I really like the Guzzi, but what worries me about a RTW trip with one of those bikes is the lack of replacement parts. Even today in Brazil, Guzzi has no official representatives, so replacement parts for those bikes are only available through ebay.
While I lived in the U.S. I had the chance to ride a few times in a Moto Guzzi Centauro and because of this I'm big fan of the brand, but unfortunately here in Brazil Guzzis are a luxury that you can not afford unfortunately.

If you don't mind me asking, where are you going to test ride the Tenere in Nashville? I have a buddy who is wanting one as well, and we are about 90 miles north of you.

You might want to give the smaller bikes a demo ride first. My 650 Suzuki V-Strom will outperform my Road King as well as my friend's Screamin Eagle Electra Glide with the 110c.i. engine. If you are truly wanting to do adventure riding I'm thinking you will be a little disappointed with the bigger bikes you are looking at, especially if you plan on doing very much off road riding. They are heavy and tall, and I'm told not a lot of fun to pick up when dropped. Imagine sinking your Glide to the pipes in the mud and pushing it out, it would almost be the same if your adventure tourer was loaded. I rode the V-Strom in a lot of places I probably shouldn't have, and it's not a lot of fun to push out of the mud either. I rode it to Alaska in 09 and wished I had something lighter and with more ground clearance when I got there. BUT, if you are just wanting something to do the occasional gravel or dry dirt road on then you will be fine with the big bikes. I would go with what you find the most comfortable to tour on.

ho hum, the usual comments from the usual suspects...actually the GS1200s work just fine, although the GSA is admittedly a big bike and certainly not the best for anything off-road.

And I would appreciate someone showing me the "ideal adventure bike" because I don't think it exists.

It's the bike that just got you to where you need to go that you've owned long enough to fully understand in case tomorrow doesn't go quite as well. Badges etc. have no practical purpose on this machine, it could be anything from a Ural to a Ducati. It won't be for sale, so perhaps the question really needs to be "Where can you buy the closest to ideal adventure bike?" ??

Andy

Moulin,

Based on your description of what you have been riding, the adventure rides that you plan on going on and that you don't want to go any smaller than a 1200, either the BMW, Yamaha, or Triumph bikes will be perfectly fine.

Once you have chosen to go with a heavy weight bike (instead of say the ~+/-750cc middle weights), any relative weight differences between the models is minor in comparison, especialy when fully loaded with gear and gas. They are all big bikes and will feel as such. They offer great riding advantages on the road and disadvantages off road. Coming from a HD you are used to a bigger bike and the transition will be easy for you and you'll quickly learn which off road conditions are fine on the bike (gravel) and where it gets to be a bear (sand).

Pick whichever one you like the best and happy riding.

Hey Ted,

LOL, I'm not going to lend you my canoe this summer if you so vehemently insist on retaining the role of the resident anti-BMW crusader on this site.:)

The OP already said he can't do anything smaller than a heavyweight (1200) so I doubt he'll look at the middleweights.

Oh, and by the way, I can't imagine that actual real data would in anyway sway your biases, but I had the pleasure of riding my DL (1000) again in West Africa this winter. Certainly based on my experiences with my DL and my F800, once a person rides enough miles on these bikes (and most other modern bikes), the maintenance required and reliability are all pretty similiar.

In fact, I've had a lot more issues with my DL but there are quirks on every bike, doesn't mean I wouldn't recommend that bike or the F800. We all have our preferences and biases, but in reality these are mostly just our opinions based on what we like, and a lot less about facts. There is plently of room in the world for people to like different things so we shouldn't be so dismissive of other peoples preferences. Some people even choose to live in the UK!;)

1200cc adventure bikes can be an ideal choice for some people. I think it's better to keep an R or K BMW for the asphalt miles and buy something like a 250cc for off-roading but I can understand the thinking behind buying a big BMW. They can handle bad road surfaces, handle better than a Harley, look cool in some circles and you can "customize" them. All the custom parts are in a catalog but nonetheless they will be custom.. lol.
Anyways, I would buy a Stelvio NTX if I were you. They are the coolest looking thing from that bunch. Or a Triumph Tiger Explorer.

I test ride both the BMW GSA 1200 and the 1200 Tenere and must say that for me the BMW ws way better on every aspect. I didn't like the position on the Tenere, which is like sitting on a chair...

Have to agree with Ted...74,000km half way around the world on a F800GS!...biggest lemon ever!! Stay away from this bike unless you like dealing with morons at BMW and enjoy been broken down in the middle of nowhere...continuously!! oh and don't forget wasting money you could have spend on travelling!...Swapped it half way for a 2010 XT660 Z Tenere..what an awesome out of the box adventure bike...albeit with a few mods!

bierhaha oops. I better start behaving myself.. :oops2:

I just have to say how I see it though.... People are welcome to ignore what I say. While they are sailing down that long river called "Da' Nile" :smartass:



Just seen this video pop up on my FB news feed. Thought it 'perhaps' relevant..

50,000miles f800gs engine destroyed - YouTube

F800GS Piston slapping ? - YouTube

The OP is not looking for a cheap alternative, is also convinced that 1200cc's is necessary to match the HD 1550cc which is probably equivalent to about 750 in the real world but great for towing (trucks). 900 dollars for replacement panniers is probably a lot cheaper than the BM, triumph or Yamaha original equipment. If you looking for good wind protection I don't think any of them are much good out of the box although there maybe some aftermarket options. Overbalancing is much more likely on a tall adventure bike than it would be on a HD.

IMO you should stick with what you've got because your expectations will not be met by any of the bikes you mention. If you're looking for a change then buy the one you like the look of, they'll all serve you well.

Moulin,
It would be good to hear your impressions from your test rides; here in the UK it didn't used to be easy to test a Yam 1200 tenere because the dealers didn't have them on the shop floor - the idea seemed to be that a customer would buy it "blind" without a test ride:confused1:
It should be easier now that there are a few second hand ones in the dealers.

p s
I agree with the underlying theme of some of the earlier posts - someday a thread will stay away from :offtopic: for more than a day or two, but I am not holding my breath when BMW are in the subject line of the thread :(

In a similar spot as you, and will be watching this thread for insights.

I've ridden my Harley touring motorcycles tens of thousands of miles (numerous 500+ mile days and a few 1000 mile + days) including a 12,000 mile trip last fall, and don't think there is a more comfortable highway bike; the loping of the motor at low rpms on the highway and the relaxing ergonomics are pleasurable.

But for an upcomming trip from Key West to Prudhoe Bay, I'm going to need a more off-road bike for the last 300 miles of the Haul Road, but still handle the 5,500 miles of pavement, and am looking for used. So, I've test rode a GSA, and found it buzzy at highway speeds. This suprised me, as many people ride these many miles, but I'd have gone numb. How do people do it?!

Next, I'm going to try a V-Strom 1000, and if that doesn't work, maybe a Yamaha s10, but that's still new.

So, don't have much to contribute to your questions, except that you're not alone. Please continue to post your findings as you research Adv-tour bikes.

boatpuller, if you have any questions about the trip send me a Private Message. I rode a V-Strom 650 to AK in 09 and camped the entire trip. Like you I still enjoy my Harley for touring, but I have to say I was very pleasantly surprised at the comfort of the Strom.

boatpuller,
I'm surprised as well; I've hired a HD (I think it was the soft tail model - it was certainly purple) in the States, just for a "test ride" for a few hours, and my memory is the throbbing between my legs not to mention the build up of heat around that region - but I was wearing shorts for the 1/2 day ride, in a heat wave with a T shirt and shades for upper body protection; I just want to throw that bit in for the H&S freaks out there.

I can't understand how the vibes of the flat twin GS could be any greater than a V twin Harley.
I've owned/ridden a few twins and I love that type of engine but especially the V twin low down torque. Never thought of any of them as buzzy though.

Worth testing a different GSA to see if it was just the bars or some other factor??