I guess Ive always gone against the 'typical' thinking of most folks in the sense that I ride my ST like 450 dirt bike off road.... When I have it fully loaded with an extra 80-100 Lbs of gear and bags and run off across the country, we are heading out to ride another BDR. Back country discovery route.... These range from like 600-800 or so miles. The one we are planning next is almost 1400 miles off road. Ive learned over the years that the BDR folks will give you a flavor of everything "off road". Some of this is really tough on a big loaded ADV bike, but certainly not an impossible task. With the bike loaded this big and heavy I recall crossing streams about 2+ feet deep and also riding about 15 miles of deep ass sand (with sand water crossings) with the COBDR. After this long sand section it drops you off into some crazy up and down 'mountain' trails that feel like straight up, then straight down..... This went on for another 10-15 + miles.... Hard, yes, impossible because the bike and gear are heavy, NO !
I dont consider myself a special rider or better than the average guy. I think 99% of it would be "frame of mind".... For so many years I hear other riders / magazines / you tube guys talk about how big and heavy these bikes are and how they are limiting because of the weight. (I'm generalizing the last 10 years)..... I cant speak for anyone else, but for me all of that is BS... I romp on this thing over virtually any surface fully loaded with no issues.
I laughed with a guy not too long about this "topic"...... We were talking about 700/800cc ADV bikes versus the 1200/1300 models. He said the smaller is WAY better.... I told him I agree with him 100%....... If I could have my guys trailer the 700 to the trail head, I carry no gear, I have a stripped down (low weight) 700cc machine that my guys fallow me around with all my gear, and at the end of the trail they are there to pick the bike up, I would be riding a 700.............. That would be a dream ride...... But to travel 2-3K miles across the country on a 700 and then ride 800 off road, and then another 2K home on a 700................. No thank you... I have run into TO MANY situations where I needed more power than the 1200 has to offer (on the highway) and the 700 would have puked.... To do what I do, I need the bigger bike for the ADV cross country on road and 1400 miles off road.
Anywho..... These big girls will sure take you anywhere you want to go, that's for darn sure ! It will even take you to places you DON'T want to go....................... ask me how I know ! LOL
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