Sort of funny - the bike that was rated #1 - they ripped the saddle bag off in a relatively low-speed crash (I'm assuming they slowed for the mud), the tire repair tool broke, and they couldn't find an appropriate size replacement tire. A ringing endorsement for Adventure Travel if I ever saw it.

And as they point out, it costs the most.

Wow! Good Review!

------------------
quastdog
Seattle, Washington USA
F650GSDakar
R1150GS

Maybe we need to split adventure biking into some sub categories as Grant suggested. (I have some time to kill in the office before it’s home time!) Lets split ‘biking’ into Touring (e.g. touring Europe) and Enduro (e.g. Dakar Rally). If you add ‘Adventure’ to the front of those you have Adventure Touring and Adventure Enduro. So you could classify big traillies as Adventure Tourers and Adventure Enduros. If you think it is equally competent as a tourer and an enduro you have an Adventure Tourduro! Now you can rate and compare bikes of the same sub categories and stop all this confusion.

I read the article up to the part about the punctured tire, and closed the link in discust! If these people want to test and rate real adventure bikes, they should choose real adventure riders. Oh no, i have a nail in my tire and i broke my tool? What do i do now??....Bahhh! Taking beer into the Nevada desert instead of water, yeh thats smart! Any adventure bike has more to do with the abilities of the rider than anything else, both mechanical and riding ability. People go around the world on CT 90´s for christ sake! I never give much merit to these marketing ploys you find in magazines, and most bikes never come prepared for a real adventure anyways. Skidplates, baggage that won´t explode on first impact, proper tools, etc...

PaulJ. Nice idea splitting the genres..... I've supermoto'd my Suzuki DR800.... then fitted 3 kappa boxes, a big screen, heated grips and a tank bag......
Is it now an Adventure Moto?

I had never been on a bike when I decided to do a big overland trip to 'get out of the office'. As such I knew sweet FA about bikes and how to ride them so I went out and bought something 'affordable' which turned out to be a Cagiva Elefant 750. Sýnce then everyone has told me I am totally nuts (esp as I'm only a wee fella), but I,ve just done about 5000km on it and am about to head off through the 'stans to Mongolia. I,ve done a few dirt tracks in Albanýa and Greece and it has been fantastýc!

Of course the real test wýll come in Mongolia - I'll be sure to let everyone know how it goes, and maybe answer the question 'are big trailies good for one-up solo adventures by novices?!?!'

Update
 

Well, when it was good it was very very good, but when it is bad it is horrid!!

I am now stuck in the arse-end of the middle of nowhere trying to find valve shims for a Ducati (they are so small, why didn't I pack any for the trip???)

If you like tinkering on your bike the Cagiva is an excellent, excellent bike. I can pick it up when I drop it, for long distances it cruises at 120-140 kmh with TKC80's on over shithouse roads wih not so much as a wobble, and in the dirt it is truly confidence inspiring (esp for a beginner).

As knackered as it is now I will be damned if I am going to leave it in Siberia for the wolves....

ps -big engine problems meant that I never made it to Mongolia, ran out of money in Kazakhstan and am coming home with my tail between my legs. I guess I lose the status of adventure tourer and become one man on an extended holiday. Bugger.