Test rode a couple Adventure bikes today.

[eemsreno]

We all traded and test rode each others bikes today.
First I rode the Honda, It was nice but felt a little on the chintzy side ,Very Japanissish. The wind management and windshield setup was one of the worst I have ridden behind. [surely that could be fixed]
I see why guys buy it but it felt like it should be a $8,000 bike new.
Then the 1090 KTM. It was really cool to ride. Very comfortable to ride, with the seat height and relaxed leg room. It still wasn't close to the Tenere in wind management and windshield protection. The suspension felt by far the highest quality and confidence inspiring. I just plain liked it. The engine doesn't even come close to low end torque that the Tenere has. The owner even said that it has nothing under 3,000 rpm.
Now for the comments I heard about the Tenere.
1 Only a Yamaha could feel that good with over 200,000 miles on it.
2 I really like it.
3 It was a lot more capable than I thought it would be.
4 I thought it felt a lot like my 1090. [I never expected to hear that one]
5 The wind protection is on a whole different level than these other bikes.
6 This thing is just plain set up to travel on.


I'm not even going to comment on that 650 Storm, That used to be my bike and I rode that bike on a 11,000 mile trip to Alaska once. Enough Said!

 

[SuckSqueezeBangBlow]

I really liked the KTM I rode, I think it was an 1190. It was just a little different, seat kept sliding me forward and the bars felt strange. Plus I didn't like that it was chain. I had also heard that there was no warranty on the electronics and TFT (something like that anyway) and accessories were really expensive. I did like how it rode though.

 

[JJTJ2]

Friend of mine and I traded bikes. I had a Honda NC700DCT and he had an Africa Twin. The Africa Twin is a much better bike than the NC. Lots of torque compared to the 670cc engine of the NC. Loved riding the AT right up to the time that I had to put my foot down at a stop sign and discovered the distance to the ground was farther than my leg was long..... and over I went. They guy handled me dropping his bike much better than I would have if he had dropped mine. First time I had dropped a bike and it wasn't even mine.

 

[Checkswrecks]

Interesting note so thanks!

I've ridden two or three 1090s and 1190s and enjoyed them because they are such rocket ships when you twist the throttle. Agree that they don't have much wind management and the Africa Twin's was minimal. Agree with you on the overall feel of the Honda too. Have no desire for another KTM in maintenance/reliability or another chain bike though, regardless. The 650 Stroms still are good for vanilla plain Janes.

Got to sit on the new Tiger 900 the day before the Governor deemed dealer showrooms to be non-essential. First one in the State and already sold so couldn't ride it. If the seat would've been on the high position the ergonomics and wind protection would've been very similar to the KTM 1090 and the current Beemer chain bikes. According to the dealer, the 900 fires like a twin at low RPMs for torque and the third cylinder kicks in when the throttle is cranked. Nice bike and it's going to be a real alternative to the BMW, but at $15 grand is too much for me to justify.

 

[eemsreno]

Friend of mine and I traded bikes. I had a Honda NC700DCT and he had an Africa Twin. The Africa Twin is a much better bike than the NC. Lots of torque compared to the 670cc engine of the NC. Loved riding the AT right up to the time that I had to put my foot down at a stop sign and discovered the distance to the ground was farther than my leg was long..... and over I went. They guy handled me dropping his bike much better than I would have if he had dropped mine. First time I had dropped a bike and it wasn't even mine.

This AT had a lowering link on it and wasn't the least bit tall. Now the KTM was extremely tall.

 

[ballisticexchris]

I rode both versions of the 1190 and did not care at all for the low speed fueling or brakes. It was like stopping a freight train with the antilock engaged. I will give KTM a pass on the brakes though. Once you get them home, a brake bleed always cures the brake issues. All the bikes sputtered and lurched when clutching at walking pace maneuvers. And the heat that comes off the KTM's (and Ducati's) is pure torture at slow speeds. I kind of pissed off other riders around me that were waiting for test rides. The reps encouraged us to ride in the parking lot and get familiar with the bikes. I was the only one. My club had an in with the KTM reps so I was able to peel off over 100 miles on all the bikes tested.

Once under way the KTM's are a blast to ride. The standard adventure model (19" front wheel) was the one everyone fought for due to the low seat. I was not too impressed with it except in the corners. Sitting to standing was a chore. The R model (long suspension travel/21" front wheel) was a blast!! I set the seat in the high position and got to ride it more than once through the day. My feet could not even touch tiptoe on the ground. No big deal as I just slide off to the side I want to plant my foot. It was kind of cool to laugh at the guys who would not ride it just because of seat height.

FWIW, I was the only person out of dozens of riders that did slow speed turns and throttling, track stands, and panic braking. I tried all the different modes. Most guys put the bikes on full power and just twisted the throttle.

It seems like every demo is the same. I have yet to see one person ride a bike and test out panic stopping, track stands, or any kind of slow speed riding. All these guys do is swing a leg over the bikes , hit the start button, and ride the piss out of them. I do a full walk around, safety inspection, and get acquainted with the different settings. I do this before ever hitting the start button on any bike I ride. This includes my own bikes.

 

[ballisticexchris]

The Super Tenere is an amazing machine for what it weighs. I call the KTM 1090/1190/1290 the trophy truck of motorcycles. You have to be a pro level rider to even come close to the capabilities of these machines. I was riding my Beta at 8 tenths through fast rolling whoops and an 1190R past me like a jet fighter at over 80mph.

 

[VRODE]

Interesting note so thanks!

I've ridden two or three 1090s and 1190s and enjoyed them because they are such rocket ships when you twist the throttle. Agree that they don't have much wind management and the Africa Twin's was minimal. Agree with you on the overall feel of the Honda too. Have no desire for another KTM in maintenance/reliability or another chain bike though, regardless. The 650 Stroms still are good for vanilla plain Janes.

Got to sit on the new Tiger 900 the day before the Governor deemed dealer showrooms to be non-essential. First one in the State and already sold so couldn't ride it. If the seat would've been on the high position the ergonomics and wind protection would've been very similar to the KTM 1090 and the current Beemer chain bikes. According to the dealer, the 900 fires like a twin at low RPMs for torque and the third cylinder kicks in when the throttle is cranked. Nice bike and it's going to be a real alternative to the BMW, but at $15 grand is too much for me to justify.

I sat on one in Montreal. The Tigers just seem to fit me well, though I’ve never ridden one. The new 900 is tempting, but I’m not dropping major coin these days. And definitely not on a brand new model.

 

[SHUMBA]

Friend of mine and I traded bikes. I had a Honda NC700DCT and he had an Africa Twin. The Africa Twin is a much better bike than the NC. Lots of torque compared to the 670cc engine of the NC. Loved riding the AT right up to the time that I had to put my foot down at a stop sign and discovered the distance to the ground was farther than my leg was long..... and over I went. They guy handled me dropping his bike much better than I would have if he had dropped mine. First time I had dropped a bike and it wasn't even mine.

Yup, Africa Twin is a great bike. I'm a shorter rider and I got a OEM lower seat so I could flat foot.
Now I am riding a Super Tenere with an OEM lower seat and I can just barely flat foot the bike.
If you step in a pothole or a dip in the road it often leads to a surprise.
These are big heavy bikes and will hurt you, so if you're going to fall down...just bail out and roll clear to avoid injury.
SHUMBA

Sent from my SM-A520W using Tapatalk

 

[JJTJ2]

Yup, Africa Twin is a great bike. I'm a shorter rider and I got a OEM lower seat so I could flat foot.
Now I am riding a Super Tenere with an OEM lower seat and I can just barely flat foot the bike.
If you step in a pothole or a dip in the road it often leads to a surprise.
These are big heavy bikes and will hurt you, so if you're going to fall down...just bail out and roll clear to avoid injury.
SHUMBA

Sent from my SM-A520W using Tapatalk

I think that is what I did. All I remember was going to put my foot down and the next thing I knew I was laying on the ground. There was no attempt to save it. It happened so fast!

 

[HeliMark]

Interesting note so thanks!

I've ridden two or three 1090s and 1190s and enjoyed them because they are such rocket ships when you twist the throttle. Agree that they don't have much wind management and the Africa Twin's was minimal. Agree with you on the overall feel of the Honda too. Have no desire for another KTM in maintenance/reliability or another chain bike though, regardless. The 650 Stroms still are good for vanilla plain Janes.

Got to sit on the new Tiger 900 the day before the Governor deemed dealer showrooms to be non-essential. First one in the State and already sold so couldn't ride it. If the seat would've been on the high position the ergonomics and wind protection would've been very similar to the KTM 1090 and the current Beemer chain bikes. According to the dealer, the 900 fires like a twin at low RPMs for torque and the third cylinder kicks in when the throttle is cranked. Nice bike and it's going to be a real alternative to the BMW, but at $15 grand is too much for me to justify

Always looking at new bikes, either to replace or supplement my S10. The Triumph 900 is on my radar, along with the V85TT. At the shows, and in showrooms, I really like the way the 800 feels. Comfy, and around 100 lbs lighter. Went to the dealer about a month ago, and talking to them, they will set a ride where I will be able to ride the 800, then the 900 right after that, when they get a demo bike in stock.

All that is on hold right now, due to the virus, and my slush fund is currently riding in a trough.

 

[ballisticexchris]

Yup, Africa Twin is a great bike. I'm a shorter rider and I got a OEM lower seat so I could flat foot.
Now I am riding a Super Tenere with an OEM lower seat and I can just barely flat foot the bike.
If you step in a pothole or a dip in the road it often leads to a surprise.
These are big heavy bikes and will hurt you, so if you're going to fall down...just bail out and roll clear to avoid injury.
SHUMBA

Sent from my SM-A520W using Tapatalk

I think that is what I did. All I remember was going to put my foot down and the next thing I knew I was laying on the ground. There was no attempt to save it. It happened so fast!

One thing you can do that is really simple. Get your bike up on the center stand and zip tie/safety wire the stand in place. Then get on the bike and practice sliding off to each side and securely planting a single foot. (keeping your bars straight) It sounds easy but it is not.

When I first got this bike I learned after the second drop how quick you get past the point of no return. Once by pushing it it got away from me in the driveway and fell. And once off road in an off camber loose, slippery, shallow rut. The off road drop was a rookie mistake. Poor clutch use and had the bars turned when it stopped.

After I got used to this beast I actually got raised dog bones to help with the ground clearance issues and sharpen the handling. What I did not expect was how much more stable it is when riding.

 

[SHUMBA]

I think that is what I did. All I remember was going to put my foot down and the next thing I knew I was laying on the ground. There was no attempt to save it. It happened so fast!

Now tell us, what did you say as you were on your way down??
SHUMBA

Sent from my SM-A520W using Tapatalk

 

[SHUMBA]

One thing you can do that is really simple. Get your bike up on the center stand and zip tie/safety wire the stand in place. Then get on the bike and practice sliding off to each side and securely planting a single foot. (keeping your bars straight) It sounds easy but it is not.

When I first got this bike I learned after the second drop how quick you get past the point of no return. Once by pushing it it got away from me in the driveway and fell. And once off road in an off camber loose, slippery, shallow rut. The off road drop was a rookie mistake. Poor clutch use and had the bars turned when it stopped.

After I got used to this beast I actually got raised dog bones to help with the ground clearance issues and sharpen the handling. What I did not expect was how much more stable it is when riding.

I have a set of dog bones, but I haven't installed them yet.
Aside from changing the dynamics of the bike, in addition to changing the links or dog bones I understand that you have to adjust the front end by adjusting the triple tree. Then either cut or shorten the side stand and help me out here, there was something else??
SHUMBA

Sent from my SM-A520W using Tapatalk

 

[SHUMBA]

Now tell us, what did you say as you were on your way down??
SHUMBA

Sent from my SM-A520W using Tapatalk

Oh, the other thing was as I had a close look at my 2018 ES and it appears that I would have to remove one of the exhaust pipes.
SHUMBA

Sent from my SM-A520W using Tapatalk

 

[Dirt_Dad]

Got to sit on the new Tiger 900 the day before the Governor deemed dealer showrooms to be non-essential. First one in the State and already sold so couldn't ride it. If the seat would've been on the high position the ergonomics and wind protection would've been very similar to the KTM 1090 and the current Beemer chain bikes. According to the dealer, the 900 fires like a twin at low RPMs for torque and the third cylinder kicks in when the throttle is cranked. Nice bike and it's going to be a real alternative to the BMW, but at $15 grand is too much for me to justify.

You're packed in that Triumph dealership so tightly you must have been in Frederick.

Still trying to figure out what is on my short list to replace the Tenere. The BMW 850 is definitely on the list. How did that Triumph 900 feel? Is it as insanely top heavy as every other Tiger I've sat on? Never needed more than a dealership sit on a Tiger to know I wasn't interested.

 

[ballisticexchris]

I have a set of dog bones, but I haven't installed them yet.
Aside from changing the dynamics of the bike, in addition to changing the links or dog bones I understand that you have to adjust the front end by adjusting the triple tree. Then either cut or shorten the side stand and help me out here, there was something else??
SHUMBA

Sent from my SM-A520W using Tapatalk

Mine were the shorter links so I raised the bike. I did nothing to the front end.

Oh, the other thing was as I had a close look at my 2018 ES and it appears that I would have to remove one of the exhaust pipes.
SHUMBA

Sent from my SM-A520W using Tapatalk

You will not have to remove or loosen the pipe at all. Simply remove the nut, push the bolt out until it hits the pipe, and pull the the collar completely out toward the right side. The bolt will have plenty of room to clear the pipe. The needle bearings are loose in a cage so be careful not to drop any. I put a towel on the floor just in case.