This type of wet mud is always the enemy, never the "hill".

Well done them older guys I am impressed

Jenny morgan is just starting a coast to coast USA tour on the new 310 BMW GS, as she previously did a similar route on her Yam 660 tenere it will be interesting to see how the two bikes compare.

as for MPG most of the smaller bikes offer far better mpg than the bigger ones exceptions are the honda 500/750's or ktm 690's which offer great mpg.

new honda monkey offer 160 mpg but I think its a bit too small

You also have to ask how many times on a normal 20,000 km cross continent ride you will be encountering this terrain. Now back to people who found their bikes too small. We've seen many posts here defending whatever choice, no someone answer the original question.

So my only time on a small bike was a trip many years ago from the north to the south of Egypt. The only sand I encountered was the sand off the side of the road where I frequently ended up being pushed off of by trucks, busses and cars that were going faster than me. I wished for a more powerful bike so I could at least cruise above 60mph and stay ahead of the traffic.

I answered the original question a long time ago (i.e., 4 days and 20+ posts), and like you I've definitely wished for a bigger bike at times. Of course, I've also wished for a smaller one, and for knob tires--or for less-knobby. For carburetors when I had fuel injection, and for fuel injection when I had carbs. For a bigger windscreen or a smaller one; for soft bags or for aluminum cases; for more ground clearance or for less wind-resistance, for more luggage or less....

I've even wished I had no bike at all, although not as often as I've wished I had one when I didn't. You name it, I've wished for it. About the only things I've never regretted are a better seat and improved suspension, and I seldom bother with either one, since I'd apparently prefer to pocket the money involved and keep traveling.

Anyone craving simple yes/no answers is better off posting a poll, where they can define the possibilities in binary terms. Real life is seldom binary, despite our attempts to believe it so.

I apologize for not contributing any steeper-hill-deeper-mud-more gnarly-feshfesh photos to this thread!

Mark

Edit to add: You'd think I would know how to prevent the site software from insisting on "knob" and/or "knob-" when I'm merely trying to describe tires with relatively aggressive tread patterns.

"Disable smilies in text" when posting...

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Grant Johnson
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Inspiring, Informing and Connecting travellers since 1997!
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My sentiments exactly, down to the CB500. I took a 450 dirt bike from CT to Guatemala and it was torture. Crossing the USA was terrible, especially as I got to the lower states with stronger winds.

Not having a windshield, small tank, massively buzzy engine and poor ergonomics was brutal. I had the money and should have bought a small tourer like a CB, Strom or something similar.

The only real advantages was that once in Latin America, it was easier to take my bike in and out of my host family’s living room every day.

So yes, I wish I had a bigger and more comfortable motorcycle.

On a side note, I had a chance to spend some time with Daniel Rintz in Guatemala. He was over 3 years into his round the world trip on his 1200GS with his girlfriend. He and I spoke at length about my bike choice, a “bicycle” as he called it (KTM450). I asked about whether he wished he took a different bike. His reply was that for 95% of the time the GS is perfect. It has a low center of gravity, handles well, has been reliable and is incredibly comfortable. 5% of the time he explained is rough going and the bike is hard to ride due the size. So for a vast majority of his travel, his bike was massively comfortable and enjoyable.

It makes sense to me if you don’t dive too deep into the rough stuff.

I always wonder what type of trips people have when they say "My 1200cc is perfect for RTW travel".

Do they often, OR EVER, ride down small knarly tracks to camp next to jungle waterfalls. Do they ever stay at friendly local places where you can push your bike through their front door. Do they get their bikes onto small rafts and go island hopping. You see my point.

Maybe they do. But probably not. In my experience, it's the big bikes that are parked in sterile hotel carparks and it's the smaller bikes that are in all the fun 'off the beaten track' places.

If you discount weight, a 600cc enduro bike isn't really taller or wider than the average 250 enduro but easier to adjust for comfort.. But a 1200cc GS is a monster in comparison to a 600cc enduro.

The big bike Vs small bike debate is as silly as the hard pannier Vs soft debate. There is no answer. There are too many variables.

__________________
Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

This is probably the best answer (: I have noticed a lot of the liter and above camp are two up or at least very heavy packers. Totally different needs from someone like me whose total bodyweight + luggage is < 100kg.

The primary variables seem to be:

- total weight being carried (need a bigger bike)
- need for flexibility on the road (need a smaller bike that you can jam into a guesthouse living room, pick up easily if dropped, park anywhere, manhandle around, etc)
- desire/need for serious offroad (need a more dirt oriented bike)
- need for comfort (need a more road oriented bike)
- need for speed (need a bigger or more road oriented bike)
- budget (need a smaller bike)
- rider skill/preference/everything else

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to answer the original question.

Yes I have wished for a bigger more powerful bike but its a bit like how I travel on foot, camp etc over the years I have realised you can take less carry a lighter load and have a more enjoyable time because of it.

I think the older 600 cc trail bikes offered nice flat seats that you could shift your weight and sitting postion on easily and in many ways these bikes were ideal but then engines grew and bikes got wider and heavier with more gadgets. It would seem unless you want to travel on a nibble enduro weapon then the bikes that still offer a good size/weight tend to be the smaller 250/300 trail bike class.

I think there have been more occasions when on a bigger bike I have wished for smaller/lighter than the other way round

Agreed here, in both the accessibility of a smaller bike and the hard can soft pannier debate. But a lot of people don’t have the budget or time to go island hopping with their bikes or explore into the abyss. Those kinds of trips aren’t available to everyone.

It really comes down to how someone is traveling: time limits, trip goals, etc.

Some people want to do Alaska to Ushuaia in a few months or around the world in a year. With that kind of pace (either due to time limits, budget limits or goals) the trip becomes largely about mileage.

For me, comfort is a primary concern, but I wouldn’t find it on a GS. Too expensive for parts and it’s much bigger than I want in a bike. Still, everyone has their personal preference.

you think R1200GS is big? not so much, look at the Multistrada 1200 Enduro...

From the photos it looks massive.

As said earlier, a trip is really what you make of it. A friend of mine did multiple years doing Latin America in legs. He would return to France every 6-8 months or so for about month to manage his business. On his Honda NC700X he would spend about a month in each country, traveling slow and really getting to know a place. There is a big difference between visiting a place and living in a country for a month. So, for him, the fuel efficient and comfortable Honda was his ideal travel bike.

Sure, he was on a “bigger” bike and maybe he couldn’t head deep into the mountains, but I would argue that his experience wasn’t any less genuine that another’s who is on a small dual sport and can get to those far corners.

As per the op’s question, there are simple comforts that bigger (medium sized bikes) offer that the small bikes can’t. For my style of travel, I don’t see the advantage of riding a small thumper.

I was hoping you'd be getting into the "lack of reliability" issues with many
BMW's ... specifically the R1200GS's. Lots of documentation and feedback from experienced mechanics like you! Sure, some do OK ... but not all! It's big hit when things go Pear Shaped. Smaller bike? Not so much.

Even the weight (250's vs. 650's) is not all that massive on some bikes. CRF Rally, WR250R, KLX250's ... none are featherweights ... and most only about 40 lbs.(18 kg) to 50lbs (23 kg.) lighter weight than my loaded up DR650, which is only 324 lbs. (147 kg.) DRY. Once you farkle up and load a 250, suddenly it becomes a fairly HEAVY BIKE!

The trade off going 650 dual sport is a flat wide seat (mentioned earlier) for all day comfort, a shield if you want it, with some torque to push through gusty head winds where the 250's may struggle. Also, luggage carrying ability much better on the 650 vs 250.

But a day riding deep sand may change your mind (that 5% the BMW guy was talking about!) The good news is my portly DR650 is actually amazingly good in deep sand! (which I loath!)

Two Up? Possible on a 650? IMO, if going two up I'd go with a twin: GS, Capo, Vstrom, or any sports tourer.

Yea, but provides lots of anecdotes for those trying to decide which way to go.

You left out the main bike and tour that really got her Rally Raid company going commercially:
The Honda CB500X Rally Raid
Rally Raid CB500X Adventure First Ride - ADV Pulse

Jenny is well tied into social media and bike forums to get free advertising for her Rally Raid business. Selling kits is what she's up to ... and from reports things are going well.

I wonder if we will see her ads posted up here on HUBB? Where she's gotten so much FREE coverage and FREE publicity for years?

Or will she put that money into now commercial ADV Rider? or ABR or ...?