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[Lightcycle]

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Everyone has to make their own judgment about how they are actually going to ride and how much of each.

This is exactly what's wrong with "What do you guys think of this bike/tire/wheel/brake/etc?" questions on the Interweb.

We don't know how you ride, how aggressive you are, what your level of expertise is. In turn, you don't know the same about the person answering the question either. Just look at all the responses above, they're all over the place.

My friend bought a F650 Dakar as her first bike. 21" front, 90/10 tires. Never rode dirt with it. She rode streets and highway 100%. Never complained a thing about the handling. Me, the first hard corner I took on that bike, I was like, "nope nope nope".

Best thing to do is to try to book a test ride with a bike with 21" wheels and make up your own mind. It'd be a shame to pass a bike over just because of someone else's opinion - someone who rides entirely different than you do.

 

[Clutt-225]

I have contemplated many times on trading in on a 1290 Super Duke GT.
I absolutely love the look of them. I love the LC8 engine and to think it has 30 more HP than my bike
Then I come back to reality I can’t ride any faster than I do now unless I plan to do track days. I probably won’t do track days and I will miss my off-road exploration / touring. Best of both my worlds with little to no compromise.
Your absolutely right though. You need to ride as many bikes as you can get your hands on.
I rode the 2016 Ducat MS 1200 with 17’s and an L twin
I’ve rode a BMW S1000XR With 17‘s and in-line 4
Ive rode the KTM 890 ADV S 21” front wheel and inline twin
My own 1190 V twin 19” front
They are all considered Adventure but are all very different bikes with different levels of compromise at different types of riding.
Not one bad bike in the four Just different.

I just don’t understand the nope nope nope in regards to the 21” wheel.
I get that it is not as nimble or sharp. But it still does the job.
Are you really pushing that hard on the street that it’s a nope?
Now I once headed out for a day trip on a 2002 R6 and that was a definite. Nope because I don’t think my wrists and back would have made it.
What is spirited enough that the 17” front wheel becomes paramount?
20km 30km over posted. Just curious because you are right we all have different views on what is ideal in a bike.
I would love to just fill a garage with so many bikes for all types of riding and some to mostly look at.

 

[bigpoppa]

get that it is not as nimble or sharp.

I imagine its probably not nearly as stable either, your coming into a corner hot and need to scrub off some speed as you trail brake and turn

Also imagine 21" wheels probably dont have the best rubber for that sort of thing either

 

[Clutt-225]

I imagine its probably not nearly as stable either, your coming into a corner hot and need to scrub off some speed as you trail brake and turn

Also imagine 21" wheels probably dont have the best rubber for that sort of thing either

Well I run outa balls long before I run outa bike or wheel. And frankly that probably well after I should have run out of balls on the street.
That said switching from the stock rubber to the knobbies has slowed me down considerably. But it’s still capable of going way faster than anyone should be riding on public roads.

Also I’m on 19”F 17”R not the dreadful 21”
We need to hook up for a ride sometime to compare?
How close to Durham are you?
Maybe I suck and just don’t know. It’s a real possibility

 

[Lightcycle]

I just don’t understand the nope nope nope in regards to the 21” wheel.
I get that it is not as nimble or sharp. But it still does the job.
Are you really pushing that hard on the street that it’s a nope?

Sorry, did I give the impression that I was a good rider?

If you're skilled enough, you can ride the wheels off of any bike and look good doing it. Pol Tarres can probably still climb vertical rock faces on a Road Glide.

But generally speaking, 17" with fat rubber is better for the road, 21" with skinny tires is better for the trails. And to top it off, if you're a sh!tty rider like me (slow in corners, crashes into trees often), then I need all the advantages that I can possibly get. I'm not going to handicap myself from the get-go.

Don't want to give people *more* reasons to point and laugh at me.

On *and* off the bike...

 

[Wingboy]

Regarding my disdain for 21" on the street. I hate compromise.A well sorted dirt bike makes for so much more fun on the trails than one that is set up for a rider 40lb heavier than you. Same goes for the street or track.
Personal preference is a very detailed process on a bike when you have some experience. I am probably too critical of the Honda Rally 250 because i expected too much of it. Most people would find it just fine. My experience tells me that there are much better bikes available.

 

[Wingboy]

Sorry, did I give the impression that I was a good rider?

If you're skilled enough, you can ride the wheels off of any bike and look good doing it. Pol Tarres can probably still climb vertical rock faces on a Road Glide.

But generally speaking, 17" with fat rubber is better for the road, 21" with skinny tires is better for the trails. And to top it off, if you're a sh!tty rider like me (slow in corners, crashes into trees often), then I need all the advantages that I can possibly get. I'm not going to handicap myself from the get-go.

Don't want to give people *more* reasons to point and laugh at me.

On *and* off the bike...

You must have just read the Inside Motorcycles review of the new Road Glide. Me too. 891lb!!!!!!!! Holy shitballs and applesauce!

 

[Lightcycle]

You must have just read the Inside Motorcycles review of the new Road Glide. Me too. 891lb!!!!!!!! Holy shitballs and applesauce!

My buddy just sold his RG and is getting a '22 Super Adventure R. Can't wait to ride his bike!

 

[bigpoppa]

My buddy just sold his RG and is getting a '22 Super Adventure R. Can't wait to ride his bike!

is he?

There were no 20/21 models
Just got off the phone with GP and they dont know if they'll be getting any 22 models either

Also I’m on 19”F 17”R not the dreadful 21”
We need to hook up for a ride sometime to compare?
How close to Durham are you?
Maybe I suck and just don’t know. It’s a real possibility

my riding seasons pretty much over, maybe next year!

 

[Clutt-225]

My buddy just sold his RG and is getting a '22 Super Adventure R. Can't wait to ride his bike!

I had a 2006 Road Glide and it did everything I could have reasonably asked of it.
The paint was exceptional. The JL Audio stereo was awesome. The big air cooled VTwin made all the right noise through the dual Vance & Hines exhaust.
Until I wanted more from the man and machine relationship.
The engine made noise not power.
It was comfortable But so is a couch and a couch is cheaper to insure.
It had half the lean angle of an ADV bike on knobbies before the floor boards hit the road making an awful scraping noise all the way round the corner.

Your buddy should be very happy with his decision.

 

[Clutt-225]

is he?

There were no 20/21 models
Just got off the phone with GP and they dont know if they'll be getting any 22 models either



my riding seasons pretty much over, maybe next year!

For sure next season

funny story
Friday night I tried to shut off th MTC after receiving the ice possible warning.
It wouldn’t let me three times.
So I switched to Off-road mode and it turned off.
Then I went back to Sport for all the power
My season should probably be over too.

 

[Wingboy]

And speaking of Road Glide. The new one has 21"/18" wheels. Handling? Don't know. But I'm betting it handles like every Harley I've ridden. Like a wheelbarrow full of water.

 

[Mad Mike]

Regarding my disdain for 21" on the street. I hate compromise.A well sorted dirt bike makes for so much more fun on the trails than one that is set up for a rider 40lb heavier than you. Same goes for the street or track.
Personal preference is a very detailed process on a bike when you have some experience. I am probably too critical of the Honda Rally 250 because i expected too much of it. Most people would find it just fine. My experience tells me that there are much better bikes available.

I'm with you 100%. My ADV extreme these days is a hydro rd or logging highway, my Vstrom does all that just fine. I'm not all that extreme, but I'll bet I'm more extreme than 90% of the people riding heavy ADVs.

If I were in the video above, it would be on an ancient DT250. I wouldn't be thundering along at the equestrian speed limit. My **** my pants moments would be thinking about going over the bars on a landing... not thinking about my next bill at GP bikes.

 

[bigpoppa]

not thinking about my next bill at GP bikes.

real men do their own wrenching

 

[Wingboy]

real men know when to do their own wrenching

Fixed.

 

[Clutt-225]

Lol
Here I thought the debate was ADV being a fad or actually versatile motorcycles that are very capable of multiple riding disciplines.

Yes your Vstrom can handle all I would ever expect from a large adventure bike.
It is considered by many to be an adventure bike.

As for pants ******** moments. I’ve had a few on the bike but never at GP Bikes.

 

[Lightcycle]

is he?

There were no 20/21 models
Just got off the phone with GP and they dont know if they'll be getting any 22 models either

Dealer took his deposit and told him it would be here at the end of winter.

Whether that means March or May, who knows? Could be a lot of swearing and stomping of feet next year...

 

[canuckwr250]

My tiger has 21'' front and I dont feel any ill effects in handling on the road,maybe depends on tire choice I guess. I dont ride it like my FJ09 into corners but it handles just fine in the twisties,and rides great on the highway.

 

[bigpoppa]

Dealer took his deposit and told him it would be here at the end of winter.

Whether that means March or May, who knows? Could be a lot of swearing and stomping of feet next year...

Good news....its coming to canada after 3 years
REALLY liking these colors(R version not the S)

 

[mixedup]

Found this in my pile of motorcycle mags and thought it was great. An OG ADV bike going through some proper testing

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