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"cheap" streety ADV bike - find a first gen Tiger 800XC. You can get them for 5-6k or less when they pop up. It's happy all cranked over on the twisties in WV and will take you across the Trans Lab if you want to do that as well. Great middle of the road do it all machine. Yes, I'm biased, but I'd also buy another one in a heartbeat.
KTM is more money and more performance oriented. If that's your jam they're amazing.
The newer Triumph ADV bikes supposedly close that gap a lot, but I haven't ridden one yet.
I have yet to find a single person who likes the Tenere. Heavy as fuck, handles like shit, slow and slurps gas. No thanks.
2012 Tiger 800 XC
I can relate. The two I'd throw out of my garage last right now are a KTM 200 XC and a Harley Road King. Right now I am all about the Tenere 700 and convinced it'd fit perfectly between those two. Something the wife would never climb onto. Perfect for back-road bombing, scratching lines on dirt road corner exits and still capable of away missions where there may be dirt at the other end.
I have a WR450F I bought for reasons that sits between them right now. It is an exciting bike, but not the droid I was looking for.
You mean Super Tenere, right? I've yet to hear a negative opinion on the 700.
They went up in displacement so the power/torque curve matched the old 990 lc8 motors, which is the biggest (only) complaint from long time ktm owners/enthusiasts.
But yeah, I’ve been out and about on it.
Ftwn is the only legal joint, but I grew up in the area, and I currently spend the majority of my free recreational time pedaling around the countryside, so I know lots of places to sneak into, out of, and through during my commute, and any errand running I may take it on.
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Last edited by Chippertheripper; 12-14-20 at 12:55 PM.
Cliff's Cycles KTM
NETRA enduro B-vet
Close your eyes, look deep in your soul, step outside yourself and let your mind go.
Cliff's Cycles KTM
NETRA enduro B-vet
Close your eyes, look deep in your soul, step outside yourself and let your mind go.
I'd put $10 on any adventure bike being more fun than an Indian Chieftain on pavement, and 1000x as fun on dirt/gravel. If you're worried about comfort on an adventure bike, a new seat is really all it takes to get similar comfort as a cruiser. I took my buddy's WR250R on 10 hour, 500 mile ride a few months ago, and with the Seat Concepts seat I was still ready to do another couple of hours at the end of the day, and I'm no fitness expert by any means. It's honestly better than the PowerParts seat on my KTM. A Seat Concepts seat was a requirement on my Rally.
2023 KTM 890 Adventure R
If they did that, I'd have interest. "390 adv" has hit my google bar a couple times in the last year. I always leave a little let down.
The CRF 250 Rally also strangely does something for me and I cannot fully explain why. I have a middling to low opinion of the plain CRF250L.
I was thinking something along a the likes of an FJ09 & a WR250 eventually.
Not that i am in the market for new or even a ADV bike at the moment , But this list has me thinking about it! https://dirtbikemagazine.com/2019-ad...ave%20pavement.
I think you're looking at 45min-1hr minimum to get out of your region before you've got meaningful ADV riding options. I don't think there's much east of 495. There is some in some small pockets, and you might be able to build a loop, but seems like it wouldn't be worth it. However, if you're looking for a 5hr day, that opens up some options.
nedirtriders.com
I have to say, I still love riding an ADV type bike in the "city". Big front wheel and suspension gives you that DGAF mindset with potholes, curbs, road debris, small children. Sitting upright and up high is awesome in traffic.
Anything that looks at home with a milk crate lashed to the backside is okay in my book.
For a short while I had a VFR750 and commuted on that. It sucked doing head-checks on lane changes. Never had that problem on the v-strom. (Nor do I have it on the harley.)
Check out the following tracks for mid-Mass dirt riding:
Trans-Mass Trail
Tomato Trail (mine)
Johnny Appleseed Loop
Mid-State Trail
Puppy to the Beach
NEBDR
Last edited by SRTie4k; 12-14-20 at 12:45 PM.
2023 KTM 890 Adventure R
I wanted to love the t7. The world raid proto was pretty dope.
210/200mm f/r with less adjustability vs 240 stock on the R, and no available factory cruise were the 2 real dealbreakers, but fuel range and some of the electronic wizzbangery are nits I’ll happily give to the pumpkin as well.
Cliff's Cycles KTM
NETRA enduro B-vet
Close your eyes, look deep in your soul, step outside yourself and let your mind go.
Somehow I had a ball on the DL650. What was that.. 150mm at both ends? ~200 sounds like good 'nuf to my ears.
The electronics and stories of crazy failures have me spooked. Not sure I'm cut out to own top-shelf euro hardware like that. I dig the simplicity of the yamaha approach.
No cruise is a bummah. Definitely a thing if you can have only one.
Anyone followed the latest with the Africa Twin line? Did they make it even better or water it down?
Africa Twin
Tenere 700
790/890 ADV-R
BMW F800GS
Tiger 800 XC
These would be my short-list if life suddenly told me I could own just one. All likely amazing motorbikes. .. Although I say this with the admission that I've ridden NONE of them!
The AT has become a computer on wheels, it even has a touchscreen TFT. It's a lot of bang for the buck if you like electronics. And it finally has cruise!
Also, the BMW and Tiger are just as electronically doodad'ed as the KTM.
I personally wouldn't touch a Tiger 800, my buddy had a 2016 XCA for 30k miles and it was a problem child. He killed 2 R/R's which left him stranded both times. Towards the end it was eating a quart of oil every 500 miles. 1st wasn't geared low enough, and 6th wasn't geared high enough, so he'd stall it in technical stuff all the time and it would scream on the interstate. It seems like it was designed as an around-town bike IMO. I suppose in his case it could have just been a lemon, as there are lots of happy owners.
2023 KTM 890 Adventure R
Have two Tiger 800s in the garage now -a '15 XCx and a '18 XCa. Both have been trouble free and run like champs. Every manufacturer is going to have a bad bike every now and then. If you follow the forums, KTMs are wonderful except they are absolute crap. Go figure. Find some used bikes and ride em. Then decide.
Cheers,
x
I've had/have two, great bikes. And they changed the ratios in 18.
Jeff
Maybe it was specific to my personal requirements. I’m tryna use this slug like a giant dirtbike (that has cruise) vs a casual dirt road cruiser (like the wee).
As it is, my squishy bits are ready for some stretching and re-springing and revalving that’s about to go down this winter. Hot mods coming.
Cliff's Cycles KTM
NETRA enduro B-vet
Close your eyes, look deep in your soul, step outside yourself and let your mind go.