So who are the Adv riders here?

Eat a Foggys in Christmas MI on the way through.

 

Thanks everyone. I didn’t do a good job of responding. We are currently in Superior, WI. We had to do the trip backwards and shorten it because there were no tickets available for the Badger. We did ride through the Porcupine Mountains yesterday. We’re heading to Manitowoc today and sleeping on the submarine at the Maritime Museum. The ride yesterday from McMillan, MI to Superior, WI along Lake Superior was spectacular. It reminded me of Alaska.

 

Research the Trans-Wisconsin Adventure Trail (TWAT), for a future trip. I’ve ridden a good part of it, heading north. Knobbies would be advantageous, if you do decide to ride it.

 

So no beers at Breakers?

 

Mid-way thru the week here in Colorado riding in the San Juans. Awesome riding and scenery. Today one of the areas we hit was riding down thru Poughkeepsie Gulch. That was an ass kicker. I don’t see a lot about it being tough but man that was a rough stretch of rocks. Maybe ‘cause it was the third day straight of hard riding and it was a ball buster coming up Corkscrew over Hurricane Pass, and I was kinda gassed already. Tomorrow Ophir and Imogene.

 

If you guys want to follow someone on a truly epic adventure, this guy is encountering some pretty interesting things right now in Pakistan. I really admire his positive attitude.

 

Tenere 700 vs. KLR650 Adventure. Just for hitting local roads and detouring on dirt roads and single track trails. Any significant difference or flip a coin? Anything else? Initial lean is KLR, anything about Tenere justify much higher price$

 

It’s kinda like comparing a Farmall tractor (KLR) to a new F150 (Tenere). In that category I’d buy a KTM 690.

Depending on what you mean by single track, those might all be the wrong choice.

 

Damn, that's like comparing an abacus to a Krell super computer

 

Beat me to it by 30 seconds

 

So, you recommend getting to know your local KTM service department well? Instead of just riding for fun?

If it's actual true single track, nothing good on it will be good on the pavement to get to it. As you say, "what is 'single track' to you?" This is the problem with "ADV", some folks think a KTM 500 EXC is an ADV bike, others only see the BMW GS twin line. Too much in between.

 

KLR all day long. They are truly brilliant bikes.

 

By single track, I mean basic trails. Nothing crazy, but not just dirt roads either. I’ve raced 80, 125, 250, and 480 MX bikes, I realize the dual sports are not going off roading in any real sense. Just want something to go for nice rides and handle some level of dirt reasonably well. I have an 890 Duke R for fun on the pavement, but I find myself wanting to explore off the main roads a bit more.
For the Tenere and KLR being so different, what can you do with the Tenere you can’t do with the KLR? I get the engine and suspension are certainly more modern on the Tenere, but for just riding around does it really matter that much? Neither (for me) is for racing or riding near any limit.

 

Go ride them and you’ll quickly see the difference. Simply, you’re looking at a T7 with 3X the horsepower, way better suspension, way better fit and finish, way more refinement, just a way better bike. YouTube search “Pol Tarres” to see what a T7 can do. No KLR will ever be able to be ridden offroad like that. If it were me, I’d shop a used T7 before I bought any KLR, new or used. There are plenty of used T7’s around at good prices.

 

The T7 will be a MUCH better street bike, and just as capable off pavement. It's about the same weight as the KLR, so your not gaining any lightness in comparison for the off pavement stuff.

 

Just catching up on this thread. The sub at Manitowoc is really cool. When my brother and I were kids (early 70s) we climbed all over that thing. The tour was, just don't fall off the boat. Our grandfather was Coast Guard and helped launch them during the war.

 

Poughkeepsie is an AssKicker, especially if you go UP...
Cannibal Plateau/Brush Creek is another one but totally worth the effort.

 

There is no doubt the T7 is a better street bike, but I sat on one at the dealer and was pretty shocked at how tall the thing is. The top of the fuel tank is a good 6" taller than the KLR and the windshield even more so. Its wayyyyyy up there, which personally, I don't like in the rough stuff. I'm 6'1" and feel that the KLR is a tall bike to begin with. Lots of stories out there of T7 owners who can't pick up their bikes due to the top heavy nature of the bike.

 

More suspension travel means the bike has to be taller, so as to not drag the belly. With a competent offroad rider, which most of us are not, crashing and uprighting the bike aren’t of real concern. Also, it’s why anyone riding these bikes shouldn’t go it alone.

I haven’t ridden a Himalayan, but, it being approachable is what intrigues me the most, for ADV stuff. At some point, I may even end up on a Honda CT125.

 

I have a short inseam. I hate tall bikes!