Adventure alternatives to bloated pigs: SOMEDAY?

[Deleted member 5383]

Other companies have tried too.

View attachment 32962

It's even possible to lower it!

Yeah, covered right at the start of the thread, what bikes from the past have been adapted with varying success to become more suitable to the purpose. A lot of dualsports that aren't so refined have been pressed to purpose. That's hardly news. It's been done for a long time now. Any clueless wanker can find racks for a lot of them too. And here you didn't even pick one of Honda's earlier ADV-oriented machines that I mentioned in passing a few posts back, like the Transalp or the NX.

You seem real dug in that no suppliers of motorcycles should endeavor to venture in again with BETTER MODERN entries, just let that segment lie fallow. Since the motorcycle industry often is wondering what it can do to make sales inroads, hopefully it won't have the same blindsided approach you seem to take to the subject at hand.

But hey, keep trying. In the meanwhile, here's all the toilet paper mankind ever really needed.

 

[OneGun]

Send'n some mixed signals, brah.

You seem real dug in that no suppliers of motorcycles should endeavor to venture in again with BETTER MODERN entries, just let that segment lie fallow. Since the motorcycle industry often is wondering what it can do to make sales inroads, hopefully it won't have the same blindsided approach you seem to take to the subject at hand.

But hey, keep trying. In the meanwhile, here's all the toilet paper mankind ever really needed.

"It just isn't going to be much of an advantage to have a 300 over the 250 that's already in say a WR250R when you are on pavement. People already tour the world on WR250Rs and the like. And once you are off pavement, on gravel, hardpack, or whatever, it's going to be so apparent the Kawi 300 not going to do nearly as well -- and not be nearly as fun if you actually remember what that is. As far as I'm concerned a lot of these recent smaller bike are sucker traps, or easy styling projects for the manufacturers that can be sold at low prices."

 

[Deleted member 5383]

I've been saying that fairly light ADV-seated MID-DISPLACEMENT machines more in the 450 to 650 (670?) cc range are largely ignored by the companies with wide dealer networks these days -- though at least smaller displacement ADV is beginning to be addressed due to emissions and world market realities. What don't you get about the possibility that there are sizes in between the lower-displacement and the larger-engined brethren? Is that because of living where a two party system dominates? ; }

 

[Deleted member 5383]

Cycle World blurb on the great value package Kawi has put together in the Versys 300 (wet weight of 386 pounds I believe):

"Make no mistake though, even though the small displacement motor puts out a decent 34 horsepower, this thing isn't really meant for adventure or long distance riding—unless you live somewhere where "long distance" doesn't mean "lots of fast freeways."

Like the Honda CB500X, this Versys-X 300 should, however, be a hit with commuters or around-town riders who want something economical and comfortable, and who like to sit a little more upright."

 

[ld_rider]

this thing isn't really meant for adventure or long distance riding—unless you live somewhere where "long distance" doesn't mean "lots of fast freeways."

I agree with Cycle World that as long as you stay off "lots of fast freeways" the little Versys would be perfect for long distance adventure rides! Only an idiot would suggest that a 34 hp motorcycle that weighs <400 lbs would make a great freeway flyer when loaded w/gear. Thank you Cycle World for pointing out the obvious to any potential buyers <smacks forehead>.

Maybe Cycle World readers really do have an IQ of 85 and can't figure this complex stuff out? <shrugs>

;-)

 

[Deleted member 5383]

Still, most people on 1000+cc are pretty much going to agree... after all many of them thought 650cc was lacking years ago ; }

But MID-DISPLACEMENT seems to be capable of some development that would be fast enough if not awe-inspiring in their eyes, and be a little better at staying out of the way than 300 cc can really do. We can see that good fuel economy without too heavy a package is achievable, surely, with slightly better seat ergos than big dualsports have had, and slightly longer suspension too? Well, maybe not ; }

 

[Deleted member 5383]

A on- and off-pavement riding buddy for a day last summer was a big boy, so the monster KTM there doesn't really look as ginormous as it really is, when he's standing next to it. I wouldn't even want to deal with that cooler on back! That machine has some real power, but it practically takes a guy his size to feel real comfortable using it on rough twin tracks or worse. Surely someone could make a machine for weakass girlie-men like me? -- I still have hope ; }


2016-08-21 18;30;09 by greenboy, on Flickr

 

[Deleted member 5383]

Here's a decent multi-purpose tool for the big machines. Saw a couple people mentioning it for solo rides especially, where they couldn't get help picking up their behemoths. It may not make all the handling of rough stuff easier, but you won't exhaust yourself trying to get back on track either. A couple times I would have liked it for downhill single-track naps on my rather diminutive WR for that matter. Shouldn't be any harder to use than a hand pump ; }

Dustriders Motorcycle Hoist

 

[SleepyC]

A on- and off-pavement riding buddy for a day last summer was a big boy, so the monster KTM there doesn't really look as ginormous as it really is, when he's standing next to it. I wouldn't even want to deal with that cooler on back! That machine has some real power, but it practically takes a guy his size to feel real comfortable using it on rough twin tracks or worse. Surely someone could make a machine for weakass girlie-men like me? -- I still have hope ; }


2016-08-21 18;30;09 by greenboy, on Flickr

I like your custom front brake lever.

 

[Old Can Ride]

At the He-Man Women Haters Club we work on "The Blur". Now that is a real He-Man's machine.

[video]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lTdmTd0j1as[/video]

 

[Deleted member 5383]

I like your custom front brake lever.

Tip-over when I left the NC at the end of an off-road detour to get some photos from a cliff above. When I came back from shooting a big rock had shifted under the front tire and left the side-stand as the highest support. So over she went as I blithely snapped away. Didn't hear a sound in the forest either. ...Rode it that way for awhile, until my handguards arrived. The cheap Chinese adjustable levers that I ordered from eBay at the same time are way nicer anyway ; }

 

[netizen]

I guess it depends on what your idea of an ADV bike is...

1. A round the world bike that you can pack hundreds of pounds of gear on that weighs a ton.
2. An off road machine not intended to be ridden on highways... and only on paved roads to get to other dirt roads.
3. A mix of the above on a bike that you can actually pick up by yourself if it falls over, but you can ride on a highway if you want to get to another part of whatever country your in quickly.

After you answer the above question, you should have a pretty good idea of what your looking for. if it's:

1. You want the biggest displacement BMW you can find loaded with huge cases and every accessory known to man.

2. A dirt bike with some soft bags big enough to hold a spare pair of underwear to change into every other week ;-O , cooking and camping gear, and something to make coffee and drink it once made.

3. 250 to 700 cc bike with a mixture of the above gear that is comfortable on highways or dirt roads/trails.

 

[Deleted member 5383]

Obesity in faux adv motorcycles? An Open Letter to the Motorcycle Industry

 

[SleepyC]

Not gonna lie the TRK gives me a woodie.
It's PURDY.

 

[Deleted member 5383]

Good fuel tank on that Benelli. But that machine is way heavy, and the suspension travel is not that great.

Moving to South or Central America, the 400cc HONDA NX4/NX Falcon 400i has been available since 1999, in a lot of colors too. It was changed over to fuel injection in 2012. 33.5" seat height, 8.7" front travel with 21" wheel, 7.7" rear travel on 17". Its flaw here perhaps would be a 5-speed gearbox but it will at least do over 90mph (naked anyway). And changing the rims to aluminum would improve its already light dry weight which is 333 pounds(!) Basically on track for most SA/CA riding...

 

[Deleted member 5383]

Me likey. If these would have been available in the US I probably would have never gotten a 250 dualsport. Honda was really hitting it when they started the NX4/Falcon 400 line. 333 pounds dry, decent suspension travel, FI, too bad about the 5-speed box though...

 

[turbodieseli4i6]

Me likey. If these would have been available in the US I probably would have never gotten a 250 dualsport. Honda was really hitting it when they started the NX4/Falcon 400 line. 333 pounds dry, decent suspension travel, FI, too bad about the 5-speed box though...

If they had that bike with a six speed gearbox in the states, when I bought my NC, I probably wouldn't have an NC.

 

[670cc]

Me likey. If these would have been available in the US I probably would have never gotten a 250 dualsport. Honda was really hitting it when they started the NX4/Falcon 400 line. 333 pounds dry, decent suspension travel, FI, too bad about the 5-speed box though...

If the torque band is wide, and gears are widely spaced, 5 gears would be fine. It certainly wouldn't have stopped me from buying one.