So who are the Adv riders here?

Good for you, but those ain't ADV tires. That thing can't go very far off the tarmac. Once you spend 30-40 years riding bikes, you'll understand

 

Thats a very accurate assessment of the segment. They’re just such amazing mileage eaters, I wouldn’t want anything else.

Beyond pavement and gravel, one can debate the tool all the way down to an e-bike. Buy what YOU want and roll with it.

 

Yeah, he's grooming me like predator - already told me a set of Woody's and TKC80's/Wilds are in my future - shit - I have no doubt there will be a small displacement enduro in future as well - never would have expected this type of riding to be so much fun - been absolutely having a blast!

I'm a "step wise" guy - those Adventures on it were my first time on tires with tread in 8 years so to me, they are like knobbies so had to see how they would work on tarmac first - they are shockingly good on road/gravel and dirt - but the mud last weekend made me serious think about more aggressive treads. . .

 

If you would have told me I'd be down to go riding for hours in 30 and 40 degree temps, I'd say you were smoking crack - I bought heated gear just so I could still ride the bike. . .blows my mind. . .

 

Give the Motoz Adventure tires a serious look. They outwear TKC80’s, by a fair amount. I rode mine from IL > OK, did a section of the TAT, rode them home, sold them to guy from AR, who rode them to CO and back. He said there was still tread left. Solid tires. Haha.

I called Woody’s 3X and left two VM’s, over a two week period. What’s left of that company couldn’t be bothered to respond, so I had Dubya USA build me a set of wheels for my Tiger. The ownership have a lot of history behind them and are super-nice people.

https://www.facebook.com/DubyaUSA/

Yep. I did a Gerbing’s setup, as well. I’ve ridden down into the 20’s. Heated gear is a gamechanger.

 

"Heated gear is a gamechanger."

+1,000,000

I didn't get heated gear for years. first time I tried a heated vest was an epiphany, a religious experience, an other-worldly, out of body happening. Since then I added a heated jacket, pants and gloves. All of the street and adventure bikes are fitted with hookups so there is no need to make changes in advance of any ride. Plug 'n play, wife's bikes included.

Whether you use Gerbing's Warm 'N safe or somebody else's gear, don't hesitate. Get something and get in the game. Once I got heated gear, the issue shifted to whether and to what extent there was ice present which would limit riding. That, for me, was a HUGE difference. Ice and motos, at least for me, don't go well together, unless the ice is in a cocktail glass and alcohol is present and I'm chatting or lying with like-minded motorcyclists about our deeds of daring do and how fast we used to be.

Cheers,

Dave

 

Weird, and sorry, to hear about Woody's. Over the years they had done some nice stuff for me.

In addition to Dubya, consider Warp 9: warp9racing.com. I just got a rear wheel for a 2005 KTM 450EXC at a great price complete, i.e., spacers, brake rotor and sprocket of choice. If they list your bike on their drop down menus, you can build your wheel, colors, options, etc., and see your price immediately. Shipping was about $35 and the projected 6 - 8 week build time was actually 2-1/2 weeks. Needless to say, I am very pleased.

Cheers,

Dave

 

What’s weird with heated gear is spending years of always being cooled on a bike and employing strategies to retain body heat. The first time I turned on my heated jacket liner, it was the polar opposite and the focus became how warm is too warm. Like you, I bought a full set of liners. Though, I found the Gerbing’s socks to be too effective, for me; my feet just sweat.

It’s important to note for others, Gerbing’s and Warm and Safe (First Gear own them, which have been stellar gear for me) are interchangeable with one another. They employ the same plugs and similar controller circuitry. This is important, when one is shopping heated gear.

Yep. Woody started a prosthetics company and that’s where he spends his time, these days. I’d imagine, it’s considerably more lucrative than wheel building.

 

Not a true ADV bike, but I wanted to try out a big adventure bike before I spent 20 grand on something that may suck. I really like it so far. I have some ordered some different boxes this week and the bike already has pretty much every other worthy mod you can do to a VStrom.

 

has anyone tried the battery powered heated gear?

 

Many years ago I rode up Mosquito Pass (I was on an XR650R) with a fellow who was on a V-Strom 1000. Pretty impressive ride. I was glad to be on the XR. But, it demonstrated to me that folks with skills can take otherwise marginal-for-the-situation equipment and do amazing things.

Please don't misunderstand - I am not denigrating a V-Strom 1000 - it is a great platform. And, the latest version is VERY nice. But, it would not make my short list for a Mosquito Pass ride.

Have fun and post lots of pics of the crazy places you take that beast.

Cheers,

dave

 

Burn a fat one in Leadville first, then a fellow can put a Ducati Hypermotard up on the Mosquito.

 

If Suzuki would build upon the SV650 platform, they could have a killer ADV bike. A Suzuki Desert Sled 650 of sorts, with cruise control, would be ideal. Ducati can keep their overpriced, failure-prone garbage.

 

Between those adventures with all the racks, bars, bags and trunks, how cool would it be to tool around on something like this on the homefront? Needs a solo seat cowl and the grab bars removed, but it's lookin' rather svelte for a heavyweight.

 

Looks nice, just don't think it'd be that exciting with the weight, relatively low hp and the sticky rubber with flexy front end.

 

Anybody that's goin' that far will likely put it on a diet, feed it steroids and send it off to their favorite suspension guy.
That's what I'd do anyway...

 

Not a lot you can remove really, the wheels aren't any lighter, exhaust is the biggest chunk and the fork tubes are still flexy so not much help there. A very cool styling exercise.

What do I know?

 

Nicely appointed!
Too clean.
Is that an Ohlins sticker, with accompanying internals?

 

Thanks, I had just washed it after an adventure. It is, Ohlins cartridges and shock, huge improvement overall.

A bit top heavy when fully loaded so unless I'm going long distance / highway I usually only fill the tank half way. Also went up two teeth on the rear sprocket for a little more wheelie fun.

 

They do have a 650 V-Strom, often called the Wee Strom by the riding public. Still more of a streetbike than an true ADV, but could be a decent jumping off point.