are going for a decent price these days) and get a790 or something else.

just a thought as I saw a few listed for sale on ADV. I have 5 or 6 friends that have all bought 950 SEs and we love the things. Yes they are big, but they work much better off road than they should...

 

The 800 Tiger looks nice until I look at the numbers. About all these bikes are pigs. @cBJr that thing you wrote about your destroyed bike is how I think of my 1100 hyper w/o the weight and the negs.

Glad you were on guard for that crash and you live to ride again. Come ride my bike, I'd be interested in your opinion.

 

Yamaha Tenere 700 tips the scales at 452 lbs wet! Tiger 800 around 25 lbs more. Want anything lighter go buy a slow ass KLR or DR.

 

How about an AJP PR7? They look pretty intriguing, especially a tablet for a instrument panel/navigation screen.