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Damn, @turbofan really got me motivated to sell the GSXS1000 for a dual sport. I have a couple buddies on dual sports who taught me very quickly its not the bike its the rider. At the same time I learned its not about riding fast but about the places and friends you meet along the way.
Bikes enjoying the free space in the garage while the miata gets tuned
Modern ADV bikes are incredible. Handling and comfort of a sport touring bike but with legitimate off road capability. The freedom to travel unrestricted by road surface really opens things up.
Lol yeah you can take any bike down a gravel road but some do to more confidently than others haha. I hit 100 on dirt this last trip, it was fun. We did 200 miles of gravel/dirt in a day twice on this last trip.
Fun times.
Honestly the KLR is a great bike. Does everything, costs very little and easy to fix with duct tape and a screwdriver. 100 hp on dirt is fun tho.
Yo, I like that GSXS1000s, how do you like it? Always had a soft spot for that model.
As for dual sports, the Africa twin would be a good choice if you have the coin. Used ones are coming down in cost, and that is a great bike. For cheaper bikes, I'd personally go with a DR650 over a KLR, KLRs are terribly underpowered (and heavy), and what fun is that? They are super reliable and capable bikes though, so don't get me wrong. However, if you have built a turbo miata, you might not like underpowered things.
I've been wanting to get a dual sport for some time now, but have too many damn hobbies as is. I'm leaning towards getting some dirtbikes for me and the misses next year, I'd rather get her on her own bike anyways (and she's always shown interest).
Yo, I like that GSXS1000s, how do you like it? Always had a soft spot for that model.
As for dual sports, the Africa twin would be a good choice if you have the coin. Used ones are coming down in cost, and that is a great bike. For cheaper bikes, I'd personally go with a DR650 over a KLR, KLRs are terribly underpowered (and heavy), and what fun is that? They are super reliable and capable bikes though, so don't get me wrong. However, if you have built a turbo miata, you might not like underpowered things.
I've been wanting to get a dual sport for some time now, but have too many damn hobbies as is. I'm leaning towards getting some dirtbikes for me and the misses next year, I'd rather get her on her own bike anyways (and she's always shown interest).
Man I cant say enough good things about the GSXS, its been amazing to me. i'm at 12k miles now and the torque never gets old, very comfortable too with the upright position. Best part is the dealership I bought it from couldn't sell it so i got it new for $7500.
The Miata even after the turbo isn't even close to the liter bike, maybe below 100 but hitting the power band in 5th at 110 and pulling a power wheelie is something I don't think ill be able to ever experience again and also the reason i'm getting rid of it hahaha.
Ill defiantly look into the DR. I was close to trading in for a DRZ and test rode one and really liked it.
Here's a video of me ripping it through one of my favorite roads up here.
Yeah, the DR is a great bike too. The KLR is much better on road from what I understand due to much larger fuel capacity and decent wind protection, but I've not ridden either bike.
I sold my KLR last month and just picked this up to replace it!
Rode it home from the dealer 40 miles on twisty roads, definitely puts a huge smile on my face. Feels like you're going really fast, so you look way down at the speedo, and you're only doing the speed limit. LoL.
Tail tidy, smaller turn signals, and bar end mirrors will all be installed soon
Nice necro, I totally forgot this thread existed. I made an addition to my garage about a year ago. 2003 BMW R1100S Boxer Cup Replika. ZTechnik Ti exhaust and Ohlins shocks on the front and rear.
VERY different to ride from anything I've had in the past. The telelever front end communicates (or doesn't...) very differently from conventional forks, and the shaft drive takes some getting used to after only ever dealing with chains.
Way too long since this thread has been bumped. First off, @Crarrs that thing is absolutely gorgeous. I gave you a likecat before but did not compliment. So pretty.
Still been adventuring. I've added a few more bikes to the stable and changed a few in between.
Built a rally-style Husqvarna 701. I loved how it looked, hated how it rode (compared to the 790 I had before) so I sold it, but not before doing the Colorado BDR, then the northern half of the Utah BDR all in one trip. These pics are from Utah.
30 minutes after delivering the 701 to its new owner I went and picked up a 2021 890 Adventure R. Then we did the entire Utah BDR. It was epic. Here is a 100 second snippet. But my buddy did a 7-video series of it, and it's outstanding.
Went to Miatas at the gap and rode this supermoto around in a torrential downpour
Then bought this absolute pleasure unit, 2012 Triumph Street Triple R. I posit that this is subjectively the greatest sportbike engine ever created. What a gem.
Great updates here! Ed, you still have that Buell? The Valencia orange is nice, always had a soft spot for that. Glad to see you are still brappin' all those bikes look really nice. I have a few buddies with 890 Adv R's and they LOVE them, on and off road.
My newest bike is an 1125r. Will probably be selling it soon, it's fast and uncomfortable. Would make a great track bike, and is a hoot in the canyons, but I really don't rip that hard on the streets anymore and my track time is all on 4 wheels.
This '99 cyclone I got for $1000 a few years back has been the daily go to ride. It friggin' rips, is fun to ride, handles really well, and I don't have to worry about leaving it outside all day while I'm at work. Has honestly become my favorite bike.
My best bud has a 2014 street triple R. I agree with Ed, one of the best bikes I've ever ridden. And they are so easy to ride fast. Great machine.
And of course I still have the Uly, it's my long haul bike. I also brap dirt fire roads on it, though I don't "adventure". Mostly street riding, occasional dirt road and camping, lots of ripping. Lots of 2 up touring with the wife (the bags are great).
Yep, still have that orange buell, though it's for sale. It's a little rough cosmetically so I do love that I'm not worried about it. It's just that it does the same thing as the Triumph and if I have to choose, I'm sticking with that lovely little triple. I've considered an 1125R for a track bike but honestly, it's too much bike for me for track. I want something I can get closer to the limits of. The Striple is even more than I need but it was cheap so it'll do.
Yeah, the 890R is the best motorcycle in the world in my opinion haha. It's literally my dream bike. If I was offered to trade it for any other motorcycle in the world, I wouldn't. It's so good. 14k miles in the first year, not bad considering it's not my only bike!
Fun to see the old tuber out and about, and the Uly too. Good stuff.
I should probably comment in here given I work for Harley Davidson and have benchmarked A LOT of bikes in the last 3 years. Some awesome feedback above and cool bikes for sure. If I've learned anything, it's that there is no one perfect bike for it all. They all have their up's and down's depending on what you are most passionate about. I'll post some pictures up here in the future...
I've personally fallen keen to the sport touring segment quite heavily as you seem to get a strong performance value for your dollar without killing your body in a hyper aggressive stance with short travel suspension. I also generally don't care about fancy paints or show finishes like chrome on parts, so this segment resonates those feelings. With that said, the Speed Triple & Street Triple Triumphs are up there on my list of lovely bikes that I've ridden. I have a tendency to lean towards the Speed Triple just because of the abundance of torque throughout the powerband. Once you get used to the torque and you jump back to the smaller displacement version, I find myself missing the torque. I don't need the top end power of the big cc powertrain, but the low end grunt sure does kick a smile on your face in these relatively light weight bikes. The quick shifters on the Triumph are class leading as far as functionality/feel to me too, which makes for an enjoyable ride.
For similar reasons that I like the Speed Triple, I've enjoyed my time on the Ducati Monster 1200 S as well, which has lots of torque on a naked, lightweight, well setup chassis with good ergos for me. The sound of the V-twin isn't bad, but I don't think it matches Triumphs triple if I'm being honest. It's been on my list to get my leg over a Yamaha MT-10 to see how it compares to both the Duc and Triumphs I mentioned, but we don't have one in our fleet to benchmark to. Given used market price point, the MT-10 is a strong contender for a bike that I may actually consider buying one day. Fuel economy is not it's strong suit, but it's got pretty much every feature I could ask for and the cross-plane crank i4 sound is intoxicating with parts much easier to source than you'd find from Ducati or Triumph competition. We'll see where things go...
Great feedback! I have really been wanting to ride an MT-10 too, as well as the new XSR900 - I think Yamaha nailed it with the second-gen XSR.
I think the thing I love so much about the street triple is that it has plenty of torque to scoot through traffic no problem, but you can also ring it up well past 13k rpm without feeling terrified. Mine has the Arrow pipes on it and it just sounds so, so good, it eggs you on to reach to 13k rpm time and time again, but still pulls smoothly and strongly at 3500. For such a small engine the flexibility is insane. Mine being the older model it doesn't have quick shift, ABS, TC, or any of that, but the bike is so approachable it just doesn't matter. It reminds me of an AP2 S2000 - well-sorted chassis, exciting engine that makes you want to buzz it, and a very analog experience. I adore the damn thing.
It also did really well on track. Predictable, very strong brakes with excellent feel, enough power to keep up with the 600's on the straights (as long as I got on throttle earlier than them haha) and just all around tons of fun. I got the knee down better in later sessions but here's a couple pics from the day.
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I try and ride a lot of friends bikes from time to time. Now i may just be a fanboy because i own an FZ-09. But after having ridden an MT-10 and R1 i can say with certainty those two bikes are the most savage of all the bikes i've ever ridden. Yes the 09 wants to kill you at any twist of the throttle, but both those bikes want to rip the handlebars out from under you. The complete disregard they have for speed is something that cannot be described. Plus they sound absolutely amazing when uncorked. I'm waiting for an R9 with the CP3. If they ever release it, i may actually buy one.
Great feedback! I have really been wanting to ride an MT-10 too, as well as the new XSR900 - I think Yamaha nailed it with the second-gen XSR.
XSR900 seems like a pretty strong value for what you get, going back to my previous statements about liking this segment of bikes. Haven't ridden one yet and probably won't until next season as it's winter time here now, but will make sure to report back if I get a chance to.
To me, Yamaha had to come out with this 900cc class of bike to compete with the Kawasaki Z900. We have a proving grounds in Yucca AZ and there are multiple test riders that own the Z900 as their commuter bikes to/from work due to its very strong performance:dollar ratio. If you like that more classic look like the XSR, the Z900RS is a super strong competitor that you can't really ignore.
Originally Posted by turbofan
I think the thing I love so much about the street triple is that it has plenty of torque to scoot through traffic no problem, but you can also ring it up well past 13k rpm without feeling terrified. Mine has the Arrow pipes on it and it just sounds so, so good, it eggs you on to reach to 13k rpm time and time again, but still pulls smoothly and strongly at 3500. For such a small engine the flexibility is insane. Mine being the older model it doesn't have quick shift, ABS, TC, or any of that, but the bike is so approachable it just doesn't matter. It reminds me of an AP2 S2000 - well-sorted chassis, exciting engine that makes you want to buzz it, and a very analog experience. I adore the damn thing.
The bold and highlighted section is the key detail here to me... Agreed on all accounts that a 600cc class bike has more than enough power to move you wherever you need to go. The ability to terrify yourself in a straight line with many modern 1000cc+ bikes is a piece that I find hard to not have once you experience it. I definitely don't need it, but I sure do miss it when ripping an on-ramp for a short spurt. On track, I would not want anything over a 600cc class bike for certain as my skillset is not above the bikes capability (this is the same reason I enjoy Miatas). I actually have been finding that many people have been realizing this and downscaling from 600 class bikes to 300 class bikes like the Yamaha R3. the logic of learning appropriate riding behaviors first, then adding power later is something that I cannot fault. Many of my friends have made the switch down the the R3 and are enjoying the cheap tire/brakes and light weight behavior of that class of bike.
Originally Posted by Erat
The complete disregard they have for speed is something that cannot be described.
The Ducati Monster 1200S gives these vibes as well. the OEM bar mounted mirrors (when appropriate torqued to Ducati spec) will fold in on you at around 140mph based on my benchmarking experiences LOL. The hatred of speed limits for those class bikes is something else.
The "fastest" bike that I've been on to date though as been a 2017 Ducati 1299 Panigale. This thing was and still is a whole new dimension of fast to me. 197hp in a 420lb frame (wet) is not only unnecessary, but borderline suicidal. It's raw yet refined. It's deathly fast yet controllable and light. It's a bike I loved, but equally respect and still remain terrified of. It had all of the computer nannies to aid in controlling the beast, and I didn't dare turn them down beyond 50% of their max limit. Even so, I still have fond memories of tearing down an on-ramp in 3rd gear, front tire floating, wheelie control engaged with ignition timing cutting power, while taking a moment to glance and see the speedo burying itself into triple digits. It was the bike that taught me that "maybe too much power is possible" on 2 wheels, and it also makes the MT10 feel like a responsible choice LOL
10-23-2020, 12:41 AM
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