Welcome Adventurers! My name is Ryan, and I'm an Adventure Rider from Tennessee. I'm a United States Coast Guard Veteran, now active Reservist, going on 17 years in. I've ridden the entire Continental Divide, and I currently have a season underway documenting that Adventure. It has been my dream to ride offroad and give others an extensive view of the trails I ride, and it has been such a privelege interacting with all of you while doing so. I also review some of the motorcycles and equipment that I've owned, and provide raw reviews with my honest opinions. THANK YOU so much for watching, and supporting my channel. I value every one of you, and truly appreciate you spending a part of your day with me sharing in our Adventures! Enjoy the Ride!
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After 2 minutes of you not even talking about the bike I subbed. After the Video I subbed and liked, great stuff. The intro video really shows off your skill and the bikes capabilities, when on a clip it looks like a rough, steep hill then it probably is 10X worse in real life. Keep up the great work!
@@MrRumBacardi thank you for stopping by and subbing! I appreciate the kind words! The footage truly never captures the gnarly stuff or inclines ha. The rock bed at the beginning of the video was the scariest of all of them when I round the corner and saw it. Thought for sure I'd bite the dust. 😅 I'm glad you enjoyed it. Some good riding/content to come! Thanks again for watching!
@@advryan1 i’m still on the fence between the Ducati Desert X and the Tuareg… ! Thanks for the response
@@MrRumBacardi I think both are great options. I'd say the Tuareg if you want to do more dirt, and the Ducati if you lean towards more street. Although, that's based on reviews I've watched and testimony from riders who have ridden both. Both however, are sweet bikes! I hear maintenance is easier on the Tuareg. Specifically the air filter change. Fyi. A lot of things to consider!
Nice video,I'm a chinese tuareg owner,I also got these problems and the survise is much worse than KTMs because KTM 790advr is CKD in CHINA ,.we can easly buy the parts in China,that's why the 790 is more popular than 660 in China,but I love tuareg ,lightweight, smooth throttle , extrodinary suspension ,that's what I really need
@@houwailo2281Thanks for stopping by! I do love the KTMs, but they do seem more prone to gremlins than other brands. I know that gap has closed over the years, as I had a 390 Adventure that I loved, but it had the low speed stall that I'm not sure was ever sorted. The 790 seems like a sweet bike. I will say, if you like all the creature comforts, the Aprilia is loaded with them. The customizable ride modes and TFT were top notch. I was really happy with the seat as well. Seemed they went above the norm on that as most bikes need a new seat for comfort but the Tuareg seat was so plush and comfy. If I had it to do over again, I'd still choose the Aprilia. I wish I could've kept it. Needing a dual sport bike though for the technical stuff. I don't want to beat up something so nice like the Aprilia, but it is definitely capable of taking a beating and keeping on.
Can’t wait to see the build process! 🎉
@@catnip1171 thanks bro! Hoping to make it into a sweet little build over time. Engine has a lot of life left in her and runs good so that's a major box checked. Soooo many options and things you can do with these. Build out overload! 😂
Purrs like a kitten...
@@mikeschlup5279 Yes Sir! Blew me away. It's only been started a few times in the two years I've worked there! Planning to run some sea foam in it, and do a little tune up. The lift gate will be nice for loading the bike up in there. Pretty excited about this thing!
@advryan1 sea foam ...great idea..Redline misc fluids and Valvoline EP high mileage in the engine...hammer down. BG 44 K is also awesome stuff
@@mikeschlup5279 that all sounds like a solid plan to me!! Love the Valvoline high mileage myself. Use it in all my vehicles. 😂 I'll have to look into the BG 44k. I appreciate the feedback Mike!
What tires were you running?
@@stevec3936 hey Steve! So I was running a Motoz Rallz front, and the Motoz Desert H/T rear. Both were a great setup and performed awesome. I will say the rear is noisy on the highway, but the grip offroad is great. If you watch the next few episodes, I actually lose the rear tire completely to a knife blade. It was replaced with a Shinko 805 which I've ran before, but doesn't have nearly the bite the H/T does. However, quieter on the road, and still a very capable tire as well. Thanks for stopping by! I'd be happy to answer any other questions you may have. 👍
@@advryan1 Nice. I put just the Tusk 2 Tracks on mine and they are performing surprisingly well for an inexpensive tire. A little wallowy with the front on grooved highways (like most knobbies) but really good off-road.
@@stevec3936 that's great to hear! I ran the tusk dual sports on my old dr650 when I had it and they did all the work. Increased my handling night and day, so I can only imagine how good the two tracks are! I bet they look sharp too.
Thanks for the video, we don't have this bike in Brasil.
@@carlosmurgelcddr.1418 Thank you for stopping by! I appreciate your engagement. Hopefully Aprilia will offer the bike there in the near future. It's a great platform for adventure!
could you please share us ...your tracks? is it possible?
@@calineeeeee Thanks for stopping by! So it won't let me share them through KZread comments as far as I know, but I can guide you to them if you have a Facebook! 1. Join the Continental Divide Motorcycle Trail (The Great Divide) group. 2. Go to the files section 3. Click to download "CDR The Hard Way"gbd 4. Click to download "CDR 15x2000gpx We loaded both and saw the differences and chose the hard tracks where we could. Do you have a Facebook?
KTM 890 adv R, is a level above the Tuareg.
@@redrideradventures The 890r is an awesome machine no doubt. Definitely a bike I considered. But the price....The specs go to the 890r for sure, but the price point vs. the amount of bike you get, goes to the Tuareg in my opinion.
@@advryan1 I was just kidding by the way..lol. I too considered the Aprilia, and it's probably more comfortable than the KTM. Parts and dealer network swayed my vote towards the orange side. Great review my friend and I enjoyed your CDT videos!
@@redrideradventures oh no, I agree with you in several aspects! I think a lot of people would. The 890r is an awesome bike. It bests the Tuareg in every performance category. If it were cheaper, there is a great chance I would've bought one. I came off a KTM 390 and loved that little bike. My brother had a 690 and I rode it. He now has a 500, so I'm definitely keen to KTM, and the awesomeness they churn out. Better suspension, lower slung fuel tank, more power. The 890r out performs the Tuareg for sure. My decision was narrowed down to getting the most bike for the money, so that's why I called it King! But I love the banter. I think it's great! If everyone had the same opinions the world would be a boring place. 😂 Too many people out there get there feelings hurt these days if you disagree with them. I'm not that type. I love and have owned a variety of bikes and brands so I'm not a brand loyalist by any means. And thank you for watching! I need to get better about editing and telling my story. I wished I had bought better camera equipment for the Divide, but the first time we went I could barely rub two nickles together. 😂 And the second trip I had a better camera, but only one viewpoint. I've now got 3 cameras and a drone so I'm hoping my story is more entertaining going forward. Can't wait to go get my new bike and go ride! Ride safe out there man. I see you've got some videos of your own. I'll subscribe! 👊😎
Great comments! I moved from a VStrom 650 to the Tuareg 660, and I absolutely love the T660. Will add that the cruise control and quick shifter are amazing. There are some great tips here, and I’m saving this video. Thanks!
Thank you for stopping by Rory! I'm sure the switch over from the V-Strom had you grinning from ear to ear. And yes, I 100% agree that the cruise is a delight. I don't ride street, but would occaisionally commute and it was fantastic on the highway stretches. I never had experience with the quickshifter, but have heard once you get one you never want to go back. Thanks again for watching Rory! Ride safe!
450lbs 😂 I'm out. Picture getting stuck on a hot day alone in the trail 😁 good luck
@@TerrenceLPThanks for stopping by Terrence! It's definitely a bit heavy for what I want to do, but when you are unloaded it truly doesnt feel 450 pounds. It's wild. However, when I was in New Mexico at elevation, in the gnarly stuff it worked me. It was tough wrestling the bike in that heat no doubt. Which is why I made the decision to ultimately make the move back to a dualsport platform. If we didn't ride the hard stuff I'd have kept it though. Best Mid-Size bike on the market!
In order to have any credibility ..learn how to pronounce Aprilia the correct way.. its not Aprilla...
@@WinifredMulvey Hey I got it right the first few times...😂. Noted Winifred! My accent tends to get the best of me sometimes. My apologies. Thanks for stopping by and watching! 🙏
Great review! I'm looking to upgrade my Kawasaki Versys-x 300 next year. I was considering the Yamaha T7, Honda Transalp, Suzuki Vstrom 800 DE, and the Aprilia Tuareg. I'm looking for something that can eat up highway miles as well as run the chert roads where I live. I've decided to cross the T7 off the list since I have a Suzuki DRZ 400. The Tuareg seems like the best bang for the buck, but the other two have Japanese reliability. I've ridden a Transalp and it was a fine machine. Air filter location and a low hanging exhaust/oil sump kinda bother me. I need to ride the Vstrom 800 DE. Sloan's in Murfreesboro, TN had a deeply discounted Tuareg 660, but I wasn't ready to buy. They told me they are dropping Aprilia and I think the closest dealer is in Jackson, TN about 95 miles from me. It may just boil donw to what I can get the best deal on, but that Aprilia is such a sweet motorcycle.
@@GLHS592 Thank you for stopping by! My wife had a Versys 300x that we just sold about 6 months ago. Fun bike! I hate to hear that about Sloans!? That's where I bought my Tuareg! 😂 The Tuareg can most definitely chew up the highway miles. The cruise control is insane. I've never had a bike with it, and it made commutes to work a breeze. I'd hop on the highway, set it, and before I know it I'm getting off the exit wishing I had more time to ride ha! The Aprilia is definitely the most versatile of the bikes you listed. The V-Strom is sweet, but heavy, and no cruise. The Transalp would be my 2nd choice if I didn't get the Tuareg, but I think you still lose some creature comforts. The ease of service is also definitely a big plus for the Tuareg! It definitely sounds like you've done your homework. If you get a chance to test ride one I bet you bring it home. Such a smooth platform on the street for a bike that handles offroad SO well.
@@advryan1 Oh, so you're in TN. I live just outside Centerville. I can be on a chert road in 5 minutes. The salesman at Sloan's told me that Aprilias were slow sellers and they were dropping them. They had a red/white/blue Tuareg 660. It was gorgeous. He told me he could do $10k that day. I wish I had the cash. The Tuareg seems like the best choice amongst the competition since it has tubeless tires, cruise, and a better TFT from what I've seen online. I'd just like to be closer to a dealer incase of warranty issues. I guess the Transalp would be a great bike for me. I'm not planning to take it places I take the DRZ400. I could put a skid plate on it and quit worrying. I did enjoy the test ride. The salesman at Columbia Powersports wore me out for 3 weeks. I was close to buying it.
@@advryan1 BTW, the Versys-x 300 is a great little bike and it's excellent for beginners. It is my first motorcycle. I waited until I was 49 to start riding and this bike really helped me learn fast. It's cheap to buy used, gets 70 mpg, has adequate power, cheap to operate, and handles well. You can outgrow it pretty fast and the engine is super buzzy.
@@GLHS592 Yes Sir! I live in Columbia, TN myself, so I'm very familiar with Columbia Powersports. That's where I bought my 390 Adventure from! Love the countryside out that way. The Ribfest is a good test loop for knocking the dust off. Hoping to hit that trail some time in the next couple months when I get my new bike setup. 😎
@@GLHS592 I agree! I zipped the Versys around here and there and seemed a very capable bike. Perfect to learn on, and also continue to ride if you can keep the temptation to get another bike at bay! (I have trouble with that 😂) I absolutely loved my 390 Adventure. So much fun to ride. There's something about riding an underdog motorcycle that just brings the fun out and you can ride loose. You'll have to let me know what you choose in the end. Who knows, maybe we can hook up and ride one of these days!
Many riders complain about heat on the right hand of the engine. What’s your opinion about it?
@@richardhretczak536 Hey Richard, thanks for stopping by! So there is some amount of heat that emits from the right front where the exhaust is, but I only ever felt it when commuting to work in jeans and regular boots. When I was wearing full gear, riding pants, and riding boots, I never really noticed it. I rarely ever ride outside of full gear other than an occasional Friday commute to work so it never bothered me that much. There have been reports on the forums that changing the exhaust does away with the heat, and heat wrapping the exhaust also takes it away as well. For me, I never really thought it was bad enough to warrant either. 👍
Really nice video. Hate to see the Tuareg go! I have one too, thats what got me subscribed. I will watch the other videos in this series for sure.
@@chriscleland7008 Thank you for watching Chris! The Tuareg is an insanely cool bike. Tons of good riding in the series, so I do hope you stick around and watch more! The Tuareg held its own in some of the toughest terrain I've ever ridden. It left me with no doubts about durability, or being able to last on the trail. I may make a return to the Tuareg down the road. But for now, I need something a little lighter to go hit the tough stuff! I just picked up a drone and some new camera equipment. Hoping I can improve the entertainment value going forward. Thanks again for stopping by!👊😎
Great bike great content. Hopefully you hit 1000 thank you.
@@Roberta_Esposito thank you so much for watching! I appreciate the encouragement. 👊😎 I just bought a bunch of new camera equipment and a drone, so I'm hoping I can improve the content going forward! Thanks again for stopping by!
Great review thanks. 1 small point, I think Aprilia would like it if you called it an April(ee)a !
@@petegrimshaw530 thank you for stopping by and watching Pete! And yes, my country accent tends to cut corners at times. 😂 The Aprileeeuhhh is #1!!!
@@advryan1 Have you ridden the MT Moto 450 Mt yet ? It looks like a good middleweight.
@@petegrimshaw530 I haven't given it a serious look yet honestly. I've seen a few posts about it, I'm just not sure about the quality. Being so new, and knowing where it's made gives me a pause. It looks polished though. And even though it's from China, it might help the market prices come down a bit. Competition is always good, but I'd give a bike like that a year on the trail before I made a decision to buy personally. See what all the issues are. The Aprilia was also a bit of a risk, but I knew Aprilia had been around, and the engine used on the Aprilia is in their Sportbike platform so it was an educated risk at least. Only time will tell!
What's an Aprilah?
@@NaMinesClarence A pretty awesome Mid-Size Adventure Bike that you will love if you like to ride offroad and cruise the highway getting there. 😎 AKA, the country name for an Italian Brand bike a long ways from home 😂
@@advryan1 I think he is asking why you call it Aprilah and no Aprilia!Great review btw!
@@tylersoap1010lol oh yea, I totally get it. 😂 I think my southern accent is trying to creep in haha. And thank you for watching Tyler!! I'm glad you enjoyed it brother. 👊😎
Really enjoyed this review, Ryan. My '24 is on order. The test ride made me feel like a kid again. The wait is excruciating! I'm coming from two shaft drive bikes in a row starting with an '07 BMW to a '14 Super Tenere I parted with a few days ago. Never toured with a chain drive. What do you recommend carrying on trips?
@@davidrosen5137 Thank you for stopping by David! I'm excited for you brother! The Tuareg is definitely something to be excited about for sure. Things like this are what I love to hear. So glad you enjoyed the review. I've had a few shaft driven cruisers, and can definitely relate to switching over to chain. Always a good practice to clean and lube the chain when coming off a multi day ride or when it gets real dirty. As far as what to "absolutely" carry on trips, in terms of being prepared, my best advice is tire spoons, a small travel size bottle of dish soap, tools to take off both of the wheels(rear axle nut is 22mm which is an odd size/which can be upgraded to a more common size), and tools to access the air filter. I also suggest a rotopax for remote rides. Never hurts to have extra fuel, and being stranded is no fun. Also a great idea to carry an air pump and a tire plug/patch kit. The Aprilia tires are tubeless, which is nice, but I also recommend carrying a tube for an emergency. I'd carry two tubes if I were going solo in the bush, and you'd need a pair of pliers to pull the tubeless stem fyi. From there on is totally up to you! I will say, a solar powered mini fan was worth it's weight in gold blowing on me in the tent in New Mexico at night. 😉 That's IF you plan to camp. One bonus, if you want to carry luggage, Mosko Moto 80 liter reckless is the best in the biz. Hassle free luggage is priceless at camp and when riding knowing it's all secure. If you have any other specific questions feel free to ask! I'd love to help. 😎
@@advryan1 Thanks man! This is the way!
@@davidrosen5137 Anytime David! This is the way! 🚀😎🙏
Looks like a blast! Why did you get rid of the Tuareg and what did you end up getting? I just bought a 24 and really lovin' it.
@@stevec3936 Hey Steve! The Tuareg is/was a treat. If I could have two bikes I'd have kept it for sure. So my brother and my friend Brad both got 500's. I wrestled with that, as I don't want to have to do oil changes constantly, nor do I care to do regular top end jobs down the road so I went back to the dual sport class. I ordered a Gold AJP PR7 Limited Edition due to arrive at the end of the month. Super excited for it! Comes with the Ohlins suspension, and will be a much lighter attack vehicle for the Gnarly stuff. I do miss the Tuareg, and will definitely miss the creature comforts that it provided. The only part I won't miss is the weight. At some point I may return to a mid size. Time will tell! Hoping the AJP is solid!
The T7 extreme got the KYB as well 👍
@@fixxfixx good to know! I hadn't heard that. Is that a newer model T7?
@@advryan1 Yeah, its a '24 model with high front fender and more travel in susp.
@@fixxfixx very nice! I did see the T7 got a digital upgrade in electronics. I'm all for competition! The more brands compete the better it is for the consumer! Thanks for dropping by and sharing the info man! 🤘
Came here for the Tuareg reviews and ended up buying one, awesome machine that fits my needs. What you’re doing for pediatric cancer patients is incredible, you’re an awesome human Ryan. Keep up the fight and thank you for what you do!
@@danielmicyk9645 Thank you for the kind words Daniel! It has been such a blessing. Doing these events has given me a new perspective on life and I'm so thankful for the opportunity. It's support from people like you that make me love this sport, and inspires me to be better everyday. Thank you 🙏 truly, for watching, and spending a little time with me on here. Ride safe brother!👊😎
Thanks for sharing this review. My Tuareg has so far been flawless. It turns out to be a great versatile and comfortable touring bike that can handle dirt better than its competition while easily keeping up with larger adventure bikes in real comfort on open roads at any speed. However, I also ride BDRs and the Pirelli STR tires (while great on road whether wet or dry) are a bit too sketchy for my taste on loose dirt. Any tire advice? Also, I'm about the same weight as you and I've been fiddling with the suspension settings. Any suggestions? Thanks.
@@lj1177 Hey LJ, the Tuareg is such an awesome machine no doubt! And I would agree on the Pirellis. If you are wanting more tire for offroad, but still want to commute, I highly suggest the Shinko 804/805's. If I commuted, that would be the tire setup I'd choose everytime. Folks usually turn to the TKC80's, and they aren't a bad tire, but they are overpriced for how quickly they wear, and the front tends to want to dive into corners too aggressively. However, the Shinko 804/805's are the best I've found. Smoother on the highway than the TKC80's, and last a lot longer as well. Another plus! They are cheap! I actually finished the Continental Divide with the Shinko rear tire and it did great, even on single track. We hit hard pack, gravel, and pavement and it was quiet. Can't recommend that setup enough! As for the suspension setup, Unloaded, I went 4 clicks in stiffer on the front and 6 clicks stiffer on the rear. Fully loaded I left the front alone and went to 10 clicks stiffer on the rear. I felt that was a decent setup for me. I didn't get a chance to properly set the sag. If you can do that, I'd say that's your best bet fully loaded. Thank you for stopping by LJ! Happy to answer any questions you have anytime!😎
@@advryan1 Thank you for the info! That sounds like a good balanced setting. I'll try it.
@@lj1177 awesome! Thank you again for stopping by. I hope you'll come back for more content. A lot of exciting stuff on the horizon for the channel. Ride safe brother!
@@advryan1 Thank you for a very useful answer!
Man, this episode got me sweaty behind my phone screen lol 😅 can’t wait for episode 10
@@awesomerene6814 Thank you for stopping by and watching @awesomerene6814 ! I appreciate you sticking with the episodes. Episode 10 should be a good one!🤘 With that said, I just bought all new filming equipment, so trips going forward should have much better sound quality, and more camera angles so I'm pretty excited for that! Stay tuned!😎
A for effort!!
@@AdventureJeff269 Thanks Jeff! It was a tough stretch no doubt. I was trying to make my way right and then woooop! Off to the left I go. 😅 Fun stuff!
It's the Upper Monarch Crest Trail if people were trying to look up what you were riding. And having hiked that on the CDT, be glad you were riding lol.
@@MeerkatADV Thank you for the clarification Brady! At first I thought it was the Monarch Crest Trail, and then I saw that was near Durango. Good to know! 🤣 No doubt dude. That trail whipped my butt. Thankful for the tracks brother! Experience of a lifetime!
@@advryan1 Yeah that technical bit with all the roots you noted in the video was the first place I fell on the 690. Fell twice more in the couple miles over to Monarch Pass just trying to get out of there LOL.
@@MeerkatADV Oh yea, that was the part I feared the most going in. I remember you going over that and I took a snapshot of those roots and sent them to my brother before we left saying that looked so gnarly. I told him that might also be where he has to bury me. 😅 And every year he can come back to that spot and pay homage to my skeleton on the side of the trail lol. That section didn't play games. This day made a man out of me. 😂 Huge props for doing that ride solo man. Big fan of your channel, and looking forward to all your content going forward. I just bought new equipment to hopefully correct my sound issues, and improve video/editing quality. Your rides have inspired me. Especially a fellow Vet. I'll be planted on my couch watching your TAT ride tomorrow morning with my coffee. Keep after it!
Extensive compilation of your adventure ride - shows all the vastness of the desert. I watched Brock "Moto Mission" Gill 's Continental Divide ride on his KTM 890 but it died due to poor quality fuel ruining the motor (?). He's in FL now on a new T7. He's tall so it fits him well. I have a KTM 640 Adventure and think it would do well on this route.
Thank you for stopping by and sharing in our Adventures! Brock does a great job editing his stuff. My season gets a little better with time as this was my first real attempt at editing and putting together a season, but I wanted to show as much of the landscape as possible, and also give riders a solid view of everything they would be up against as best I could. That's a bummer about his 890?! Carrying a fuel booster is a good idea. I carried a gallon Rotopax with me at all times. There is a stretch in Wyoming that's like 260 miles without fuel I think it is. Definitely need that extra gallon. Your KTM would do awesome I'm sure. It's such an awesome route. And you have the option to tackle some hard stuff along the way if you want some excitement. I hope you'll watch more episodes. The hard tracks keep getting gnarlier as we go along. And thanks again for stopping by!
Do you know of an upgrade flush mount or lower profile billet replacement fuel cap for the Tuareg it deserves a premium fuel cap all these great parts stock and a $2 plastic cap😅
I know right! I like your line of thinking. And that's how I approached it when I bought my protective crash gear/skid plate. As for the gas cap, I didn't replace that, but yes, it was annoying at times. You may browse around AF1racing. They make a lot for the Tuareg. Not sure if gas caps are on there but they have a lot of goodies for the Aprilia. 👍
Where did you buy your folding brake lever and the titanium bolts from?
Hey @ndcbene369, I got the titanium replacement bolts from AF1racing.com. And I believe the folding levers from Nicecnc.com. Nice CNC Aprilia Tuareg Folding brake pedal Google search should get you there. If you have trouble finding it let me know! And thanks for stopping by. 🤘
Hi mate Paul from Australia I reckon Uni- filters are fantastic, I have used them for many years on my different bikes . I used Uni - Filter in my CRF300 Rally and sent them my airbox from my Moto Guzzi V85tt ( as probably like the 660 the OEM filter was letter dust through. But with my Aussie Uni- Filter “ no dust as all “ now loads of others around the world have been buying them . Also Barkbusters are Australian as well. I do love the 660 .
Thanks for stopping by! No doubt in my mind the funnelweb filter saved my bike along with the unifilter both from Australia. Good to know info about the 300 Rally. My little KTM 390 had a paper filter and didn't let any dust through at all. I was very surprised when the Tuareg was letting it by but thankful the Aussies had a couple solid options to protect the bike. I didn't know that about Barkbusters. That's awesome!
@@advryan1 , I probably worded that wrong, I use a Uni- Filter and testing a Funnel web Pre- filter on my CRF 300 Rally and my Moto Guzzi V85tt sent them my airbox and they developed a fantastic filter that didn’t let any dust in anymore . A good mate of mine runs the Aprilla Torag 660 fb page in Australia.
@@itsallabouttheridekeepingi4449 ahh I see. Very nice! That's definitely one way of doing it. We had discussed doing something similar with an air filter manufacturer on the world owners Facebook forum but the cost was too high and there wasn't enough interest. I was pretty disappointed to open up my airbox and see dust in the intake. There were a few guys who didn't catch it until it was too late and it tanked their engines. For me, I personally recommend changing the oil at half intervals if riding offroad in groups. So 3k mile changes instead of 6k. The Tuareg is an amazing bike, but like all of them, there are a few things to shore up. Definitely the best mid size out there in my opinion! I actually sold mine a few months back as my brother and our riding buddy have 500's now. I've ordered a gold edition AJP PR7 due here end of May. If I ever make the move back to mid size, I don't think I'd question buying the Tuareg again. Amazing bike.
@@advryan1 , ok 👍 good info , the fella I was telling you about that runs the 660 fb also runs the AJPPR7 page ad well , a mate of mine mine . So he owns a 660 and PR7. I had a SWM RS650 ( I don’t believe you got that in the US ) was the enduro version of the Superdual . ( I had both ) the engine that the PR7 runs is from SWM ) and before that was the Husky TE630 engine. A fantastic motor. Actually in the UK they also use that engine in their CCM retro bikes .
@@itsallabouttheridekeepingi4449 oh yea, I may have talked to him. Is it Lindsay Peterson? Seems like a very nice guy if so. I follow a guy on YT called "dirtbikeadv" I think it is. He runs a PR7. The bike seems to have treated people well so far. Really excited to get it
Interested in seeing about that bracket to switch to high front fender!
@76pjackson if you scroll through my videos I have a rough draft video of the bracket and install. Pretty easy straightforward bracket and can be made for like $25 of material or less. 👍
Enjoying the series! Were you following a particular track - or did you create your own route?
I hope you've watched past Episode 1! 😅 My editing was just getting started. So we were following a combo of Mountainman and Cannonshots tracks. Cannonshots tracks are fairly tame, but we added in Mountainmans for the hard tracks and it's enduro style. Tons of fun. And thank you for stopping by and watching!!
The faux air ports that you pointed to are blocked-off and do not lead to the air box or anywhere else.
Correct. I've answered that a few times in the comments. I misspoke and as this video is uncut, I left it. I had been in the airbox multiple times prior and new better, but that is correct. Either way, the induction sound makes a really nice noise, and gets plenty of air flow
Good ol fleecer ridge. It is no joke. Been down it on my GS1100 and it was a wicked pisser. Will never need to do it again. once and done.
Same here man! Video just doesn't do it justice at all ha. I can't imagine on a GS1100. That must have been terrifying! People watching won't ever know.
Where did you get the rear folding brake pedal? Great review. I bought the bike in late October and haven’t had it off-road yet due to winter. I’m getting the quick shifter installed in a couple of weeks, and really looking forward to getting after it once the snow melts and I can get back into the mountains.
Hey man! Thanks for stopping by and watching. The suspension is a joy offroad. Nicest suspension I've ever experienced and is very forgiving. So I got my folding brake foot from "nicecnc" online. Here is the link below. Let me know if you anything else! www.nicecnc.com/products/ktm-beta-bud-footpegs-folding-brake-pedal-tip?currency=USD&variant=42337374732518&Google%20Shopping&stkn=366523f86076&.11&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw5cOwBhCiARIsAJ5njuZHKz3_1Xsy8UfZ-C8C4X8fP_engvMv3Nh7MJpfCiZkHENNSF7N4Q8aAgEdEALw_wcB
Zuni Canyon looks like a nice ride. New Mexico definitely has its share of wide open country...I think it's cool that there are still places like that.
The beauty of New Mexico really surprised me. When we were growing up our dad took us all over the west as he grew up dreaming of being a Cowboy. We had been through New Mexico before but mostly populated areas or I was too small to remember. Some people think "there's nothing out there" but man, that's what I like to see. The wide open is awesome to me. Very cool indeed!
Hey Ryan, I'm thinking of getting a Tuareg. My only concern is parts. Say I ride to Alaska from California and I need to replace bearings. Would I have to wait months for parts?
Hey Mo, I think that is a valid concern, at least with the early adopters, but I would feel comfortable taking it on that trip. The bearings on the bike are made in China and seem to be a topic of concern for offroad riders. I know that several vendors have them now and appear widely available. Here is a list of compatible bearings that a member shared off the forum. Amazon can ship them as well so I'd say you're good. 2 Front bearings 6004 Seal (2) size 26x42x7 3 rear bearings 6004 6204 6206 Seals 40x62x7 30x47x7
Thanks, Ryan. Half of me wants to play safe and get a T7. The other half of me wants to get the best bike out there. Thanks so much for your insights!!!
@@themosaito I know that struggle! I will say, my brother owned the T7 for 3 months before selling it, and a major reason why was how heavy it is to pickup. It lays flat. Bags will help with that on loaded trips so it won't be as hard, but I picked up the Tuareg quite a few times and it wasn't that bad. It's had to best that Yamaha reliability, but in these days and times, that gap has closed drastically. Also, the Tuareg comes stock with KYB suspension and cruise control. You have to buy a world raid edition to get the KYB suspension if you go T7. If I were to buy a T7 it would be World Raid or bust in my opinion. The KYB suspension is what stood out to me the most about the Tuareg. Forgiving throttle delivery and being able to switch to offroad mode while moving is also a very underrated option. Either way, both are great bikes. And I think for the touring you plan to do both would be awesome bikes for. With all that said, the Tuareg world owners Facebook forum is one of the most toxic groups I've been a part of. Any issue that any member has with the bike and posts it is usually ridiculed by other members. Other than that, the bike has been a fantastic ownership experience. I will be moving to a lighter platform shortly. None of it being the Tuaregs fault, just my two buddies in the videos have the KTM500 and Husky 501. They want to hit gnarly stuff and the Tuareg, although capable, is not the ideal option weighing 450 pounds. Stay tuned! And if you ever have questions please let me know.
Hey Ryan, Thanks for the review! Who makes the tail rack you put on the bike? Thanks.
Hey MO, the tail rack is made by Hepco and Becker. Solid rack. It's the smaller rack they offer but I didn't want something massive on the back. Several ways to strap things to it as well if you don't run a rotopax. The plus is it looks good with nothing on it! Highly recommend it.
@@advryan1 Hey Ryan, I got my a Tuareg, based, in part on your rave reviews. Only have 300 miles on it, but it's a really special bike. Love it!
@@themosaito thanks for stopping back by and letting me know Mo! It's a special bike no doubt. Most definitely the best midsize bike on the market. It will serve you well my friend. If you ever have any other questions just let me know. I'm happy to help! 👊
I’m heading up to Alaska in June. I think this’ll be the perfect bike. I’ll let you know how I get on.
@@themosaito that sounds like an awesome adventure! Definitely interested to hear your feedback Mo! Ride safe out there.
113 is pretty hot to be out riding.
Man it was super hot that day. Pretty sure I got heat exhaustion twice this day. So the route North through Colorado has to be ridden at a certain time of year, so unfortunately we had to brave the heat. We actually got to Colorado and one of the trails we rode was snow covered at the top. There is snow cover in Episode 8 that we navigate around, but in my next video, episode 9, we ride single track and it gets wild. Thank you for stopping by and checking out the channel. My editing skills are getting better. The 1st few episodes are when I was getting started so hopefully they get more watchable as time goes on. 😅
@@advryan1 I'm enjoying the series so far. Heat exhaustion is no joke.
@@AzMtnThumper no doubt! I drank my camelback dry twice that day. Once before lunch and then after. I wanted to lose my jacket but those rocks looked painful so I melted instead ha. 🫠 I'm glad you're enjoying it so far. There is some gnarly terrain coming up if you haven't watched Episode 3. Then when we get to Cuba there is some very technical terrain towards the end when we hit an optional hard track. And then there is more on the actual Divide Trail. Fun stuff! I dropped the bike multiple times this trip. Somewhere around 7 times I believe. It gets more entertaining as it goes. Most challenging trip I've done hands down. And thank you for watching! 👊
Just ordered a new Tuareg in the dakar podium colors, can't wait! How's it holding up for you? enjoyable vids, thank you
@j0rss that is awesome! The podium color combo is my new favorite. The Tagelmust grew on me after I saw it in person, and the podium scheme captures the best of that and improves upon it. The bike held up great. The only issue I ever had out of it was the fuel sensor flashing, which didnt affect anything other than manually calculating fuel. I ran the Divide with it flashing. Also, putting in a foam filter. If you ride in groups and are not in lead the airbox will suck dust through the stock paper filter. Go with a foam Uniflter from Australia and oil it with Bel ray oil. I also got a funnelweb pre-filter just to be safe on this trip and my airbox was clean post trip inspection. So I recently sold my Tuareg, and not because of any reason other than weight, due to the nature of riding my 2 riding buddies in the video want to do. The guy on the KLR got a Husky 501, and my brother has the 500, so I'm the odd man out on a midsize. If I could have 2 bikes I wouldn't think twice about keeping the Tuareg. It is the most enduro feeling midsize out there. Without luggage it feels like a big dirt bike with cruise control. You're going to love it! For me, I've got a new pony ordered, due in the end of March. I'll be announcing soon. But first! Episode 9 will feature me on the Tuareg doing some single track in Colorado. It was tough, but I lived. I have a highlight video preview on one video. Thank you for stopping by and sharing in our adventure. If you ever have any questions at all please let me know. Such an awesome bike man. Like nothing I've ever ridden.
thanks for a comprehensive answer! Yeah the other colors were $500 cheaper, but I couldn't resist 😁 didn't know about the airbox situation, appreciate it. Currently have a 2009 V2 Tuono so i'm a bit of a Aprilia fanboy I guess, but everyone is going to dirt lmao, gotta catch up and can't afford multiple bikes at the moment, time is scarce too, so gotta choose one. The Tuareg seems like the best do-it-all bike with epic offroad capability. A bit nervous about the weight since I'm 5'10 150 pounds myself, I hope it's not gonna be too bad. Some owners are saying the wheels can be easy to bend and damage, you ever had any exprience with that? cheers @@advryan1
@@j0rss if you're switching over from street it's going to be a whole new world. Everything is reversed in terms of control and techniques which was hard for me to switch but I'm so glad I did. So much more fun offroad than I had on street and the views, camping, and friendships made along the way are priceless. Fully loaded in slow speed technical the Tuareg can get heavy, but that's fully loaded multi day trips only. When unpacked or lightly packed, it is a joy, and the weight is very low centered. Phenomenal bike. For the wheels, I had several hard impacts, and yes they can be vulnerable, but only if aired down a ton. I put those wheels through some of the worst terrain and they held up just fine. I'd only be worried if you're going to be hitting hard enduro with big rocks regularly. Other than that they are tough enough. I will say, when you go pick up the bike, check the spoke tension. Mine were loose when I got home and I called and the dealer said they could true the wheels for starting at $500 and up. Also time consuming so they would have the bike for a minute in peak season which is not ideal. They claim to do an 150 point inspection but that's largely bull crap, so I'd tell them you will be checking spoke tension when you come get it. Happy for you man. It's an awesome bike. You're going to love it.
@@advryan1 thank you, I'll let them check the spokes. For longer trips I hope to get by with some softbags without installing any pannier racks to keep the weight down as much as possible, don't like the big bulky metal cases at all, ruins the bike for me. Yeah offroad is new to me but I'll lose my license if i stay on the streets, don't have any racetracks around my area, so it was just a question of time anyways. I basically bought the bike based solely on the reviews online, haven't even ridden it myself yet, just sat one to make sure I wasn't to short for it. Thanks for the thoughtful answers and confirming my good choice😀bikes are awesome, stay safe and have fun!
@@j0rss I think you absolutely made the right choice. And I agree, stay as light as possible. One thing I suggest is paying the extra money for good protection. Stay away from Heed and Motea. Hepco and Becker products are the bees knees man. GPMUCCI also makes a killer skid plate that you can see on my review vid. Tough as nails and looks cool as well as can be ordered in any custom color you want. I figured if I'm gonna pay that much for the bike, I'm not cheaping out on gear. For luggage I went with mosko moto 80 liters, but there are tusk bags and other competitors that make good bags as well. If I could do it all over again, and had the money, luggage is legit the #1 thing on the trail that frustrated me. Not secure, a pain to get stuff off or unpacked at camp and back on the bike, ect. Get good bags, or at least the best you can, because the first few trips you don't want to be wrestling with them. It seriously improves the enjoyment of the trip being able to access your tools/gear easily and not fighting to keep stuff strapped down, and can also save you from losing stuff. Anyway, enjoy the bike man. Again, if you have any questions at all ever, reach out. I'll be glad to help!
Neat! Met up with a couple guys fixing to start that run about 30 years ago in West Texas. I was on my '95 BMW R11GS and they were on Suzuki DR350.s. Bid the ado and luck.
That's awesome! I bet you've made some awesome memories over the years, and have many more to make! Did you ever get a chance to ride some of the Divide?
No did not! Continued on to New Mexico on back roads. the back home to go offshore to work. When have to finally give up on bikes about 4 years ago due to balance problems and was not going to a 3 wheel, I had right at 700K miles roaming the U S vis bikes. So miss it. @@advryan1
@@achesley43 wow! That is more mileage than I could ever hope to achieve. The sights seen, the experiences you must have had. I'm jealous! Thank you so much for stopping by and watching. I know they aren't the most well tailored videos out there, but I appreciate your engagement. Especially from a Adventure veteran like yourself! Stay tuned. Some more good riding to come. 🤘
Do you get any rattling or clunking noises from the front, like maybe the tower area while riding rocky roads? My Tuareg sound like it coming apart, but everything is tight.
I never got any clunk or rattle, but I know the mounting point for the tower was weak. Have you inspected it for cracks or anything? I know there have been a few guys who have broken their towers in falls. I doubt that's it but possible.
whenever you see the bicycles riding like that in the middle of nowhere specially ADV trails. Have the common curtesy to stop and offer water or anything they may need! I just lost respect for you.
Have you ridden the Continental Divide? It's a pretty popular destination for motorcycles, cyclists, and hikers. I think you'd find it very difficult to stop for every person you passed on the trail. If they signaled for help, or waved their hands, we would've stopped for sure. We talked to a few bikers on the trail. The guy at the beginning was a local, as we ate lunch with him later that day. We were prepared to render aid to anyone who needed it, but that wasn't the case. Thanks for watching. 👍
Too many Karen's n Ken's that get triggered by motorcycles nowadays. Not all for sure, but they do exist and they think they are the only ones that should be allowed on the route. I passed a Karen last weekend, on a public road in the middle of nowhere, geared down to 2nd going slow, and she walks into my lane screaming like she's on bath salts. And some people just don't want to be messed with. They will make it known if they need help or a friendly conversation. If they are peddling, they are good. People just get triggered for no good reason
@@jasoncoffman4417 amen to that! 😂 And I agree, most people are on that trail, or trails, that would prefer to be left alone. If it were me, and I needed water or food, I'd be signaling for help, stationary, in the shade and waving my arms. Not scaling a mountain on my mountain bike ha. Like you said, if they are pedaling, they are fine. Can't please everyone out there I guess. 😅
Do they even offer a centerstand? Just wondering.
Hey Jess, they actually do. And it is compatible with the GPMUCCI Skid plate I had on and others, but I opted not to put it on because of the extra weight. However, it would've been nice on this trip. 😅
Hey Jess, just wanted to stop back by and mention that I know T-rex offers the center stand. It's just shy of $300 USD. 👍
What brand of motorcycle and size
Hey there! So this bike is a 2022 Aprilia Tuareg 660. The best mid size money can buy!
👍👍👍👍
I'm amazed you kept control almost to the end. So close. Had you had a chance to walk it first, you would have cleared it. Quite a bouncy ride. The bike does great.
I watch this video with the same amazement.😂 My mind said Stop and recon, my heart said send it! I knew being fully loaded if I lost momentum I'd have a tough time restarting so I went for it ha. I got lucky I made it that far. All bike man. That suspension is the truth. I wanted to get over to the right and then that rock had other plans for me haha.
I hiked the Continental Divide Trail through N.M. so I know it very well. I imagine hikers share some of the same routes (roads) at least paralleling it, that you were on, road walks were the worst! I didn’t see any motorcycles so was curious how did you map your route? Hiking I used an app called Guthook (it’s called something else now) as well as Gaia. Looking at finishing the CDT on motorcycle instead of hiking, I had to get off trail due to a spinal injury. Anyway keep on keeping on! 👍🏽
Wow! You were hiking it!? Major props for that man. That takes some serious devotion. So the app we use is free thankfully. It's called "GPX Viewer" and you can download tracks from Facebook straight to the app. Super easy! So for our route we used a combination of Cannonshots tracks coupled with the hard tracks made by Mountainmans tracks. Both are located on the Continental Divide Facebook page. They might be on Adventure Bike Riders page as well. Let me know if you can't find them and I'll be glad to help. Pretty awesome you had the courage to hike that trail. Whether you finished or not that takes some grit man!
So I just checked Facebook and the group is called "Continental Divide Motorcycle Trail (The Great Divide). If you go to the "files" tab all the tracks can be downloaded there for free. Once you have downloaded the app, you click on the track to download it and it auto uploads to your app. Then you open the tracks you want (we opened 2 at once) and you can follow it on a mounted phone. Mountainmans track called "The Hard way" is the hard stuff. Cannonshots track is the 15x2000 file and that one follows the route as true to the trail as can be followed. We want to hit the hard stuff so we did a mix of both. Good luck, let me know if I can help, and thanks for watching brother!
@@advryan1 Fantastic info, thanks a ton! I’ll be looking at later this year or next year, surgery in a month. 😬 We’ll see how I heal up. 🤞 Again thanks for the response and the info, will definitely give it a deep dive. So have you finished all the way to Canada yet?
@@spitfire155k2 awesome! Good luck in your recovery. Don't rush it back, as I'm sure you know that. So we did complete the trail. I've uploaded the first trip all at once on my channel but plan to go back and edit it better. 2 years ago we started at the Canadian border in Eureka, MT and headed south 1656 miles to Steamboat Springs, Colorado in 6 days. It was awesome. It's a little more tame up North in terms of riding, but it's beautiful, and there are some optional tracks/sights to see up that way as well. Then, this past July we started in Antelope Wells, NM at the border, and headed north to Breckenridge, Colorado. There is a small section of pavement between Steamboat and Breckenridge we didn't do because it's all slab and we didn't want to do pavement after 6 days so we called it good. It's an amazing trail. Unforgettable. When you get to do it, put your big boy pants on for New Mexico. Especially if you are going North. Tons of fun, but challenging!
@@advryan1 So super stoked! Hiking the CDT (at least the N.M. part) was something I will never forget, easily one the best times in my life. There’s just something about being ‘out there’s that does something to you, it’s indescribable and I want that again. Thanks so much for all your responses, really do appreciate it! 😊👍🏽
Went down it on a fully loaded KLR by myself My advice is don’t 😮
It is insane! Thank you for leaving a comment for perspective. One guy in the comments told me to pick up speed...😂😂😂. Either on this video, or my full ride. I can't remember, but the videos just never show how terrifying this ridge truly is.
Man that bike setup is sharp!!! / I am looking at one oof these! I want something lighter than my GS for off-road...... Sharp, sharp, sharp, sharp!!!!
Thank you for stopping by the channel! The Tuareg is a sharp bike on its own, and the gear definitely brings it up a notch. If you have any questions on it just let me know. 🤘
What a nice series of trails !!! Tuareg at its best. 👍🏻👍🏻
The Tuareg was a blast on the Divide. Slow technical stuff wasn't it's speciality, but it handled it well and fully loaded! The T660 is a beast!