ADV fad

[Clutt-225]

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When you say the idea of off-roading on an ADV bike is all clever marketing what extremes are you talking about? Because yes you very much can go off-Road on a 600 pound ADV bike. No it’s not a dirt bike any more than a dirt bike can be a touring bike. It’s a compromise. Most sport bikes or cruisers don’t ride down gravel roads or dual track forest roads and most light dual sports don’t venture 500km day trips. It’s three bikes in one. Sport, dual sport, touring bike, It can’t equal any but it can do all three very well.

My alternative
Harley Davidson Road Glide
KTM Super Duke R
Suzuki DRZ 400

 

[Mad Mike]

Before 1970, most street bikes were adventure bikes.

During the weekend you ran it wherever, during the week you rode the same bike to the office.

 

[shanekingsley]

Ah, I think @shanekingsley has something similar on his bike.
I think in Harley terminology this would be call straight bars?
I would like to get bars like that for mine, I hate the sweep and my wrists angled.

I currently have the stock bars on mine, which is what you would have experienced when you tried it out.
On my previous bike, I replaced the stock bars with Pro Taper ATV bars, which I found much better in every way - commuting, u-turns, cornering, lower vibrations and strength. The relaxed sweep and positioning of the wrists was much more comfortable for me.
Difference between them is below (1st pic stock, 2nd pic Pro Taper):

 

[Lightcycle]

If I ever opt for something dirt or gravel compatible, it needs to be light enough to pick up easily. I'm on board with the concept of a light dual-purpose bike, but not a land barge. Weighing <250 lbs is a better feature than having 150 horsepower...

Truer words have never been spoken.

This is my light dual-purpose bike:

Street legal. 250 lbs. 40hp. A juicy power-to-weight ratio for the trails. 130 km/h on the highway all day.

I even got some luggage for it, 40L of carrying capacity.

Have I done 500km days on it?

Yes, but I didn't like it...

 

[MacDoc]

I shudder to think where I took my late 60s 305 Hawk in the Hamilton clay pits including a few airborn episodes my knee still reminds me about. One of the guys at uni parked his 175 Honda by riding it up three flights of inside stairs on a regular basis.
They were light and tough. Watched my 305 bounce across the nasty railway tracks on Ontario on a winter night ....on it's side. Buddy wanted to ride it home.
Bad idea.
Picked it up, straightened something, mirror I think and I rode it the rest of the way.
Now that would be a very expensive come off tho my departed KL650 certainly took a few off pavement spills with no harm to it ....a bit to me on the last one,...no engine guards on that but barkbusters really help.

 

[Lightcycle]

youtube is censoring the boobahs

Works fine for me. VPN? Ad blocker?

 

[shanekingsley]

View attachment 51903

This right here is why I started riding. I loved smoking and riding!

 

[Mad Mike]

Truer words have never been spoken.

This is my light dual-purpose bike:

Street legal. 250 lbs. 40hp. A juicy power-to-weight ratio for the trails. 130 km/h on the highway all day.

I even got some luggage for it, 40L of carrying capacity.

Have I done 500km days on it?

Yes, but I didn't like it...

Reminds me of my first ADV, a 93 TS200r. 20,000km dependable Km before overhaul. Lots of 500km days on that old girl. Wish I kept her.

 

[SVeezy]

Truer words have never been spoken.

This is my light dual-purpose bike:

Street legal. 250 lbs. 40hp. A juicy power-to-weight ratio for the trails. 130 km/h on the highway all day.

I even got some luggage for it, 40L of carrying capacity.

Have I done 500km days on it?

Yes, but I didn't like it...

Love that bike, just haven’t pushed myself to pull the trigger yet


Sent from my iPhone using GTAMotorcycle.com mobile app

 

[Lightcycle]

I respect the faux-ADV bikes that don't make a concession for performance over looks.

Bikes like the S1000XR and the MTS Pikes Peak know exactly what they are intended for. They're never going to go off the pavement, so why dick around with a 21" front shod with lame 90/10 tires, and super long suspension travel?

17" cast wheels with sticky, sport rubber and shorter, street-worthy suspension FTW.

Plus you still get ADV looks for the fashion-conscious crowd, big tank for range, upright ergos for all-day comfortable riding and plenty of luggage carrying capacity.

 

[Lightcycle]

Love that bike, just haven’t pushed myself to pull the trigger yet

If you also love doing frequent oil changes, then that's the perfect bike for you.

 

[bigpoppa]

I respect the faux-ADV bikes that don't make a concession for performance over looks.

Bikes like the S1000XR and the MTS Pikes Peak know exactly what they are intended for. They're never going to go off the pavement, so why dick around with a 21" front shod with lame 90/10 tires, and super long suspension travel?

17" cast wheels with sticky, sport rubber and shorter, street-worthy suspension FTW.

Plus you still get ADV looks for the fashion-conscious crowd, big tank for range, upright ergos for all-day comfortable riding and plenty of luggage carrying capacity.

word is the new pikes peak will have 17" wheels again

 

[Roadghost]

When you say the idea of off-roading on an ADV bike is all clever marketing what extremes are you talking about? Because yes you very much can go off-Road on a 600 pound ADV bike.

You're right. You can go off-road with a 600lb ADV bike. But it's a lot more easy, and practical to go off-road on a 300lb bike. They just won't do 260km/h on the highway, and even though the guys who own them will never go that fast, it's always comforting to know that power is there, especially when you're Tim Hortons racing. I've seen vids of guys doing off-road with Gold Wings, now that's a compromise. I just see zero reason to punish yourself wrestling 600lbs out of a deep mud bog when you could save the hour that takes riding a 250-400lb bike, like a KTM 390 Adventure or a Kawasaki Versys 300 and not have to check into the back doctor after a day like this:

 

[Clutt-225]

Each their own I guess.
I would rather have to wrestle my bike in the trail than ride a dirt bike on the road.
I would rather have a porky street bike in the twisties than pack my gear on a super sport bike. Some people think it’s jack of all trades master of none.
But it does everything I ask of it and does it as well as I need it done.
It’s not that bad to pick up. When I ride off road it’s at a fairly relaxed pace
similar to the way you would off-Road a Jeep not a sxs. When I ride on the road it’s faster and longer than I would want to ride a dirt bike.
For my off-road and on-road requirements it’s perfect.
Not a fad or a poseur but understanding the purpose of the bike and using it as intended. Just because a road going sports car is not an F-1 car does not make it slow.
Ive been watch Bret Tkacks videos to get pointers on how to ride an adv bike in trails and find them very informative.

 

[Lightcycle]

Each their own I guess.
I would rather have to wrestle my bike in the trail than ride a dirt bike on the road.
I would rather have a porky street bike in the twisties than pack my gear on a super sport bike. Some people think it’s jack of all trades master of none.
But it does everything I ask of it and does it as well as I need it done.
It’s not that bad to pick up. When I ride off road it’s at a fairly relaxed pace
similar to the way you would off-Road a Jeep not a sxs. When I ride on the road it’s faster and longer than I would want to ride a dirt bike.
For my off-road and on-road requirements it’s perfect.
Not a fad or a poseur but understanding the purpose of the bike and using it as intended. Just because a road going sports car is not an F-1 car does not make it slow.

You've just made a terrific argument to own 5+ different purpose-built motorcycles in the garage.

 

[Clutt-225]

You're right. You can go off-road with a 600lb ADV bike. But it's a lot more easy, and practical to go off-road on a 300lb bike. They just won't do 260km/h on the highway, and even though the guys who own them will never go that fast, it's always comforting to know that power is there, especially when you're Tim Hortons racing. I've seen vids of guys doing off-road with Gold Wings, now that's a compromise. I just see zero reason to punish yourself wrestling 600lbs out of a deep mud bog when you could save the hour that takes riding a 250-400lb bike, like a KTM 390 Adventure or a Kawasaki Versys 300 and not have to check into the back doctor after a day like this:

What a drama queen. This guy needs to go back to his Street Glide and pirate costume
This was not a bike problem but a rider problem

 

[Mad Mike]

Perhaps adventure needs a clearer definition. A professional rider can fly a loaded 700lb bike thru the air on a single track on just about anything... I’ve seen it done on knobby tire Goldwings.

I think it’s thats mostly YouTube stuff, the guys riding in those videos/commercials probably ride proper dirt bikes on their own time.

The rider defines adventure. For me it’s mostly rural roads, with 50lbs of gear and lots of miles. Many roads are rough, some gravel, occasionally I’ll head down a logging or hydro road, but I’m not pounding a 600lb bike of any type very far down a single track. I’d wager my definition of adventure is tougher than 90% of Canadian adventure bikes have experienced.

Way back, all bikes could do this. Over time bikes got specific and shed their ability to handle rough roads. Cruisers, super sports and STs simply don’t do well off the silky highway, Adv bikes fix this.

Swiss army bike might be a better definition.

 

[Clutt-225]

You've just made a terrific argument to own 5+ different purpose-built motorcycles in the garage.

Your not wrong
But what if you want to experience all the rides in one ride.
I often find the road I’m exploring will turn from asphalt to gravel then possibly into a seasonal road and back again.

 

[Clutt-225]

Perhaps adventure needs a clearer definition. A professional rider can fly a loaded 700lb bike thru the air on a single track on just about anything... I’ve seen it done on knobby tire Goldwings.

I think it’s thats mostly YouTube stuff, the guys riding in those videos/commercials probably ride proper dirt bikes on their own time.

The rider defines adventure. For me it’s mostly rural roads, with 50lbs of gear and lots of miles. Many roads are rough, some gravel, occasionally I’ll head down a logging or hydro road, but I’m not pounding a 600lb bike of any type very far down a single track. I’d wager my definition of adventure is tougher than 90% of Canadian adventure bikes have experienced.

Way back, all bikes could do this. Over time bikes got specific and shed their ability to handle rough roads. Cruisers, super sports and STs simply don’t do well off the silky highway, Adv bikes fix this.

Swiss army bike might be a better definition.

Exactly
Im no Chris Birch any more than all these guys on their SS are Rossi.
But just the same you can enjoy off-road rides without flying through the air just the same as a Super sport is an enjoyable experience at under 200kmph

 

[bigpoppa]

Each their own I guess.
I would rather have to wrestle my bike in the trail than ride a dirt bike on the road.
I would rather have a porky street bike in the twisties than pack my gear on a super sport bike. Some people think it’s jack of all trades master of none.
But it does everything I ask of it and does it as well as I need it done.
It’s not that bad to pick up. When I ride off road it’s at a fairly relaxed pace
similar to the way you would off-Road a Jeep not a sxs. When I ride on the road it’s faster and longer than I would want to ride a dirt bike.
For my off-road and on-road requirements it’s perfect.
Not a fad or a poseur but understanding the purpose of the bike and using it as intended. Just because a road going sports car is not an F-1 car does not make it slow.
Ive been watch Bret Tkacks videos to get pointers on how to ride an adv bike in trails and find them very informative.

agreed

Lets also keep in mind, not all of us are the same, some are big, some are small, some are young, some are old.

What you can wrestle around is a lot different than what I can wrestle

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