Triumph or KTM?
At the moment I have a Moto Guzzi California 1400 that I'm doing all my big trips in the US on. However, I also want something more practical for commuting, and that I could do a big trip around South America (and possibly Africa in future) on in about 3 years time. My thinking is that I will pick a commuter bike now that makes sense for that trip, as it'll give me time to learn how to perform maintenance on it and accessorize it for RTW riding. Plus, then by the time of the trip it'll be a used bike that I know well, that won't be quite as shiny and attractive to thieves as it was when it was new.
My idea of 'adventure riding' - and I accept different people define it different ways, nothing wrong with that, each to their own - is about sticking to roads as much as possible, and only doing dirt roads when it's the only route through an area, or I'd miss something really good if I don't. For example, the route I want to take would include the 319 in Brazil, which I hear can be pretty hard going with all the mud. So I know I need something that can cope with some tough terrain.
I won't have years to do these trips, just a few months... so I will need something that can cope with a few extremely high-mileage road days thrown into the mix.
I think I've narrowed down my choice of bikes to two... the new Triumph Tiger 800 XCx and the KTM 690 Enduro R. Once I've added a few accessories to the KTM like a fairing kit and suchlike to turn it into an 'adventure bike,' they both cost similar amounts, around the $15k mark. Both would handle my 15 mile 50-60mph commute to work easily.
Which one do you guys think should be my weapon of choice for this?
Here are my views of the main pros and cons of each...
Tiger 800 XCx
Pros
- Will handle high mileage road days well, especially now it has cruise control!
- Has plenty of alternator output for charging heated gear etc.
- Can probably carry a bit more stuff with me.
- Has off-road tuned traction control, which may be useful for a mainly road rider like me when the going does get tough.
Cons
- Heavy! There would be some terrain that this bike simply couldn't do.
- Potentially complicated to fix, hard to get spares for, etc.
690 Enduro R
Pros
- Would be much better off the beaten track, though I'm probably not a good enough off road rider to get the most out of it.
- I imagine it would be less complicated to repair, and easier to get parts for.
Cons
- Might be a bit of a chore to do high mileage highway days on.
- Even with a new lighting kit, the low alternator output would mean I'd have to be careful with heated stuff.
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