More detail on the new Africa Twin

[R650R]

https://www.akrapovic.com/#!/motorcy...84&yearId=4271

scroll down and press play

[GPS MAN]

Ohhhh...that sound good

[GPS MAN]

But, I like the sound of the Remus:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uK3KTt0VA10

Has the baffle ..would like to hear it drive by without the baffle

[Night Falcon]

either sound would suit me just fine.

[vegeman]

Hi,
Clearly, the love fest continues with the new sparkly object and I feel the need to stick my nose in, as after going for a adventure ride with a very competent off road rider (Paul) on their new AT, and while the ride was completed...I could see that the wieght of the bike, the height of the bike, and the lack of real protection (without adding more weight) was starting to become a limiting factor ie the riders viewpoint was that was a cool ride, but I don't know if I'd want to do that again on the AT

I feel somewhat dissappointed as I was hoping for a buddy that could do what the 690 does so well (any road, any route) and with the way the market is going with these 'big' bikes, I might again be riding on my own. Crikey...it wasn't that long ago, the 690 was classed as heavy...now all these big bikes are changing the norm...sure its not all bad, but it seems that once people get these bikes, the reality of taking them 'offroad' changes. In my eyes, the just become gravel and road machines...and perhaps that is what adventure riding is becoming i.e. road riders getting more dirt time...more than dirt riders travelling on road to get to the back country

question...Would you take the AT on the dusty butt and do the awakino challenge, or perhaps ride the 42nd traverse...I'd say the bike "could", but I also say you'd do it once. and thats a maybe.

So...My thoughts on the quick ride of the bike. and thought it was nice, well balanced, comfortable, capable and just 'normal' really ie nothing truly amazing, but also nothing bad. The bike engine is solid, pulls from anywhere, smooth, enough power to wheelie, but not crazy power...which is great for fast gravel roads. Ground clearance etc, all good (needs bash plate). Fuel range was 300K+...

Interestingly, and it was Pauls comment that he is always surprised how quick my 690 is, and thats road speak, not dirt speak. The AT would have higher top speed but thats about it...and thats not what adventuring is.

Relax dudes...This isnt a 690 is better rant...more of the rant about how big they are getting, and it's limiting (in reality) on what and where you can go. Sure the paid riders etc show that they 'can' do amazing stuff but I'm seeing already more going to this larger platform and then reducing the places they go.

[Night Falcon]

Fair comments Veg and i'd say that pretty much sums up the big bike for most riders, gravel and seal. When I sold my 990 I wanted smaller for the very reasons you mentioned. The 690 ticked a lot of those boxes, its just annoying KTM didn't adventurise it from the factory like the 640.

8yrs latter however, (and a big crash) and I find myself heading back to the big bike again. For me I cant handle too much hardercore adv work any longer but still want to ride. Getting a totally road focused bike is just not in my DNA so these bigger bikes are back in my sights.....and they can still hack limited off road as you say so that's a big plus. Not sure I'd want to do the 42nd on one either but I have taken the 990 in there and Fishers (when it wasn't a gravel highway) so I know it can be done.

Long as your still riding, that's the main thing though. I'd love an AT but meh....given what you have said a 1050 will do the same job for me and for less cash, your so right mate....not many of us are gonna be riding like Chris Birch!

[Gremlin]

Having a R1200GSA I can certainly say that when looking for something interesting it seems to go from boring gravel to holyshitnoway pretty damn quick I need more in between...

[george formby]

Vegeman nails it.

I love the thought of these big adventure bikes but realistically for me it's a styling exercise. I would think twice about going further than I already do on my road bike and doubt I would be any quicker. 200kg + is heavy metal. Then again, if your riding the world, laden to the gunnels and reeking of crocodile repellent, you need a bruiser of a bike to carry all the camera equipment.

The proposed XTZ 700 may have more adventurous potential and less mass. We shall see.

I watched a vid recently of a good rider punting a V Strom 1000 around a moto x track, air space, berms, whoops, the works. Doesn't make me want to buy one, though.

[Night Falcon]

The reality is a lot of the smaller 650 DS bikes are (or very nearly) as heavy as the 800-1000cc bikes. At least the bigger ones have the grunt and torque to compensate for their weight. Handling bigger bikes is more challenging but you don't have to be Birchy to get them round off road safely.

Lighter off road will always be better but I've seen and ridden with enough guys on big bikes to know how capable they can be.....great suspension and gearing helps a lot as well, maybe more so than on a smaller bike.....that's why I've ridded KTM's for the last 10yrs and you should too

Todays Lesson:
Don't fall into the trap of limiting a bikes capability based on our own limitations as a rider

[Woodman]

Interesting comments.
Yeah the bigger bikes do make you change your riding a bit e.g. I refused to take the GS over the Awakino at this years dustybutt because I knew it would have been a pain in the ass. Riding the bigger bikes makes for a few more challenges because they are bigger, but they also give you two great out clauses. If you manage to get the behemoth through something challenging then you can bask in the glory of how skilled you think you are, and conversely if it all goes pear shaped then you can blame the bike. Its a win win.

Vege is right about the 690, ticks the most boxes for me, still not sure why I don't own one.

BTW a CRF1000 has done a dustybutt including the awakino.

[Bass]

I have a DR 650 with pretty much every farkle known to man. It has taken me to places that I never dreamed I would visit.

I decided that i would like to take my wife to some of these places too - not all of them - just some of the easier to get to ones.

We tried getting to them on a Triumph Sprint with a less than 50% success rate. We now own a GS and the rate has gone up quite a bit. The GS is quite a bit more stable and quicker through the gravel than the Sprint was, but the tyres are no doubt a big factor. The GS is also a really comfortable touring machine.
I thought the Triumph handled well (after some suspension tweaking). The GS leaves it in the dust.

So, safe to say I'm pretty happy with my purchase, but I will never be able to take the big pig to some of the places that the DR goes to pretty easily. That's why I didn't get a GSA.

[Bass]

Todays Lesson:
Don't fall into the trap of limiting a bikes capability based on our own limitations as a rider

Sorry but I don't agree.
If the weakest link in the chain is me (and it usually is), then where I can get to, is directly determined by how easy to ride the bike is. I will always get further on my DR than my GS.

[Night Falcon]

Sorry but I don't agree.
If the weakest link in the chain is me (and it usually is), then where I can get to, is directly determined by how easy to ride the bike is. I will always get further on my DR than my GS.

Bass, Bass, Bass your on the wrong boat .....so what your saying is a bike's capabilities should judged by yours? OK I agree, we disagree

[Bass]

so what your saying is a bike's capabilities should judged by yours?

Nope.
I'm saying that we are a set. For best results, it's the capability of the combination that counts.

Example:
I bought a GS. The GSA is arguably (slightly) more offroad capable (it's certainly tougher) but it would have made no difference to me. I would be in a tangled heap at the same point on either machine.
It simply doesn't matter how good the bike is, it's how good the bike and I are that gets results. Granted there's likely to be some link between the two, but as in the example I gave, not always.

[george formby]

Defo food for thought being posted now.

A couple of comments have made me think back to how I originally felt taking the TDM on our gravel roads. The urge to do it was greater than the fear of what could happen if I screwed up. Initially the pucker factor was intense but as my off road ability has improved, learning techniques and practicing on real dirt bikes, I'm at a point where I almost feel confident riding the behemoth on our gravel and clay roads on sport touring tires. The bike does not give a damn.

So knowing the bikes abilities are far greater than the average rider leaves lots of room for challenge and improvement. Just a case of getting the head in the right place and improving riding ability.

And knowing your limits... LOL.