The term "Adventure bike" is just an invention of magazine journalists to cover something they have never understood. How can a Moto Guzzi Quota (restyled touring bike) be an alternative to a Tenere (specifically designed on-off road) or CRF-250 (repurposed MX).

Forget advice from idiots who write the same "600cc sports tourer shootout in Spain" every year to get the free autumn holiday.

Forget US MX champions getting the back end out in Baja (Isn't it odd he always passes the tripod mounted camera and drone operator at sunset). When he has to stop to open the fifth gate in three miles and check the right of way, it is going to fall off the stand, then he'll be glad it's light and he's 6 foot 7 (plus the camera guys can help).

You need to list the features you find useful, then go through the spec sheets with an open mind. For me there is a limit on seat height, I want tyre choice, a range over 200 miles and a proven history of reliability. While I can ride 300Kg, I won't enjoy picking it up, I am not into fitness stuff. I also detest people trying to sell me a lifestyle and the governments "bribe the grease monkey" old bike punishment scheme (MOT). I live far enough away from the good roads to want the ability to use motorways. I have better things to spend £10K on.

I was torn between the Himalayan and CB500X. I was trading a CB500F** with three times the average mileage (oh but it was a delight to watch BMW's suited lizard turn a funny colour when told a 15000 mile bike had not seen a dealer since 600 and I intended to do the same if I bought a G310GS).

My most adventurous trips? Done on a Triumph Bonneville*

*OMG scream MCN, that's a neo-classic, should be polished more than ridden and only used for shots selling beard oil, lumberjack shirts and coffee the cat threw up.

**Oh the humanity, MCN say. 15000 miles on a learner/commuter bike! 600 mile days in a Scotland!! Goat tracks with grass down the middle!! You need a Goldwing towing a trailer with a KTM on it.

Andy

To me bikes are "horses for courses"

The long runs on bitumen around Australia and general touring the R1200GS has proved to be very good (if a little heavy when loaded for long tours but covers distances comfortably).

When I have done desert runs or "longer outback runs" and over seas shipping (eg NZ) I have used my Suzuki DR 650. I would have significant difficulty picking up a loaded GS in the sand! Both bikes have suited my riding for some time.

Hi Mal

Everytime I go past the honda dealer I look at the AG-XR and think that would be awesome for serious RTW stuff.

Cheers
D


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all those willing to practice and develop their skills on motorcycle.

Don't mix wr250r with T7 - new tenere is still a big, heavy bike

buy CB 500 X . Make sure you get latest bike with big front wheel

Note to self:

Not this bike with the big front wheel.

__________________
You will have to do without pocket handkerchiefs, and a great many other things, before we reach our journey's end, Bilbo Baggins. You were born to the rolling hills and little rivers of the Shire, but home is now behind you. The world is ahead.

Did you have anything you wanted to add to the dialogue?

__________________
Bruce Clarke - 2020 Yamaha XV250

My thoughts exactly.........shu

Death of the big "adventure" bike? ...extremely unlikely. Motorcycles are machines and different people use them for different purposes and for reasons all their own.

Adventure means different things to different people. Some may not be interested in riding washed out mud pits and goat tracks.

I would personally choose something smaller for any future "adventure" trip, just to have the flexibility of being able to go places by myself where my "large" F750GS might get me into trouble if no help is available.

Each bike has its' own unique values and there is no overarching "best" bike.

Not that I recall. The Adventure Motorcyclists Handbook surely refers to motorcyclists having adventures? IIRC the bike survey section in my ancient copy is called "Bikes suitable for the big trip" and the first line says they are only common choices. The Adventurous Motorcyclists Handbook would have course have been more accurate but people might have thought it was something like 50 Shades of Grey only with more chases.

I hope Mr. Scott hasn't been induced to change this accurate approach in the later editions? If so, does it now list the GPS coordinates of Starbucks?

Andy

I hope to be living in Japan for a couple of years from next year and am thinking of a second hand Honda X-Adv 750.

New Ohlins, off the shelf protection and a Giant Loop SaddleBag would make an awesome machine for me - middle fifties and with a dodgy new right knee. At least when I fall off I wont get a leg caught as easily.

Options baby. Life is awesome.


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Trouble is I’ve been adding dialogue to this conversation since I bought my 1100gs in 1998.
The majority of the answers to the OP run along the same lines, my lines too - but someone still keeps asking the question.
I suspect most of them are windup merchants.

I guess I should just ignore posts like this

Carry on

Think of it as sitting around having s with a bunch of mates. Some of the conversation interests you, some doesn’t, but your chilling just the same.

I find these convo’s interesting, particularly when our wings have been clipped with the virus.

Cheers mate


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As the man says, it's horses for courses. I've ridden little dirt bikes, I know how good they are on dirt, and what a PITA they are on a long road trip. I've ridden big bikes that make big distance easy, but I wouldn't want to take them on anything more challenging than a gravel track.

I am not going to knock either of them as tools for a job, why would I? They're different bikes for different purposes.

To me, "adventure riding" is about going anywhere, not necessarily off road but with the capability to do that, and bearing in mind that touring does involve distance work. I need a bike that will do both, not one that excels at one but is terrible at the other.

About the OP, it's hard to see how anyone needs a bike with 100+ bhp weighing in at 600 lbs. That may well be an evolutionary dead end but doesn't mean we should all be riding round on 250s. There is a balance to be struck.