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29 Mar 2012
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XT660Z, no question.
1. Cheaper.
2. Simpler - can service with virtually the kit that comes with the bike.
3. Most reliable.
4. Lightest and most rugged.
5. Longest range and largest fuel tank.
DOI - XT660Z owner, bought after extensive research for similar trip and also considered those bikes.
Trumpet - too heavy and too new; Beemer - about as reliable as a DC10 and half as trustworthy.
I love the Tenere and in fact it cruises at 80 mph with on problem; vibes do not bother me. Cruise at 65-70 for best economy, but it will shift if you are in a hurry.
Love it.
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30 Mar 2012
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Docsherlock
XT660Z, no question.
1. Cheaper.
2. Simpler - can service with virtually the kit that comes with the bike.
3. Most reliable.
4. Lightest and most rugged.
5. Longest range and largest fuel tank.
DOI - XT660Z owner, bought after extensive research for similar trip and also considered those bikes.
Trumpet - too heavy and too new; Beemer - about as reliable as a DC10 and half as trustworthy.
I love the Tenere and in fact it cruises at 80 mph with on problem; vibes do not bother me. Cruise at 65-70 for best economy, but it will shift if you are in a hurry.
Love it.
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I totally agree 
I have just bought one for my ride from the UK to Thailand this year and then onto AUZ/NZ 2013, very simple bike, super reliable, had few problems with rectifiers on the 2008 model, and its basically only the cush rubbers that seem to be a bit of a issue with some bikes{riders}. As for vibration i have no problem with the bike since i fitted the hand guards, maybe not as fast as the other two, the speed limit to me is fast enought.
They also seem to keep their price very well.
Eric
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30 Mar 2012
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Xt660z
Hi, i own and am a big fan of the Tenere but have also considered the other bikes you mention. Offroad the Tenere wins easily and has excellent reliabilty and the big tank with excellent mpg can acheive 300+ mile range (from previous ride reports into that region long tank range is essential).
BMW good road bike but i didn't like it off road, small tank.
Triumph is a bike i have never ridden but for a long road trip with some easy offroad would be a good choice. Andy
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30 Mar 2012
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choice of bike
I looked at the same bikes recently and I also found the Triumph superior over the other two so I bought .....an Africa Twin, 30% of the price, at least as reliable, probably alot more so, Honda, no complex electronics, is serviced all over the place, 2 cylinders very comfy. Lots of kit available but inessence you don't have to add all kind of expensive kit because it has been designed for the job. The Beemer and Triumph have much less protection in the standard outfitting. Adding kit will be extremely expensive too. The AT maybe not as sexy as the newer bikes but that can be changed too and you will still keep a heap of money in your pocket.
Good a very good one, only 22K km for E4000,-
Cheers,
Noel
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30 Mar 2012
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I agree 100% with you Noel, and I bought an Africa Twin last year too, 1998, 12k miles, like new! But I realized that it was too big and too heavy for me, I am not a big bloke, just 5"4, 70kg! So, I sold it few months ago... I need a middleweight adventure bike, thats why I am looking for those 3 ones.
cheers,
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31 Mar 2012
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Rode my F800GS 74,000km...too many issues to list...swapped it for a XT660Z Tenere five months ago and just finished my trip with 28,000km on it, I have to say the only thing that failed was a head light bulb....and guess what it was a Osram bulb made in Germany!! The cush drive rubbers are a little bit crap , a few mods like new air filter, Power comander, rear shock, front springs, new exhaust, stronger handle bars, new seat (All mods from OFFTHEROAD Germany) and lower gearing and the bike is awesome....even with the mods it was 50% cheaper than the F800GS!!...its also not just the bike.... its having to put up with BMW dealers around the world...90% of them are absolutly useless and rip you off!...BMW does not stand behind their warranty as I found out and it should be BMW unstoppable (but only if you stay close to Munich and do not do any more than 1000km per year!)
Go Yamaha XT, I do not think there is anything on the market that comes close...love Honda AT's but too expensive for such an old bike, I really notice no difference in terms of comfort or power from the F800GS to the XT....but enjoy riding the XT so much more!
Last edited by Crappybiker; 24 Nov 2012 at 12:53.
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31 Mar 2012
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I would stick with the Beemer.. I have a 2008 GS with 45000km and only thing I have ever changed was the battery and a light bulb..
Reading posts here it looks like BMW are the most unreliable bikes on the planet.
Truth is everything will eventually break but if you look at numbers or you do a Google search you find way more reported issues about BMWs just because they are sold in the hundred of thousands (like the 1200GS alone..)
Are they more expensive??? Hell yeah but I do believe the quality is top.
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24 Jul 2012
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Docsherlock
2. Simpler - can service with virtually the kit that comes with the bike.
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I'd have to (partially) dispute this.
You can service practically anything on the bike with a very simple toolkit, but it's not the toolkit Yamaha give you - you can't even get the wheels out with it.
Otherwise, entirely agree with you.
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24 Jul 2012
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Alright smartypants, you need a 23mm spanner and some feeler gauges as well, but otherwise my statement is correct. 
That is why I added the word 'virtually' into the sentence.
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25 Jul 2012
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If your route has any amount of off tarmac in it you would probably be better with a single rather than the multi's. I have no experience of the tenere but by all accounts it is a very capable travel bike and this is the bike I would choose from your list.
Another option would be a bmw Xchallenge. While it doesn't have the same tank range as the tenere as standard, the money you would save on purchase price would allow you to but either an Xtank or the Touratech auxiliary tank and give you cash left over for your trip. You also get a bike with better suspension and fuel economy.
I do like the Enfield idea though.
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23 Aug 2012
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rossi
Another option would be a bmw Xchallenge. While it doesn't have the same tank range as the tenere as standard, the money you would save on purchase price would allow you to but either an Xtank or the Touratech auxiliary tank and give you cash left over for your trip. You also get a bike with better suspension and fuel economy.
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So why does every thread about X-Challenges I see on forums talk about upgrading the suspension then?
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30 Aug 2012
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I am almost sure that you can't get out of India with a Enfield. I wanted to do it back in 2007, and I was told that you're not allowed to exit the country with it.
Has it changed?
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25 Jul 2012
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Docsherlock
Alright smartypants, you need a 23mm spanner and some feeler gauges as well, but otherwise my statement is correct.
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Plus a 14mm hex to remove the front wheel. 
Why don't bike manufacturers provide a proper tool kit as standard?
My choice in order of preference would be
1. Tenere
2. F650GS single or Dakar
3. G650GS single or Sertao
4. F650GS twin
5. F800GS
6. 800XC
7.
8.
9. Bullet
If you want to buy a bike in India and ride it home, look at what the locals are buying, Honda Hero and the like. Only about 160cc but as fast as a 500cc Enfield and far more reliable.
__________________
"For sheer delight there is nothing like altitude; it gives one the thrill of adventure
and enlarges the world in which you live," Irving Mather (1892-1966)
Last edited by Tim Cullis; 25 Jul 2012 at 14:21.
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23 Aug 2012
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we never got the africa twin here in oz
But we did get the varadero Honda,it's a thousand cc but ive had one for 11yr's and all ive replaced is chains /sprockets one set of fork seal's ,and a fuel lift pump(about $120 aus) so honda all the way for me .I agree the vibing handle bars on some bikes just ruin the ride.Ive owned a lot of yamaha's mostly good ,service seams to depend how good your local shop is.I have mates with triumph's mixed reports some very good some friday arvo bikes ,soon traded.best of luck with your choise,Noel
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Check the RAW segments; Grant, your HU host is on every month!
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helps answer the question - Why Go? Inspirational stories by veteran travellers Greg Frazier (5 times RTW), Peter and Kay Forwood (193 countries), Tiffany Coates (Mongolia Mayhem) and Rene Cormier (University of Gravel Roads).
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