I think you would be surprised at what the big adventure bikes can do especially on the road. Not going to win on a racetrack but rediculous cornering speeds are easy.and the comfort is another world no more sore knees. You could consider them big supermotos on the right tires.
I'm afraid you don't know what you`re talking about friend.
agreed, he's out of touch or uninformed, which is fine.
XR ran 1 second behind the RR (last gen)
plus you could likely ride it home after.
sure, but 400kms on the XR vs the RR is night and day.
I see it first hand with the RR guys on our romps. Highway portion they are all stretching limbs and standing up. By the 4th fill up people are asking who wants a break, i just chuckle.
Look, just because what this guy is asking for doesn't fit the bill on those bikes doesn't make those bad bikes. Not sure why the need to be so defensive? I may be out of touch or uninformed on many things, but this ain't one of them...
He's made clear he simply doesn't care about doing 400 km days. That's not what he's buying the bike for and it's not why he rides. Can you hustle an S1000XR? Absolutely. Can you make speed with an MTS? Effin' right you can. Is a Super Duke one of the most fun bikes ever made? Without doubt. Can the supercharged Kawi do mega speed with no effort? Damn right. Are all these absolutely amazing motorcycles that do what they're designed to do exceptionally well, and then some? Yes, yes, yes. When Big Poppa was looking at bikes, I argued that the KTM was what ticked the boxes for his needs more than the Tuono, as he wasn't fussed about things like ground clearance, but really wanted a twin that was hairy balls powerful while still being a comfy place to sit. But he wasn't saying he wanted something sporty suited for quick rips, nor was he saying he wanted a sportbike but was considering some minor comfort concessions.
For what this guy is looking for, they also have compromises for comfort, utility, etc, that get in the way of what he wants to do. You can post endless videos of people ripping around tracks and curvy roads on ADV bikes, supermotos, etc, and while impressive, they don't show anything except that the rider is generally more important than the bike. Nobody is putting a supermoto or an ADV bike on a competitive grid because they're simply not faster around a typical race track than a sportbike.
Granted, we're not talking about track riding here, but a lot of the same demands exist: speed, best possible cornering ability, powerful engine, ergos designed to allow body position that keeps the bike as upright as possible. He's obviously an experienced rider, and coming off an RC51 is as aware as anyone of the comfort drawbacks associated with sportbikes.
I will admit, there are lots of folks on sportbikes who could be much happier on something less extreme. A quick perusal of the fat chicken strip selection at a typical cafe stop tells that story well (yes, not the whole story, sure, but if someone owns a sportbike long-term with chicken strips, the odds are high that they're not at the level where the bike's ability is the limiting factor). But there are lots who love the sportbike vibe, and I'm not here to judge. Another good friend rode an 848 for years while never threatening a knee slider. He didn't care. He thought the bike was beautiful, wasn't fussed about comfort, and just liked having it. He rode slow for a couple hours at a stretch on weekends, and then to Cafe Divano to sip a latte (in the afternoon, blech) and admire his bike. More power to him. The bike was a perfect fit for him, even if it's easy to sneer at the pose factor. Would an MTS have served him better? I would say no, as it would have deprived him of the joy of looking at a bike he thought was beautiful, and would have given no advantage for the riding he did.
I'm not saying that's the case for the OP, who sounds like an experienced rider, but sometimes sportbikes are just what people like, even if it's not 'practical'. The reality is that most motorcycles are a far cry from purely practical in Canada, so the pose factor is high for all of us. Even if we seek out hyperpractical bikes like an NC700, that makes a big statement in and of itself. The problem comes when we try to project what we think is cool onto others...
