To Pimpyoda:
I say get out there and test ride. Its the only way to know what bike you actually like. Spec sheets are a salesman's best friend and the bane of any potential owner as they really cloud your judgement.
Also don't be influenced by the BM bashing brigade. I think its a shame that, on a site where one is supposed to promote open-mindedness, there is so much prejudice toward a badge, usually resulting from the marketing strategies of a given manufacturer and, it seems to me, based only on "impressions" or one experience!
Some jap bikes are good, some German bikes are good. I think that reliability is a pretty subjective thing. I say this having owned many bikes: Jap, German and now even Russian!!
Yes, Jap engineering is relialbe, but typically not so many jap bikes reach mega miles. They cost less, but re-sell for less. Mechnically, they may be sound, but cosmetically they suffer. Honda are excellent, but while some might denegrade BM for this fault or that, I find it extraordinary that after all these years Honda still have the same basic faults on some of their bikes: reg-rectifier, or fuel pump!!
Arguably, lasting finish is only really comendable on Honda and BMs in my opinion.
Now I do not think that BMs are any less reliable. On the contrary, the one I owned never really missed a beat (R1150GS) I would not necessarily buy a new 1200 series, but then I would never buy a new bike ever again after loosing 35% on my new Suzuki in the first year, back in 2000.
Why is it that a huge majority of Governments in the world supply their police with BMs or Hondas? They're not just in it for the marketing.
Bottom line if anyone tells you "all blah-blahs are bad, all blah-blahs are good", take their advice with a very big pinch of salt: the world is not that black and white and it does not reek of an objective opinion.
You don't even have to go for an off-roader (although some off-road ability is recommended!). I met people riding all sorts including Yamaha Diversion 900s, and a Harly Road King type: all going full off-road!!
Get out there and try a few bikes. See which are comfortable, see which have a decent tank range, see which the least modification or which have the easiest tyre sizes to find etc, but don't believe all the hype you hear.
If you fancy a challenge: do it on one like mine!!
Ural Motorcycles Europe | Sportsman
On an aside, I don't recall any manufacturers really having a viable RTW option when certain famous people were choosing bikes for their TV program RTW trip, so its not surpirsing they went for BMs: the only other manufacturer (KTM) did not even have faith in their own bikes to finish the trip!!! Certainly none of the Jap manufacturers had a full-on RTW option to pitch, only road-biased wannabees.
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