Adventure bike recommendations

[centaurus]

I know this topic has been spinned to death allover the internet but bear with me and read all the post before telling me to go do a search.

I am looking for a good adventure bike. I mean across-europe-and-asia, or across-autralia type of bike, i.e. VERY LONG trips.

In comparisons most people talk about performance, offroad-setup and other stuff not so relevant for long adventures.

What I am mainly interested in is:
1. Reliability and long maintenance intervals. This also includes bike/engine longevity
2. Purchanse and repair/parts costs and availability of parts/spares
3. Ability to carry enough stuff without breaking in two from the weight.
4. Some wind protection would be good to have but I don't need to go overboard with this.

Obviously the bike needs to be able to go off pavement but I'm not worried about not having the most powerful or the lightest bike - rider's skills are more important than the bike's abilities and I am not going to a race across the desert or the marsh so being a less off-road capable bike would not be a major issue.

Basically, what I'm looking for is a bulletproof bike that will last forever and be cheap/easy to repair when it breaks down (probably in the middle of nowhere), a bike that will also be able to carry all my shit (no pillion). I might be touring by myself so a major breakdown in the middle of nowhere is my biggest concern.

The tour will definitely include both sealed roads and some sort of dirt (dirt roads/gravel roads/pure offroad).

Fuel capacity is a concern but if every other criteria is met, I can always strap a fuel container to the bike. Confort can be achieved relatively cheap with aftermarket mods/improvisations so a hard seat would not be a big issue.

At the end of the day, the MAIN POINT is RELIABILITY and bike LONGEVITY, on a budget.

And one more thing, I do own plenty other bikes so I'm not worried about not being able to use the bike for 10000 other purposes. This would be purposefully bought and prepared for very long adventure rides where it wouldn't be smart/financially viable to use my regular bikes.

[Eddieb]

As you've said this has been done to death everywhere, with the same sort of reasons.

It looks like you already own a machine with a great reputation for reliability, otherwise buy a KLR or DR650.

Personally I'd have a mono G/S, but I'm weird like that.

[centaurus]

As you've said this has been done to death everywhere, with the same sort of reasons.

It looks like you already own a machine with a great reputation for reliability, otherwise buy a KLR or DR650.

Personally I'd have a mono G/S, but I'm weird like that.

I would love to take my XR. Performance-wise is more than enough but 1000km oil change intervals and very weak subframe make it a no-no. Plus, I don't think it will stand the abuse of going 20,000 or 30,000 kms on and offroad fully laden and arrive in one piece.

[bart]

BMW 800 GS thingy would be my choice (not that I've riden one). When you start talking tens of thousands of miles, comfort has to be a factor.

[JATZ]

DR 750

[Winston001]

BMW 800 GS thingy would be my choice (not that I've riden one). When you start talking tens of thousands of miles, comfort has to be a factor.

Wot he said. The BMW GS/PD bikes are proven. Charlie Borman and Ewan McGregor wanted to take KTMs when they did The Long Way Round but ultimately settled on the BMW.

That said, I'd expect you could find Honda parts anywhere too.

[Crisis management]

I think you will find that people have ridden around the world on almost anything, pick something you like and go for it! Me, I would look at a mid sized bike (600cc ish) with a comfortable seat.

[pete376403]

I'm going to get shot down for this but - take a look at advrider and check the many round-the- world / top-to-bottom / alaska-to-tierra del feugo type ride reports, and see how many of them are done on the humble KLR650.
Look how many of your requirements it meets - can be loaded up with enormous amounts of gear, cheap to buy, very reliable, simple technology (no computer to fritz), proven design going back 20 odd years, vast aftermarket support, big fuel tank, pretty good seat, new ones have good wind protection (but the plastic is a bit fragile compared to earlier models), etc.

There are a few issues that need addressing - subframe bolts (only a problem if you're going to overload), the older models have the infamous doohickey, both of which are pretty low cost.

No it doesn't have the performance of a KTM 990, the luxury liner comfort of a BMW1200, not even as good off road as a DR650 - but all round it's very hard to beat.

[dino3310]

Yammy TDM .

[Night Falcon]

CT110...what....its cumfy

[Woodman]

What Pete37604567893462345 said. straight out of the box they are pretty good. Lots of easy available necessay fakles available.

Or a DR with a big tank, same same.

My gut feeling on the later efi bikes is that the technology is a double edged sword. On one hand it should be more reliable, on the other hand it can be impossible to fix/diagnose without very specialised equipment.

[Padmei]

DR 750

Cos yours is so reliable???

I'm going to get shot down for this but - take a look at advrider and check the many round-the- world / top-to-bottom / alaska-to-tierra del feugo type ride reports, and see how many of them are done on the humble KLR650.
Look how many of your requirements it meets - can be loaded up with enormous amounts of gear, cheap to buy, very reliable, simple technology (no computer to fritz), proven design going back 20 odd years, vast aftermarket support, big fuel tank, pretty good seat, new ones have good wind protection (but the plastic is a bit fragile compared to earlier models), etc.

There are a few issues that need addressing - subframe bolts (only a problem if you're going to overload), the older models have the infamous doohickey, both of which are pretty low cost.

No it doesn't have the performance of a KTM 990, the luxury liner comfort of a BMW1200, not even as good off road as a DR650 - but all round it's very hard to beat.

I'd agree with this if you are doing more gravelly dirt roads than tarseal

Yammy TDM .

That would be my second suggestion.

What about a weestrom or Vstrom? Reportedly great motors & comfortable, really reliable, able to load up with unnecessary crap & prettty capable on gravel roads.

You better not come back with a post describing your round the world trip or we (those with kids & mortgages) will have to hunt you down & beg you to take us with you

[Padmei]

BMW 800 GS thingy would be my choice (not that I've riden one). When you start talking tens of thousands of miles, comfort has to be a factor.

LOL Mate you have to ride one I took one for a test ride & it was great except the seat - it was terrible. I mentioned to the dealer & he agreed that what was everyone complained about it. I think you either get used to it or swap it. The new Tenere on the other hand Mmmmm comfy

[pete376403]

My gut feeling on the later efi bikes is that the technology is a double edged sword. On one hand it should be more reliable, on the other hand it can be impossible to fix/diagnose without very specialised equipment.

eg - a friend had a BMW 1200GS. Comfy, smooth, fast (just got an $880 speeding ticket) but FFS, it doesn't use fuses, instead the computer disconnects circuits it detects overload in. Which is fine, but some of them are a dealer job to reset (unless you have an aftermarket computer interface tool).
I could bodge a fuse for the KLR using aluminium foil or a paper clip

[Gremlin]

Look here: http://www.kuduexpeditions.com/ These guys obviously know what they are doing, and they list their bikes - hell, take a look at their tours too

Thing I would worry about on the R1200GS, is that when stuff does break (computers etc - which it has 3 of) then yeah... you're stuffed.

Maybe something like the KTM 950 ADV? Older, carbs, more simple technology? I wouldn't mind a 990 actually, acerbis fuel tank, more mods available than my 990SM