Tran-America Trail: July 2008

[kcowyo]

The GS is low and comfortable, while the KTM is (really) tall and the seat would get anyone at Gitmo to talk.

:xxrotflma


Nice comparo. Glad the trip concluded safely - :campfire:

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

I would agree with that statement. The suspension is the major limiting factor on the 650GS....you just cannot get around the lack of suspension travel (about 60% of the travel that the KTM has). We are going to try to push the BMW suspension to the realistic and practical limits in the future (meaning we are going to retain the damping rod forks, but tune spring rates and compression/rebound damping on both ends), but there is only so much you can do with 5" of travel.

For tall riders with a decent amount of experience, the 950 is a great bike. For us not so tall riders (Tim Hilslammer aside...), it would be a handful on this trail.

The 950 adventure is definately a "Scotty" bike. :sombrero:

Curious on why you went with a 650GS and not a Dakar? Sounds like the Dakar would have been better suited for your needs with 25% more travel and 40% more ground clearance.

 

[goodtimes]

Curious on why you went with a 650GS and not a Dakar? Sounds like the Dakar would have been better suited for your needs with 25% more travel and 40% more ground clearance.

There were 2 main reasons:

Seat height and availability.

The Dakar seat height, in retrospect, would not have been a *huge* issue, but would be at the upper limit of what I would be able to push backwards in a parking lot. Since this bike was (is) to be used as a general commuter as well as for general exploring of the back roads, it was, and IMO still is, a valid concern. Heck, even the GS can be a pain at times.

And what really sealed the deal, was the fact that I was able to get my hands on a GS when I had the requsite amount of cash to buy a new bike.

Now, since my rear shock is a bit longer than the OEM GS shock (but not as long as the Dakar shock), I am considering a pair of Dakar forks which I would slide up the clamps far enough to level the bike off...which would put it about 1/2 way between the standard GS and the Dakar, with regard to height.

 

[Scott Brady]

Our adventure over the Trans-America Trail will be featured in the Summer (next) issue of Overland Journal. It was fun to write about my experiences on this route and relive the adventure through the photos and videos. I have a ton of HD video from the trip, and might just put something together for ExPo on it.

What an amazing adventure - I would highly recommend anyone with an Adventure Moto consider it, even in sections. The route through Colorado and Utah is exceptional for its technical challenges, big landscapes and variety.