FIRST OF ALL: I'M SORRY FOR THE MISLEADING TITLE OF THIS THREAD. WHAT I REALLY MEANT WAS:

-WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF RIDING A BIGGER (HEAVIER) BIKE?


I really like light bikes but it seems that the heavy bikes (Varadero 1000, R12000GS, Tenere 1000, V-strom 1000) are the way to go for travelers these days.
I can name some advantages of the small bikes like maneuverability, fuel economy, you can pick it up yourself after a fall. For the people whom have seen The Long Way Round there is even a good example when Claudio drives a local small bike and can travel much faster than Charlie and Ewan.

Can somebody explain the advantages of these 'monster' bikes?

GLAMOUR -> The actor rides the big bike, while the cameran films him riding the (sh*tty) light bike.

PS: If next time the actor swims wearing boots and the cameraman swims with fins...

1. Covering longish distance, at high speed on major highways (and stopping quite frequently along the way for fuel).

2. Carry a pillion in the comfort that the passenger expects, and needs, if the relationship between the rider and pillion is to survive the journey.

That's it really.

__________________
Dave

You can travel on anything, just read some of the stories on here.
Bigger bike = more comfort, maybe better fuel range, higher speeds on larger roads, good for pillions.
Small bike = can go places the big bike cannot.

So if you want to travel with a passenger or plan to stick to roads mostly, a big bike is good but if you want to get off road, are happy to travel a little slower & are riding solo a small bike is better.

I absolutely agree that you can travel on anything, a Harley, a Vespa, a R1200GS. Just wondering why so many times the 1000+cc bikes are chosen for trips that (in my opinion) can easily be done by a 250.

They can be done by bus or bicycle too. The Western biker can be one big fashion statement and practicality doesn't seem to enter in to it. Getting half the riders out on anything under a litre is like getting my wife to leave her hand bag and use the pockets provided in her jacket, practical but not going to happen because they just aren't comfortable with it!

Andy

I agree 100%. But isn't that what most travelers do or want to do? Travel slow and get off road here and there?

These are 2 good points but still...many of the riders I see on the internet do a lot of offroad and hardly ever carry a pillion!
But it reminds me why I'm not a heavy bike user, I always travel alone and I really don't like highways.

Which is why I've reluctantly binned the idea of a small bike. Many things in their favour but two-up comfort's not really one of them...

I don't see the need for any more than a 650 though, unless you really WANT it

Whatever floats your boat.

__________________
Beware the dark, mechanical bird.

Do you have a 650 in mind?
I have considered a few, but it all depends on your build (heavy weight westerner with a belly or just a 2m tall well built athlete??), the build of your pillion passenger, the general size and shape of both seats, the amount of luggage that you and your pillion need, or want, to carry, the duration of the trip, the nature of the trip (the old favourite question of "to camp or not to camp"), it goes on; all of these factors have always pushed me toward inline 4 cyls and hotel bookings!!

__________________
Dave

Hard to see past the V-strom for the combination of economy, reliability, comfort and carrying capacity. The plan is too buy in the states and ride down to South America for a an extended tour. We've had a 600 TA for a few years now and the only complaints I have about it are: it's a bit top heavy, a little cramped for two and I get butt ache very quickly. I've tried a sheepskin, airhawk and a custom seat all to no avail so it must be me..!
Incidentally, the other half thinks it's really comfortable.

I've never felt the need for more power though, 120kph cruising all day long with a bit in reserve if you feel the need. Good enough for me but feel free to differ.

I did consider a Bajaj Pulsar for all the reasons already discussed but decided it wasn't really going to work for two of us.

__________________
Beware the dark, mechanical bird.

They set off on 3 fat bikes. While welding one of the fat bikes they fried the electrics on it. Hence only 2 fat bikes left = 2 actors (actually one actor and one unemployed carpet fitter, but that's another story )... Claudio ends up on the little bike.

I'm on a trip this summer (Central Asia/Rus/Mongolia) where I had the choice between a (medium) fat (Transalp) and a little (DRZ) bike (both already in the garage). I've gone for the Trannie:

Why
1. it's expendible
2. I need the DRZ for trail riding in the UK
3. everything's a compromise
4. my definition of hell on earth is riding 100s of miles on a screaming DRZ and sitting on THAT seat.

I am going with soft and minimal luggage though: That's my contribution to the mantra of light is right.

cheers
C

__________________

TBS.com

Hi
No one can tell you which bike to ride you take the bike you feel most comfortable with, you only have to look at this site HU to see the many different bikes that travellers are on. You can go around the world on a Honda C90 just as easy as BMW Adventura. Skip

__________________
Do the best you can with what you have,
A stranger in a strange land now heading North South East West to.....

I just thought I'd mention tyres and mpg

I had the chance to try a 1200GS and a XChallenge on the same muddy gravelly terrain, and the lighter bike made things so much easier everywhere, but the knobbly tyres as BMW supplied meant the 650 hardly ever slid, the 1200 slid its (high speed rated knobblie) rear all the time. Getting going again was easy on one, nigh on impossible at times on the other even with plenty of hands to push.

Riding to and from the "offroad" bit was nasty on the sewing machine smaller bike, lovely on the big one

I bought a 1200GS in 2005 to commute with and dream on, and loved it despite me being 5'6". 200 mile range without panniers, less with.

Now, I like the idea of the 650 Sertao purely because its supposed to do 80mpg, so again a 200 mile range but still a nasty engine?

To me, many people who say you need a more nimble bike are talking about mainly off road in their neck of the woods. RTW with proper off road seem to be a fairly rare combination from what I've read???

I wouldn't use a tiny bike for a holiday to ride 2000 miles to somewhere interesting either :confused1:

Too many choices!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jason

Maybe not for someone in HUBB, maybe not for a serious traveller, maybe not for 99% of you and not for many but... I've got quite a few friends (good as brothers, actually) riding 1200GS and, of course it is a great bike, it is very confortable, it has long range, you can carry your wife, your luggage, your dog and your aquarium... but social status was definitely involved in their decision. They are my friends, so I know that vanity was there as well. And the bigger, the better, as it happens with cars: bigger Mercedes, better than old 2CV. And if off roading, you have the Mercedes G owners, a class on its own. Sure, it's good...

So, I'm sure that it's not the case for those writing here, seasoned riders, serious off-roaders and many making 6ft 2" who are not going to ride a 125cc all the way to Cape Town (I'm smaller, travel less, etc, ok), but... the hipe of big bikes and particularly the GS is in many cases tied to upper class adventurous way (aka E+C LWR and the like), as the pimped Harley chopper with black/white tyres weekend bad-boy looking private banker (and I've got friends who are p. bankers, nothing wrong with that, they are nice). And sorry, that's a good reason why me, with all my prejudices, I don't feel part of that bunch.

I like the shity tiny cars, bikes and the people who like them. Especially if they can the big/expensive, but I like this way.

Sorry, I have to say it. I'm not ready for the storm if it comes, so do not be too bad with an honest prejudiced guy.

Whatever you ride, it's good, each one his needs, and there is the right time for everything (maybe for me is yet to come). I'm sure a huge bike is a great pleasure to ride as well. But when I see a GSA I feel I'm looking an XT who became a bodybuilder on steroids, kind of a Ben Johnson.

Happy travels,

Esteban