A challenge to the "lead sled" ADV bikes offered today

[agavelvr]

Unfortunately there are few bikes really 100% ready for travel from the factory.

2007 KTM 640 Adventure was probably the closest thing to turnkey and Noah's spec that was available. Throw your soft luggage on and go.
The KTM 690 Adventure was the motorcycle community's 1998+ NAS Defender... probably the most talked about bike upon introduction of the 690 enduro. Sadly, it has not seen the light of day from the factory, but talked about like the Defender

I had a 690 enduro built for travel until earlier this year. It was a great bike, but took a lot of effort and dollars to get it there. I replaced it with a 640 Adventure after I blew the motor on the 690 and finding a suitable specimen. The 640 was completely stock, showroom condition with 6K miles. I added springs, soft bags, high fender, and some gas...done.

I would love to walk into the dealership and just buy the bike Beverly posted, throw some springs and soft bags on it and ride. I am the customer that would pay $13-15K for such a bike. I like riding instead of building. I like the idea of the factory working out the details and supporting me with a reliable parts stream when I inevitably break something. I don't particularly enjoy having to relocate or modify components like rectifiers, horns, air boxes, subframes, fuel delivery systems, etc. I can do it, but I don't enjoy it. I don't like being hassled by the authorities over aftermarket exhaust, gas tanks, and lighting. Turn key is convenience I'm willing to pay for. I bought a heavily modified xchallenge a few months ago too. The PO sorted everything out and threw a touratech catalog at it, put KTM forks on it and an ohlins shock on back. Great bike, but he probably put $5K into it to end up with a similar bike to the 690 posted above, not as much snap as the 690 but probably more reliable I bought an extra subframe as insurance for that bike since it was only produced 1 year.

With all the big bikes on craigslist and adv rider for sale with many POs moving to smaller bikes, I'm guessing they would sell in reasonable numbers. Perhaps the industry will respond one day instead of continually bloating the pigs. In the meantime, I guess we just drop a lot of coin and time into building these things up to what they should already be.

 

[RHINO]

2007 KTM 640 Adventure was probably the closest thing to turnkey and Noah's spec that was available. .

its too bad they did away with a real work horse in favor of a high strung trail machine that CAN be made to travel. ive been watching the AJP PR7 for about a year now,, just waiting to see how the final bike comes in, i suspect it will be a real challenger to replace my 640a,,, well, whenever i decide a better bike FOR ME becomes available.

you guys have your requirements, me i just want a good reliable machine with real suspension and brakes, no extra bloat,, 60hp? so many riders out there can barely handle 30 hp off road, that extra power is just for twisting the throttle when they get back on the pavement to catch up to me.:sombrero:

 

[Cole]

...... that extra power is just for twisting the throttle when they get back on the pavement to catch up to me.:sombrero:

Sounds Like you are talking about trial bikes here not travel bikes!!

Either way, if you're on the road and get a kick out of twisting the throttle then that's all part of the ride! Nothing wrong with that! Just because you don't use the extra ponies for one portion of the ride doesn't mean you can't/won't enjoy having them for other portions of the ride!

It may surprise some of the armchair travelers, but there are parts of the world where you just want to hop on a roadway and chew up 100+ miles at a time.

 

[RHINO]

I get it, and i understand the desire for some power to play with. Just dont really think 300lb and 60hp is something that needs to be a deciding factor for a travelling bike.

We all have our standards,, full disclosure here i ride a 50hp'ish bike but man i just dont think ive ever wanted any more power,, well needed i guess. Actually that peak power comes at a rpm i rarely operate at so who knows how many ponies i use on average,,, thats kinda where my 30hp number came from.

 

[Clutch]

its too bad they did away with a real work horse in favor of a high strung trail machine that CAN be made to travel. ive been watching the AJP PR7 for about a year now,, just waiting to see how the final bike comes in, i suspect it will be a real challenger to replace my 640a,,, well, whenever i decide a better bike FOR ME becomes available.

you guys have your requirements, me i just want a good reliable machine with real suspension and brakes, no extra bloat,, 60hp? so many riders out there can barely handle 30 hp off road, that extra power is just for twisting the throttle when they get back on the pavement to catch up to me.:sombrero:

Here you go Rhino, just what the doctor order.

http://www.advpulse.com/adv-bikes/crf250-rally-new-honda-adventure-bike/

 

[RHINO]

Well,,, IF they build either the 250 or 450,,, then MAYBE i can look for a big bore version.

Honda seems like they want to play,,,, finally

 

[BADDANDY]

Make that 250 into a 650 twin under 400lbs and I'm in!

 

[BADDANDY]

Single track

[/URL][/IMG]

Everything else

 

[Clutch]

Well,,, IF they build either the 250 or 450,,, then MAYBE i can look for a big bore version.

Honda seems like they want to play,,,, finally

Highly doubt the 250 will come to the US market.

There is definitely a new Husky 701 coming next spring. Dealers got a 30 second glimpse of it at the show recently, it is for sure an off-road model, but dealers have an embargo on them until October to say "exactly" what it is...my dealer said it is pretty bad ********.

 

[RHINO]

Been hearing the same about a 701,, in both sm and enduro flavors

Dont know if youve seen the spy pics of the new "690adv",,,,, but actually think it'll be a husky 701adv if it happens.

Some folks think it was just pics of the 701 enduro being tested or a new 690enduro,,, but it had a low header, thats makes me think rally style saddle tanks, wich makes me think fairing, wich makes me think adv model.

Until it shows up in the dealer i'ts just guessing

 

[Clutch]

Been hearing the same about a 701,, in both sm and enduro flavors

Dont know if youve seen the spy pics of the new "690adv",,,,, but actually think it'll be a husky 701adv if it happens.

Some folks think it was just pics of the 701 enduro being tested or a new 690enduro,,, but it had a low header, thats makes me think rally style saddle tanks, wich makes me think fairing, wich makes me think adv model.

Until it shows up in the dealer i'ts just guessing

I have seen the spy pics.

Since a lot of us have been begging for a 690 ADV for years, I am not holding my breath that the white KTM version will be that ADV we have been wishing for...we will see.

The 300 lbs ADV bike does exist...just have to be willing to pay for it.

 

[BADDANDY]

If you have read every single Adv trip report, you would be good to select any bike made in Japan vs an exotic for reliability if one is available in the style of bike you want. That's the conundrum for me. Just yesterday I learned I need to keep a can of DW-40 with me as the friggin Tiger's stepper motor needed unfreezing on a forest road ride. Besides that, the Tiger was the perfect bike for me on the ride we did. Now if Yamaha would make a lighter Tiger XC version of the FZ09 Touring.

 

[Clutch]

If you have read every single Adv trip report, you would be good to select any bike made in Japan vs an exotic for reliability if one is available in the style of bike you want. That's the conundrum for me. Just yesterday I learned I need to keep a can of DW-40 with me as the friggin Tiger's stepper motor needed unfreezing on a forest road ride. Besides that, the Tiger was the perfect bike for me on the ride we did. Now if Yamaha would make a lighter Tiger XC version of the FZ09 Touring.

I like my "Adventure" bikes more dirt oriented...any 450 enduro with a 5 gallon tank will work, I don't like fairings or wind screens...just more to smash when you have a get off. Plenty of power for what I am going to do, and light enough without being a handful in the nasty stuff...I always tend to end up on some goat trail. If you stick to the "Slab Sucks" mantra...450's will get the job done.

 

[BADDANDY]

I like my "Adventure" bikes more dirt oriented...any 450 enduro with a 5 gallon tank will work, I don't like fairings or wind screens...just more to smash when you have a get off. Plenty of power for what I am going to do, and light enough without being a handful in the nasty stuff...I always tend to end up on some goat trail. If you stick to the "Slab Sucks" mantra...450's will get the job done.

That would be an awfully painful ride, to say, Alaska. A BDR ride yes, an ADV ride, I don't think so.
I await the day a manufacture makes ADV bike bodywork in Enduro bike plastic.

 

[agavelvr]

That would be an awfully painful ride, to say, Alaska. A BDR ride yes, an ADV ride, I don't think so.

yeah an enduro would be tough on an ADV ride...
Those Starbucks parking lots can be a tough place from what I've been told