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What is the most reliable adventure bike? What is the most reliable adventure bike?
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Which Bike? Comments and Questions on what is the best bike for YOU, for YOUR trip. Note that we believe that ANY bike will do, so please remember that it's all down to PERSONAL OPINION. Technical Questions for all brands go in their own forum.
Photo by George Guille, It's going to be a long 300km... Bolivian Amazon

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by George Guille
It's going to be a long 300km...
Bolivian Amazon



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  • 2 Post By trumpycam
  • 1 Post By Turbofurball
  • 1 Post By Tomkat
  • 2 Post By chris gale
  • 2 Post By Tim Cullis

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  #1  
Old 24 Dec 2023
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What is the most reliable adventure bike?
what is the most reliable adventure bike ?
Last edited by Tim Cullis; 26 Dec 2023 at 20:17. Reason: Moved from tankbag thread
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  #2  
Old 27 Dec 2023
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Whatever bike you enjoy riding the most, because then no other issue matters.
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Old 27 Dec 2023
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I found both my BMW R80G/S and R80GS to be very reliable bikes on par with what BMW advertising would have you believe. Having said that as much as I enjoyed my travels on them which included crossing every motorable continent on one or the other, the second time for the G/S which went rtw with it's original owner I now regard smaller bikes as more suitable for overland travel and would keep the BMWs for shorter trips.
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Old 27 Dec 2023
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Reliable
Nathan said. When you are realky remote. Like in Mongolia. The most important is that the bike starts every morning.

He used a Honda CT 110.
=
If you like ridingnit, and it does not start....
And cant get it fixed.....

=
I put my wote on Suzuki DL 650.
Or DR 650 it is restored
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Old 28 Dec 2023
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Yeah, any genuine Honda Cub engined bike. And when it's eventually not being reliable for whatever reason, you can have the whole engine stripped back and fixed quickly with little space and basic tools.

Next would be any genuine Honda CG, then CB, lol. I literally rode my CBF250 with a quarter of the amount of oil it should have for 200km, and after it managed 40,000km before starting to smoke due to severe mistreatment ... and it's now in Africa where it got a fresh piston and is still in use, lol.
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Old 28 Dec 2023
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There's really no objective answer to this. Any reasonably recent bike should be pretty reliable. My KTM 790 has been very reliable for me (after I sorted out the problems caused by aftermarket electronics) though others will tell you all sorts of horror stories. Likewise BMWs, some swear by them, others will recount tales of broken swingarms, failed drive shafts and burned out fuel pumps.

But as a rule, simple is good. Not only because it *might* be easier to fix, but also because there *should* be less to go wrong in the first place. But don't go Luddite. Electronic ignition has been standard for decades with a great record of reliability, and you won't find anything from this century without electronic fuel injection.

My current option, chose mainly for reasons of (relative) simplicity and reliability, is the XT660Z. Time will tell if it was the right choice, but there's a lot of owner experience out there which makes me hopeful, and being a Yamaha there are a lot of agents around the world if anything does go wrong.
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Old 31 Dec 2023
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If you've got the cash Yamaha T7 . Sort the rear shock , swap the end can for something cheap in case of a drop and that's it . Any doubts watch long haul Paul talking about his . I can tell u that our dealership has sold loads of them , they just don't go wrong , the Cp2 engine is bombproof .
You might also want to upgrade the torture device aka the seat
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Old 1 Jan 2024
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tomkat View Post
My current option, chose mainly for reasons of (relative) simplicity and reliability, is the XT660Z.
I loved my XT660Z, but there is one common failing which is the connector to the rectifier. Remove the connector looking for melting or blackened areas. If everything is OK, pull the 5 pins out and smear with dielectic grease.

I wasn't aware of this, and my rectifier connector finally gave up the ghost just as I got to the ferry back to Spain. I pushed the bike to the Yamaha dealer in Algeciras and left it with them. They replaced the entire wiring loom and the breakdown insurance paid for my flight home, then then flight back to collect the bike.

As for other bikes, the early 800cc parallel twins from BMW (F800GS etc) were just awful. Literally hundreds of UK R1200GS bikes had fuel pump connector failings. My several KTM 690 bikes have been fine, but my experience with my KTM 790 makes me question whether I would ever buy from them again.

From all accounts Honda comes pretty high in the reliability stakes.
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Old 2 Jan 2024
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Yamaha xt 660z was a fantastic bike , but to vibby for me ,I did manage maroc a few times . but came back feeling like i had ridden around the world !
Now i am on my 3rd t700 without any problems !
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Old 7 Jan 2024
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Quote:
Originally Posted by badou24 View Post
what is the most reliable adventure bike ?
You buying or wondering?

Quote:
Originally Posted by trumpycam View Post
Whatever bike you enjoy riding the most, because then no other issue matters.
I've thoroughly enjoyed riding my vintage Yamaha two stroke for the last few years but reliable it's not been. In fact the only way I can keep it running at present is to have two of them
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Old 4 Weeks Ago
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Versys x-300 has no known problems or issues, and I'm not aware of brake-downs or failures of that bike.

The only thing to keep on top of maintenance-wise is the linkages for the shock. They use bushings rather than bearings, and can rust up over time if playing in mud and doing lots of water crossings, but then that's the same as any linkage bike.
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