exactly, and don't underestimate bike like nc750x. Very good torquey engine and can off-road as well using little fuel. As for the R1200GS it has almost same wheel base ans xt660z, what makes it "big" is wide boxer engine which is a pain in tight trails. Other then that very capable off-road as well, until it breaks


p.s.
BTW I took my ktm 500 exc to mx track today, but had to ride 30 minutes on highway to get there, damn what a pain...

The NC is a very nice bike indeed. That trunk is also great for lockable storage.

Yep, Jenny definitely knows how to sound the trumpet for RR. She’s massively active on the forums and her responses are always long and through. While sometimes I feel it comes across as a sales pitch, she’s also got a lot of substance behind her product and from everything I’ve read, the RR kitted 500X is quite an impressive all-rounder. I’ve been getting all available info on it since last year as the build I hope to do for a bigger 2019 trip.

No. No regret. I went around Africa on a big 600 Honda for 700 Euro. It was nice and I would do it again as there are no shops and parts available along the westcoast anyway http://afrikamotorrad.eu/?report=en_westkueste

Then i bought a small 125cc bike to ride 28.000 km around South America and save shipping costs. Best choice ever. Riding the same bike as the locals you dont look and will be treeted as money on legs + all parts for the bike are available easy if needet: http://motorradtouren-suedamerika.de...en_suedamerika

In Asia and India we rendet many scooters for just 4 Dollars per day insted of shiping and importing exotic bikes around the globe. We loved them: http://schoene-motorradreisen.de/?re...ailand_bangkok

So true. 1200 GS are perfect for posing with big money at starbucks but Scooters are the best bike for offroading and cheap so you can spend your live riding and dont have to waste your lifetime in an office to pay for the rates of a BMW: https://www.facebook.com/Ronny.Famil...3343849059979/

True they never succeedet in any of the official german long term magazine tests: Google Translate Google Translate and even a third one Google Translate so i would call them the worst for RTW. Almost 50% of all BMW models fail, while Honda and Yamaha did not have any engine failure during a test withing the last 10 years http://www.motorradonline.de/dauerte...264182?seite=3

Tarmac, Hotel, Tarmac, Hotel? Cant be real offroading visiting the locals in the jungle and probably never compared to any other bike...

dude, stop spreading nonsense. Just because you cannot handle or afford big bikes off-road doesn't mean other can't. Matter of personal preference and quest for going cheap everywhere is not everybody cup of tea. Ironically there are much more reports/movies of people traveling and exploring gnarly terrains on big adventure bikes then on scooters or 125cc bikes. In fact I haven't seen any. Just because you own small bike doesn't mean automatically you have skills required. It's not the bike, it's the rider.

Except for the millions of locals who do it every single day? Some of the worst roads I've been on I'm still surrounded by people on 125 scooters with their mothers riding sidesaddle behind.

Or if you're only counting westerners there's Ed Marsh and Nathan Millward, or all the people who have taken their vespas to extreme places.

Are you likely to see ultra-polished youtube series about them? No, cause the guys travelling on small and cheap bikes probably don't own the drones and professional cameras and have the sponsorships that the guys on big bikes do, so it's a poor measure.

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2018: Indo to UK, 2020: ???
Instagram @improbablyadventuring

Simon Gandolfi is the first example I can think of; look him up on Amazon. He's written several books.
I've read dozens and dozens of trip reports here and on ADVrider about riders touring on small bikes. If it doesn't interest you, no worries, but I don't see why it's such a negative for you. Different strokes for different folks.

__________________
Bruce Clarke - 2020 Yamaha XV250

Yea, most here and elsewhere support her ... but I'd like to see her plowing back a bit of the profits into advertising on HUBB. The kits are good and truly tested in tough conditions.

The BMW G310 GS kit could really be a hit, best ever for the Rally Raid company. The basic starting platform on the BMW is decent ... so it's ripe for up grades to make it a better all round ADV bike.

Big thing is the BMW looks pretty cool ... and even better with the kit fitted.

Good post and DEAD ON!

Tremens, I get what you're saying but you have to admit the above rings true. I've mentioned how two girls riding a 100cc Scooter passed me in mud in N. Thailand! Granted, I'm NOT a good mud rider and they do it EVERYDAY ... but still, this sort of thing is common, they get every where on little bikes and scooters. Been there, seen it.

Also, as mentioned, plenty running RTW on small bikes ... they just don't get big commercial sponsorship because there is little MONEY in it to sell new, expensive bikes or high end gear.

Actually, thanks to this discussion I found her RR on ADVr and she's on the TAT right now with that little 310.

Not clear on what you mean about plowing profits into advertising. That Rally Raid should be advertising here or that they advertise too much?

Agreed here. There seems to be this strong sentiment that people who ride bigger bikes are automatically disqualified from having any notable "adventure" and that every last one of them is just pretending. People are out in the world traveling on a motorbike, big or small. Why this indictment of them personally if they chose a bike that you disagree with? How narrow minded.

This thread was started with an honest question. I hope that the OP feels that there have at least been a few helpful answers .

except that's not the point, besides bad, muddy road whatever it is it's still a road not a gnarly off-road, desert, river crossing etc. Don't matter anyway, point is not to put all big, expensive bike riders in one basket as a coffee shop, posers. It takes a lot of guts and skills to travel on such big machines. 125cc bike you can take like bicycle over your shoulder and walk over any obstacles, what accomplishment is that?

I've never seen an adds from Rally Raid in USA, don't know about UK, but kind of doubt it. They get so much coverage from forums and fans ... why bother?

My point was that if Rally Raid are doing well, it's due in part to forums like HUBB ... who need support.

ADV Rider has just begun to go commercial but with minimal ads. They have the luxury of having about 20 times the traffic of HUBB and a very generous American fan base of around 100,000 members who contribute 10's of $thousands$ each year, have done about 18 years now.

Yet even today most traffic on ADV Rider is in the infamous "Jo Momma" forum.

ADVr does not have any paid memberships as far as I know. Where does that figure come from?

Yes, Rally Raid has very effectively leveraged social media and forums to market its products. I definitely see your point there. And, it has built its reputation by word of mouth, which is, in my opinion, the best way to build any business. My initial reaction to your comment about kicking some money back to HUBB is in disagreement. Forums offer a free platform to congregate and chat, so giving something for free and then expecting something in return doesn't sit right with me. But, on the other hand, I can understand your perspective about showing some gratitude. I will have to say that comparatively, HUBB is a very very small community of regulars, which is why I come and go (for long periods). I categorize this site more as a place for travelers that are really reaching out there into the corners of the globe. So, I come by, scan a few subforums and then usually head over to ADV for a bigger contributing audience.

While it's great to see some of the really exotic travelers post here, from an economic standpoint, I feel that Rally Raid would not get much ROI here. The marketplace (potential client base) over at ADV has a much bigger audience and RR has invested in the CB500X forum to really target their market. Jenny's posts over on that Honda forum are all short novels. She really caters to those guys (and gals).