I’m feeling myself being pulled more and more into Adventure Riding. I’m not talking Trials or MX… but being able to go anywhere. Especially out of my Comfort Zone. It’s been said that Life begins outside of your comfort zone, and I’ve found this to be true. Riding an Enduro type machine is liberating. The Max Velocity riding is cool on a Sport, but at any given moment Johnny Law could shut you down and lock you up and you aint riding anything anymore for a long long time. Last time I rode off of pavement I was sweating, breathing hard, and shaking because I was scared shitless. But then I stopped and looked around and saw where I was… how far I had come… and it was amazing.
I’d like a longer range Adventure Bike… a Twin instead of a Single. Something in the Liter Class, or around there. 800 or larger we’ll say. Such a bike would be the last one I’d ever buy.
Loved my DRZ 400, now trying to decide one bike for me and one for two up, or one bike to do both roles. I think the Wee Strom might fit the bill. With a CBR 250 or the new ninja 300 just for pure cornering fun.
Mr. Ogre, you’ve hit the nail on the head. I paid off my Harley this year. I’ve gotten some other toys, i.e. my SBR and my suppressor……..But I’ve been wanting another pony for the stable. I’ve come ridiculously close to pulling the trigger on a few different GSXR750’s, but I keep stopping myself. Then I see the DR650s, and I think, why not? It seems like it could be a great deal of fun.
When I was on a dual-sport ride up in the Sierras years ago there was a guy on a BMW twin. We were on single-track that got very skinny, and trying to get through some of the rocks was pretty hard for him, the way the jugs poke-out. Fortunately he was about 7-12″ and 380lbs of raw muscle, so he just lifted the whole damn bike – also he was in his mid 30’s – it’s easier when you’re a kid. I was 40+ and on The Iron Pig – an XR650L (wan better than the Suzuki DR650), and struggling because it acted as it’s own entrenching tool in the loose rocks, and kept burying itself down to the axle. Without a steering damper and with those horrible old-school forks, it was hard to get up enough speed to stay “on top” of the loose stuff AND stay on the trail. Exhausting – why I went and got a lighter bike with more power and way better suspension, and a lower CG – four strokes have too much twirly-stuff high-up for the high-country. KTM300 has a tractor low-end too.
Fun and adventure, bike riding in Taiwan
http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/numberspop_110411/bp1.jpg
Scooters… That’s like a Gay Pride Parade on two wheels.
They call them “motorcycles” over there – I’m not sure if they have a separate term to designate the handful of what we’d call “motorcycles” on the road there. I had a bit of confusion when a coworker referred to his “motorcycle” until I got the terminology straightened.
But if I wanted a guarantee of lifetime employment (and spoke Mandarin) I’d consider opening a scooter repair shop in Taipei.
They’re everywhere. That picture looks like routine rush-hour traffic in Taipei. Besides solo commuters and couples, you see things like Mom driving the scooter while older kid sits behind and younger kid stands(!) on the floorboard in front of her.
But my favorite was seeing a scooter with a middle aged male (“Dad”) driving (grocery bags between his feet), middle aged female (“Mom”) behind, and young-adult female crouching on the rear pegs with her arms around Mom’s waist and her very shapely bottom hanging out in space well beyond the rear wheel.
And I though I was stretching things by giving a 250 lb friend a lift across town on my old CB750, back in the day.
You already know my recommendation:
http://www.asphaltandrubber.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/2012-Triumph-Tiger-Explorer.jpg
135 horses is a good argument.
…plus nimble handling, comfortable seating/knee position, ABS, traction control, cruise control, and sharp looks. As a bonus, the Triumph T shirt is cool….
I don’t know, I think I’d want more of a “dirt visits street” bike, something that is more at home off road, something that can take you places you have to duck branches and pour mud out of your boots. I can ride fire lanes and logging trails on the harley. Yeah, you drag the pipes and it might raise the pucker factor a bit, but i have run that 800lb+ pig through some hairier places than it was meant for. Of course i couldn’t do it at 60.
KTM makes some nice adventure-style bikes…
The 990 is very tempting to me, but I wish it had some of the luxury features that the BMW 1200 has… even though I like the lighter 990 size better.
the 990 or 950 is a good choice. I have a 690R for the TAT we will be doing next year.
I want a 990 for commuting and the occasional dual sport ride. The 690 just does not cut it for day in and day out commuting…
I looked at the Big BMWs but they were just to big and heavy in the end. I don’t see anything that the BMWs have that the KTMs don’t these days…
Accessory power plugs…
Powerlet.com is your friend, and you get to put them where you want them… I have two wired up on my 690 and they work well. Something also tells me they don’t weigh much.
Not bashing BMW I just think they are a bit too heavy and unwieldy off road, but that is just me…
“Such a bike would be the last one I’d ever buy.” If I had a nickle every time that I heard that.
True.
Come on Ogre, You’re a bike nut. I mock and laugh at you. Guns and motorcycles; one will never be enough.
“I’m feeling myself being pulled more and more into Adventure Riding.”
HA! I told ya! now you are toast! next thing we know, you are gonna be posting from Mongolia or or some such. Just feed that addiction….
Mongolia. That would be awesome.
http://www.gizmag.com/et-tu-brutus-suv-motorcycle/25021/
SUV motorcycle… hmm….
Honda had a bike like that 20 years ago.
Yamaha had a fat tire trail bike a number of years ago, not sure if they still do. Don’t know if either were a very good idea. Although the ‘snow kit’ looks interesting.
Do a search on youtube for fat tire motorcycle. There is a guy in AZ making a kit for 00-10 Yamaha 400-450’s. Not quite the horsepower, but less weight. Also there are NO ATV tires on the market I know about with DOT approval. Besides there is something similar only with a side car on the OCC web site.
I’ve been wanting a KTM 990 for some time now. Been hard convincing the wife we need a fifth motorcycle though.
If she’s let you get that many… one more isn’t going to hurt.
yeah, you would think…
i think the main problem is the KTM would be more of a “Me” bike, not an “Us” bike. We do a lot of riding, well, ‘did’ a lot of riding until the Boy came along this year. We’ve had more than a few 10K seasons on the Harleys (98 roadking, 06 street glide), which isn’t bad considering the riding season in MN can be cut a little short. Anyway, i don’t think she sees any fun in riding on the back of a KTM. Maybe i need to be trying to sell her on 2 KTMs?