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In search of the ultimate adventure bike
By Bret Tkacs
Dual-sport and adventure riding is a
rapidly-growing segment of motorcycling and
nowhere is it more
evident than here in the Northwest where we have
ample access to some of
the best dual-sport riding in the world. However, selecting the right
bike can be a daunting task if you are new to the sport and often
the advice we are given is as valuable as the price we pay for it. I
currently own two bikes that fall into the off-pavement category: my
BMW F800GS falls to the adventure side of things while my Suzuki
DRZ400S is more fitting of the traditional category of a dual-sport.
To thwart off angry letters to the editor about how I define the
bikes, I will define the two by how I interpret their capabilities.
Adventure bikes are generally large
displacement bikes (650cc – 1200cc) designed and capable of long
rides that include long stretches of pavement and dirt roads or
trails while being able to carry heavy loads of gear. These bikes
must share their off-road capabilities with the realities of
pavement. Many of these bikes see little more than gravel roads
while others traverse the globe.
Dual-sport bikes are generally smaller
displacement machines (125cc – 650cc). These are more trail worthy
machines while also street legal , allowing them to be ridden to their
off-road destinations. Bikes in this category range from bikes that
are little more than dirt-bikes with lights to bikes that can be
used as lightweight adventure bikes; of course reality often blurs
these definitions. There are people who have ridden around the
world on small displacement motorcycles while 1000cc motorcycles
have been ridden in off-road races such as the Paris-Dakar, so what
you do with your bike will often define it more than a physical
description.
My focus is specifically on the process I
went through in selecting my adventure bike for the kind of
riding I wanted to do. I went through the same process when I
purchased my last three off-pavement bikes, two dual sports and an
adventure bike. The first thing I do is define what I need my bike
to do for me. I started off by asking myself a series of questions
to help get me pointed in the right direction. For my last bike I
was looking for a machine I could ride into Mexico, South America
and Alaska as well as places like Montana and New Mexico. Because of
the long distances, I immediately ruled out my lightweight
400cc dual-sport as I knew I would be carrying heavy
loads that would overwhelm it.
So here is the process that led me to my
current ride…
How much time am I going to spend
off-road vs. on road? Many of us have dreams of traveling the
globe but are faced with the realities of a paved commute. I am
lucky enough to own more than one motorcycle and have a very capable
street bike I can use for commuting. So this left me with the option
to select a more purpose-built machine. I needed a bike that
was tour capable but that could be used in more extreme off-road
conditions.
Bret’s answer: I need a bike that can be
ridden as a 50/50 bike
Will I be riding trails or dirt/gravel
roads? If your idea of off road is a nicely -graveled forest
service road or an occasional muddy dirt road, heavyweight ADV bikes
such as BMW’s R1200GS or even the road bias Suzuki V-Strom can
handle these with little effort and are extremely good road touring
bikes. However, if you prefer roads that vanish into single track
lanes or the occasional single track trail, then something lighter
with more suspension travel is in order.
Bret’s answer: I want to be able to hit
some trails to get to my location
What is the fuel economy and tank size?
Based on the first two questions , I was already leaning toward a
bike that was trail capable. Fuel economy and tank size are
interrelated as they affect both distance and weight. It is obvious
that if I am comparing two bikes with similar fuel mileage such as a
Suzuki DR650 and a Kawasaki KLR 650, the KLR would get the nod for
distance as it packs a whopping 6.1
gallon in comparison to the Suzuki’s
3.4. However, when comparing bikes such as KTM’s 990 Adventure and
BMW’s F800GS, the differences fall into a different category. The KTM
holds 5.8 gallons in comparison to the GS’s messily 4.2 gal,
but the KTM only manages fuel numbers in the low to mid 30s compared
to the BMW’s upper 40s to low 50s, leveling out the total distance
per tank.
Bret’s answer: I want the bike with better
fuel economy so I will have to carry less fuel for the same mileage
meaning less weight and less space taken up with extra fuel.
How much gear will it need to carry?
When adventure touring, I like to be as self-sufficient as possible.
I carry camping supplies, food, water, spare fuel, tools, parts and
self rescue gear if I get stuck. If you prefer campgrounds or hotels
on your travels rather than remote camping, this will influence your
choice. I wanted a balance between enough power to
comfortably carry myself and gear down the highway. This ruled out
the 650s as they are all singles and can feel underpowered when
heavily loaded. You will often give up any fuel economy advantage of
the smaller motor as they have to work harder at highway speeds
causing them to often end up with MPG numbers equal to or less than
many larger displacement machines. This is more than enough on back
roads and trails but is anemic at highway speeds.
Bret’s answer: I would prefer a multi-cylinder
bike of middle displacement. I very much like single cylinder bikes
for off-road use, but a multi-cylinders bike will handle highway
speeds much better.
How much do I have to spend? If you
are looking for a deal , it is hard to look past bikes like the KLR
650 where you can find a new bike for under $6000! However, I was looking for a long-term relationship so I was more
interested in the machine's abilities than price. If you are just
getting into this type of riding, it is hard not
to look at the
plethora of bargains and used machines that can be picked up at very
affordable prices. I began with a dual-sport bike and then picked
up a
used street-bias adventure bike to try out the sport. Now that I am
hooked, it is time for a more purposeful machine.
Bret’s answer: "The BRET TKACS motorcycle
industry stimulus plan." Someone has to keep the dealers in business.
Will I be riding with a passenger?
Passengers add a lot of weight , both body and gear. If
you are planning on adventuring with a passenger, you must consider
factors like passenger comfort, motor size, room for extra gear, etc.
Generally this means you are less likely to get into difficult
trails and will end up on a much larger bike than a solo rider may
choose.
Bret’s
answer: I won’t be adventure
touring with a passenger so this is a non-factor.
How skilled am I as a rider off-road?
If you are new to off -road riding, I would strongly suggest starting
out with a lighter adventure bike or, better yet, a lightweight dual-sport in the 250cc to 400cc range. Be smart and take a riding class
to learn techniques for riding off road such as those offered by
PSSOR.
There are even special classes
specifically designed for
adventure riders in the form of a
2-day Adventure Camp held in the spring and fall of each year.
Another valuable way to learn critical skills is by attending rider-focused rallies such as
the Sound RIDER!
Dual-Sport Northwest
where you can get access to a tremendous amount of resources and
free clinics for the nominal cost of your registration fee. In my
case,
I started with a Kawasaki KLX250S, a Suzuki DRZ400S and then a
Suzuki DL1000,
so I was shopping specifically for a bike that would
merge the abilities of my dual-sports with the practicality of the
heavyweight.
Bret’s answer: Size is not an issue for my
off-road skills but it is when I have to recover it from a ledge or
pull it out of sand or mud.
How crash -proof is my bike?
Air-cooled
bikes are more resilient to damage in that they do not have delicate
radiators that can be damaged,
but I knew the small 650s were
already ruled out for me and there is only one street bias
heavyweight that is not liquid cooled. For me,
a mega-huge adventure
bike would not make me happy off-road. I needed something in
between
that I could crash proof. I also looked at how much plastic was
exposed, what aftermarket support there was for parts and gear and
how secure the sub frame and fasteners were.
Bret’s
answer: I want a bike with a large
selection of aftermarket protection.
How does the bike fit me? Since I was
looking for maximum ground clearance for off-roading ,
I was not too
concerned about being flat footed when seated on the bike. It is
common in off-road riding to have bikes that leave the rider short
of leg. As long as I could touch ground on the balls of my feet,
I
was good to go. Fit meant it had to be comfortable when I was
sitting for long periods,
but that when I stood up I was not hunched
over the bars. Another critical measure was that I could squeeze the
bike with my knees.
Bret’s answer: being 6 feet tall,
I was
good with any bike up to a 36" seat height which kept all the bikes
in the running. In
fact,
I was looking for the most ground clearance
so the taller the bike,
the happier I was.
After answering all of the above questions
I had narrowed my choices down to only a couple of bikes… the BMW
F800GS and the KTM 990 Adventure. It is likely that if Triumph had
its new 800 Tiger XC out ,
it would be a strong contender and may
have won my $$$. Of the two choices I was left with,
both are premium
well-built machines.
BMW F800GS
Pros
- Lighter weight than the KTM
- Excellent fuel economy (less weight carried per mile)
- Good dealer support
- Outstanding aftermarket support
- Well balanced
- MSRP that starts below the KTM
Cons
- Non-adjustable front forks! (Really
,
BMW,
at this price?)
Light weight rims susceptible to damage when used
heavily
off-road
Cost almost as much as the KTM once ABS is added and
suspension is upgraded
Small fuel tank
Very few aggressive off-road tire choices
KTM 990 Adventure
Pros
-quality suspension
Standard with ABS
Powerful 1000cc motor
Racing heritage
Good off-road tire selection for rim sizes
Good tip-over protection for vital parts
Cons
- Cost more than the BMW
- Poor fuel economy
- Powerful 1000cc motor
- Frequent maintenance requirements
- Short valve adjustment intervals
- Shrouded in plastic
I’m sure I could have happily lived with
either of my final 2 choices ,
but the fuel economy, service
intervals and overall feel of the bike tipped in favor of the BMW.
This past spring I spent several weeks staying as far away from
civilization as possible while riding in Mexico and I feel I made
the best choice. Is the BMW perfect? No,
but that is what the aftermarket is all about, customizing your bike
to fit your needs. Remember the manufacturer
has a much broader
market to appeal to,
so they all have to make concessions. Don’t
expect to find the perfect machine,
just the perfect starting point.
If you would like to see what I have done to my GS to make it my
ultimate adventure bike,
come take a look at the Sound RIDER!
Northwest Motorcycle Display at the 2011
International Motorcycle Show in Seattle.
When you get ready to choose a bike or
switch to a new machine , take the time to interview yourself and
narrow your choices to match what will work best for you.
Original Bike list (new bikes
available):
-
BMW = G450X, G650, F650GS, F800GS,
R1200GS,
-
Honda = Honda XR650L,
-
Kawasaki = KLX250s, KLR 650,
-
KTM = 690 Enduro, 990 Adventure
-
Moto Guzzi = Stelvio 1200,
-
Suzuki = DRZ400S, DR650, V-Strom DL650
& DL1000,
-
Yamaha = WR250R
New for 2011 = Tr iumph 800 Tiger XC,
Yamaha 1200 Super Tenere |
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