INDEX (extra notes further down) 0:58 Royal Enfield Himalayan 1:55 Kawasaki KLR650 2:28 Honda CB500X 3:09 Kawasaki Versys 650 3:49 Suzuki V-strom 650 4:38 Yamaha Tenere 700 5:17 KTM 890 6:20 Triumph Tiger 900 6:58 BMW F850GS FURTHER NOTES As clearly stated in the intro this is just about bikes between 175 to 220kg (385 to 485lb)! Viewers are asking why I didn't include the DRZ400, KTM 690, DR650, XR650L and SWM 650... these were all in our lightweight adventure bikes vid here: kzread.info/dash/bejne/nqej1KtwZrOoicY.html CORRECTIONS: The BMW's weight is actually 229kg according to BMW, the source we used was incorrect and was actually the 'dry' figure. KAWASAKI VERSYS WEIGHT? The green 650 appears to be 216kg wet weight, not 206kg. The sources we used appear to be incorrect. Himalayan owners are advising the seat isn't too hard. The problem is it's too soft so you feel the hard base of the seat! KLR650 owners point out that heavy oil consumption still occurs with sustained running at over 5500 RPM (80mph or 130kmh). Chinese made engines for BMW: Some find it hard to believe BMW uses Chinese made engines for some models. Info straight from BMW's site: "the Chinese manufacturer Loncin has been producing... engines for the BMW F 750 GS and F 850 GS. In addition, the midsize scooters BMW C 400 X and C 400 GT roll off the production lines here." www.bmwgroup-werke.com/berlin/en/unser-werk/internationale-produktion.html For the pedants, yes 'Himalayan' is misspelt in the graphics as 'Himilayan'. It should actually be 'ɦɪmɐːləjɐ' in Sanskrit. Subscribe for weekly adventure & dual sport vids! English not your first language? Heaps of subtitles... Safety & protective gear vids bit.ly/3BmKeGE Our dual sport & adv ride vids bit.ly/3HTdvvl Bike & product reviews bit.ly/3BrnVjq The more bizzare side! bit.ly/34ZschR The more philosophical side bit.ly/3v9nKYX Riding across Vietnam bit.ly/3pej9Rt DR650 project vids bit.ly/3gQEStP Check out our other channels too... Cross Training Enduro bit.ly/3Jncax4 Cross Training Trials bit.ly/3uUjwEm

@stopper90004

2 жыл бұрын

You missed perhaps the best looking, torquey-ist and most fun adv bike in this category: Triumph Scrambler 1200 XC OR XE. Having gone from a Super Tenere and KTM 690 to one, I can vouch for it's amazing blend of freeway comfort mixed with superb dirt capabilities.

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

It was heavier than the criteria we set for midweight. We'd include it if we did a heavyweight adv bikes vid.

@1911Earthling

Жыл бұрын

Yikes bmw puts Chinese engines in their motorcycles. Yikes. What has the world come to?

@nitinappasahebpatil3357

4 ай бұрын

L

whatever bike one ends up with, no worries, there will usually be a klr nearby to pull em out of the woods🤙

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

🤣

@Will-jb7dd

2 жыл бұрын

Yup

@Actias1974

2 жыл бұрын

Haha

@ADVF800GS

2 жыл бұрын

KLR is the original king I don’t care what anyone says or how much faster other bikes may be…I love my KLR

@bryanreeme8584

2 жыл бұрын

@@ADVF800GS yessir, I figure I'm married to my '18

I love that you listed weights, front wheel sizes and seats heights. Three crucial factors for venturing off the pavement. Word seems to be spreading on how much easier the lighter weight bikes are which is great. Keep up the good work!

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Mike! So many 'reviews' now focus on very experienced riders flogging the bikes in tough terrain when the reality is most riders aren't pro level and just want something easy to manage!

@mohammadnashitsiddiqui2168

2 жыл бұрын

@@crosstrainingadventure I was about to point the same thing, Horsepower is useless offroad when a 220 kg bike is stuck in mud

@pateris

Жыл бұрын

@@crosstrainingadventure True, just like not everyone wants a 170 hp bike which very few can, use anyway…

+1 on your inclusion of the Enfield. I have a 2021 and several thousand miles on it already. Great two-wheeled jeep. Not fast, but will get you anywhere under any conditions. Exactly what I was looking for when I bought it. And that's coming from 40+ years of riding everything big and small, including open class two strokes, Harleys, etc. Simple and rugged is more fun for me, ymmv.

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

It's great to have this sort of option available!

@nogerboher5266

7 күн бұрын

The worst, most unreliable and most scummy bike manufacturer to ever exist. Not a surprise though, considering the fact it's an Indian company. No matter which industry we are talking about; Bikes, Cars, Tech, Clothes, Tools, Arts and even Entertainment industry, these people NEVER, EVER make anything with good quality, they are worse than those cheap Chinese and Taiwanese factories... German, Swiss and Japanese products will always be top notch. To anyone considering buying this bike, avoid this company and this bike like plague!

Its very easy You buy the Tenere 700 . Supercapable on and of road, Light, bulletproof engine. Without electronic bullsh@t and really fun to ride .

I think one very important issue when it comes to adv bikes is how the weight is distributed. I’m not a very experienced off road rider. I had a hard time handling my tenere 700 due to its top heavy character. I therefore changed to the ktm 890 adv R because of the low center of gravity

@lawdayl

Жыл бұрын

Good point, my Triumph scrambler 1200 is the same. Ok on dirt roads but I wouldn't do anything harder on it

I've had a Himalayan for a couple years. I took it on a 2000 km trip last summer, sticking to back roads. It isn't built for highway speeds, but that's not what it's for. I think of it as a tough little mule that'll take me and my gear almost anywhere I want to go.

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

Agreed Mark, and I reckon anyone after a mule will appreciated it... good to see that it seems most, if not all, those early problems have disappeared.

@sscbkr48

2 жыл бұрын

It's my wife's favorite for 2 up on rough roads.. 2018, a bit lighter with no abs, has a LCG.. only issue was a FP relay replaced under warranty.. has idled and performed flawlessly since. Smoooth! and gets great mileage. We love our little mule.

@pateris

Жыл бұрын

@@sscbkr48 If only it was a mite less heavy…

The 2015 + versys 650 is absolutely AMAZING. Loved mine.

I have a 2015 KLR-650 with about 19,500 miles. So far it's ran perfect and I've never had the engine case open on it. I realize that some earlier doohickeys would actually come apart, but the later versions are solid. They do need the spring replaced but all in all, I'm quite happy with mine!

@flyingtigers7856

2 жыл бұрын

I did 30,000 kms on my 2015, never touched the doo!!

Another great vid! Loved the sandals 😂

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Jordan! When only the best boots will do lol.

I’ve been looking at the NC750X recently. Not the most powerful (or off-road worthy), but for my needs, seems to be just about the perfect machine. An excellent do-it-all.

@TrumpDoesntWipe

2 жыл бұрын

Reliability wins hands down and Honda has that cornered.

Great video, right to the point, warts and all. Thank you for the information concerning the KTM 790 s reliability issues.

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

Not everyone is having issues of course, but that's a pretty long list put together by owners themselves...

I own both a T7 and wr250x and will say the T7 it is a very nimble bike for its wieght. I was worried the extra weight would be an issue, but have not really had any accept when you come to a stop it will feel a bit top heavy in comparison to the wr250. Riding the t7 off road is very confidence inspiring especially when you swap the tires for something more aggressive for off road riding.

Wow, nice to see this segment finally waking up. It is amazing that something catches on finally. I remember when NOBODY wanted an SUV. Roads have not changed, people are no different, yet it is like the masses are only interested when something reaches critical mass.

Very informative and well made! Thank you very much!

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it, Gilles. I know there's not a huge amount of info on each bike but the time it takes to research the problems is massive lol.

Love the videos love the energy always keeping it real

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Ky!

I ride an 06 Vstrom 650 and love the bike. It is trouble free and easy to work on yourself except as you mentioned the air filter is poorly placed under the gas tank. I am fairly short at 5'7" so this plays in to my choice as well but i mainly use the bike on road as any good riding areas local to me are still 2-3 hours away. Your videos are great, keep them coming.

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

Glad you are enjoying the Wee-strom, Scott! The test bike is my brother's and he just makes sure he's never riding in someone's dust so he'll probably only have to do the dreaded air filter every two years or so.

@Badhagis

2 жыл бұрын

What did you do about the windscreen issue? I'm currently looking at an 09 Vstrom, and am curious about your overall impressions?

@LoneWolfCRF

2 жыл бұрын

@@Badhagis at 5'7" the bike seems setup pretty well for me. The windscreen never bothered me although I switched to a table givi sport touring windscreen about a year ago. I now have a madstad bracket which makes the stock windscreen much better.

Great overview. Really appreciate your video.

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

Glad it was helpful, Will

I'm really interested in the Himalayan as a bad weather/light adv bike but anywhere I go here in the states is a 70mph interstate and that's not really it's strong suit. The one bike I think a lot of people are really wanting is a CRF450L Rally. Now that I would be looking into.

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

I haven't ridden the Enfield but with only 24hp I think 70mph would be horrible lol.

@bullproductions

2 жыл бұрын

I had a Himmy and liked it a lot. 2018 carb model and didn't have any issues with it. I sold it because it lacked power on the highway. It will do 70mph but not much faster. I was able to get mine up to about 130kmh (80mph) flat out. I ended up replacing it with a KTM 390 Adventure and so far it's serving it's purpose well.

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

How's the highway cruising with the 390? That was the one place I didn't get to ride it...

@bullproductions

2 жыл бұрын

@@crosstrainingadventure It's got plenty of power on the highway, it's nice and revvy so if you do find it's lacking power for an overtake you can drop it down to 4th and it will happily accelerate. I did have problems with vibration but doing a pre-muffler/cat delete made the vibrations nearly completely disappear. Now it's a pleasure to ride long distance.

@bullproductions

2 жыл бұрын

I also fit bar risers to make the riding position less cramped. Much better now.

Brilliant video & comparison across all models. After extensive research, I “gambled” on a 2022 RE Himalayan and the weakest part of this bike, so far is the dealer network. I love it dearly, and have ridden 700 miles in the Florida sand & dirt with no issues. The bike provides confidence, and as a bonus (if things go wrong) I also feel confident that I could take the entire thing apart and put it back together in my garage. The first service was a breeze. 🤙🏼

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

Great to hear! I know a lot of people bag the lack of horsepower and old fashioned look but I think it's great to have this kind of option available (I ride a DR650). And yes there were quality control issues at first but it seems they've worked hard to correct those... as happens with lots of other brands.

Great segment...you guys rock!

@crosstrainingadventure

Жыл бұрын

Thanks Pekka!

Had both the 790 Adventure R and I now got the 890 Adventure R Rally. No issues and very happy. The engine is extremely well made, and the weight distribution of the bike makes the bike feel like a driving a big EXC.

@sanbje

2 жыл бұрын

@David Squibular 17.000 km on the 790. 8.000 on the 890 Rally so far.

@VituxoAnzen

Жыл бұрын

13,000 Km en mi 790s. Muy contento! He recorrido gran parte del Perú 🇵🇪

Love the V-Strom 650 XT for exactly what you said it's for. We travel together on the dirt, so when it topples over, there's at least two of us to pick it up.

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

I really like the engine on it too, Michael. Has plenty of power on the highway, personally I can't see the appeal of all those 1000cc and bigger bikes and the massive weight...

@ioandragulescu6063

2 жыл бұрын

1st time going 2 up today on the 650 strom, interesting experience. At least the missis liked the 2nd half of the trip, for the 1st half she was scared and tense and messing my turns :) Seriously thinking of a back spring upgrade, any thoughts on that ?

@Michael_Mears

2 жыл бұрын

@@crosstrainingadventure We call our V-Stroms "the big bikes", as in, "are we going on the big bikes today?" Plenty of bike for each of us.

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

I haven't doubled anyone on the V-strom so not sure about the rear shock in that respect.

@ioandragulescu6063

2 жыл бұрын

@@crosstrainingadventure must investigate a bit, I found this Austrian couple on youtube going all over the world on a 1000 with modified wilbers suspension. Only the bike and the luggage are 360 kilos (they weighted it in a vid). So if that's possible, me and my half + 15 kilos of bags and luggage should be very douable. I just have to see how that will "mess" with my solo riding and of course ... the cost involved :)

I have a 2015 CB500x, I love this bike I rode it off road on dirt roads and the highway and Street back roads. All before I Rally Raid -ed it. It's a wonderful bike now it really handles the rough stuff with ease and you don't even really feel the bumps anymore especially those wash board area's and rough double track. And on the highway it seems to handle better as well. I pack mine up and take it camping with all my camping gear food and all. And it does two up way better.

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

I considered it Dolly, but just found it too expensive to buy the gear in Australia. I'd love to see Honda come up with a rally version though, at say, $1000 extra on the showroom floor.

Picked up a Tenere700 10 months ago.. Enjoy it for trails - 2 tracks. Also still riding my 1200 GSA.- when doing Highway miles and Gravel roads. or 2 up. So the t7 is my lightweight bike. Also like the seat height - since i am 6'5"

My family has owned a RE Himalayan BS4 at India from the year of 2018 which is used by me and brother.We have clocked 40,800kms so far. speaking about the goods points of this bike are following: good reasonable milage 27 to 36 kmpl and unreserved tank capacity is 10 litres and additional 5.5 litres of reserve is also available. Torque is good in low end and mid range. present days 2021 September month. seating comfort is good for me and also the pillon, 560 kms is the best i did on this back recently on bright day. seat height is manageable for me of height 170cm and 80kgs and good ground clearance. comfortably cruise at a speed of 60 to 100kmph in top gear depend on road and weight carrying around. dual purpose tyre help in off-road and onroad scenarios along with the suspension set. decent in cornering. sound of exhaust is likable. luggage carrying capacity is good. decent lights and brakes(non abs) and wind wiser are provided. weight distribution on riding is really good.but on off-road or low speed or parking lots its hard for me with the weight of bike which is 190+ kgs. upright position is good while riding and also help standing position while off-road riding. instrument cluster is cool. chain life was 35000 kms. spoke wheels. service cost is reasonable. vast service network. Bad about the bikes are conset issues, wear out by 10k kms. tyre life for rear is between 4 to 8k kms. front 15 to 22k kms. lights need improvement. weight. gear and clutch feels moderately light. some parts quality issues. magnet coil replaced.battery is average. rim bends in off-road ing somehow. service center people work is not satisfactory. brakes need much more feel. overall built quality is fine. taking in consideration of price and as a dual purpose adv its a good choice in india. i am happy with. latest bike has improved in many things. main opponent are hero xpluse 200 (cheapest) and ktm adv 250 390 and bmw g 310 gs.

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the report, I'm glad you haven't had many problems as I think some bikes were still having lots of issues around 2018 but the factory was trying to fix them?

My '17 Strom650 is top heavy but after 3 years have bonded with it.Video right about air-filter hard to get to as well as the spark plugs.Great on road,reliable & fun to ride.Thanx for vid.

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

I'd love to be on the design panel for an upgrade model, Dennis. It's a great platform but would be even better with some of those quirks fixed!

I’ve owned an 890adv R for the last 10mths. The only reason it touches tarmac is from the house to the bush (10km). It’s heavy, and yes I’ve had it over in sand and once on singletrack…..but god, it is great. Rally mode setting 1 is truly awesome. So far no issues apart from me leaving the Garmin on!! Only wish me skills were anywhere near to the bikes. Loving it

Again get video, & honest reporting. Thanks very much stay safe thanks again

I own a 2017 KLR 650, have been extremely pleased with it. The bang for the buck is hard to beat. I also have a 2014 Multistrada which I wouldn't dare take near a gravel rd, the KLR is perfect for that. Reliable, simple to operate own and maintain (oil and filter change and chain service takes about 15 minutes and that is about all it needs.)

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

They just keep plugging away, Hugh! Have you done the doohickey mod? I'm keen to see if they FINALLY fixed this in the 2022 model.

@markcollins5026

2 жыл бұрын

Man, I just picked up my 2022 KLR, they said the doohickey was undated !

@HooDRidEWhiteY

2 жыл бұрын

@@crosstrainingadventure came to ask this. I think even the new ones still need it. Bummer.

@bryanreilly4117

2 жыл бұрын

@@markcollins5026 just in case you hadn't heard it's not fixed on the new models

@PrestonGladd

2 жыл бұрын

@@bryanreilly4117 The "doohickey" is not the main problem, the counter balance chain guides wearing and chain stretch is whats causing the "doohickey" too fail. They did update the chain guides. Eagle Mike is driving that sales pitch for the mod (and why wouldn't he, the new KLR is selling like hot cakes), doing the mod after warranty wont hurt, BUT if you check your guides and chain at 10K and replace them at 15-20k then the "doohickey" shouldn't fail. Sure some will, but I feel they are probably around the less than 2% mark.

Excellent! I really appreciate how you simply state what you know with out a ton of personal opinion very nice! I have ridden a 2011 KLR and A 2004 Vstrom 1000... The KLR reminds me of a PICKUP TRUCK. does everything you want but nothing really well. The Vstrom 1000 was great on the highway but a handful to say the least offroad. AND I hated how vulnerable the oil filter and other sensitive bits are they way they engendered this.

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

Cheers Trevor, I try to stay objective but of course my own biases sneak in! But hopefully anyone buying a bike looks at dozens of reviews to get a balanced view. 😁

I feel that the Versys is generally underrated. It's very comfortable, good on fuel, not a bad height, not a bad weight, well built and a good value. It's does just as good on holiday as it does on the daily commute.

@pateris

Жыл бұрын

And it's unbreakable. I know someone who passed the 100 000 km mark without a hitch. Though it's quite common nowadays…

I love that you also rank them according to certain categories. It would be nice if you could add one table at the end where you can see a spec/feature comparison for every model at once for viewers to pause the video at. There you could do stuff like: Two-up: unsuitable/Tricky/comfortable Switchable ABS: ✅/🚫 Bluetooth head-unit Traction control Cruise control Bike armor: exposed/some protection/fully protected

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

I know, there's so much else I could add, Marc! Unfortunately even this sort of basic vid takes huge amounts of time so I need to draw a line somewhere, unfortunately.

Good reviews. Thanks.

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

Cheers Len!

I own a 2019 790R and it has been trouble free for 19k miles. With a 29" inseam, it is really tall for me and I have dropped it many times in the dirt while not moving due to this. When underway, it is an absolute blast to ride. I have done many 500 mile days getting to new areas to explore, so I can say it works as well on the highway as in the dirt. Cheers

@roblogic6823

2 жыл бұрын

I really wanted one but the rumours of poor reliability freaked me out. Where there's smoke there's fire

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

I know a lot of guys don't buy a new KTM model until it's been out for a year or two as they often have so many issues initially... I suspect it could continue longer if they swing over to Chinese production as they've been suggesting.

@bindirider

2 жыл бұрын

I agree, Love my 2019 790r no trouble just a pleasure to ride. No regrets.

@dragonsmonk

2 жыл бұрын

@@crosstrainingadventure would have been great if you'd mention that the "non R" for the 790 has a lot lower seat and is still plenty capable for the majority of riders ;)

Love the video! I own a Tenere 700. I'll admit that the suspension is not great, but good enough for the riding I'm doing. The exposed exhaust is easily fixed with pannier rack. I'll watch the review video of the Tenere you posted and leave a comment

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

I suspect the accountants weighed in when it came to the suspension and they've banked on 80% of riders being happy with the stock setup. But it would be good if it could be tuned for the more aggressive riders too, it would make it even better value compared to the KTM.

Combining dub techno background music with sarcastic jokes and honest information about adventure motorcycling: Probably the best thing you could do for mankind. I am for ever thankful.

@crosstrainingadventure

Жыл бұрын

Our pleasure!

I personally think the Ducati Scrambler Desert Sled is also worth looking at. It has 19/17 wheels, 72hp twin cylinder with EFI, 209kg and 200mm suspension front and rear. Only downside is the small 13,5L tank and the single throttle body. The wheels are also easily upgraded to 21/18 by lacing on bigger rims onto the hubs. The bike has enough clearance for it. It's my personal favorite and probably my next bike (including a second set of wheels in 21/18 for the rough stuff).

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

The revival of the scrambler has been interesting, I might do a vid about their history and some of the current ones.

got a second gen KLR a few months back and really like it. Its not fast but it will pretty much just tractor over or through just about anything you point it at.

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

Do you know if the 'doohickey' mod has been done yet?

@ShabbernigdoXingjian

2 жыл бұрын

@@crosstrainingadventure yes. I did the mod shortly after I bought the bike. The spring was still good but you can see where it had been rubbing grooves into the side cover.

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

Great, she should be tractoring for years now. 😁

Another informative video, thanks very much! I had the pleasure of riding a BMW F850GS at the BMW Offroad Skills course in Wales, UK a couple of months ago. I absolutely loved it! Very pokey, very comfortable, a pleasure to ride off road (I had lots of experience riding off road in Aus in my teens but very little recently), it was stuck in Enduro Pro mode so technically the technology was not switched on at the time, I loved it! I was told that the F850GS was more difficult to ride than the 1250GSs, so although the mantra of light is right is generally true, it's not necessarily the be all and end all. I found it handled itself beautifully throughout and it just looked the business! I've been riding Beemers for about 5 years now and the only reason I bought one in the first place was because the F650GS 2002 model I bought was so much (upwards of £1000 (about $2000 AUD)) cheaper than any of the Japanese equivalents I found on the second hand market at the time. I must say I'm a complete convert, I've since bought a 2012 G650GS for my RTW next year. I think the thing with them is that people are scared of servicing and maintenance costs at dealers but ALL dealers charge through the nose. I'm very lucky to be able to do all the work on the bikes myself but it would be good if more people took the time to learn a bit about their bikes rather than always taking them into dealers for maintenance or repairs. The bottom line is that it's just a vehicle with an internal combustion engine, they all work on the same principles it's just that now theres a computer on board, which again, is just a computer and can be tweaked and changed like any other type of computer given the right software. Just my two penneth worth, whatever works best for people, it's so great to have the variety of bikes we have nowadays, all of which are overall so much more reliable than ye olde bykes of recent history. Oh and I only dropped it once whilst doing a tight figure of eight and it was fine to lift up.

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

Great to hear it's working out for you, Phil! I assume the 2012 model is probably before they switche over to Chinese engines as well?

@philc7634

2 жыл бұрын

@@crosstrainingadventure Actually it is the Chinese engine and despite the slight drop in HP I've found it much smoother with better performance all round but that could just be age related. BMW insisted, despite the engines being made in China, that they would be manufactured to BMW's usual exacting and high standards and on this occasion I believe them. The design tweaks were also a big improvement. As far as the singles go I've found that the G is definitely a much more refined bike than the F. My only grumble is the seat width (on both models) but they fixed that on the later 800 F650 twins.

@joaogoncalves1660

2 жыл бұрын

I've ridden mine 850GS for about 20k kms now, with about a third of those offroad, and quite aggressively both in terms of revving it and in terrain difficulty. The suspension does wonders for me and the bike is very comfortable. Bear in mind, I have 2,03m and weight 97Kg. The thing with this bike is that I can easily put 100km in the high way with cruise control, and then right after, another 40 offroad, and then come back. The steering damper also helps a lot in more aggressive or sandy tracks. As for problems, mine did need to have the oil pan reseated as it was leaking due too insufficient sealant from the factory. Had that serviced at 5000Km, and now still rides perfect. And it is easily serviced at home, as sometimes parts need replacing/fixing 🙂.

@ray8328

2 жыл бұрын

I own an F850GS 2019 model since new. I’ve 20k (km) road use experience over the last two years. I’ve never had any issues with anything on the bike. The 270 deg parallel twin engine is much more fun compared to the previous F800GS and a lot of the bikes shown in this video. So far the BMW designed, Chinese built engine has been 100% reliable. I believe there was an issue discovered at R&D stage which was resolved by BMW before mass production, so maybe that’s worth checking against the content in this video. The model I have has similar tech to the 1250GS (cruise control, dynamic rear suspension, quick shifter, tft, rider modes…[list is too long]) but significantly cheaper. I have a lot of enduro riding experience and while Im sure there are many guys/girls who ride these bikes off road, I must admit the F850GS is rather on the heavy side at +220kg and certainly not suitable for technical off road riding. But all bikes are a compromise and you have to honest about where you will ride. In my opinion, the F850GS handles excellently on the road despite none adjustable front suspension (I’m 84kgs @179cm), and it loves the twisties (alps for a week). It is well capable for non technical off road riding where the likelihood of dropping it is less.

I own the triumph 900 rally pro and i absolutely love it. It handels great and is all you could wish for. Yesterday i test drove the brand new tiger 1200. it was great and much lighter and powerful than its forerunner, but it's is still not that lighthandled than my 900 and the engine is great but i think just too powerful. The 900 has a great engine and you can go anywhere even with a passenger. I'd buy it again.

@TeamTNTperformance

2 жыл бұрын

Picking up my 22 rally pro tomorrow. Can’t wait.

@nhl_rookiewalter

2 жыл бұрын

@@TeamTNTperformance awesome. Have fun

@pateris

Жыл бұрын

I think that's the next one in line for me. The 1200 is great but does not justify the price discrepancy (though I'd love to get rid of that bloody chain…)

I've had a 790 ADV R for almost two years now and I can safely say I have no major complaints. The bike has done everything I've asked it to do and then some. Currently, my only "complaint" is that my fuel guage has gone out. The bike still works though and I can counter that issue by resetting a trip meter after each fill up, knowing my fuel capacity, and watching my average MPG. There is the cold start issue that I've heard a lot of 790s have, but that I chalk up to it coming lean from the factory. It's been a great bike, and it's my first bike. It's gotten me through some fairly technical offroad which while challenging, I had total confidence the bike would get me through it. I also did a trip to Arizona from the Mid-Atlantic this summer that took about five weeks total. The bike had one major failure where the after market clutch I installed burned out the pressure plate. This is something I figure is my fault seeing as I never had any dragging or slipping with the stock clutch. The 790 is also resonably easy to pick up. When I was in Texas and doing some single track in soft sand, the front tire bit on a birm suddenly and tossed me down. As long as you do the pickup where you turn your back to the bike, it's pretty easy, even in soft, loose, sand. The bike is also extremely easy to work on. With a 10mm ratchet, T30, T25, and the occasional T27, you can basically disassemble the entire thing. It's got a seat that's about as soft as a 2x4 but as long as you don't ride longer than say 90 minutes at once, it's not much of an issue. The suspension is pretty stiff from factory so you'll get a lot more road feedback, especially when you put really stiff tires on. The gears also feel relatively short, but that's also likely due to how I ride - generally trying to keep it below 5k RPM when on the road. I even road through an entire winter on the bike, going out when it was 25 F on more than one occasion. With the opptional grip heaters, I was able to get through relatively short rides (45 minutes or less one way) with just summer rain gloves as long as the heaters were on fully blast. The 790 ADV isn't a perfect bike, but it's a damn good one. It does cost more than other bikes of a similar caliber but it's a lot cheaper and more reliable than the BMWs, plus it has no specialized tools needed to do most work. If you're getting to a point where specialized tools are needed, then you're either way deeper than you should be or you're a mechanic - the average rider will have everything they need to work on the bike as long as they've got a set of metrics.

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

KTM has always been good with ensuring you only need a few tools to work on the bike... unlike many other manufacturers. I'm glad you've had a good run with it so far, I'm sure many have. But there have been some horror stories too. KTM say the 890 will probably be made in China at some point so we are all hoping we don't see constant quality control issues popping up.

Great overview. Thanks, also for the known issues. Further things to compare could be Service costs and petrol consumption (Travel range). Other than that, this helps a lot for decision making.

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

Cheers Stef. I did think about those two criteria but unfortunately the service costs vary from country to country. And I'm not really sure how much I could trust the claimed fuel economy figures of the manufacturer...

Great comparo video ! New 2008 V-Strom 650 owner here. Found a garaged perfect condition one @ 12,000 miles for $3600. I'm enjoying it greatly. Kinda top heavy & tall. I'm 5'9" / 30" leg / 210#, and can't imagine how a shorter rider would manage it. Once underway it feels nimble enough. I bought it for highway touring. It's never hit dirt & I've no plans unless a dirt or gravel driveway presents itself. Just a fabulously versatile do everything (if required) bike. To really DO dirt credibly, I'd need to swap out tires from it's current Pirelli Angel GTs. I DO feel it's a tremendous value in a used motorcycle !

@crosstrainingadventure

10 ай бұрын

Bargain! You should have a lot of trouble-free mileage...

I think the mass range is spot on. Thanks for your fair logic.

I owned a the v strom 650 xt for a year. As the review states, it was a heavy bikee and difficault to man handle. A lovely bike to ride and lowering kits available. Mpg wasnt great at around 60mpg. Seat was ok for 2hr rides, then needed a rest. No mechanical issues, lovely sound. Plenty of power. I'm going cb500x next.

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

Yes the engine probably needs an update to increase that fuel economy. But the lack of updates is partly why it's so cheap of course.

I waited for 4 years for the Yamaha T7 and was just able to purchase one a couple of months ago. Biggest negative for me is still weight but there is no such thing as a light twin cylinder. IMO the many positives of this bike and its capabilities far outweigh that negative. Of course it does help when you have a light dirtbike in the stall for technical single track. Use the bike for what it was developed for and its.....Nirvana! Case in point, tomorrow some of us hard core old timers are doing a 400 mile route through the Colorado Rockies about 60% road 40% dirt through 8-10 passes, could not think of a better bike to do it on than the T7.

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

Great to hear it's working out for you, Dirk. The only lightweight twin I know of was the Aprilia RXV450 at something like 125kg wet weight but it was so unreliable... possibly because they'd trimmed so much weight out of the engine.

@xxlalbatross3287

Жыл бұрын

My final bike probably will be T7. But now i will be more than happy with cb500x. Because what i have learn in this life: You can't run before learned properly to walk. i am a beginner and it will takes alot of time to learn proporly my limits Greetings from Sweden

I went the road less traveled and picked up a csc RX4. In my opinion for the price you can't get a bike that is fitted out this good for the price and has been a absolute pleasure to own.

Have had-my KLR on miles of hiway and miles of rough trails, and no issues at all only a bit heavy when the trail get really technical. Has never failed me. 5k miles so far this summer and not done yet!!

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

Doohickey mod done, Darren? Great to hear it's working out for you!

@darrenpethoud9554

2 жыл бұрын

Cross Training Adventure No sir. Probably do it this winter. Have had mixed feelings on weather it was really a big deal or not. But hell, I guess it’s pretty cheap insurance. Got alot of long cold days with nothing else to do in the winter here anyway lol!

I have both the GS850 (LOVE IT!!!!) as well as the Himalayan (love it too). extremely different rides but both unique. Was very interested in the Triumph and BTW, the Rally Pro is about the same price as the 850GS. Either way, I do also really like the look of the T7. Would like to test ride some day.

@Butts0hboi

Жыл бұрын

Sat on a GS850 Trophy and man it felt great being 6’1 on that bike. Might buy as my first motorcycle

I wish this video were 3x longer, I'd have loved for you to go over each bike and their specifications in detail, but will enjoy what we were treated to nevertheless. I have the CB500x and have thought about the T7, the F850GS. Only to scrap the whole plan and look at an XR or DR and rebuild to suit, hopefully to a budget under the T7. I keep coming back to that. Time and time again, it's so hard to bead a Classic. Dirt road with river or creek crossing is about all I'm up against in FNQ. The CB fits in so nicely here. Even though it's no desert sled, it's still capable. Honorable mention to the KLR and the updates it has received.

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

I'd love to do that, Ty! But to do it justice I'd need to spend a lot of time riding each bike first. So instead I just linked to my reviews of bikes I've owned or at least ridden quite a bit. 😊 I suspect a lot of seasoned adv riders keep coming back to the modified single cylinder bikes and old school approach... but newcomers are attracted to all that bling and big horsepower of the twins!

Rode a Gen 2 Versys 650 and it handled dirt roads and some slightly technical stuff quite good obviously was slow but managed to do them on Michelin PR5 The Versys is a very reliable bike and very fun on twisty roads! They are really underrated but are an awesome package.

@Badhagis

2 жыл бұрын

Agree 100%

Interesting list and pretty accurate assessments. I own a V-Strom 650, had a Himalayan which is now replaced with a Hero Xpulse200. And the route and terrain dictates which motorcycle I take on that day. And I hope that some day soon a 400-600cc adventure single will be available in India and once that happens I'll get that and sell both the bikes I have now. Cheers!

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

How is the Hero working out for you?

@bigbearbangaloreshorts

2 жыл бұрын

@@crosstrainingadventure it is serving my purpose well. It is underpowered and has a wheezy 200cc engine but when expectations are in line with deliverables, there is no problem. It’s super cheap to buy (US$ 1,700/-)and maintain. For my skill level and how much I wish to push when on the bike, am super happy with it. I use it only on certain types of terrains and am having a good time. Cheers!

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

Wow... US$1700! Can't complain at that price. And it's not made in China. 👍 It's surprising how far you can go with 18hp, I rode bikes with similar power output all over Vietnam and had a ball. Some were even doubling their wives without any problems.

I currently have a Yamaha TW200 & WR250R and a Honda NC700X.. The WRR is The Best light/mid-weight adventure bike of the three. I tossed the idea around of grabbing a Halfrica Twin, but, held off.. The Yamaha Tenere is most likely the next bike on my short-list. 🤘

I just bought a 2010 BMW f650gs, which actually has the same 800cc twin engine as the f850gs, just detuned a bit. While it's not suited for single track it handles very well on dirt roads and is considerably lighter than the f850gs at about 450 lbs with gas. The seat height is lower at 32 inches. More tech than I'm used to, but not too much. Love the switchable ABS and the gear indicator on the computer display, which also reads gas remaining, outside temp, various trip meters and some other features I'm still discovering. Also impressive is that at 22,000 miles when I bought it the computer and other features still work. When you're doing 40 mph on a dirt road it feels like 20mph, and it's fairly nimble. A good buy on the used market here in the US.

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

It would be interesting to see if your 2010 model actually had German made electronics, hence it all still working? With Chinese made engines in recent models, I'm guessing the electronics have probably gone the same way... wonder if they are still reliable?

I wanted to buy T7 but when I tried it it was too high for me. So I bought CB500X. Great bike. Went to enduro race one time. Just test run on first day. And I made it. I was very impressed. Would be even better with knobby tires (had TKC 70 at that time)

@xxlalbatross3287

Жыл бұрын

My final bike probably will be T7. But now i will be more than happy with cb500x. Because what i have learn in this life: You can't run before learned properly to walk. i am a beginner and it will takes alot of time to learn proporly my limits. Greetings from Sweden

I've switched from my old maxi-scooter (2005 Suzuki Burgman 650) to an 1100cc Honda Africa Twin. Yes, it totally feels like "too much bike" for me as an urban/road rider only, but it looks damn good! The weight is a bit much, especially when fully fuelled because it has a massive 25 litre tank, which is 6.6 gallons. But it's a beautiful bike, so I hope I "grow into" it!

@aatee5840

Жыл бұрын

get the X-adv ! Like your old scooter but semi-adventure-capable!

I bought a Honda trail 125 and I don't even ride my other bikes anymore. It's an amazing little adventure bike and is so cheap to ride. It struggles on the highway, but I rode the t.a.t. this year and it was such a fun trip

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

Plenty of guys adv riding on 250s or smaller... especially in the USA where much of the riding is on highways.

This is great, thanks

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

Glad you liked it, Matty. 😎

I’m a fan of middleweight ADV bikes mostly because I’m into single riding (where I must be able to pick it up myself) , cost, fuel economy and storage space needed. I did ride a 1250 BMW ADV on a tour thru central Mexico mostly road but a little bit on sand/dirt…..I was impressed with the road manners and I was comfortable with it off road but I do have a pretty good amount of off road on small/mid weight dirt and ADV bikes.

Loving my T7, and I think you slotted it correctly in the mix! Great list! I do think that Yamaha missed a market by not producing a WR 450 R, as reliable as the 250 has been...still think there's room!

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

How sweet would a WR450R be! Cush drive hub, bigger oil and fuel capacity, comfy seat, a fairing, and detune it a bit... I'd be all over that.

@allenhuling598

2 жыл бұрын

@@crosstrainingadventure Yeah, If Yamaha had come out with one before the T7 I'd have probly ended up with it too!

@pateris

Жыл бұрын

@@crosstrainingadventure I wish they would update a Tentere with Ye Aulde 660 monocylinder engine, with the same extra comfort of the nineties/millenial ones and the same price range ! In my neck o'wood, the 2015 version was not popular, but now its second-hand price is almost as high as it was brand new !

I have a BMW F850GS Adventure and a KLX300. I love the 850GSA, mostly. Your chart is right on. It's a road bike, an amazing road bike, with some off road chops. Very experienced riders will have no problem with it on difficult terrain. Less skilled riders like me, ah not so much. My biggest problem with the 850GSA is that I mostly ride solo. One recent drop, top side down on a hill, convinced me that soloing a heavy ADV bike is not such a great idea. The Ducati Scrambler rider who happened along and helped me said when he rolled up "those things scare me, too much weight too high up". And it being a weekday he was the ONLY other rider I saw all day, you can't count on luck like that all the time. I recently did the same ADV day ride on my KLX300. Night and day, yeah the required 20 mile highway section was tough on the KLX but the rest of my day was fantastic. I zipped up that hill on the KLX with it's back end skipping and wagging and never felt the slightest bit out of my league. And even if I dropped it I have picked up the KLX top side down on a hill by myself before and it's not really a problem. I really hope the rumored crop of 500cc bikes from Honda, KTM and others actually come to market. Otherwise one day I just might be riding a 20 year old dinosaur like the DR-Z400. Who knows maybe Suzuki will put a 6 speed gearbox in it and make it the best small ADV bike ever!

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

It's that inevitable compromise! Like you, I'd rather put up with some pain on the highway sections to have a bike that feels safe and capable in the snotty stuff.

I have a 2008 Versys 650 which has done over 100,000 km and still goes well and starts first crank every time. It is a fun bike. :) I take it on dirt roads very happily, but am cautious on rough sections. I've tried so many different 90/10 and 80/20 tyres - currently Shinko e705 (with a 170/60 rear). The tyre sizes limit your options but you can go with a 150/70 or 170/60 rear.

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

Liking the Shinko, David? My brother is going to try those on his V-strom next.

A few years ago a group of youngsters bought some 350-400cc trail bikes and set off from the U.K. to South Africa via Russia together with a mixture of everything that the weather could throw at them , and if I remember correctly they were second hand Suzukis with absolutely no modern technology but as the lads wanted to prove that you don’t need mega expensive bikes with massive engines ,just a motorcycle,petrol and a few pounds in your pocket to go on an adventure Parts of the series are now condensed into one program on KZread called “ Mondo Enduro” and if I remember the series was televised about 30+ years ago

@crosstrainingadventure

Жыл бұрын

Good stuff, Alan! We regularly have guys ride across deserts or around Australia on humble postie bikes... the Honda CT90.

I've had a t7 for about 12 months, I've kitted it out with better tyres and have played with the suspension clickers. I've recently found a setting that feels good on road but yet to test it in some aggressive off road stuff. It's definitely listed correctly in your video. Does everything well but nothing great. Is a good all rounder in my opinion

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

I agree, if I wanted something a bit more suited for long distance touring than the DR650 it would be my first choice.

I think the Himalayan is great bang for the buck. Fortnine did a review on motor oils from different brands at first oil change. Royal Enfield had the cleanest oil of them all.

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

Good to hear... I figure with only 24hp it's never really working that hard so should last forever.

@TommyNitro

2 жыл бұрын

@@crosstrainingadventure Yeah, get great fuel mileage, too. I think it depends on what you're looking for in a bike. I'm not looking for something to fly on, just something to "get me there" reliably. I hope to own one eventually.

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

I doubt I'd own one personally but I would like to try it as that old school approach suits me down to the ground.

@TommyNitro

2 жыл бұрын

@@AndenMowe-hh5qk True. The first oil change is not the end all be all. But it is a marker that should be considered with other variables.

@rohitshinde865

2 жыл бұрын

@@crosstrainingadventure seems like u r fixating on bhp and forgetting purpose of adv bikes.

Thanks for video 👍 My choice was tenere 700. And I ubsolutly love it. This bike can make you happy on the road and off the road too and one's again when you get experience with yamaha reliability or maintenance

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

Have to love Japanese reliability....

I have had my KTM 790R for 8 months now & love it. I also have a KTM 500exc with an adventure kit fitted, which is no doubt better in the tight going, but the 790 makes it so easy to cover more distance with a lot less fuss.

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

Both those bikes would cover the adv spectrum very nicely, Hugh. It sounds as though you are having zero issues with the 790? I know there are lots of things that can go wrong, but from what I hear there's a good number of riders who have no problems at all.

@hughdonelly1379

2 жыл бұрын

@@crosstrainingadventure no all good so far, there is a recall on the front brakes, once we get out of this f**king lockdown I’ll have that done, but otherwise all good. I’ve also had a KTM 690 which is a great bike & I would have considered a new one except I’m didn’t want to go through all the hassle of fitting bigger tanks, fairings, etc. don’t know why KTM don’t build a 690 version of the old 640 adventure?? I also have a 2020 xtrainer, watch a few of your videos & after riding one at a demo day decided to get one. It’s the first 2 stroke I’ve owned since my IT250 & KDX200 ( yer I’m old) and I love it. When I ride it in tight going it certainly make a muppet like me feel like Tim Coleman!!

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

Great little bike, the Xtrainers! I had a 690 but sold it after a few months, I expected to love it but hated it lol. An updated 640 would be much more to my liking.

I've been riding off and on for years. Recently purchased the ktm 890 adventure R.. So far my biggest problem is being able to hold on. It's a ripper. Especially in the dirt.

I have a Himalayan waiting for me in Ecuador, and owned a Wee-strom for several seasons. Sold the Wee to buy a WR250 after catching the dirt bug. Looking forward to exploring south america on the Himalayan late this year, covid permitting. I wanted ABS and fuel injection for safety and reliability. Many days in the Andes have 1000s of meters in elevation change, so carbs were out. The Tenere is the only one of the big expensive guys I would consider buying. Great motor, simple electronics, and budget left for suspension customization to my liking and use case.

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

Sounds like a great trip, David! Inspired by the Motorcycle Diaries at all?

@davidc1961utube

2 жыл бұрын

@@crosstrainingadventure I haven't seen that, but I will look it up. I do follow Itchy Boots though, and if a solo young lady can do it, I hope this geezer can too! I am planning a more thorough exploration of fewer countries, but one never knows what is around the next bend. Cheers, and love your content!

Great comparison vid! I have owned by Vstrom 650XT for almost two years and love it. Spot on about highway comfort and dirt road capabilities. I ride 5 miles to hit pavement and my 650XT does great on dirt /gavel, but nothing aggressive. OK of some mild Jeep trails at low speed and being careful about ground clearance. I LOVE this bike for commuting, some short trips I've taken (nothing interstate yet). Power, handling, gas mileage (average over 60 mpg when riding very mildly). I'm 6'3" and 215 lbs and find this bike so very easy to ride. I did lower the foot pegs and added wider ones for standing. Also added 2 inch Pivoting Rox Risers bar risers, T-Rex crash bars. (My XT model came with a lightweight Givi skid plate - OK for light bumps, but not very think/strong. OEM tires are doing very well for my purposes, but plan to upgrade to Mitas E07s (which I have on my Versys X300) or possibly the new Dunlop Trailmax Missions when my OEM tires are worn. Seat is one of the best factory seats I've been on! Thanks again for your great vids!!! Geezer Wheels in SW Colorado (Yes, I'm a geezer, will be 74 soon.)

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

Great to hear it's worked out for you... and that you're still into riding in a big way. I'm a few years behind you but hope to plug away for many years yet!

@GeezerWheels

2 жыл бұрын

@@crosstrainingadventure You truly amaze me. You have over 57K subscribers and this video is 11 months old, yet you replied to my comment the next day! Keep up the good work!!!

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

Will do. I try to at least read every comment. I find it a bit dissapointing that many channels don't even bother looking at comments, they tend to be in it just for the money unfortunately.

I have two 790's. Both brought at the same time with the same amount of kms. Both have had the usual KTM recalls done. One I've had no problems with. The other one has been in for the black dash, rear brake light staying on and also has been in twice to get the TPS reset, it's been fixed twice and and keeps going out of adjustment so it won't start cold without throttle. I love the bike, perfect for me, just some issues they need to get sorted out.

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

With luck they'll fix most issues after the second model or so... I just hope they don't increase if and when they swing over to Chinese production.

@justsomedude445

2 жыл бұрын

i am a total orange bike fanboi for 20 years now , id be the guy arguing with everyone saying they were unreliable a few years ago ......... ive had 7 but wont be getting #8 likely ever unfortunately

@muddyfilms2632

2 жыл бұрын

@@justsomedude445 I started riding KTM's back when people had never herd of them, I also worked as a mechanic in a KTM dealership. Since I left the dealership I have kept in close contact with some of the staff. After the things I hear, That's why I'll be changing to another manufacture. It's a shame, they use to be awesome bikes. Now just over priced and unreliable.

@justsomedude445

2 жыл бұрын

@@muddyfilms2632 LoL me 2 bought my first one mid 1990's...and yes the first 5 i had were reliable as anvils but they were also 1cyl and not fuel injected.? it breaks my heart to list all the crap ive had to do over and over on my 1090r ! i love the bike when its working right but i think a huge part of my problem is that my local dealerships svcs dept sucks bad and thats putting it mildly so i have to take it 2-3 hours away to be serviced unless i want to get it back worse than when i gave it to them , literally every time ive tried them even basic maintenance theyve managed to f//ck it up royally

@justsomedude445

2 жыл бұрын

@@muddyfilms2632 which also makes me mad because i am the most buy locally guy you would ever meet i never buy online what i can buy from a locally owned business and i do NOT go to walmart ever but im in a small town so in order to avoid this dealership i am forced to take my business out of town

As a BMW F850 GSA owner, my only words are: I love this bike sooo much. Its just soo good a soo much more logic than the bigger 1200cc or smaller adv bikes. For real small and agressive bikes just go full MX

@ozziejim8472

Жыл бұрын

G’day mate , is the 850 top heavy? Sitting on the 1200 I found the weight to be low, which is good for my short arse.

@theballminator

Жыл бұрын

@@ozziejim8472 i would say it is a little, when you are manouvering it. If you are not tall, perhaps the 1250 is better. I prefer this one, i am 1.90m

Have owned a Versys 650 for several years, and I can say that your description is basically right on. It will happily go off roading, but the small front tire will rattle your teeth out on rough roads. Put some TKC 70's on, and you'll be happier, but it's really just too pavement oriented. I've heard it described as the Honda Civic of motorcycles, and that's actually a fair comparison. That said, carving curvy mountain roads is a hoot (in a Civic or on the Versys), So, you decide :)

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

Good summary... I used to have a Honda Civic back in the 1980s. Great little car but damn those doors rusted fast!

@pateris

Жыл бұрын

@@crosstrainingadventure I still have one from 2009 !

My 2006 klr is a great bike in its own right. It must be my main ride otherwise i lose the ability to squeeze the performance out of it. I believe that all bike weights should be w/o fuel because a penalty should not be a result of extended fuel capacity. Cheers old boy! Thank you for another great video on my favorite subject.

@pateris

Жыл бұрын

It's not available in my country (grumble, grumble…) otherwise it might be already in my garage !

@crosstrainingadventure

Жыл бұрын

I agree Randy. Wet weight but no fuel would be the ideal way to go about things. But I think the full tank is now a mandatory spec under EU laws which is influencing most manufacturers.

I own and love my Cb500x rally raid lvl 2

Another good factual video and to the point. This is why I own a DR 650 and a tiger 800XC …. because there is no do all perfect off road bike.

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

Good choice, those two models will cover the ADV spectrum nicely!

The first 18 seconds describes how I found my way to the Dr650. I’m considering adding a cheap, used vstrom as a commuter.

My Triumph Rally Pro 900 is pleading to be let out of lockdown and let loose on the Victorian High Country. The little bit of riding I have been able to do has been very pleasing. I love the upright riding position (big difference from my old BMW K1309s), the standing position is excellent as is seated. Gripes are 1. Why sell a bike with a 21” front wheel and fit road tyres!! 2. The Triumph navigation app is good for bitumen riding, Triumph need develop the app to link into off line Hema or Rever apps for off road riding. 3. The TFT screen layout could do with some revision but overall very good. In summary I think this will be a good adventure bike I am not planning to ride it like an enduro rider (too old and too sensible) or just as a long distance tourer. The Victorian High Country (including Billy Goat Bluff) and Big Red are very much a feature of my lockdown plans.

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

Can't wait to ride the high country again Brad, there's some magical stuff down there!

I've ridden my dads 650 Vstrom a lot. It's heavy, ground clearance is minimal and at 60 k km it starts to show its age (2008, locks start to crumble and display is not fully working, seat is really getting hard). But it's such a nice bike for the road with a bomb proof and smooth but punchy engine. I used to take it for small trails and really push it to its limits and I had so much fun. Just needs good tires and maybe lighter sprocket ratio. Turning it in small space is tricky. Then dad got tired of bent skid plates and scratched plastics and made me stop. If it would have some more ground clearance I would buy it and strip it to its lightest. 650's engine is just awesome and makes enough power to hit rr tracks too so with good tires it's pretty much ultimate all rounder despite suspension is not really adjustable. I've got my self a G450X which is kind of odd bird, but suspension is good enough for MX tracks too. I'm dreaming of changing it to something lighter and maybe buy some old Super Tenere or GS or Africa Twin and lighten it up to its bare bones for ultimate all rounderism. Cause just can't afford T7 or 790.

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

I'd love to see them develop a rally version one day...

V Strom ftw, rock solid engine that's bulletproof and easily the most common engine on the list for parts etc. Solid power esp compared to bikes on the list, sounds amazing with a full yoshi system. Loves highway or anything off-road. I've taken my v Strom places it really shouldn't go but never had an issue. Cheap to maintain and easy af to find parts the v twin has been used in about 5 models across the world since the mid 90s.

Had a Klr and just sold it for a new Drz400. It feels so much lighter it’s amazing. The trails that beat the hell out of me on the Klr are now so much easier.

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

Makes a huge difference hey Jim? But then the DRZ tends to get a bit buzzy on the highway... I'd love to see Suzuki bore and stroke the DRZ to something like a 550 and slap a comfy seat and fairing on it.

@flyingtigers7856

2 жыл бұрын

@@crosstrainingadventure and fuel injection and another gear!!

I think you are all forgetting the real deal: The BMW R 100 GS Paris Dakar! Same weight as the F850 GS. If you put the Siebenrock Big Bore kit on the engine you get 70 horses while gaining 35% torque as well as double ignition which lowers the fuel consumption by another litre. All that while having a 37 litre tank. And the best thing: you can repair the bikes everywhere because every tool is easily obtainable and they've build modular engines from 1969 to 1996 so you can swap the engines, the heads, nearly everything and after some tinkering you can still get them running.

Loving the KTM 790 Adventure R. Problem free so far at 9100 kms other that the 2 brake recalls. The rear was fixed before I picked the bike up new and the front return spring in the master was as simple as dropping the bike off on my way to work and picking it up on the way home. It's big, but it's also a lot of fun on and off road.

@defylifeadventure

2 жыл бұрын

That is bad news. You want to have all the problems whilst still in warranty. Good luck. Mine is at the dealers. Immobiliser antenna issues after only 300km. Still ran ok, but wanted to get it fixed and it's still in warranty when the 'fix' needs fixing. ;)

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

It would be interesting to see if all the electronics are being made in China, Carl. I know not everyone has issues but there's a lot of gimzos that can potentially stuff up.

In January i bought a Honda X500 adventure, great for back roads, but for dirt tracks you do need 50 percent off road tires, and ride it minimum second gear moving on to third gear on tougher terrain, third gear ⚙️ can handle it moving faster and standing on the peg's.

Bought a new Himalayan recently to get into adventure riding and for a beginner at least, it's great. Very confidence inspiring, low-revving torquey engine (obviously not fast but enough to keep up with traffic), but most importantly it feels capable enough to go anywhere that i'd want to go as a beginner off-road rider. i almost bought a CB500X instead, but I knew I'd be limited in where I could take it. RE has come a long way and the Himalayan you can buy new today is a lot better than the one you could buy in 2016. oh and its cheap yet sturdy enough to not be precious about a few drops!

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

I know a lot of guys scoff at 24hp but I reckon it's great having an old school option like this at a budget price. Very good to see they addressed all those early issues, there were a lot of very irate owners, even in India where they tend to be very proud of their brand.

@TheSlowpaceAdventures

2 жыл бұрын

@@crosstrainingadventure the seats are not that softer now, the seats are better that before. I enjoyed to ride new himalayan 2022. Royal Enfiled really addressed there customers issues. Now the engine is refined, seats are best even the suspensions also better than before. not bottoming out yet.

Got the regular 790 ADV, not the R, seems ok off road? Haven’t heard much about people really putting the base 790/890 ADV through tests.

I have the T7 and I love it! Really fun bike to hooligan around town on and does great on the dirt. A person really adept at dirt riding will probably have to throw some money at the suspension but for my skill level (intermediate) I just swapped out the rear spring to a heavier one which was $100 . The stock spring is just too light for most westerners (I’m 185lbs). I’m 6’0 (182 cm) and can easily put both balls of my feet down. I’m not particularly strong but I am athletic and have no problem picking my bike up in most instances., even done it against an incline. My only gripe is the seat for me isn’t very comfortable for long rides….but there are solutions for that.

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

I wan't caning the bike hard but I found the stock suspension great, Martin. So I'm intrigued by some riders claiming you 'must' get it all revalved and new springs at both ends.

@martin4819

2 жыл бұрын

@@crosstrainingadventure yea if you watch a lot of reviews they make it seem like a complete suspension overhaul is needed. Outside of a heavier spring (I was bottoming out) the suspension works great and I’d suggest to anyone to adjust the existing suspension before u think it’s necessary to get expensive suspension upgrades. My guess is for 90% of people it would be a waste of money?

Being 5'7 I sat on the 22 KLR and just couldn't see myself taking it in any kind of off road condition. However, I've been leaning more on the CB500x mainly due to that low seat height and lower overall weight. DR650 isn't a bad choice either but I don't like carburetor bikes

I went from a DRZ-400S, to an '08 KLR 650, to a '11 Versys 650 and '12 KLX250S, to a '19 Himalayan, and now a Van Van 200 and KLX300SM. You have to decide what type of adventure riding you want to do when choosing a bike.

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

Good range of versatile bikes there, Dave. Have you got a favourite out of those for adventure riding?

Agree with your video 100%. I currently own a 2022 klr 650, and a 2008 yamaha wr250r. I bought the klr first, and added a ton of farkles to it. After riding the wr, in many cases i like it more. Either way, i love both of em for many different reasons

@crosstrainingadventure

6 ай бұрын

Good stuff!

I owned an Africa Twin which is a brilliant bike, but too heavy and tall for me. I got rid of it and bought a Himalayan. I love it. I take it places that I would never take the Africa Twin.

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

Good stuff, Gerald. So many adv riders 'downgrade' and are happier for it!

@TheSlowpaceAdventures

2 жыл бұрын

Yeah Himalayan is really good bike as it is controllable, able to go anywhere. I also owned Himalayan 2022 covered 5000+ kms on it. Highway and offroads both. I am not fan of fast bikes.

Great summup !! Klr650 sound logic . Cheap reliable offroad capable .

@crosstrainingadventure

Жыл бұрын

Great value for sure! It's a bit of a shame the revised model gained a fair bit of weight instead of losing it. But it's still a lightweight compared to the twins.

About 3 months ago I purchased a new ktm 890r as my first ADV bike. I have been an avid single track rider for about 10 years. Previously owning a 2008 200xc, 2008 530 exc-r and a I currently still own a 2006 300xc. I absolutely love the 890. Moving from Colorado to Arizona a year and a half ago I found myself not riding my Harley streetglide at all. I bought the 890 then 2 weeks later I sold the streetglide. The idea of cruising 80mph on the highway then hopping off road at anytime was a game changer. My only gripe is wind buffeting on the highway at speed. Might be a direct result of being 6’2” 240 lbs and only ever riding a full on touring harley at speed until now. Will be ordering a taller puig windscreen soon, will most likely solve the issue. I was considering a lightly used Africa Twin but decided on the smaller brand new 890, so glad I made that choice.

I sold my Africa Twin and bought a Himalayan. Although many of the bikes listed here have features that I like, I wouldn’t trade my bike for any of them. All bikes are a compromise. The Himalayan has a low seat height, reasonable weight, low center of gravity, good range, good gravel road manners, it’s easy to fit a variety of luggage, and reasonable comfort. Other bikes are better on the highway but I’ve had many years of riding highways. I’m going places that I couldn’t before.

Other factors to consider, dealer network and aftermarket parts and extras. Some bikes have few dealers and some scan your CC for it's limit before talking to you. After market support can be important should you keep your bike for a long time as later some factory part support for options go away. My bike is a 2013 V Stom 650. My only problem is the seat height. I have added lower, and more comfortable, seat. I could lower the suspension but the high seat is more a skill/experiance issue I suppose but with a 29" inseam it is an issue.

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

All good points. And it's why I left out a few bikes where they aren't that readily available as the dealer might be in the next state and accessing parts could take a long time. The V-stroms are great old workhorses, I really enjoy riding my brother's from time to time.

I love my 2020 Royal Enfield Himalayan, she is no rocket ship but good all rounded it goes just as hard and gets me out on tracks with DRZ, Tiger, KTMs etc 21” front and 17”rear. I gotten over 7000km so far and not one problem

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

Excellent. Many scoff at the 24hp but of course the typical rider is probably using less than 15hp for 90% of the time on an adventure ride. It's the same deal with a stock DR650... it only puts out 34hp but you rarely need more.

@robpinter5431

2 жыл бұрын

@@crosstrainingadventure What an excellent comment, CTA, never thought of it that way, perhaps that is why light weight ADV bikes are getting more popular with us older riders where a little bike is plenty the bush and just enough on the highway....but so forgiving in the bush, lightweight and reliable.

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

Years ago a dirt rider summed it up well by saying 'anything more than 20 horsepower is just wheelspin'. I think this is a great attitude! Experienced riders know their technique is by far the largest part of the equation... and excess power can actually slow you down.

Really surprised the KTM 690 Enduro didn't make this list or even say the DRZ 400S; both are way more capable offroad than majority of those on this list and can be loaded up for with bags for trips. Oldies but goodies, hard to beat either one of those. Luggage options are not as robust but kind of a blessing to be forced to limit how much crap you bring.

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

As per the start of the vid, it's about MID WEIGHT bikes 175 to 220kg. We covered those models in our lightweight adv bikes vid. I love the smaller bikes too and how they force you to carry less luggage. Keep it simple.... 😍

We just KNOW that you must've seen our review on the RE Himalayan when making this. It was following your advice we ended up going for two DR650's.

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

Actually I don't really watch any videos at all on KZread. How are you liking the DR650s so far?

@RidingOnEggshells

2 жыл бұрын

@@crosstrainingadventure we love it! So capable in the rough stuff, and can chew up miles between us and said rough stuff. Also chews up my arse though, even with an aftermarket seat.

wow, first motorcycle vid i've come across using a dub-techno track. Marko Fürstenberg no less. subscribed.

@crosstrainingadventure

2 жыл бұрын

I've used lots of Marko's copyright free music over the years... in fact I just sent him US$100 yesterday to say thanks for all the great music.