Going from Harley to Adventure bike! GS1200A, Triumph Explore or Super Tenere?? Help

[moulin6801]

I have a Harley St. Glide now, love the bike, but I am going through midlife crisis and want to do some Adventure biking. Have being riding for 30 years...
At first I was going to buy a GS 1200 ADV next few weeks, but now I have heard so much how this bike is so heavy for offloading etc, and other issues that I am thinking about Yamaha Tenere or Triumph Adventure. Love the looks of GSA most.
Could you guys give me some input, specially the guys that have the GSA!
Would you buy another or would you consider Yamaha and Triumph.
Thanks in advance!!

PS: Selling a 09 St. Glide... anyone?>

[*Touring Ted*]

You own a Hardly Ridable... I think your mid life crisis started earlier than you think

Anyway, jokes aside, the big Beemer is ridiculously heavy, over complicated and unreliable.. No matter what the weekend warriors like to say about their £10,000 investments. It's not the ideal adventure bike that the marketing has done so well to push. The big Yamaha looks like a huge lump of metal too.

Out of all the bikes you mentioned, I'd go for the Triumph. Only due to the fact that it's the smallest and lightest out of the bunch. That's the most important thing when overlanding.... (Plus, the Triumph is by far the best looking imo)

Anyone who thinks you need a 1200cc bike for go Adventure biking needs their head examining.

Still, you should go and test ride them, sit on them and check them out for yourself.

Opinions are like A-holes..... Everyone's got one

[jkrijt]

It all depents on what kind of riding you will do and what bike you realy like.

Peter and Kay Forwood are riding around the world on a Harley. ( [http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/forwood/ ) and Sjaak Lucassen has been riding around the world on a Yamaha R1 ( http://www.sjaaklucassen.nl/ )

My uncle has been riding his Harley Lowrider in Zimbabwe on all kind of roads (and I have had much fun riding his Harley in South Africa http://jkrijt.home.xs4all.nl/trips/lesotho/index.shtml )

Why not keep the Harley, just make some modifications for heavy duty riding and go for it.

If you really want another bike, try out as may bikes as you can and don't go for other peoples opinion but find out for yourself. Like Ted wrote "Opinions are like A-holes..... Everyone's got one".

Rent different bikes for a few days, try bikes at dealers, ride friends bikes until you know what you want.

Good Luck

[palace15]

Originally Posted by jkrijt

It all depents on what kind of riding you will do and what bike you realy like.

Peter and Kay Forwood are riding around the world on a Harley. ( [Peter and Kay Forwood on a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. World's Most Travelled Motorcycle. ) and Sjaak Lucassen has been riding around the world on a Yamaha R1 ( Home )

My uncle has been riding his Harley Lowrider in Zimbabwe on all kind of roads (and I have had much fun riding his Harley in South Africa Jan Krijtenburg homepage (Travel pages) )

Why not keep the Harley, just make some modifications for heavy duty riding and go for it.

If you really want another bike, try out as may bikes as you can and don't go for other peoples opinion but find out for yourself. Like Ted wrote "Opinions are like A-holes..... Everyone's got one".

Rent different bikes for a few days, try bikes at dealers, ride friends bikes until you know what you want.

Good Luck

I'm with this guy...........Keep the Harley
Perhaps if Tourated had one he'd have less trouble with the ladies, well, maybe not !!!

[*Touring Ted*]

Originally Posted by palace15

I'm with this guy...........Keep the Harley
Perhaps if Tourated had one he'd have less trouble with the ladies, well, maybe not !!!

My trouble with the ladies is just that I don't have enough time to fit them all in......

[Threewheelbonnie]

Originally Posted by moulin6801

....... Love the looks of GSA most.
.......

This is a perfectly good reason to get the GSA. If you aren't going RTW, don't kid yourself or worry about how you'll jury rig a replacement ring-piece antenna in Waziristan, get the bike you like the look of. Go ride it where you ride and enjoy it.

If you are going RTW you need to decide which bits and what they'll be like. The Harley that you own will do 90% of the world and gives you the most cash left over for petrol. Ted Simon rode a Triumph road bike in 1973 and more of the world is paved that it was then.

If you plan to get away from the road, then you need a true off road bike, not just one that will make it through. From your location this is going to be a 250 MX type bike or maybe a KLR or a BMW F650. First task here is IMHO to go for a day out on the Harley. You have to ride 300 miles without going over 45 mph, sitting on a piece of hardboard. If it sends you nuts you are heading for a tough decision, there isn't a bike in existence that will do serious off road and be fun at highway pace.

Enjoy whatever you do, but don't spend too much time and money chasing impossible technology. Go have the adventure, don't go shopping for the stuff people say you should have.

I have a Triumph Bonneville currently sporting M&S tyres and covered in slime from a part paved lane I found. Your Harley would get to the same places in dry weather.

Andy

[rusty max]

Hi Moulin,

Biggest is not always best.When you are on the road, the looks of the bike vanish. In a third world country, you will always be a novelty, regardless what you ride. Practicability takes over, look for something reliable, reasonably priced,long range and easy to ride and lift. My Suzuki V Strom 650 full fills all these points. Spend the money you save, on fuel, grog and other enjoyments.
There are plenty.Wish you luck.

Cheers
RM

[bkm_br]

Just a suggestion, take a look at the BMW F800GS. The 800cc bimmer is a great bike too, less expensive and a lot easier to off road riding. Rusty suggestion is also a great option, the V-Storm is a really great travel bike too.

[*Touring Ted*]

Originally Posted by bkm_br

Just a suggestion, take a look at the BMW F800GS. The 800cc bimmer is a great bike too, less expensive and a lot easier to off road riding. Rusty suggestion is also a great option, the V-Storm is a really great travel bike too.

I'd go for a 650 DLV-strom too....Cheap, very reliable, comfortable, economical, well balanced etc..

The F800 requires a back up truck full of spare parts and a Starfleet trained auto electrician to keep it running.

[moulin6801]

Hey guys, thanks for the feedback so far. But I don't think I can or want to be in smaller than 1200cc. I am used to the power of HD 1550cc and I love it, specially the torque. I used to have a Virago 750cc, so done with that. Another thing is that I love to travel and I want something that will be confortable, good wind protection and yet I could do some light offroad stuff.
2 years ago I did a solo trip to the Route 66 on my St.Glide. It was awesome, and I even took some short sidetrips and visit the Grand Canyon, Mohabi Desert, Death Valley and Meteor Crator and that was a few times were I had to change routes due to condition of the roads, and while in the Death Valley, I wanted really bad to go to the top of the mountains but I could not do it on St.Glide. St.Glide suspension sucks. It is great for the smooth road, but it has a Air shock that needed to be pumped every so often, and those side bags cost $900 US dollars each if you brake them, ( I did once ) No the kind of bike that you want to lay it down if you loose balance on the gravel!
I am planning to test drive the GSA tomorrow and hopefully the Tenere later in the week. Will see.
Cheers!!

[docsherlock]

Originally Posted by moulin6801

Hey guys, thanks for the feedback so far. But I don't think I can or want to be in smaller than 1200cc. I am used to the power of HD 1550cc and I love it, specially the torque. I used to have a Virago 750cc, so done with that. Another thing is that I love to travel and I want something that will be confortable, good wind protection and yet I could do some light offroad stuff.
2 years ago I did a solo trip to the Route 66 on my St.Glide. It was awesome, and I even took some short sidetrips and visit the Grand Canyon, Mohabi Desert, Death Valley and Meteor Crator and that was a few times were I had to change routes due to condition of the roads, and while in the Death Valley, I wanted really bad to go to the top of the mountains but I could not do it on St.Glide. St.Glide suspension sucks. It is great for the smooth road, but it has a Air shock that needed to be pumped every so often, and those side bags cost $900 US dollars each if you brake them, ( I did once ) No the kind of bike that you want to lay it down if you loose balance on the gravel!
I am planning to test drive the GSA tomorrow and hopefully the Tenere later in the week. Will see.
Cheers!!

I'd get the Tenere in your shoes; no bugs, Japanese reliability, much less $$$ than the BMW or Triumph - what's not to like? I've got the 660 and it's ace.

[bkm_br]

If you are bold enough you could also look for the the Ducati Multistrada 1200 or the Moto Guzzi Stelvio. I personally love how the Stelvio looks but, I really don´t know if I will choose her to a RTW trip.

BTW, Suzuki is selling again brand new 1000cc V-Storms, the bike have about 100 hp (110hp in the BMW 1200GSA) and costs a lot less than the BMW.

[Knight of the Holy Graal]

I have been riding two Electra Glides (Standard and Ultra Classic) from 1999 to 2011, on the roads of Europe, Middle East, Russia, Caucasus and Kazakhstan.
I sold the Ultra Classic last October to purchase the Super Ténéré XT1200Z, which is the bike that will take me to northern Iraq in 4 months from now.
I made wonderful trips on the Harleys, but I'd hardly get back to it after 3 months of jap riding.

Anyway, if you wanna go RTW, I'd consider an old but reliable Honda Africa Twin 750, if you are disposed to change your mind about riding at least 1200 cc.

[Pelirrojo]

Go with the GSA if that's what you like best. I'm a new GSA owner (2011 1200GSA). I traded up from a F650GS twin because highway travel was unbearable on the F650 at times. The GSA's big gas tank and windshield block wind, cold, rain and bugs. I can practically light a cigarette while riding its so effective. The seat is very comfortable and it's a pleasure to ride. Mine is my daily commuter. I haven't driven a car in almost 3 months. It's no dirt bike, but I don't pretend it is one. I take it on rough dirt trails and forest roads at least once a week after work. It's a bear to pick up when dropped, but I just try my best not to drop it. The Tenere looks promising too, but add up the panniers, and crash protection and your at the same price as a 1200GS. I will almost guarantee that after your GSA test ride, you will buy one. It took just one test ride of my buddy's and I was at the dealer 2 weeks later trading in my F650. I've ridden part of the Great Western Trail here in AZ and am planning a Continental Divide Trail ride this summer.

[indu]

I've got a 2011 Guzzi 1200 NTX Stelvio. Love it to bits. Would even RTW it. Whatever you do - at least check it out. You might be in for a surprise