Forty-six Thumbs Up! Oh darn, I can't do that here. Having followed you for many months now, this is one of the most in-your-face, let's-do-Reality-here commentaries I've seen in quite a while. (Then again, I just now watched a video of a guy telling the YT world that "adventure bikes are a myth." pfffttt!) Three key refreshing and relevant takeaways from your comments (which *should* be obvious to most): 1. It's usually the Rider, not the bike. 2. Take Responsibility for yourself and your decisions. 3. Practice self Reflection - what do you want to do with the bike, is this bike suitable for it, and how good are your riding skills? Fortunately, you do not internalize the naysayers, nitpickers haters who simply wish to argue, regardless of the merit of their arguments, or their excuses. Good on ya; a thick skin here on the interwebs is about as important as quality riding gear to avoid injury. And while riding motorbikes IS a very personal thing, there are at the same time some realities that must be faced, such as the very basic reality that every motorbike will compromise in some areas, will suck in some areas, and will excel in some areas. Let's ride our rides, improve our skills and our attitudes, and let's be curious -- not judgmental. Thanks for the voice of reason, and well done.

@BrakeMagazine

Ай бұрын

Thanks for the kind words and I'm glad it makes sense! Really good summary. Sometimes my skin is nowhere near as thick as it needs to be 😂

@jammcguire1276

28 күн бұрын

Ride whatever the fk you want! The journey is the destination. Any bike can be an adventure bike if you put some creativity into it. Build your own fun as that is one of the best parts of it! Those sure as fk weren't adventure bikes in WWII but they got creative as hell! I grew up riding dirt bikes so my skill level is different than some of my friends who started riding as adults. My second nature is something they had to learn but that is half the fun. Just do it and you'll figure it out.

@tbillyjoeroth

20 күн бұрын

sounds like you're all thumbs....

The "right" adventure bike is the one in your shed.

@krakosekrumpa

Ай бұрын

Exactly

@swoosh_italia_328

Ай бұрын

If you don't have a bike in your shed?

@ridemfast7625

Ай бұрын

@@swoosh_italia_328 Find a friend that has bikes. Or, get a better job. A new friend is easier and cheaper. hahaha

@swoosh_italia_328

Ай бұрын

@@ridemfast7625 im asking for bike ideas i can get them i just have no idea or knowlege on what to get

@richardahola692

Ай бұрын

​@@swoosh_italia_328Then buy one. At least one. I bought an old GL1100 for $800 and rode it for 12 years. Now I'm up to a GL1200 and looking for a Tiger.

Well said. Egos are out of control, humility is lacking, and the internet allows useless opinions to be broadcasted far and wide. Like I tell my kids: learning to ignore the noise is one of the greatest skillsets of the 21st century.

@BrakeMagazine

Ай бұрын

It’s tough tbh. I find myself checking myself on a daily basis 😅

@whataboutjeff

Ай бұрын

💯. We live in a world full of keyboard warriors…

@MountainMotoMojo

Ай бұрын

Same guys who have all of the negative opinions, who are self proclaimed 'know it alls' - are the same type of guys who have a 3 year old bike for sale on marketplace with less than 3,000km. All sorts of opinions, with very little experience-let alone talent or skill

@ultimatist

Ай бұрын

@@BrakeMagazine I've seen you qualify your recommendations. And you back up your arguments. That's why I value your opinion when I spend my coin 🙂

@ultimatist

Ай бұрын

@@MountainMotoMojo these overconfident, obnoxious bombasts have always been around. Now they can reach the world from their mom's basement...

Excellent video. And even better is that you can apply this philosophy to EVERY discipline, hobby, bike, car, house, t-shirt, exercise, sport, school and profession on the internet. Bravo.

@ultimatist

Ай бұрын

yea but... I heard 45 teeth is so much better than 44!

@Braapncamp

Ай бұрын

@@ultimatist But everyone knows ...the number 42 👀☝😁

@Braapncamp

Ай бұрын

Spot on! 👍

@AbdurrahmanZedSaeed

Ай бұрын

​@@ultimatisti would take 46 for my 150cc

@alexpryce555

Ай бұрын

@FortyFourTeeth cheers nige

You forgot to say the magic words! Life is better when you’re riding. Your channel has benefited countless riders and improved the sport. Thank you for all you do!

@justsomedude445

Ай бұрын

☝👍👍fact

@sengapore

Ай бұрын

Well said! Thanks for pointing out and thanks to Brake Magazine!

C90 adventures is one of my favorite channels, and if I’ve learned anything from it, ADV can be done on anything with enough grit; and friendly locals 🤠

@BrakeMagazine

Ай бұрын

Absolutely. It's also a very different experience 😂

@justsomedude445

Ай бұрын

its amazin how far that guy has ridden those things isnt it

@BrakeMagazine

Ай бұрын

The level of perseverance is high.

@justsomedude445

Ай бұрын

love watching him do so , not interested in travelling that way myself though LoLoL @@BrakeMagazine

@BrakeMagazine

Ай бұрын

Exactly my thoughts 😂

It’s what Dirty Harry said: “A man’s got to know his limitations.”

I have a Harley and it makes me smile every time I ride. I have a 1250 GSA and it makes me smile every time I ride. I have a job and it does not make me smile. Haters gonna hate. Riders gonna ride. Thanks for your awesome videos and excellent riding tips. It’s good for all of us to remember that we are all unique individuals who are simply trying to make the most of this crazy adventure we call life. Be kind, have fun and embrace the smiles.

@jgrc73

27 күн бұрын

Well put, glad I read this!

@zanechristiansen

11 күн бұрын

​@jgrc73 me too, cool to read others comments who have a similar mindset

Well said young man. I recently bought a Tuareg, it is more bike than I'll ever need as I'm a novice off roader but I will learn. I will take a course and practice and my bike will take me to the gravel roads of Scandinavia or down to Spain. I will have fun and other people can say what they like.

@BrakeMagazine

Ай бұрын

Enjoy that!

It's straight forward, the reason the adv bikes (classic bigger machines) sell so well is they don't just sell a bike. They sell the idea of adventure. The need to go buy lightweight kit/gear, and buy this and buy that. You can buy BDR routes, GPX tracks and buy tours! Its a consumeristic thing over anything else. You can adventure on anything, even foot, in case some have forgotten haha.

@Kai-ze2rb

Ай бұрын

That sounds extreme - on foot 😂 It's all about the emotion that is been sold with the bike. At least that's what Peter Pierer (KTM CEO) say. You wanna be adventurous and found your way - the only right way, because it feels so exciting that it must be true. Marketing works very well...

@rfulop

Ай бұрын

Light ADV bikes are just great all-around starter bikes. I bought a 2022 Royal Enfield Himalayan 411 last year and I've been using it as a commuter bike with locking side boxes, and an exploration bike on the narrow forest roads near my house. I've taken it on longer 3-4 hour rides on tarmac, and it pulls that off comfortably too. Is it a great off-road vehicle? No. But it gets the job done and it is super fun

I was hopeless on a dirt bike, always looking at others seemingly doing it all easily. I bought a trials bike and I was awful at first as you would be. Fast forward 5 years and I can pop a 701 over a fallen tree on its back wheel. Now everything is easier because I have so much more feel and time when doing anything tricky. It really pays to do trials if you ride off road.

@nickg2431

20 күн бұрын

Its true!I saw your video ,good choice sean!

I am a short person and i was afraid to ride big bikes offroad, so i bought myself a cheap dualsport a DRZ400s. After a year of practice with my "little" bike my confidence and my skill raised so much that my fears had disappeared. Bought a KTM 790 ADV R and rode it on the same trails where my DRZ, no problem what so ever. As a bonus because it is a lower bike I crashed way less times than on my DRZ :D

@BrakeMagazine

Ай бұрын

I mean, this is the perfect story for this video. The right bike, in the right moments for you! Thanks for the comment :D

@FirstName-qq6rq

Ай бұрын

Short mean how many cm? 170 or 175cm?

@Qbasz007

Ай бұрын

@@FirstName-qq6rq 174cm, 74 inseam.

@94SexyStang

Ай бұрын

you must ride some easy trails........the ones I ride, anything past 300lbs you're NOT making it, regardless of rider skills.

@Qbasz007

Ай бұрын

If you ride on such extreme places why the hell do you want a large motorcycle? You already have on that is clearly capable for your style. @@94SexyStang

This whole video is a bit funny from my POV. I've only ridden small bikes, an xt225 and a DR350, and I'm use to seeing the conversations about adventure bikes push really far into the larger bikes with anything smaller than a 650 being too small to be an adventure worthy bike (some even proclaiming that the DR650 is too light, small and underpowered for adventure riding). I've attempting to point to the riding of Itchy Boots with her CRF300 Rally and had people still claim that the bike is too small to be used as an adventure bike. It also seems the industry has really leaned into the larger bikes with the Tenere 700, V-strom 800 and 1050 as well as the 1250 GS still being quite the common bike to see on the road and in the dirt / gravel. Suffice to say, I think your title holds true. Whatever you're riding right now, the internet will probably have plenty of folks who will happily tell you how wrong the bike is for you.

@BrakeMagazine

Ай бұрын

The itchy boots things is the nail on the head. It works. She's doing it. Enough said :)

@2217Video

29 күн бұрын

I too have an XT225. Great off road. Whereas a friend has a Benelli "Adventure bike" is taller than me and vastly more experienced rider. Yet my little XT225 is totally superior to his bike in my hands as a novice rider.

@BrakeMagazine

29 күн бұрын

100% and that's the point right. Glad to here it's working for you!@@2217Video

@bjohnson8190

26 күн бұрын

Great vid. Heres hoping humility catches on.

@lastsonofkrypton36

20 күн бұрын

Same here, longtime XT225 fan. Even after riding a DR650 into the woods while exploring some land w/ a friend, I was missing that XT. I've since sold them and gotten a CR250L to enjoy the fuel injected life, but I still feel like we're all wanting a modern 400cc dual sport and a 450-550 "small" adventure bike from the Big 4 in Japan. It looks like the new CFMoto 450MT may address the latter. Still waiting on the former. After much hesitation, I may be stepping into the KTM and Husky waters to address this missing cc range.

you nailed it, I'm just surprised so many don't get it, buy the bike that best suits your style, ability, and where you want to ride. So simple, why are we even talking about this? Now if you don't like GS1200's, fine, don't buy one, but just shut-up about it, because not one single GS rider cares what you think, they are too busy covering huge miles in comfort.

@davidmatthews3093

Ай бұрын

Or waiting for their bike to come back from being repaired under warranty.

@user-hk7fp6qf8i

Ай бұрын

or getting 3 mates to help pick the lumps up when they drop them...pathetic bikes@@davidmatthews3093

@alelectric2767

Ай бұрын

Or still trying to pull it out of the mud.

@I_am_Thursday

Ай бұрын

Actually they really do care because most only buy one to conform and haven't an original thought in their egotistical brains.

I’ve been riding an “inappropriate” bike for ADV for years. On some obstacles a KTM890 or T7 will walk away from me, however I have become very accustomed to using a 2013 Triumph Scrambler 900 for the past 128,000miles. It’s the everyday bike that works for me, there’s also something to be said for becoming so familiar with any one bike that you know exactly what went wrong and how to repair it the moment it happens. So ride your ride often, get familiar with it, that’s probably the best advice I could give.

Great vid.👍 I've put almost 11k miles on my DesertX in 10 months riding in north and west Texas. Over 1/3 of those miles off-road. In the 10 months advancing skills, I've become comfortable doing stuff I never thought I'd be willing to even attempt when I picked up the Ducati. I may be moving up to a DDX Rally later this year.🤔 Thanks for your channel. It helped push me to be a better rider.

"The key, however, is not bike time. It's purposeful considered practice." I hear so many people in the trail riding community say that "seat time" is the best teacher, but that's the longest and one of the hardest routes if you're not being intentional with practice and using proper techniques. I'm not an ADV rider (although I do have a Vstrom 650 for the street), but thanks for sharing, L-Pavey!

@BrakeMagazine

7 күн бұрын

It’s a myth for sure 😂😂

Wow. Some impressive comments on free content, no one is forced to watch. I enjoy watching your channel and I appreciate your relevant prospective on the channel's subject. Unlike you, I have not finished (or even started) a Dakar race, my experience level is no where near yours, I lean much from your riding tips, and I have an idea as to how much work goes into providing the content you provide. A heart felt thank you and please keep up the good work, Llel!

Great vid 👌. Just rode my 890R on a 4000km loop in Morocco. This bike is amazing...roads, gravel roads, sand, technical gnarly rocky stuff I was blown away she can do it all easily. Best fun I had since Iceland on my 690 ✌

I and my mates, rented stock GS 700's with zero armor and road tires in Oaxaca, Mexico. We rode hundreds of miles of rough mountain roads for 10 days. After the first day of 130 tough miles, I realized something. The best adventure bike is the one you have.

Great video. Training is key for me. The smile on the face when you open the garage, brilliant 👌🏻

Brilliant brilliant brilliant. Once again, very well put. Live your take on riding.

One of the best Adventure bike videos ever. And the 800DE is a very capable weapon.

This is the best video explaining all this so far. I am a new rider and trying to decide what the best option is for me. Well done! Thank you!

Excellent video. Someone needs to talk about these subjects with this honesty and perspective. Well done!

My 1200 gs is a heavy beggar at 70 yrs!! As long as I go with a buddy, they help me pick it up. 🤣🤣 But the 350cc is starting to look like a good choice for back roads but not big trips. I live in forests with lots of roads and trails.. Rawhyde adventure bike school in Southern California is amazing Thanks for the perspective!👍🏽

@BrakeMagazine

Ай бұрын

Well said!

Great video. I have been saying this to all my friends. ADV bikes can go off road, and are far more capable than most of our skills. And a lot of other KZreadrs spread similar misconceptions. Chaseontwowheels recently did a review of the Tiger 850, and introduced it as a bike that has NO off road capabilities. And of course he concluded that without ever taking that bike off road. I ride the Tiger 850 off road all the time and never once felt like its capabilities run out before my skill does. It may happen one day, but for 90% of ADV riders, it has more than enough capabilities. Glad you are talking about this in this video!

@MaartenvanHeek

14 күн бұрын

That's quite the opposite extreme, then, of RevZilla taking a BMW M1000R offroad: kzread.info/dash/bejne/mGl8zMWEaKWdirw.html

Great advice, bud. Appreciate your work. Best wishes from 🇨🇦

Great message! It's kinda what I mostly hear with my scrambler 1200, is currently the only one that makes me smile when I see it

As an Africa Twin DCT adventure "occasional" rider, I couldn't agree more... If every time someone tell me "this bike is too big/heavy to go on trail" or "the DCT can't do offroad", I get 10€, maybe I would have a second Africa Twin by now... XD And most of the time, it end with "you're skilled to do that with this bike" but no, these adventure bikes are just amazing ! (and the DCT the ultimate cheat code)

Very well said. My problem is going from dirt to street. Then going adventure bike with old skills still functioning well. Then shit hit the fan. Wrecked left eye. No depth perception, but still doing mostly off-road. Then, I blew out two disks in my lower back. No riding for two years. Then susuki Concourse 1000. Great sport touring. ThenVstromdl1000 and of the beginning of the adventure riding, too hard for off-road as picking it up was a No No. Three bikes later now a new CFMoto 800T. Great bike but so heavy. Good tires will make it better. At 70, it seems my skills have retired. Off road that used to be so easy are now difficult, but I did go dirt bike for that. A WR250R. The bike makes off-road fun, on the street it sucks. So you are right about picking the bike that works. Then practice skills like a newbie.

@BrakeMagazine

Ай бұрын

I think it sounds like the right bike in the right moment, and if you can still keep having fun that’s all that matters. Stoked to hear you’re still riding at 70 ✌️

I always feel like I've learned something from these videos! TY!!!

The sentiment in this video is refreshing and positive, which I really appreciate. Being open to others’ views, opinions, wants, and abilities is the way forward. I’m a new-to-me 1250GS owner about to attend ORS and looking to take it on easy unpaved roads to “put a toe in the water”. Yes it’s a big heavy bike. Yes I’ve been lectured by others that I probably “should” be on a smaller bike for lanes, but I can only afford one bike and this is the one that for many reasons my heart has led me to. I’m only considering easy stuff because I know it’s a heavy bike and I need to work on my skills. Over 95% of my riding will continue to be road, with some big European tours. Got an eye on ACT too. I’m now a new subscriber to your channel off to watch some of the back catalogue 👍🏻

Well said. I came from a light weight adv bike but when I purchased my R1200GS my eyes opened to possibilities. I'll take my "heavy" GS any day - touring, track, off-road, etc.

The carefully choreographed marketing ads tell me what ADV is. Scenic landscapes, desert terrains, rocky outcrops, but for me adventure is making it to the nearest coffee shop to show off the $35000 bike I bought over a $1.50 coffee ☕️

@BrakeMagazine

Ай бұрын

I feel sarcasm 😂😂

@whataboutjeff

Ай бұрын

And if that makes these people happy, if it is fun for them to buy such bikes for that money to be able to do xyz but then only drive to drink a coffee… why does it bother you ?

@BrakeMagazine

Ай бұрын

Exactly Jeff

@johnmacdonald1878

Ай бұрын

I almost always go for a coffee. Sometimes I get cake as well. Sometimes its 5 minutes down the road. Or where the road ends. I had a coffee and some Jerky at the Arctic Ocean. Then I turned around and rode home.

@250LM4me

Ай бұрын

I go and buy coffee beans on my PanAmerica then come home and wash the dust off of it.

This! I really needed to hear this. Thank you!

Thanks for the videos mate. Keep ‘em coming. 👍👍

You'll probably bin this for not cheering your take but... your piece starts out ragging on "problematic" people who tell others how to behave, then you tell them how to behave and that the problem is them, not the bike. Much of your take seems non-nuanced as you complain about others making, and in general to say "adventure bikes can do it all". This from the person/channel that just two months earlier was saying the V-Strom 800 DE was a "perfect gravel road bike"... Lets be fair, most riders dont have the skill to do the things you showed, and while offroad school is valuable, it isn't keeping a heavy bike from sinking in the sand, or not making up a very steep tricky bit without some serioius risky speed to carry it, no matter how fancy the traction control is, nor how perfectly matched the tire is to the terrain. Your adventure bike is not going to do extreme enduro or trials unless your skill level is max. Your rant on "its just your skill" seems to be discounting the choice made by all those non-adventure bike riders you crossed paths with on the TET. Was that you who faced the mountain on that TET in northern spain and backed off becaues it was too steep for the heavy bike, or was that another pair of riders? A heavy bike on steep sketchy single track is just asking for trouble for most riders. Some people may be just armchair quarterbacking their comments, but others paid the price of being oversold what they could do by marketing, and ended up having expensive misery, not adventure. Another issue is that offroad for one means extreme enduro and for another it means any non-durable surface. Instead of being told the adventure bike can do it all and they just suck, a more balanced approach is just to be realistic about the type of riding a bike is suited for, set your expectations and plans, and be encouraged to skill up to better enjoy that riding.

@BrakeMagazine

Ай бұрын

If there is one think that won't ever happen on this channel, it's binning thought out comments that question the viewpoint in the video. I genuinely believe that discussion is a huge part of the learning process. Your point about me telling them how to behave is accurate. It's a paradox. I'm not sure I quite understand the point about me saying the DE is a 'perfect gravel road bike'. The review is to outline where a bike's skillset lies and what it's good at, bad at and an average ADV rider can do with it. I actually disagree with regards to the V-Strom vs Transalp video. Most of the terrain in that video is relatively simple. I have taken people who are just a couple of days of off-road skills training into their adventure bike journey on a lot of those routes. I agree that when the riding gets difficult, sand, tricky steep hills etc. the limit of the bike is a lot lower if it's an adventure style bike, no argument there. You can't argue with the physics or the engineering and if the bike isn't appropriate for the skill level or the terrain you want to ride, then choose a different bike. That's the whole point of the end of the video. I'm not meaning to discount their choices, that's probably just my bad scripting. I'm stoked they made a choice, are hopefully enjoying it and are out there riding and exploring. Zero judgement from me. The point of this video is to encourage support in the community and guide people looking to make a bike choice that's free from the 'You can only do it this way or you're not doing it right' dogma and that means if a 500 EXC or a Honda CT 110 is the right bike for you, it's the right bike. I did stop at the top of one hill because the trail was not a trail. It was made by a bulldozer and didn't go anywhere. My friends had places to be and I was fucking around. It wasn't on the TET, it was south of Leon. I agree that if your skills don't allow you to avoid mistakes on a bigger bike it might not always be the best bike, or you might have to limit what riding you choose to do. As for the 'what off-road' means. That probably just means we need better descriptions. It's why I started using the term gravel road bikes.

@flippy66

Ай бұрын

Can you quote where he tells people how to behave?

@mancavemoto

Ай бұрын

@JacobAnawalt An interesting take, but your last three sentences sum up exactly what was being said in the video. I thought it was a well measured take on the subject. I agree, that people get sold a promise on what a particular bike can do, but surely anyone would realise that it is there riding skill that is the biggest factor. People can't expect a bike to do all the work, I've seen riders on BMW GS's with little to no offroad experience and assume that the bike will get them through some difficult terrain. I personally ride and Africa Twin Adventure Sports, its big and heavy, but I love riding it and my 'off-road' aspirations are nothing more than gravel trails and fire breaks, so I'm fine with that.

@hershmergersh6733

Ай бұрын

triggered

@Weltbummler23

Ай бұрын

100% - brake magazine seems to be all about having an opinion and telling others what to do, but not allowing others to also voice an opinion. Its tyrant-ish behavior. When you publish something, there will be a diversity of replies, some sarcastic, some critical - it just comes with the territory.

Sensational video!! Makes me want to get out and do some training 👏🏼👏🏼

You're spot on. I love 21" front wheels and quality suspension, so use a KTM 890AR for sportsbike-fast road riding in France, also on gravel tracks in Latvia, Lithuania and Spain. After riding it, I'm buzzing.

Not many are willing to go out on the limb and be politely blunt as you have done, and i applaud you Sir. People need to understand that the adventure is in you, not the bike. I've been in this for decades starting in the 20th century with an '81 XL185 and an '89 XL600V Transalp. Back then there was no social media, no magazines dedicated to off-road travel, you strapped your garbage bag covered tent to your bike, hand wrote your navigation and went. I still have those two bikes along with a KTM 500 and 950 Adv. The only thing these 4 bikes do very well, is make me smile.

Thank you Soooo Much for speaking plainly on this issue. I'm a really old guy that has been riding a long time, but my son's friends tell me that "the internet says" or "KZread says". Great video. Cheers.

Totally agree with you. I'm a senior lady going from an Enfield to a Transalp. I don't feel I'm a fraud.

@brakemagazine thank you for this. I have started adv riding a few years ago right before Covid in the U.K. Green lanes were terrifying on my Himalayan. I did a class at sweet lamb and that helped but it IS all about confidence and practice. I see huge differences over the past five years but I only get to go off road a few times a year due to life and work. Meanwhile I have mates who have no experience getting KTM 890s and ripping the trails screaming YOLO, while I am still plodding on my G650GS Sertao through the Pennsylvania woods. This video gave me some hope normalizing that there is no minimum ability to be good or not suck.

@BrakeMagazine

Ай бұрын

I'm really glad that came across.There really isn't. If you're having fun, doing what you wanna do then you're doing it right. :)

Excellent video! You’re saying the things that us as a motorcycling community need to hear. All of us are guilty of thinking that we’re on the wrong bike or need some magic farkles to make us a better rider, and the companies selling these things are all too happy to reinforce this.

wise words as always , keep the good work up, you give us all inspiration👍

Excellent video and excellent points. With regards to skill level - I am constantly amazed at the amount of money people will spend on their bike yet spend nothing at all on the training that would make riding that same bike so much more pleasurable!

Great watch, nice to see the positivity and encouragement 👌

I'm glad I subscribed to your channel. Even our little motorcycle world needs a little reality-check every so often. You did it really well....I hope some of the die-hards can relax and enjoy themsleves more.

Love this! I've did more gravel road miles on my Triumph Daytona than my dad has on his GS1250. Ride the bike you have and beat it until it beats you!!

This video makes total sense. I have only ever been on one off road course here in Scotland for a day and it was amazing. It's all about your skill level to give you that confidence to ride the trails you always wanted to. To be honest dropping my bike is probably what keeps me from heading on those far off trails, but having said that I don't have my bike setup to be able to cope with those trails anyway. I have a 2013 Honda CB500X that I have owned from new, don't know why I'm scared of dropping it as I have done it twice already and could get it RallyRaid prepared if I want to. But that is the question also, you have to want to ride those off road trails in the first place.

YES! What an excellent, well thought through and thoughtfully presented video. The adventure biking community is so much better when we just let people enjoy things! I love little bikes. Had a ton of fun on one last year, but I also love my Africa Twin and had The Most fun on a Tiger 1200 Rally Pro last year. I'm a distinctly average rider. I have an office job and I don't get out biking nearly often enough. But I've done a fair bit of training with various schools, on various bikes. This has given me the confidence and techniques to know I can get my bike through just about anything. It likely WILL NOT be pretty, but it'll work. 😅 Great video. 😎

Last year I had my adventure bike at work and my coworker with a Harley swapped bikes with me to go to lunch. It was actually amazing. You can't judge a bike without riding it.

I started out on a dual sport 125 & while they're really an endurance test on the motorway in the wet, they're still loads of fun around town, commuting in London or bezzing around the countryside.

@BrakeMagazine

Ай бұрын

Amen! Getting it done 👍

Great video as always. Its for sure skill level thats required. Only thing id say is when you pick that lane to go down unless you've walked it first you're never quite sure how difficult its going to get. If your level of skill suits the bike you are riding then its not generally an issue. I suppose thats part of the adventure

I figured out adventure is coming from NOT having the appropriate tools for the job. Honda hunter 125 is perfect. It is about the struggle, discomfort, doing something nobody did before. Doing something people said cannot be done. That brings joy and admiration of people.

Thanks, this video is exactly what I needed! Yours truly, an ADV dad

This is my favorite motorcycle video of 2024 so far. Thank you. It's ridiculous how much influence social media and comments have, and they shouldn't. Just ride what you want and have fun.

Great video thanks for posting!

Fully support. I do my best practicing gnarly stuff on my tenere. It is fun and then gives me confidence when I do trips on it

Thank you Thank you Thank you!! finally someone brave enough with a big audience to say how it is!!!!

Excelent point, it was exactly what made me change from a multistrada to a 390adv and now I am back to riding almost everywhere again. I fear even the 700-800 are still too heavy for me to feel confident when riding alone which is 95% of the time so yeah, I miss the power but at least now I have the courage to venture myself and get the skill I am lacking due to lack of practice.

Another cracking video, thanks. I'm still looking for the bike that fits my skill level. It wasn't the t7. Cb500x rally raid was excellent but so so dull, 701 is fantastic but I'm not sure I've the talent for it..skill training and the bike search continues. Thanks again.

@BrakeMagazine

Ай бұрын

Was the T7 too big? What are you looking for? Maybe I can help ☺️

@everydaybiker

Ай бұрын

@BrakeMagazine that's very kind. The t7 was a bit big, yes, but it also carried the weight high so was harder to pick up than the cb500x even. I think the 701 suffers from. The same issue, thankfully, it's 40kg lighter. I want something I can trail and also take on a motorway if its necessary. Also, I like that I can super moto the 701 if I'm not going anywhere. Honestly, on paper, the 701 should be perfect for me... maybe I just need to get my skill set better and commit to the machine. I'm doing some trials training, which I hope will translate to trail riding. We'll see. I'm taking it to the pyrenees for a week in September with Mr A.Vnice, so, we'll see how that goes. But if you've any ideas I'm all ears.

@BrakeMagazine

Ай бұрын

I mean it's a little tricky because you probably do wanna go for some compromise. It's worth noting a couple of things. The T7 does carry its weight higher than I'd like. This can kinda be mitigated by controlling the suspension better and the Tuareg solves this but they are still big bikes until your skill improves a touch. One of the downsides for me with 701 is that I'm not super sure they're the easiest bike to ride. They're light, but once it gets technical it's a little bit aggressive. If you're going riding with Austin, I probably wouldn't rule out a 300 Rally, but you also want some excitement right? Maybe a Tuareg is worth a look. Maybe the AJP PR7.

@everydaybiker

Ай бұрын

@BrakeMagazine thanks for the reply, I appreciate the effort. A 300 rally is probably a sensible option. However, im not sure how happy I am with buying another honda and again spending 50% of the value upgrading it to end up with a very capable but ultimately dull bike. I'll have a look at the AJP. I think I'm going to try to address the 701s aggressiveness with some pretty aggressive gearing, I've gone up 2 at the back and I think I'll go down 2 on the front, hopefully it'll give me a fighting chance in the more technical areas, maybe springs and cartrage kit too will help.... and then, of course, there is the terrible bottom end fueling. I have an o2 bypass for that, currently not installed due to its being so rich, it bogs down. And then the sub frame.... its a very flawed bike.... but which ones aren't? I suppose it's about a balance, what investments and concessions you are willing to make. A crf300 is never going to be a very exciting bike. Maybe the 701 can be tamed? I very much like the idea of the AJP, not so excited about an old samsung tablet as the dashboard. I think there might be some bikes coming along in the not too distant. I'm hoping triumph might do something interesting with that 400 they've just developed. I honestly think 47hp will be absolutely fine for road and trail. The new himalayan ended up being heavier than hopped, but it seems very manageable, i hope it turns out to be capable, too. The toureg looks absolutely fantastic, very sexy, however, like the ducati or t7 its another super capable big bike, I've not the strength and skill for that, it doesn't seem like a fun day out to me. Thanks again for your interest and the quality content. I especially like the minitips. I'll think about what you said. Cheers

Great comments. I am fairly new to adventure bike riding and the strange thing is that I have found the community (face to face, group activities, or just meeting people out and about) to be unbelievably relaxed, fun and supportive. Strange things happen to humans when they get behind a keyboard. Nowhere is this more apparent than any Africa Twin forum and the endless (and endlessly boring) DCT vs manual discussions. People make choices, those choices are different, and it is that diversity of thought and approach that makes adventure bike riding so much fun.

Love your honesty - Great video - Thank you.

Someone had to say it. You did it well. With style and diplomacy.

@BrakeMagazine

7 күн бұрын

Thanks for tip Steve. Very kind.

Great points. I always enjoy your reviews. And BTW, I love adventure bikes. I have a GS 1250, a 890 and a T7. Which one do I ride? The one I want to. Keep up the good work.

Thank you for the video 😊 I am someone still doing the class before my license, but the plan is to get a bike that gets me anywhere (plus a R3). My initial thoughts go around a dual sport, to get the hang of off road, with no trail in the forest kind of thing, but enough to learn to hide to where I want when I want to. So my thoughts so far were CRF250L, DR400S or perhaps go straight to a small adv like the Himalayan, Versys 300 X or even a V Strom 250. Though , I do not want it to be too weak, I know it would he best to be 300-400. However, it was great to have your point of view in here, to help me clarify a little bit more. Thanks again. 😁

Great video mate. I love the saying ‘You do you’… doesn’t matter what bike as long as you enjoy it.🙂

@BrakeMagazine

Ай бұрын

It's the perfect sentiment.

Yep! Sums it up nicely!

Great video as usual! Great thinking also! Completely agree 👍🏻!

Awesome! So glad you put this video out. BIN ‘EM!!

I completely agree. Ride what makes you smile and can take you to the places you want to go. At almost 50 I still like to be playful and hoon a bit on my bike but I’m starting to rethink what is comfortable for hours on end. I love riding dual sport but not for entire days one after another anymore. My body demands more comfort. The TransAlp or a T7 is quickly moving up my list to my top spot for must have ride.

Great video, mate! Totally agree.

This just makes me want to go back to ORS and finally do my level 3 😁

I agree with everything you said. The bike that is right for me is the one I can pick up on my own. When I'm riding easy terrain, it's my 2019 CB500X. When I'm very likely riding through ankle deep mud, it's my 2009 KLX250.

@BrakeMagazine

Ай бұрын

And that’s perfect 👌

@C0lon0

Ай бұрын

I see people riding through the Cassino Beach in Brazil (227km of a single beach) with all kind of bikes, from prupose built dirt bikes to even some crazy people on hayabusas with car tires.

You are absolutely right, spot on! I love your insightfulness, and clever way to express it. Let us just focus on the fun and positive part of riding our beloved motor beauties 👍🏻🏍️💨

Love the message. Be inclusive and accepting of others who are not like you. I've been riding my 1200 GS off road for 10 years. I've always loved the challenge it brings me on day long rides with ever smaller bikes around me year after year. I put in about a 1000 hours of training off road riding skills the first year on my 1200GS when I got it, before I started doing longer ride outs on a regular basis. The training has made all the difference. I couldn't really ride it off road when I got it and would have probably replaced it for a smaller bike within a year if I hadn't put in the work that is needed :) Great channel mate!

Hey! LOVE your work. I am really looking forward a review from you of the F900GS. No one tests bikes like you do. AT ALL.

@BrakeMagazine

27 күн бұрын

Coming soon! We start filming Thursday!

@HarlockG

27 күн бұрын

@@BrakeMagazine Eeeeeepic! Thank you!

Absolutely necessary video! Thanks for it!

Great systematic analysis. Thanks for helping the Adventure Ride Community with this Video. 👍🏻

Nice one. I think you just made my mind up for me. Calais to Pyrenees on my transalp not crf. Cheers

Good positive and wholesome upload. Thanks, I get my new tenere next month.

Bravo. Well said. It's so easy to get caught up in the comments sections, forming opinions on matters that really don't matter to you. Single model forums can be a great source of info for a potential bike purchase, but I get put off by owners slagging off everything other than the bike they choose to ride. If you're lucky enough to own multiple bikes and someone asks you what you ride, always start with the crappiest thing first. If the reaction is negative then don't waste your time telling them about your most prized possession, you'll be wasting your breath.

Nails, hitting and heads come to mind. I am fully aware of my limitations which are way below any bikes. I just go out and have fun - I’m probably slower than a slow thing on a slow bike, but I don’t care. Keep up the good work.

Well done! I appreciate your common sense approach to the subject.

Well said. I went from a Versys x-300 which I loved taking anywhere but due to taking progressively more difficult offroad I convinced myself to get an Africa Twin. The Africa Twin was great on the road but I didn't even have close to the level of confidence I did on the versys mostly due to the weight difference. I sold the Africa Twin after 2 years and went back to basics with many small displacement bikes to continue working on my skills, ultimately picking up a ktm exc-f 350 about a year ago. I try to practice drills at least once a week and I recently test rode a vstrom 800de which I felt so comfortable and confident on compared to my old Africa Twin. I chalk that up to the skills I've acquired over the last few years. Not to discredit the bike either, Suzuki has done a great job!

Couldn't said it better !!! You sir , are a mentor and an inspiration !!!🤩

100% this is exactly what needs to be said and I couldn't agree more. I absolutely love riding adventure bikes and taking them on the trips and into places people seem to think can't be done without a dirtbike. I've had a KTM 500 exc setup for adventure riding and I sold it. The road sections getting to the good stuff were terrible on that bike and then the bike was so good offroad I caught myself unintentionally slacking off not using good technique and just letting the suspension make up for poor lazy rading. A few weekends ago some friends and I went on a two day trip that was roughly 400 miles. They were on 500 exc's and I was on a Versys X-300 with knobby tires. By the time we did the first 150 miles of easy gravel they were tired, sore and wanting to call it a day as we started getting into the fun hard stuff with lots of water crossings, slippery rocks, soft creek sand/rock, mud and tight single and two track through the woods. I had an absolute blast the whole time and ended up stopping and waiting for the guys on the 500's to catch up at every intersection. Adv bikes are far more capable and fun than a lot of people give them credit for. I was one of those people years ago before I learned to improve myself and now I have a new love for riding all over again. Thanks for the excellent video's and keep up the great work!

C’est la meilleure vidéo que j’ai vu sur le sujet ! Bravo !👍🏻✌🏻

An awesome video. And the comments at the end - so very true. Let’s have fun, and choose the platform that works for you.

I am a 12 year old who lives in the socal deserts. I live where there’s a community of riders who make home made tracks that I ride and are open to the public that have some jumps and whoops. My dad bought a cheap bike for me to learn to ride on and practice. But now what I’m more capable I need an actual bike and I’m pining 4th gear going 45 on whoops and my bike is breaking down. I like what this video because of why you made it. It tells people do what you want and buy a bike for it.

@BrakeMagazine

Ай бұрын

Sounds like an awesome place to live! Thanks for the kind words :)

Llel, I think what you missed by going home early 😀, was that the Portugese ACT was 'overrun' with big bikes doing the long ride, and most of, those little ones were doing the Picos ( Spainish TET) for a long weekend. As the FDudefromAus, said, "Any bike you enjoy is the right bike."

I feel the exact same way. I had a vstrom 650 that I treated like a dirt bike, I would ride it 2-3 hours before sunset everyday and it was hard at first but after 1-2 years I was taking it to some crazy offroard areas and was riding better than most dirt bikers I knew. I heard a lot of weird opinions about my bikes capabilities. It’s 80% the rider not the bike.

Great video as yours always are. I have been riding my 2013 1190 standard version for 10 years just started my 11th yesterday. Single, 2 up twisties decomissioned logging roads, two track trails snd lots of fast'ish gravel loaded and not. Pretty sure I've heard that my 17 inch rear and 19 inch front are not very good offroad so many times I've lost count. I just cover her sensitive bits so she doesn't get offended, watch all of your videos and practice what I see. With 130,000kms on my Orange KTM (same as you road in a test when they first came out) Still at 62 practice learn and ride as much as I can thanks for your clear no ego explanations. Cheers from British Columbia.

I went for a ride yesterday on my Husky 901. I’m not a great rider. A lot of pavement and some gravel. It was amazing. That’s all that matters.

I thought this was a very fair summary...and as I've come to expect great video Buddy 👍👍👍👍

Well said Llel, hope to see u on the trail someday

You guys nailed this video😊

Many, many great points here! We vary so much as individuals and what we all desire different things. All we need is to be honest about our own skills and desires and go from there. I've decided I can't be "in charge" of a bike I can't easily pick up. That limits how heavy a bike I will own, and is the primary reason I'm selling my 2021 Africa Twin. It's a brilliant bike in many ways, but it has become too much for me, a source of anxiety I'd like to avoid. I'd rather a sore bum than a persistent, nagging feeling, I'm over my head. Exactly correct, we should be more understanding of people's choices! All the best.