Absolutely, we need economical bikes to buy and run, light enough to enjoy rough terrain while still giving 300mile range. Make the bikes nice to look at too. Hey I'm all for folk spending 12-15 grand on new super adventures if it means the rest of us get the bikes we can enjoy.

No doubt mainstream magazines will say they are boring on the motorway etc well good because apart from heavy traffic filtering motorways are and always will be boring.

bier I can't wait I loved my tenets but it was too cumbersome off road and in mud it was a pig, sure a 6,2" moto God could have made it look good but I'm 5,6" and live in the real world!

If KTM can make a nice looking bike for around £5k they should be onto a winner, cheap suspension can still function. KTM offer various racing packages imagine a 390 adventure rally series you get the bike fully kitted out at a discounted rate as part of a race and service package and at the end of a few races the bike is yours to keep. They already do this with road bikes but its normally aimed at younger riders.

I bet you say that to all the girls ...

Never?
It cost your country a few years ago.
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Small KTM adventure bike...
 

Talking about a smallish KTM adventure bike, they used to do the LC4 400 military:
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...military-32531

I used to have one, and I miss it.... you'll find them in Germany if you look for one.

I'm currently riding a BMW f650gs dakar from a similar vintage. It has ABS, and goes faster, but apart from that, it's not nearly as good at about everything else. It's heavier, noisier (bad buffeting), vibrates more, doesn't look as good, has rubber between handle bar and front wheel, and what where they thinking at BMW when they where fitting that beauty case on the back?

Hi, I'm 1,70m too and I disagree, well not totally. I'm riding my 2008 660 Tenere not lowered, just 1cm lower seat, but raised a bit with WP fork mod. and going offroad with it and I'm on my North- Central-America trip at the moment.

I'm totally fine of just getting my tips of my feet on the ground when I'm sitting in the middle. The ball of one feet when I move my a*** to one side.

Shure I drop my bike here and there, but the Ten is build strong and I dropped it a lot in my past trips. Never had an issue. A dent in a pannier, scratch on my barkbusters. I can live with that.

But thats the catch. I can live with that. One other don't. If you don't feel confident on a higher bike, don't do it.

And the best advise is: Go light. Not only with the bike, but also your luggage. Don't carry a shitload of things you don't need! And heavy things low.

Martin