As Erik has said there is no best bike. People have done an RTW trip on everything from a Honda C90, a Vespa, a Triumph Rocket 3 cruiser, a Honda Gold Wing through to a Harley Electra glide. And all things in between. There is no right bike and no wrong bike - what there is is the right bike FOR YOU.

There are many bikes I wouldn’t fancy doing the trip on but at the end of the day it is YOUR trip and to be honest my opinion on what you should ride is just to ride the bike that excites you, that you have a passion for.

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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.

Indeed, you can do almost any trip on almost any bike. The bike you have now will probably be just fine.

That said, if you don't currently own anything, have a decent budget, and are looking for something that could do adventure riding around the world... 850 GS is a good choice, so is a Yamaha Tenere 700, or for something smaller and cheaper - Honda CB500X (you can install a Rally Raid suspension upgrade kit for very good offroad capability).

thanks guys!
i asked this question in order NOT to buy something which has proven to be a probem, repeatedly. i went through forum in detail yesterday but didnt find much..hence i posted.

The bimmer is a choice many will be happy with.

Lighter and simpler bikes seem to get a lot of tout, for several reasons. Economics being one of the most common arguments, and offroad managability being the other. People will also tell you that there is no such thing as a wrong bike - giving examples of vespa scooters, honda goldwings, honda cubs, big harleys... But, although any bike is capable, not every bike is suitable. Many suggest dual sports - and then reccomend a ton of upgrades to make it closer to a typical adventure style bike - adding costs and weight.

Now, if you plan to go two up, or carry a large load - then I'm willing to bet most will regret not going for a middle weight or larger. Going RTW and doing mixed riding, a typical adventure style bike, will suit most that don't already have a particular fetish.

I suggest you try out a few bikes - new and old. Here are some of my favorites in the middle to heavy adv bikes:

-A used BMW F800GSA - a bit overpriced in this market when you look at what the Tenere 700 costs new, but still one that I would prefer over for instance the XT660Z if I could spend the extra money

-BMW F650GS Dakar - I've owned one - and it is awesome. Where I live, these still cost as much used as they did when I sold mine five years ago. Here they are overpriced. I spendt the last year trying to find a great deal on one for my GF, but gave up in the end.

-Honda Africa Twin (in particular the adventure sports with the 2021 DCT with Wheelie control - but very expensive). Before I fell in love with the Tenere 700, this was at the very top of my wish list - now it is at number two.

Yamaha Tenere 700 (in particular the Rally) - there is one in my garage. There is no other bike I would rather want now - maybe a KTM... nah.

Yamaha XT660Z Tenere with ABS - my number one second hand choice now that the Dakar is getting a bit old. I still think they are over priced in this market. I spendt a year looking for one for myself and one for my GF. In the end I simply couldn't justify how little they had depreciated in value for something old that I would need to upgrade and repair. I ended up spending a lot more for a brand new Tenere 700 Rally

As for dual sports to convert, I like the Husquarna 701 Or the KTM 690 Enduro... but before I would get it the way I would want it, it would cost an arm and a leg, and a ton of modding-effort. I really want one!

Lighter and indestructable, but quite expensive for what it is: I really like the Yamaha WR250R. I've wanted one for so long.

KTM 390 Adventure is worth a look - it is dirt cheap. I've got one in the garage. Change the rear sprocket to 48 tooth as it has little low end torque. You get a lot of adventure-bike for your money.

I am really curious about the Honda CRF 300 Rally. To me, on paper, it looks like a perfect base for constructing a light weight RTW bike for someone who will travel light and on a tight budget.

If I was to go RTW now, I would have a tough choice between the CRF 300 Rally or the Tenere 700 Rally. I think I would have ended up with the Tenere for the following reasons:

• I would be carrying enough gear that a lighter bike's benefits would somewhat be eaten up
• I know I would mainly be riding roads and terrain that the tenere 700 would eat up like it was nothing
• I know that I would be able to manage even the extremely tough bits, although not as confidentely as with the CRF
• I know that I would really appreciate the extra power over the lighter options
• I know I would appreciate the ergonomics and comforts over the lighter options
• It is pretty much ready to go, right out of the factory
• It is extremely entoxicating to ride both offroad and onroad
• Nothing wil stop it
• It looks soooooo much better than the CRF
• Most importantly - I allready own it and have tailored it to me. I'd want to put it to the test.

The Royal Enfield Himalyan is receiving a lot of praise. I think it is a gorgeous bike, although maybe a bit too gimmickey for my liking. It is dirt cheap. It is very capable. It is very suitable. But, IMHO I think it is a bit lacking all over. I would much rather buy a used XT660Z Tenere or a KTM 390 Adventure... or dig deeper into my pockets and go for the BMW F800GS/A.

To sum up - the F800GS is not a bad choice.

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Blog: www.bamakobyvespa.no
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And then mentioned BMW

Google ring antennae, stripped drive splines, F650 water pump, F650 fork failure, coding ECU's to service system, R100GS subframe failure, undersized chains....

Brands are meaningless. You pick a bike you like then learn how it fails and how to fix it.

Personally I wouldn't touch a Bavarian Behemoth with somebody else's long pole, Honda or Enfield for me (and nothing over 200 kg or 60HP), but that doesn't mean they don't suit others.

Andy

Every brand gets some lemons. I've had a lot of luck with my Yamahas and I've been sticking with them - but I'm sure there are folks out there who will tell me about how they had a Yammie that was a piece of crap, etc.

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Bruce Clarke - 2020 Yamaha XV250