How to convince your wife that you NEED a motorcycle | Yamaha Ténéré 700 vs Honda XR650L 

Mike , I don t know if you watch your own videos ,but there is an absolute perfect moment on this one , at 8:18 .... Your gaze tells how happy Mike the Dad is

Mike, watching you (an american badass who has done so many things in this world) interact with your kids made me shed a couple tears. I aspire to be like you mike, and the community is grateful for all that you’ve done and what you continue to do. Thanks for teaching!

Mike, I just told my wife that I wanted to talk with her about some important point why I needed to get an off-road bike. Lets just say that it did not go the way that I thought it would go after watching this video.

A true dad. Everything you do is planned and thought out. I’m currently reading your book. Thank you for sharing your experiences Sir.

I bought a DRZ 400s a couple years ago. My wife hated the idea at the time. She now sees how much fun I have a couple hours a week. I live the SW with tons of space to ride (and shoot). Some kind soul built a great shooting range only accessible by real offroad vehicles. Best money I've spent.

My biggest complaint on a lot of the dirt first bikes then they convert them to street they take the kickstarter off when they add the electric start and I wish they would leave it for back up

I agree 👍 with you. My personal favorite is the Swiss army knife of daul sports, Suzuki DR 650

The wife and I just got back from our 10th summer mountains trip. She rides a little 250. Get your wife a light bike. She will forever go with you camping on the bikes. At 50 Years old now she said it’s probably time to ride into town every few days though for a soft bed.

Seeing you take so much joy in being a dad is probably my favorite part of this channel. Kids change so much of a person's life and learning to juggle that with preparedness can be challenging. Thanks for including that consideration in your product reviews.

I love everything about this video! The scenery, your interaction with your kids, the bikes. I have long been a fanboy of the XR650L, but I’ve never owned one. But I may change that 😎 My first real injury came from riding my Honda XR80 when I was a kid back around 1982. Concussion, sprained wrists, my braces cut my lips pretty good, F’d my bike up pretty bad. My folks wanted me to stop riding, but I couldn’t wait to get back out there and ride. I took many years off from riding, but I’m back at it now. Really digging the motorcycle content!

You can pick up a good used xr650l for a couple thousand. All the popular mods and issues are on the forums. Currently building one out myself!

I just bought one that was that. Nothing to it. Best thing I ever did too. I love it 2016 heritage softail classic. Beautiful children Mike happy to see you enjoying life. Thanks again

I'm on my second XR650L. My second was bought from a GI when we were OCONUS, and that was my adventure bike for the mountains of Italy. Others have mentioned changing sprockets for dirt or street, which is essential. All you really need for spare parts is a spark plug and possibly a CDI if you are way out past the rhubarb. The stock tank is on the shelf and the Acerbis desert tank lets me pass gas stations till I can't take it any more. I'd buy another if I can't fix this one any more.

The take away from that video was watching you and your kids having fun. Reminds me of my dad! You are and awesome father! God bless dude

Okay I'm gonna say I've worked at yamaha Currently work at Honda power sports dealer. You can't put the tenere to the 650l. The 650 with proper maintenence will probably double the life of the Yami. Parts are more available for the 650 and its been built almost the exact same way for 20+ year. It's a tank vs new adventure moto.

The XR was my first bike. It never failed me and I still miss it.

I have both , my 2003 Xrl has been ridden in several enduros , dual sports, and many many miles of trail . solid dependable . It now after 20 years needs a top end rebuild,but it will stay in my stable . I love my tenere great manners on the street, and also capable off-road not a race bike by any means unless you’re Pol Tares but my KTM 300 is .

I convinced mine by opening a separate account and only putting money in the joint account for my share of our bills & expenses. Worked like a charm & no more arguing about money.

That outro is all I want in my life with a woman I love and trust. Thanks for sharing

I’m 17 years into my XR650L. Same design forever. Soooooo many trail repairs. Only once did I have to get towed out. Because I on my way to having a heart attack. You can trail ride but it’s sooo much work. I’ve got all the accessories. Bike still rocks on the highway but with huge power you only get 25 mph. The tenere is much better for dirt roads and highways.

Your kids seem awesome Mike. It’s nice to know that there are still parents out there who are raising their kids right. I grew up with quads and dirt bikes and my parents were always supportive and never constrained me too much. My dad only really gave me 2 rules about the quads and bikes… 1) Wear a helmet. 2) Don’t ride on his grass. I admittedly broke that second rule often and would get yelled at for it but he never actually took my bike or quad. He always just got mad and went and fixed the grass… up until he eventually just stopped caring as much. Now that he’s been gone for 2 1/2 years, I realize just how cool he was. Sure… he wasn’t the most responsible dad, especially financially, but he was mine and he always made sure I knew he loved me. When he passed, he was my best friend. I now understand that despite having some really great friends today, no one will ever be as much of a friend to me and have my back like he did.

When I was a kid, my father tried to scare me away from motorcycles. He had a friend give me a ride on his BMW. Rather than scaring me, it confirmed that I would be a life long rider. Talk about a plan backfiring! Very cool to see the kids enjoying the ride. Thanks.

Like the bikes. Just picked up a Yamaha TW200 and plan on getting another this weekend. Really great to see you having fun with your kids and loving on ‘em. That’s the good stuff.

field craft is awesome i want to take a mobility course one day

You can’t not like this video! American as it gets! Keep doing you!

The last part was Precious. All the best Glover.

Seeing you interact with your kids is the GREATEST thing I've seen in a long time, 10+ years.

If you get an older XR650L with some miles on it plan on doing a head rebuild: Valve guides and upper and lower guide seals are pretty common fixes. You might also have to get the camshaft centre bearing surface redone as well, but hopefully the previous owner changed the oil regularly and it’s not a prob with your bike. Otherwise, these things are tanks, and the aftermarket support is the best. You can get any part imaginable from wreckers and on line retailers. I loved my XR650L, the bottom end of its power curve is so awesome, it’s perfect for the knarly stuff.

The ending was the best Mike. Loved it.

Mike putting half an acre worth of stuff on a quarter acre keeps cracking me up

ITS THE UPSIDE DOWN SUNNIES FOR ME LOL!!

Just picked up a XR150L loving it having a ton of fun around town and side trips up power line trails and fire roads

I kitted out my 650l to the max!! They are great bikes and honda is bulletproof. The only thing i do to it now is i change the sprocket ratio depending on if im going on a long road trip or if im going to do a lot of off roading. It makes a big difference.

AMAZING family dynamic.

All right, I’m gonna weigh in on this. Period point blank. The Honda XR 650 L. Is the bomb. It’s street legal because it’s an Enduro. That means you can take it on the road and off. I know because I owned one. (Bullet proof.) it’s basically a variation of the original. Baja 600 motorcycle. That they use out west to run races. All you have to do is put a little bit better tires on it. Perelli MT 21’s. You can start with that Yamaha and try to make it more dirt friendly or you can start with the Honda and Bolton more options. I put in a carb / jet kit it made the bike perform even better. Been there done that the Honda is solid. If you have any questions on your Honda XR 650 L hit me up.

had one of those when I was a teenager, rode all over the logging roads in the hills surrounding our town. was pretty epic fun.

Such a beautiful video. Thank you Mike

Thank you, my wife needed to see this!!!

This is it!!! Much respect 🙏 Nothing more important than family.

Mike, I'm all for that.. teach them young, while they can still teachable.. For what I can see, they enjoy everything you're doing outdoors. You're a great dad..

NOTHING IN THE WORLD IS BETTER THAN “THIS” seriously you get it!!!! Fellow Utahn here, ambassador for the Utah backcountry discovery route, Host of Throttled adventures podcast and the RU-vid channel 2 wheels and a tent. I absolutely love that my favorite books author “prepared” lives a half hour from me, is helping me prepare for the worst and loves Utah single track! Is that up American fork/Provo canyon? Keep twisting that throttle and “come join the adventure baby” lol

This was so awesome. The ending was icing on the cake. Great family. Thank you for your service. Have a happy and blessed 4th!

Went to ask the wife, but I don't have one. Onward to step 2!

XR all the way unless a DR650 for the lower seat height is available👍

Getting a bike for the purposes you articulated intrigues me. Thanks for doing this. The XR650 is especially intriguing.

Finally! Xr650! Its the absolute best bike ever!

Love my 2007 XR650L. Glad to see you do a video on these.

XL is basically the same as the old XR600R and those are awesome! Got an '88 and with a 38" seat height and old reliable tractor engine to pull your big butt around. But i do love the T7 too. Can't go wrong really.

I picked up a non running 2017 xr650l for $2300 needs piston, rings and brakes rebuilt. Hopefully will have it up before winter.

Anybody else notice the code switch when Mike rode his daughter on that bike? Wrapped around her finger bro! Love it!

Coincidently, I found and purchased a T7 the same day this video released. Got a great deal for the 2021 model year with under 7k miles. Love the content like this, Mike!

I have a 2021 T7. Ride it daily, amazing bike!

Both of those are great. I have a new KLR 650 which is also a great option.

Great view!! It's pretty awesome to be with your family and still be able to inform all of us. Doing multiple things that you enjoy and love. We are blessed to have you, Mike. Your book just arrived, and I can't wait to dig in. Keep at it!!

Not much in the world that’s better… You got that right, Mike. Ride safe.

Just got my XR650 last week. Timely video. You took the words right out of my mouth. Thanks, Mike.

I'm excited for this series! After reading one second after, I was curious about dirt bikes and being EMP proof.

Sold on the 650. Although, my very first bike was a Yamaha rd250 wheelie machine (yes I'm old). But I must say, as far as street bikes are concerned Honda cb's are arguably the best. I ride street bikes. But my best bud (Rowdy F.) Keeps trying to get me on dirt.... and the opportunity has shown itself.

Basically they're both similar machine with a couple of updates & electronics. Still rocking with the XR, it's a bush basher for sure. my appaloosa.! Our girls cruise the T700, it's much smooth sailing like an ocean liner. We head up the hills & hinterlands with mum on the 4WD. It's magic & priceless. Cheers digger for sharing your moment with your children. Australia salutes you & team.

At the end...his daughter's sunglasses were upside down!! SO CUTE!!

Hey Mike, her glasses are on upside down, the same way my son wears his, classic. Love your videos and your soul Brother, grateful them kiddos and your family have a man like you in their life.

A buildup of the Honda would be sweet also. Like a cheaper build. They’ve been around forever, and for the price, makes more sense. It does depend on where you live though. East coast woods are very technical versus west coast. Awesome video as always brother! 🙏🏻👍🏻

I’ve wanted a motorcycle for years. My wife grew up riding with her dad who worked at Harley for 18 years. Now she doesn’t want us to get bikes because of distracted drivers even though we live out in the country.

Great bike information, Mike! God bless, and thanks for your time!

Hi Mike - we miss you all, back here in Prescott! Hey, I never knew you had such a background or passion for dirt bikes!! I’m picking up my new ‘24 Tenere 700 next week, looking to switch up from racing to more adventure riding with my boys. Thanks for all that you do, and I’m a new subscriber to the channel!!❤🫵🏻🤠👍🏻🏆 For those that may read this, Mike has a huge heart hidden behind his warrior exterior. When we were trying to raise funds for our kids summer camp in Prescott, Mike believed so much in our kids, he put his company Fieldcraft Survival as the leadership role in our event, the AMA Rough Rider 100. We learned that Mike is legit. Our loss is your gain, Utah!!

WOW a youtubber with an actual personality. You rock...cheers from Bulgaria.

can't go wrong with the 650L, KLR650, DRZ650 for basic dual sport

Used, low mileage, klr650 is the play. Eagle Mike is your friend! Reliable, parts everywhere, and more farkles for adventure and shtf if needed. Tenere is a better bike, but cots a lot more. Tiger wins, vs all but the r1250 gs. I would not relish an iron butt haul on a xr/xl650. You won't cry to much when you drop your klr on the trail, while improving. A klr will go 300 miles on a stock tank too.

I’ve been looking for a post like this! Thanks!

You are blessed. Peace Mike.

Sexy electronics are just more things to break. I have own the T7 and owned a 650l. Love them both. Bottom line, if I am going to ride trails I am going to ride my KTM 300, but if you are not in a hurry and you want to ride some medium trails and ride from home, the 650L is dang good. Great channel.

I personally think a quad would be better for bug out. If you feel like it you should do a compare contrast for the two.

Mike seriously we have to have you on the podcast, we love freedom we love motorcycles and Utah!!!!

For all you guys out there wanting a bike, its easier to ask for forgiveness than it is for permission.

As a motocross racer iv been super interested in those Tenere 700s. Seem like a blast to go from canyon roads to mild trails on the same bike. & those air cooled carbureted XR’s are absolute tanks, probably one of the most reliable dirtbikes ever made.

After my second divorce I’m finally at a point that the only person I need to convince to buy anything is myself

Great job on that Tenere. I can't even find one around here.Nice bikes.

The XR's and most post 80's bikes, do have a weak link and that is its CDI box (capacitor discharge ignition) that might not stand up to an EMP. Infact, XR owners should keep a extra CDI box because it's not uncommon for these little boxes to fail. Another would be no kick starter though one can be added. Other then that the XR's are great bikes, I have three.

The talk was cool. The bikes where cool. The ending was the best. It's what we live for...

weve had a few natural disacter the last few years. one thing i never considered with the little dirtbike is you can rip thru bumper to bumper grid locked idiots cloggin the roads. i made multiple trips from the house to the bug out area on 1/2 gallon of gas and wasnt worried about getting stuck in traffic. yea youve gotta carry all your fun toys in backpacks and milk crates but mobility is essential during a disaster

Loving the content with the family. Brings a different side of Mike Glover Actual to light. Keep it up man.

I would like to acknowledge and hold in high regard the wholesomeness of the final minutes of the video.

Mike's daughter is bout dat thug life. She could've been in DMXs Ruff Ryder video.

XR650L rider here. Love it. T700 hard to find. Used xr's available all day long.

Family resiliency and family preparedness would be best to know what roles and how children need to be taught how to act in all different situations mainly natural disasters

Thoughts on a side-by-side as an alternative to a motorcycle for this scenario? I have nerve damage that prevents me from lifting the toes on my left foot, making operating a motorcycle difficult, under most conditions. Love every bit of your content!

Love the kids reaction. Bought my daughter a xr50 when she was 5. Don't know who had more fun on it, her or I. My 6'1" 205lb frame on that bike i looked like Grape Ape. She would just laugh. Great days. Great video as always.

As a single dad if I could afford 1 I'd buy me and my son one for east Tennessee.. that looks pretty damn cool and I'm sure super handy to have

Nice purchase man! Just bought one a couple weeks ago. I would check to see if you need to rejet your carb for your elevation, they come stock pretty lean remove the smog pump and grab a new front sprocket that has more countershaft surface area, other then that, bike is an old school bullet proof design that can get you anywhere. I think Honda originally listen this bike as an "apocalyptical" bike haha.

Air cooled with a carb always gets my vote 👍 The easiest bike I ever had to work on was an air cooled BMW twin. It's not as agile to ride as a single, but damn it was spectacularly easy to work on. I wish I still had it 😁

How I grew up great to have your kids involved in living life another win Mike

A few years ago I bought my “06 XR650L for a whopping $1,500. I love it and plan on keeping it forever. I’m thinking I’ll have it gone over it completely. New chain and sprockets tires fork seals breaks oil cooler bigger tank and a luggage rack and bag. Then put it on twisted road next summer for rent in Alaska.

The XR650Ls run around $6500 at my local shop new. Half that used.

I LOVE seeing the relationship with yoir kids!!!! God bless you sir!!!

Loved my T7 but traded in for an 850GS and couldn’t be happier. Much better all around bike imo. But I do more commuting than off road riding at the moment so I wanted my creature comforts lol. Cruise control, shift assist pro, etc.

I like when Danny called me daddy….I mean himself daddy

The pace of change as of lately, leeds me to the conclusion that iam going to get rid of the bike and the dodge war wagon for a pack of horses and mules. Gas doesn't stay good for very long. Time to do what they did back in the day. History can repeat itself.

I got a KLR650 a year ago and love it! I would still like a more dirt oriented DR650 or XR650L also but the KLR is so comfortable, better on the highway and can handle off-road fine, if not as well as the DR or XR.

What company makes that camo wrap you put on the bike ? Looks great

Mike another great video. Huge fan of both bike platforms you have, but the cream on the cake was your kids and that closing interaction. Well done bro.