Thinking about dual sport/ ADV bike

[Gixxer]

I think that is probably good advice. The 650 thumpers are surprisingly fun, if very, very low performance. I could actually imagine doing a ton of ADV riding on a KLR if I lived closer to the good stuff and didn't have to traverse highway.

I saw the Scrambler XE and XC in person at National in Pembroke last week. I think it has a lot more chops than you might think. The sales guy said he was riding one right now and called it a "naked ADV bike with some retro style". Key here is it isn't the retro street naked with some ADV bits tacked on that it might look like from a distance. A lot of the hardware compares to the Tiger line. Weight isn't even that bad (~450-500 wet). And they look completely bad-ass.

I get it!

I don't know how I'd feel bouncing that pretty motorbike off some rocks though. For well traveled dirt roads I be it slays. Probably pretty good on our typical beat up paved roads too.

I was at National talking to that guy Saturday

2020 had a gooooorgeous tank, two tone green with a yellow stripe and Triumph spelled out.

I wish there was one local.

The Gold Line Scrambler XE is pretty sick too with a Baja orange tank.

[Gixxer]

I didn't remember that about the Tiger 800 "roadie" I rented in CA. I did a lot of super-slab on it and don't remember the gearing being that wild.

I think I have my heart set quite intently on an 890 ADV-R. I have the $. I am ready to part with it. I don't even think I want to "settle" for a 790 ADV-R. No compromises this time!

Someone find me a dealer ready to sell @ MSRP plus reasonable fees. I'm ready to travel up to 3 hours with a trailer and looking to take delivery sometime between now and the end of April.

Have you tried Cycles 128?

[nhbubba]

I haven't. I suppose I should also reach out to Mom's Tyngsboro and Wagners as well. I guess the dealer in Oxford ME too, right?
Buying across state lines is no problemo, right?

[SRTie4k]

Check with Edelmann's too. Small mom and pop dealership in Troy NY.

Freedom isn't bad, it's where I got mine.

[nhbubba]

Unfortunately they are a 3+ hour haul from me.

[tls25rs]

Check with Edelmann's too. Small mom and pop dealership in Troy NY.

Checked them, no 890ADV-R website says they have the 890ADV just no R

[Spooler]

The Scrambler is pretty legit off-road. I mostly keep it to the gnarliest dirt roads I can find, but I’m not afraid to cautiously take it into some more technical stuff if I find it. I am a little nervous about cosmetic damage, but it crashes pretty well (with the crash bars and barkbusters, not the Triumph hand guards). The tank and fenders can be repaired if dented, there’s not much plastic to break… there are several dual sided rack setups that will protect the exhaust out there, as well as increasing luggage options. It tours pretty well. The one thing a lot of people forget when they buy one: it’s a naked bike, there’s no wind protection, any windscreen beyond a flyscreen (which works well enough for me) is hideous looking. I got some knobbier tires for this season, looking forward to pushing it a little further.

I think a used DR650/XR650 or even a KLR would be a great option to explore adv riding with very little financial risk. They’re not as cheap or easy to find as they used to be though.

[Gixxer]

The Scrambler is pretty legit off-road. I mostly keep it to the gnarliest dirt roads I can find, but I’m not afraid to cautiously take it into some more technical stuff if I find it. I am a little nervous about cosmetic damage, but it crashes pretty well (with the crash bars and barkbusters, not the Triumph hand guards). The tank and fenders can be repaired if dented, there’s not much plastic to break… there are several dual sided rack setups that will protect the exhaust out there, as well as increasing luggage options. It tours pretty well. The one thing a lot of people forget when they buy one: it’s a naked bike, there’s no wind protection, any windscreen beyond a flyscreen (which works well enough for me) is hideous looking. I got some knobbier tires for this season, looking forward to pushing it a little further.

I think a used DR650/XR650 or even a KLR would be a great option to explore adv riding with very little financial risk. They’re not as cheap or easy to find as they used to be though.

Yeah I see the clear and tinted fly screens on triumphs website, I’m surprised they even have a taller one.

Have you ridden with a passenger at all?

[Spooler]

Yeah I see the clear and tinted fly screens on triumphs website, I’m surprised they even have a taller one.

Have you ridden with a passenger at all?

I have a Dart flyscreen which is much easier to install and remove than the Triumph one and seems functionally the same. I have not ridden with a passenger, my wife has her own bikes these days and the kids aren’t old enough. I have heard the exhaust is not a problem for passengers, fwiw.

[Gixxer]

Check with Edelmann's too. Small mom and pop dealership in Troy NY.

Freedom isn't bad, it's where I got mine.

Sorry if I missed it, but what are your thoughts on the Triumph Scrambler 1200XE?




I’ve heard it mentioned more than once that it’s a contender for bikes like the 1250gs and 1290SA

[Gixxer]

[Spooler]

There are a couple of really cool 600-ish cc European Scramblers that I wish were available here. I did see a headline somewhere that CCM was coming to the US and they make a pretty cool one.

[RandyO]

I walked around a KLX300 today while at RMS, not super tall that you need a stepladder for inseam challenged riders, I might look at it a little closer, depends how the 190 swap I'm doing on my k-pipe works out

[nhbubba]

Fuggit. Deposit is in. Wagner in Worcester wins. ETA is 2-3 weeks.
Adding tech pack. (quick shift, rally mode, msr and cruise)

[dankatz]

I think that is probably good advice. The 650 thumpers are surprisingly fun, if very, very low performance. I could actually imagine doing a ton of ADV riding on a KLR if I lived closer to the good stuff and didn't have to traverse highway.

I saw the Scrambler XE and XC in person at National in Pembroke last week. I think it has a lot more chops than you might think. The sales guy said he was riding one right now and called it a "naked ADV bike with some retro style". Key here is it isn't the retro street naked with some ADV bits tacked on that it might look like from a distance. A lot of the hardware compares to the Tiger line. Weight isn't even that bad (~450-500 wet). And they look completely bad-ass.

I get it!

I don't know how I'd feel bouncing that pretty motorbike off some rocks though. For well traveled dirt roads I be it slays. Probably pretty good on our typical beat up paved roads too.

That's how I ride my Ducati scrambler with the upgraded forks and skid plate. It is a light-retro-stylish-naked bike set up for adventure. I bought it from Seacoast used with a few farkles for $6k and it has been a lot of fun

[SRTie4k]

Fuggit. Deposit is in. Wagner in Worcester wins. ETA is 2-3 weeks.
Adding tech pack. (quick shift, rally mode, msr and cruise)

Frickin A you actually did it.

Just as a heads up, while buying the bike there is one thing, I'd strongly recommend not bringing the bike there to get anything other than basic service done. They did a real hack job of installing a few PP parts on my buddy's 1290SAR.

[nhbubba]

I think I'm a diy service and install kind of guy. Big part of the apprehension of buying a NEW FUCKING BIKE is dealing with warranty and "you must have us service it" pressure. Gotta get back into the habit of strictly documenting service and such.

Just bought 3 gallons of 20W-50 partial synth that I suppose I should figure out how to return. Katoom wants 10W-50 full synth and under warranty we shall not deviate!

Now to rack up some serious credit card debt on farkles!
I think job 1 is luggage accommodations. Gunna dig out the old pelican ghetto-tech top box from the V-Strom days. I still have some smaller soft luggage from the DRZ as well.
Job 2 is either off-road protection (bark busters, skid plate) or convenience/comfort (nav, phone, heated grips, etc). Thinking the off-road protection can wait as I will likely be in mostly poser mode for a while.

[breakdirt916]

Bubba YASSS!!

[number9]

Fuggit. Deposit is in. Wagner in Worcester wins. ETA is 2-3 weeks.
Adding tech pack. (quick shift, rally mode, msr and cruise)

Which bike did you end up going with? Regardless, congrats!

[nhbubba]

2022 KTM 890 Adventure-R

[TheIglu]

That motor. You'll love it.

[number9]

2022 KTM 890 Adventure-R

Schwinggggg

[SteveM]

2022 KTM 890 Adventure-R

Fuggit is right, good for you. That looks like it rips as well.

[nhbubba]

What's the latest in soft ADV luggage?

I am hooked on the idea of soft bags for trips. First introduced by markbvt who had a set of wolfmans hung off his tiger. LOVE the look and concept of the Mosko reckless 80L system. Not a fan of the price. Tusk makes a ripoff called the Highland. Catch is the capacity for those systems is only ~50L. Is that enough?

I have a DrySpec D38 top duffel that I love. Later I bought a set of their D20 saddlebags, which are nice but even combined with the D38 (20L * 2 + 38L => 78L) isn't quite enough space.

On the V-Strom I had a set of tusk aluminum boxes that I assume were the 'large' 37L. Those were plenty!

The Hardly Ableson has me spoiled with the convenient as hell bags. If I'm reading the spec right and converting from 'Murica units correctly I've got like 65L on that bike at all times. Plus the duffle and that kit is 103L or at least one nights worth of beer. Makes me think I'd be downright grumpy with only 50L out of a rackless, which isn't much of an upgrade from the 20L Dryspec teacups I have now.

So how about rack'ed soft luggage? Methinks having a rack exoskeleton may be worth it anyways as I have a tendency to tip over.

Mosko makes a 35L rig that is (at least used to be) the shit. Expensive as hell tho.
Tusk has copied this kit as well, called the Pilot. Looks great and price is very, very right.
Giant loop Siskiyou is 70L. Their stuff rarely disappoints. Also pricey though. Crazy too as their even larger 90L "Round the world" kit is only $10 more.
Lone Rider kits (31-38L/ea) are probably the most expensive I've seen.
Bumot makes a kit (74L combined) that seems appealing. Price is high, but I think it includes the racks maybe?! I know little of Bumot, but chipper bought their hard pannier kit. He typically doesn't buy junk and seems to like it.

What am I missing?
What are y'all running nowadays?

[Spooler]

What's the latest in soft ADV luggage?

I really like the Kriega OS system. Not cheap, but I think less than Mosko. Love how modular the system is. I have a single large side bag for the scrambler and a few other bags that can strap to that bag, go on the rear seat and/or rear rack. Or I can put a smaller bag on the side and also put a rotopax on the side rack. Other than the OS bags i have a 30 liter dry duffle and a tank bag and Ive got the ability to have 112 liters of storage without putting anything on the exhaust side.