Oh, now I understand where X challenge name come from


p.s.
BTW BMW has I guess the best marketing department in the world, because they are still leading in the adventure bike segment despite of such evidence....

Whilst my head tries not to be affected by looks, my heart loves the white/blue and gold rims, especially with a DCT box.

I think the AT will clean up against the 800cc bikes and will impact 1200cc sales as well. All very positive for us as it forces other manufacturers to improve their game.

__________________
"For sheer delight there is nothing like altitude; it gives one the thrill of adventure
and enlarges the world in which you live," Irving Mather (1892-1966)

KTM parallel twin 800 spied | MCN

I agree ... and others are already responding. The old link for the KTM above could come in a variety of sizes (600, 700 or 800cc P-Twin). Of course it will be more $$$$$ than a BMW, so who knows you will buy it.

Kawi has a nice potential ADV bike in the Versys 650. Yam could transform their 700cc P-Twin FZ-07 to ADV as well. Yam's IMO, has most potential. Time will tell.

Also, Honda themselves are broadening their coverage of the segment as the
CB500X is looking more and more "adventurous" every year. (see new '16 version)

IMO, if Honda were smart, they'd invest in a super light, better performing CB500X. Might put Jmo's Rally Raid company out of business, but would be an interesting bike if they do it right ... MAKE IT LIGHT! (but lightweight = $$$$$)

Sales, you could convince the public that Plutonium was good for them they would buy it, just create a lifestyle. Do you really think that HD are great amazing bikes? I mean keeping with 50 year old designs and the cheapest shocks money can buy they still dominate the Market as the "Merican Freedom Machine"
Nothing more.
BMW has been absolutely brilliant in their marketing, thus why they dominate the adventure Marketing category. They have made sure their bikes are part of Iconic Adventure Movies, from Resident Evil to the Charlie Ewan Star Wars guys nonsense films they sold it famously. They then have their "Beat your BMW to death" contests which are a win win for them. Not only are they pushing the bikes and exposing them as something amazing to the public, they get the people dingy enough to bash the hell out of their bikes they also sell their parts or as I used to do when sellign cars, convince someone who had a broken down car why it was a good Idea to spend thousands more on a new one.

As noted in my post, BMW shown is an X Country, not X Challenge. But nearly same bike in swingarm area.

BMW are not leading any more, KTM have overtaken them, and continue to pull away. Look at the numbers.

But both KTM and BMW are tiny players compared to Honda in overall motorcycle market.

come, you should rather look at the numbers - I'm talking about adventure bikes not general motorcycle. Honda didn't have any new, real adventure bikes until now.

Depends how we define "Adventure Bike". IMO, Honda has been building variations of Adventure bikes since the 1960's. We didn't call our "Dual Purpose" bikes "Adventure Travel" bikes back then, but we certainly had many adventures riding them.

Sometime in the late 1990's the Media woke up to ADV bike movement (very late to the party, as expected) ... and then used BMW's GS as their standard by which to judge all others.

So moto media largely dictated to us what Adventure bikes are meant to be ... and by that measure ... you are 100% correct.
But honestly, what do most of those kids know?
How many are dirt riders with 50 years experience?

I contend the Honda XR650L is every bit the Adventure bike any BMW GS is or ever was. With the right modifications the XR650L makes an excellent travel/adventure bike. Better than any BMW GS new or old. Why? It's more reliable, is a real dirt bike and if set up right, you can travel on one. I know ...
I owned one in 1992.

My favorite BMW "Adventure Bike" would be a heavily modified HPN built R80GS. Just my opinion. GS bikes got worse and worse for off road after the R80, the only BMW GS truly off road capable when ridden by mere mortals.

Original R80 retained WW2 technology ... some good, some not. The Electrics were 30 years behind the Japanese ... and they made very low HP, used oil and did generally the things Jap bikes do not do.

In 1981, 1st year for R80GS, the bike had a Varta Volkswagen battery and the system could not keep it charged. The electrics were late WW2 tech as was drive shaft and Panzer spec gear box. But it was fairly light and strong, rode well overall. (yes, I owned one)

The modern GS's are wonderful ... to ride ... as long as the trail does not get too rough. I love them, ridden thousands of miles on test bikes ... I just don't want to be around when the warranty is finished and something major breaks down. $$$$$$

But in terms of large CC ADV bikes, correct, Honda has not built a multi cylinder off road style bike since the last 1st generation A.T. in ... what? 2003 or so?

But clearly, bikes need not be 1000cc or bigger to qualify as ADV bikes.