New African Twin Maybe 1200cc

[SVRACER01]

yeah, just buy a one. have chip meet you at the dealership. then before you can even ride it have chip just kick it over.

[Chippertheripper]

No way, I'm gonna fucking send that thing down some dirt road and hang the fuck on. Real world review forthcoming.

[MattR302]

I think this an appropriate time to say: I REALLY love the first gen 800gs. With suspension work AND a can/mapping I think it could be the bike you all are looking for, unless you are really hung up on hp.

Like this local one For sale?
Error | Adventure Rider

[Chippertheripper]

Like this local one For sale?
Error | Adventure Rider

Yes. Except that's not exactly what I'd call cheap. I don't know what else is out there for boingers for those things, but something like that in the 8000$ range with similar mods.

[nhbubba]

This makes that $2k premium seem worth it.

2009 BMW F800 GS Adventure Bike

That's the only F800gs I can find anywhere near the northeast. I think National Powersports had 1 or 2 earlier this summer. But IIRC they were >$10k too.

At least they hold their value, I guess.

New ones have the automagic electronic suspension bizwangery too at only $3k ahead of that price. Meh.

[Chippertheripper]

The new ones got "softer". And more bmw-like, IMO.
It got poo-poo'd as a mediocre bike, because it doesn't really have any wow factor. with suspension and marginally more juice it could be like goldilocks, again, IMO.

[Paul_E_D]

I'm trying to imagine hustling all that tupperware through the woods I rode today. Nope, can't imagine it. What on god's earth do you need to carry on that thing? And riding with ANY weight in that 55 gallon top box is strictly a pavement affair.

[nhbubba]

Now imagine doing a 400 mile day on that 250 of yours.

[Paul_E_D]

Ouch

[Paul_E_D]

I like the triumph but that luggage is insane. really. You could put more than 400 pounds of gear in there.

[SteveM]

400 is a lunch stop for me on my F6B. I'm looking at the suitability of this or the VFR1200x for 3:00am departure in eastern mass and 9:00 pm dinner in Chicago

[nhbubba]

I like the triumph but that luggage is insane. really. You could put more than 400 pounds of gear in there.

I agree. Look at the BMW and the rest though, they are all like that. I find the Honda top box especially ridiculous. I'm not an enormous fan of top boxes to start. Much prefer my dryspec bag on the parcel shelf on an as-needed basis. I'm sure we'll find out that they built this box this size to store a helmet, which is important to some.

The side cases are more interesting. They aren't as obscene and Honda came up with a really nifty looking 3-point quick attach system. There is no luggage frame, the mounts are integrated into the bike (and not an OE extra either). Unfortunately this means soft luggage (ie dryspec) or non OE stuff (Givi) won't work without some modification. Hopefully someone will make a quick detach side rack kit to graft soft stuff to. Mark (markbvt) has shown me the light with this soft luggage and how versatile it can be.

(White Tiger XC here)

400 is a lunch stop for me on my F6B.

And a rutted dirt road is a thing of nightmares for that F6B.

This thing is neither a cross-country mile muncher nor a dirt bike. It is somewhere in between. Accept that and life gets easier, I swear.

[Chippertheripper]

I'm trying to imagine hustling all that tupperware through the woods I rode today. Nope, can't imagine it. What on god's earth do you need to carry on that thing? And riding with ANY weight in that 55 gallon top box is strictly a pavement affair.

You carry your gear to camp, set it up & go ride. Or go to the grocery with empty bags and fill em up.

[Chippertheripper]

I accept it Colin. I do.
Just like I accept that oxx likes nickelback.

[nhbubba]

I hold these truths to be self evident.

[markbvt]

I'm not insane enough to go pre-ordering or any of that.

I am. It worked out great for me with my Tiger, so I'm rolling the dice on the Africa Twin too. Put down a deposit Saturday.

Every review I've read indicates this should be a terrific bike, so I'm willing to take the chance. If I don't like it, I can always sell it, and since it's likely to be a hot seller the first year, hopefully resale will be high. But I'll be very surprised if it comes to that.

--mark

[SVRACER01]

I accept it Colin. I do.
Just like I accept that oxx likes nickelback.

i will eat your children

[Chippertheripper]

Child. One and done.

[nhbubba]

Another positive review : Africa Twin for the Win! | MOTORCYCLIST

One negative I pick up on though:

Handling is stable (as tested at over 220 kph [138 mph]), but perhaps too stable. The Africa Twin doesn’t display the quick-flick, happy-to-lean characteristics that we’ve come to expect from tall, relatively narrow-tired ADV bikes. It’s a bit slow to lean over, and in tighter turns the front end felt numb enough that I decided to slow my pace. It might be something as simple as tire choice or suspension settings, or it could be the result of using dirt-friendly wheel sizes—the Africa Twin wears a 21-inch front, where most of the big ADVs have 19s. But whatever the case the Honda wasn’t as enjoyable in the twisties as I’d hoped, even though the brakes and motor are definitely up to the task.

[MattR302]

Just buy one already so you can sell me your Wee for cheap

[nhbubba]

Okay.

[markbvt]

Another positive review : Africa Twin for the Win! | MOTORCYCLIST

One negative I pick up on though:

It’s a bit slow to lean over, and in tighter turns the front end felt numb...

That may very well be the tires. My Tiger handles very differently with the Full Bores I usually run than it does with the Bridgestone Battlewings it came with. The Bridgestones too required more turn-in effort and followthrough as they always wanted to stand back up. The Full Bores have much more neutral handling.

--mark

[nhbubba]

I remember that about the Trailwings that came stock on the DL650. I switched them out for the Pilot Roads and have run them almost exclusively since. Bike dives into corners and is generally much more lively with just that change.

[nt650hawk]

just drop the tipples down 6mm

[nhbubba]

I really agree with this. Kind of surprises me how many are negative about Honda releasing new models, something they've kind of sucked at recently.