Help me to choose please

[Roumi]

Hello all,

I get ready with a friend for a last great journey of 2 years for go the moment is to leave France to go there to Thailand (Cambodia Laos Vietnam), we go probably by the route Turkey - Iran - Pakistan or then Ukraine - Russia - Kazakhstan - Kirghizia - Tadjikistan - (100 km China or Afghanistan) - Pakistan - India.

My question is the following one, I read quite a lot of forum on which your which is by far the most complete and I do not still arrive has to decide on me on the choice of the motorcycle.

In the debut I wanted to make it in KTM 990 adventure (I know well the bike) but I fast realized that it was not a good choice especially with poor quality gasolines(essences).

Now I hesitate with a bmw on 1200 gs or adventure and the
Ténéré XT660Z.

My heart go for the bmw, I am afraid that Yamaha is not funny has to run(drive) with his mono-cylinder.

A little of help please?

Thx and sorry for my english , i'm a french guy !!

[ta-rider]

Hi,

Dont take a bmw its too expensive and if it breaks down its hard to repair in a third world country:

BMW R 1200 GS Dauertest : TOURENFAHRER ONLINE

The Yamaha Tenere is a good chois and if you dont like it take a Honda Transalp or so. These bikes are known to last for more then 200.000 km

Have fun, Tobi

[MountainMan]

Originally Posted by Roumi

Hello all,

I get ready with a friend for a last great journey of 2 years for go the moment is to leave France to go there to Thailand (Cambodia Laos Vietnam), we go probably by the route Turkey - Iran - Pakistan or then Ukraine - Russia - Kazakhstan - Kirghizia - Tadjikistan - (100 km China or Afghanistan) - Pakistan - India.

My question is the following one, I read quite a lot of forum on which your which is by far the most complete and I do not still arrive has to decide on me on the choice of the motorcycle.

In the debut I wanted to make it in KTM 990 adventure (I know well the bike) but I fast realized that it was not a good choice especially with poor quality gasolines(essences).

Now I hesitate with a bmw on 1200 gs or adventure and the
Ténéré XT660Z.

My heart go for the bmw, I am afraid that Yamaha is not funny has to run(drive) with his mono-cylinder.

A little of help please?

Thx and sorry for my english , i'm a french guy !!

Any one of the three bikes models you have mentioned has been ridden on long journeys across countries and continents many, many times. There are of course pros and cons of each, but it's really a matter of personal opinion as to which any one is better than the other, if it even possible to say that. They are all perfectly fine.

As for picking between them, since you say that you know KTMs, you should give the various models a good hard look again. You will run into them all over the continents - Africa, South America, Asia, etc. and people have planned around their known limitations (like all bikes) and mostly rave about them. I think I saw more KTMs in Africa than any other make as an example.

In general, a reasonable starting point is to stick with what you own if it is at all feasible as an around the world tourer (it can be a bit surprising how many different bikes are perfectly fine for this). Second, stick with what you know as that will help you maintain and manage your bike as the trip goes on.

If however you find that there is something unique about you or the terrain you expect to ride that leads you to want to change, then search some of the writeups on the bikes you have narrowed down to. The debates back and forth can be quite interesting, sometimes entertaining, and occasionally useful. Use google as a search function and google translate if the reading becomes too tedious.

[Roumi]

Thank you very much of these answers rapids,

I tried this morning the yamaha 660 and convinced me not at all, really a big lack of funny engine and especially too low for my big size (1.95m).

I find your very wise comment Moutain man and finally I give up the idea of the bmw adventure.

Bitter read by long long blogs of journeys of 990 adventure, a lot of problems are in fact on old models 950 and on the debuts of 990. Bitter will happen surement a problem as on any machine but when I see the blog of another small French which was 100000 km with this machine with about minor problems, I am rather confident and think of choosing that this.

Otherwise Ktm 690 enduro R with big reservoir and protections style Dakar , the mechanical maintenanc in case of problem seems to be easier has to make. Without counting the weight which will cost me cheaper during the flight Nepal - Thailand.

If ever somebody has an opinion above, I am always accepting

Thx a lot : Clap:

[docsherlock]

Shame you didn't like the Tenere XT660Z.

I'm on a shakedown trip of bike and kit right now - in Switzerland in the mountains and the bike has impressed me far more than I thought it would.

60 mpg at least, cruise at 80 mph (reduces mpg to about 55 mpg), great torque and handling and a piece of piss to service. In fact, I cannot fault the bike for what it is and what I bought it for.

A bargain, second hand, too.

[roger2002]

You may want to consider what your traveling partner is taking. If you both have the same bike, it make it easier to carry spare parts and diagnose issues. Just a thought...

[Roumi]

He will leave with ca 1200gs, I stay definitively with the KTM adventure, the only big problem that I could credit note I think, is the one with the water pump , the rest is of the domain which I can repair i think.

But thank you has you for the sensible advice(councils) : Thumbup1: