2018 Big-Bore Adventure Touring Shootout - Part 2: Dirt 

Bro, you can buy any of them, I mean non of them bad, how can you get bad in this price point, but it's not just about good, it's about which is best from all, and GS 1250GS, which is available now is doing best

@@ilearner3319 I'm looking at getting a Tenere to replace my old venture for the same reasons Tenere Traveler mentioned. It may not be quite as nice on the basic spec sheet and might not ride quite as nicely, but it's going to be as hassle free an experience as any bike you can buy. The driveshaft, the frame, the engine, all make it a bit heavier and slightly less powerful than it could be, but also make it a bike that can stand up to more abuse and if regularly maintained then serve for years a do-all daily rider. I get a lot of mileage on my bikes and like to push them when I get the opportunity to, so it's an important consideration. Plus the GS, Tiger, and Africa Twin all looking better on paper and being more popular suppresses the prices of used STs and that's really nice for me rn, being in the market for one. Seriously for what you can find on the used market the value is incredible vs those others. Only the Vstrom is in the same range and it doesn't come with all the same amenities and isn't nearly as bulletproof (though after the yamaha and the honda it's still probably the third most reliable of the group and will be durable enough once it's outfitted with all the right guarding).

I would go the yamaha

Ownership bias. Nothing wrong with s10 they all awesome,.just some lil better than the other. Guys with lower power always say yeah it have enough power etc

I did the same exact thing! Love the 2018 V-Strom.

Thats ktm 😍

I have KTM RC 200 im from india thats fun bike to drive 😍

Power wheelie galore!!

These guys are wrong in part - 1. It's has heart of beast ktm 1290 super duke r

I really want to trade in my vstrom 1050xt for one. The vstrom is great but it just doesnt have the top end I want. And it's a little on the heavy side once it starts to tip.

I test rode one this weekend, VERY impressed. If it had cruise control that would seal the deal. It is super comfortable, plenty of power, and corners like a sportbike. I find it funny that most people like the 650 better. I felt the 650 was too soft, and didn't feel any lighter. The 1k felt much sportier but still nice and light and would be easy to manage in the dirt.

@@mrvwbug4423 it will be my first litre bike. I part exchanged my Ninja 650 with only 1300 miles on it. Im only 5ft 6. So i had to get the low seat and a lowering link.

@@mrvwbug4423 that was the previous Gen 1000. The 2014+ is waaaaay better then the 650 in every way but $$$

You will NOT be disappointed! I LOVE mine. I use it for my main transportation also.

As it is said, the Suzuki 1000 does not do everything great BUT it does everything WELL. IMHO it is a great all around bike at a good price point with infinite add ons..

I have the "updated/retooled" 2014 Vstrom 1000 Adventure that I bought NEW for $8,500 with some great discounts and a repeat buyer at a great dealership (Twigg Cycle in Hagerstown, MD). Over the last couple of years I have updated it on the cheap with, yes, VERY inexpensive but GOOD bike products from AliExpress. These bikes are MADE to upgrade or at the very least customize into what you want. With an updated ECU, since the original had stalling issues, this thing is FAST (100hp), designed for low torque and pulls like a train (can you say 4th gear 25mph to over 100mph! Seriously. It pulls without sputtering/knocking). I love the hard side paniers but use soft ones for off road that also act as a soft buffer when having a horizontal episode. The same with the "accessory" bars (they hate calling them CRASH bars, but we all know. BUT if bought separate the hard bags are around $1,000) that hold my aux lighting AND I put the military type various pouches that go right on and hold small tools, extra gloves and STUFF (change for tolls,etc)-mainly softer stuff that will not puncture through anything in a lay down but WILL soften the impact and give an extra bit of height on its side for picking up. My old back does not bend very well any more. I put $10 off road pegs (LOVE EM!) shorty clutch/brake adjustable levers so not prone to bend/ breaking (broke the original). The wife actually surprised me with a tall windscreen and a skid pan (for that really exposed oil filter) I used to race MX and ride endure when I was growing up (at least to the 12 yo my wife says men stay at) and have been riding for over 40 years. I checked out all the bikes tested and still went with the Suzuki. I still dream of the BMW, Tiger and the KTM BUT the price and inexpensive upgrades able to be done on this PLUS absolutely bulletproof mechanical, seriously good handling on/off road (especially in the RAIN), easy to stand up and ride PLUS the natural sitting position is fantastic. For cruise control I have a $2 cramp buster throttle assist that works great for me. Anyway, short story long, all these bikes are great. On a retired police salary and the AMAZING following of Wee(650cc) and Vee(1,000cc) online (like Stromtroopers) for technical assistance and help/story/parts base for the Suzuk - I was sold. Over four years of trouble free riding and it just seems to always just get better. Just an FYI though it IS a PRETTY TALL BIKE (you can get the lower seat tho!).

My 2017 Africa Twin was $10,950 unsold from last year! Picked it up in August.

I agree, and having owned a 2004 V Strom, I can tell you the new model is really done right. One of the things they didn't hit (I know they can't mention everything) on was dealer support for some of these bikes. As a current BMW owner my advice to a prospective buyer would be not to buy a BMW unless you can afford to fix it when it's out of warranty. I picked up mine for a steal right around $10K, but at a decade old, I have been riding for two years with the ABS light on because I don't want to spend $1200 to fix it. In terms of dealer support, I think that's where the Triumph and the KTM show their Achilles heel, aside from cost of ownership like the BMW. The Triumph triple is a great mill when it's working, and the KTM is an amazing machine if you are willing to trust it miles off road. That all said, and opinions being like a$$holes, for my money, I am going with the V Strom all the way. There are numerous 100K mile examples of this engine still running strong out there, but I think in the adventure touring realm, a lot of people buy based on their ego, an need that GS, and good luck to them. The V Strom will definitely be the next bike in my garage as soon as I can get my wife to let me buy one........

theninja001 , bought the 2018 Adventure Sports $14,599 manual transmission, still a bargain compared to the rest in this shootout. If I didn’t require a better off-road bike the Suzuki would had been #2 pic . Money wasn’t as much of a factor as just getting the right bike for myself and the rides I plan with it

@@johnmorgan4405 there are 400 000 mile examples out there.

I wonder the reason we have not seen a new Super Tenere is it would be too expensive to produce? The Super Tenere is obviously made for reliability and that costs in weight and maybe sales as most owners keep them for many years! It’s a truly beautiful motorcycle and I hope Yamaha will update it, a bit more power, a bit lighter and a parallel twin that sounds better, keep the rounded design element and they have a winner. The drawings I have seen of a 900cc triple doesn’t do it for me unfortunately, it needs to be a twin with a lot of low end grunt.

Salty 😂

No. Africa twin won

Gnasen sorry you wrong. They made the trip on a normal Ténéré. The 660 single.

Who tf is this. And just because someone managed to do something on it doesn't mean its best.

Yes, and they don't talk about reliability. V Strom would be ahead of them all ...maybe equal with the Africa T

The v Strom 1000cc is a tough contender to argue against ..a close friend owned one for a long time untill a local stream next to his house covered everything under water for a week , so his insurance company totaled out the bike ..serval of our friends ride adventure bikes and we were all sorry to see it go as on rides though the back woods roads of mostly dirt of the covered bridges of park county Indiana that gets quit interesting ..the v Strom is quit impressive .holds is own with the 955i triumph tiger , 1050 triumph tiger and a screamin eagle street tracker built with ohlins and revtech modified showa forks , apollo seamless rims roaring toys aluminium billet swingarm with metzeler tourance 170x17 rear and 120x19 front ..brembo calipers , sunstar full floater rotors

Becarefull playing around on railroad right of ways that close to the tracks as an open box car with lose banding hanging out will cut your body and bike in half like a sword ..or worse drag you and your bike down the tracks for miles and miles as you will be turned into bloody rags ...the engineer will never even know you are being ripped to pieces as there are no more caboose on the end of a train to warn the engineer as half the train can be derailed dragging on the railroad ties and the engineer does not even feel a tug are hear anything wrong for miles and miles until they come into switch yards and crash ..and it's not fun cleaning up the mess afterwards

I like my gs better than the strom I had. The strom is a streetbike with different clothes. Suspension is not good for off-road.

@@trevorschober8769 I totally don't care about offroading so the strom Is the best bike I have ever owned...

Still the lack of cruise control on the AT is a HUGE oversight. Bad enough that the V-Strom 1k doesn't have it even though its 3 grand cheaper.

In Europe we use cruise control to cope with all the speed cameras and “average speed “ restrictions A throttle lock would be hopeless. Honda are clueless imho.

Max Flight lol sure

Well I know Honda don’t fit cruise control, which being an owner of the new Africa Twin Adventure Sport, was a disappointing, but you can atleast now have it, from an aftermarket company in Australia, MCCruise. I’ve recently fitted it to my bike and it just completes the bike, well worth it. As for Honda, I guess their get round to it sometime, but don’t hold your breath!

was about to make the same point, best $20 I ever spent.

Not sure if my wording is confusing, but that wasn't what I was trying to get across. I was saying for my personal situation (not having a garage was the main thing), I would have been better off going with a slightly cheaper and lower maintenance bike, such as a Kawasaki or Honda. I would have sacrificed cutting edge performance for reliability had I been better informed at the time.

Serdy I agree 100% ... I nicknamed my 2001 550 Husaberg “Hike out Husaberg “

3 of the reviewers chose the ATAS or VStrom (The least expensive of the bikes) and value was mentioned. I received that message loud & clear. Honda & Suzuki have good reputations of reasonable maintenance... what more do we need?

pinkiewerewolf Honda does not have a good reputation anymore. They’re still coasting off the 90s. I had a 2007 Civic that was the worst piece of shit new car I’ve ever seen. The Civic Si owners sued Honda over the ridiculous throttle lag. I knew a guy who got a 2008 Cbr1000rr that SNAPPED A CONNECTING ROD after 16 months and Honda told him “out of warranty, not our problem.” I got a 2013 CRF250L and dropped on a trail one day, snapping off a tail light. No problem, easy replacement...nope, the fuckwits in Thailand epoxied the tail assembly bolts in place for no reason. Ended up getting the dealership to remove it under warranty, but epoxying random bolts in an off-road bike is unforgivable. Honda can fuck off forever.

Cost of ownership is important. Unfortunately, they don't have them long enough to figure that out. A lot of common problems with certain bikes don't show up with road tests or short term loaners. They also might not have to actually pay out of pocket for maintenance either. There are some bikes I wouldn't touch with a 10' pole because of maintenance costs. You never hear of it from the moto scribes.

As does my BMW, just a better ride.

I had an r12. The ride wasn't, at least for me, so wonderful that I'd prefer it over the S10. To each their own. I did like the mudflap thing over the rear tire though, looked cool.

@@tylerhiggins6722 The 2017.5 and up ESA suspension is really something special, however price is a factor, the only reason I have a GS is I got my Rallye model with Sports Suspension new for $18k with every factory option, had I had to pay $24k then I would have looked elsewhere, not that I didn't have the money, just that I'd have been struggling to justify that much money to myself. The Tenere would be high on my list if not a BMW, because of the shaft drive, if you are going far in dirt and dust I think that's a big deal in terms of maintenance and given how quickly the sprockets wear on my Honda XR650, I can imagine a big bike loaded with luggage and supplies really being hard on the chain and sprockets in adverse conditions.

@@fiveowaf454 that's a solid deal. I miss my old XR650l's. Have a fun and safe summer adventuring arround.

@@tylerhiggins6722 It was a17.5 year model, but I prefered the traditional instruments to the TFT screen, it's what happens when you get old, so wanted that one, all I had to get were the cases, I got the Brooks Autosport ones which I really like. I made the mistake of looking at them new, found this deal and couldn't say no. I love my XR650l, does everything I need off road and being air cooled etc. it's easy to maintain. Really looking forward to decent weather and some rides, safe riding and adventuring to you also :) The most important thing is to have a motorcycle, or two, or more, what they are, or what anyone else thinks is irrelevant.

excellent point, for me it would be either the GSA or the tenere

If u go around the world u take old simple reliable bike like old AT or transalp, not expensive shiny toys for your middle age crysis and starbucks trips

The standard Africa Twin suspension is really very good for most buyers. 90% won’t jump or race it. Mine works great for logging roads and the like. All you really need to do is upgrade the tires. I have other bikes for singletrack..

😂😂😂 Totally!!

agree

They rode them as if they were dirt bikes, just dropped off a trailer, on an Adventure bike you are riding long distances both on and off road, so which one can do what they were depicted doing is pretty much irrelevant. If nothing else such riding is going to lead to a spill which may put the bike out of action or the rider, not something you want to be attempting on a long ride and potentially in the middle of nowhere.

Yeah the "Good old boys" rode around a bit then talked in generic motorcycle review phrases. This format is SO tired.

hurt feelz lol

They kept saying the BMW was the heaviest bike but that has a 7.5 gallon tank or similar, with only 4.5 gallons on board it would be lighter but feel even more so.

Working in the railways I have to agree in regards to riding so close to a live running line. I do normally enjoy these episodes but I am extremely dissapointed in the decision to ride so close to Railway tracks

Seriously this was like clickbait. It feels like a weeks later the boss asks what happened to part 2? And this was made in an afternoon.

The same could be said of most of their content.

The "stupid jumping next to railroad tracks" had little to do with what an Adventure bike is aimed at. Riding one for an hour or so down a dirt road and on trails would have produced some valuable conclusions. Virtually no ne who buys these bikes will ride them as depicted here.

Yup. On my 1290 SAR the cruise control works excellent. Weird the tester didn't see it there on the left handlebar ;-)

Yes, a pretty shitty one, as well. At least, if compared to the one of the GS. And I say that as a KTM-owner.

Just curious; what makes the GS CC better? ( (I've never ridden a GS or tested its CC ). Without being an "orange fanatic", I find the 1290 CC to work well. FWIW.

It responds way quicker. For example, when your doing 100 and let go of the gas and activate CC at the same time, the GS just holds the 100 while the KTM falls down 10-15kph before it is really there. And then it climbs up the speedo again (quite slowly). Even if you hold the gas for a second after activating the KTMs CC, it still falls down a few kph. And the overall difference between set speed and actual speed is bigger on the KTM. 1-2kph on the GS vs. 3-4 kph on the KTM. The de-activation via the clutch-lever works smoother on the GS, as well. Minor things, for sure. But noticeable, when you compare head to head.

I think he was referring to the AT.

Agreed. I'd much rather hear them in voice over riding footage.

Even the big USA moto magazines are entirely moving away from the "category stat-sheet shootout" for the most part. Just no art to it

Motorcyclist may end up going back to it, Ari and Zack just went behind the Motor Trend paywall so MC has to find new people. I wouldn't mind seeing Lemmy and Spurge review some of these.

I think it could work if they all sat around in a trailer/pub before hand and made a script. Is it less "geniune"? sure, but there's a reason every good motor show is scripted.

Agreed, too much rambling and too little info

And regular AT. Still, the best conparison/review out there

Definitely. I run that section of the PCT often.

Basically the same as the r1200

Took a GS to Deadhorse last July and I'll be taking a 1290 SAR there next month. Both machines are great on the road, but once the road turns bad the KTM is leagues better. As far as parts availability, Fairbanks and Anchorage both have whatever you'll need. If you break down in the boonies on any modern bike you'll likely be towed to the nearest large city, so brand specifics are not as important as you think. Tires and oil are what you're going to be solving for 99% of the time, and you can get those almost "anywhere". Have a great trip. Cheers.

Honda Twin, strom and Tenere are great bikes. They all got hard for cheap strom I get it. Other 3 are about bells and whistles and the price tag that comes with it. They are also great bikes but you need deeper pockets. You picked a good motorcycle. If your the type of person to change bike every year get the ktm, have fun with it. If you plan on crossing the states, get a Tenere.

I agree sticking with my 2016 Tenere also

I went through the whole "which bike" I should buy. After looking at cost ,package etc. I ended up with the Tenere. Great bike all around.

That makes two (and a lot more I know)! They don’t understand. It´s too reliable for them (they don’t own any of them, it just a joy ride of some days, so they don’t have to cope with the repair costs, the electronic glitches etc, of all the others - except the AT and the V). I much prefer the reliability and peace of mind to know it has been proven to the extreme, and will not fail, then to have a LCD display...

The only relatively affordable bike here with cruise control and a shaft drive.

Lol. Ok.

Juan Ramirez ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-djLW7gwobTU.html

Its an 80 HP middleweight. It doesn't even belong with these other bikes. The KTM is the only one here worth owning for serious off-road riding.

@@RoyClendaniel. Going offroad on a 80 HP is not enough.?? Basically how much more horses you need to go offroad btw? Definitely the DCT model AT and lightweight feels more at home on off road category, a 100+ HP heavier KTM is more suited for speedy on road aspects category.

The V-strom doesn't have ride-by-wire throttle like the Honda does. Honda could have added CC for only a few dollars in parts, and an ECU reprogramming

@@rzu7120 The Honda Gold Wing had cruise control in 1993, it didn't get ride by wire until 2018. A better argument for Suzuki would be that none of their motorcycles have cruise control. Why start with the V-Strom? To which I would say: Well, you gotta start somewhere... There is supposedly an all new Hayabusa due in 2019, it will be interesting to see if it will have cruise control. If it does, then in true Suzuki fashion I would expect to then see it on every new model they make from then on.

I think the cornering ABS of the V-Strom is more important than CC

@@thomaskaulich8549 my carpal tunnel disagrees.

U can't predict longevity. U have expected reliability. From best to worst Vstrom/At/s10 Gs/tiger Ktm Ducati? 😂

And ridden by everyday riders not pros; out in nowhere reliability is king=Yamaha Super Tenere ES

The s10 seems to have one of the widest gulfs between press release reviews and word of mouth praise of any motorcycle I've ever seen, besides maybe the CB500x

It's in desperate need of an update. It was designed to be competitive with the GSA of ... 10 years ago, the class has advanced in leaps and bounds since then.

I bought a Tenere in Late 2016. Compared all the other bikes in its class. Went with the Tenere because low maintenance cost and after watching videos from Australia was sold on the bike. 20,000 miles later only issue I've had ,was losing a spoke nipple. And I ride it pretty hard in the dirt.

This always makes me laugh somehow (respectfully). Its, in fact, the oldest bike in the group, and although it has all the creature comforts you need, its just too reliable (meaning: no major innovations, gadget wise). Nobody really cares. I’m on my second SuperTenere and I wouldn’t trade it for any of the other bikes (or any other bike in the market). It’s a shaft drive, 260 kgs, heavy duty machine, tractor like machine, 70% 30% (road/dirt) bike, with no TFT dash (which is, as we all know extremely relevant in the middle of an adventure somewhere), and no ABS off button (it has the best ABS for dirt I know of, and I’ve done a lot of it on my 1st S10), and it not meant to impress anybody but the owner (take a rope with you always, so you can pull the KTM when all the electronics fail). It´s meant to be heavy, it’s meant to be tractor like, it’s meant to be reliable, its meant to not excel in anything but be able to be good in everything, and it is! Done literally thousands on thousand of kms in mine (1st - the 2nd is 3000ks) and never, ever, ever had any problem whatsoever. Ps: I bought a brand new one in August 2018!

I love my ST. It is simple, reliable, has decent power and does everything I need it to. I never felt it was heavy, its the lightest bike in my garage. I wouldnt have minded cruise control on my 2013 new leftover I bought for $8,499 but for the money, the throttle rocker works just fine and the screen tells me outside air temp and fuel mileage what else do you need?

8 gallons baby. Lets ride all day..

Looking for the 2022 shootout now.

I was actually eyeing the Tracer 900 as I was looking for a more road focused bike, but I test rode a V-Strom 1k this weekend and it may be an even better road bike than the Tracer, while still also having real dirt capability. Having test ridden both, I would need to throw the Tracer through a few decent corners to really make a decision (the test loop at the Yamaha demo I went to didn't have any decent corners). The Strom is more comfortable, the Tracer is a little faster and has more features (both bikes basically cost the same). The test loop at the suzuki demo actually had some decent corners to test out handling in and I was really impressed with the V-Strom 1k handling.