"The Many (Mis) Adventures of DR N": ADV 2

Would you ride this bike...

SO... are you getting a sense of what an ADV bike looks like, what it's good at and what it just pretends to be good at?

...here?

Soft bags and a small screen on a big single equals versatility.

What ADV bikes are in general are multi surface touring bikes. With longer travel and better quality suspension than street bikes, you can ride most ADV bikes on both hard tarmac and groomed non paved surface roads. I have two bikes that could be considered ADV, the first is a Yamaha XT 600 which truthfully is more of a large bore trail bike and the other is the well known Suzuki DL 650 V Strom. This latter bike is certainly more suited to hard surfaces. I would never try riding this bike in an actual off road situation.

Did I say "never"? I meant to say... if I lost my mind completely, and was being chased by a pack of saber toothed werewolves, I would stay completely away from any trail I may encounter. I have however ridden this bike on smooth graded gravel surface where the semi block tires still offer some useful grip.

Trail riding on a sunny day.

Removing the hard luggage makes this ADV bike slimmer and lighter too.

The V Strom and it's ilk, do make good traveling tools, Mine is kitted with pretty much everything these bikes are noted for, including engine protection for the physically rather large L/C V Twin, three removable hard luggage bags, adjustable suspension, solid hand guards, both center and side stands, etc etc etc.

This is a legal "highway!"

My XT 600 on the other hand is a large displacement 4V single that is air cooled, (no radiator to damage in a tip over) fairly light and has happily carried me through the Baja peninsula and around the Cabot Trail. It's also pretty competent off road. It make far less power than the DL but is also much lighter, has a good stand up riding position and is stone reliable.

KLR, does it all!

Somewhere in New Brunswick

The other thing that ADV bikes are good at ls looking like you just conquered the Sahara! In some ways they are the extension of the extension we used to know as PD (Paris to Dakar) bikes and which today can be found on show room floors in big bore twins/ triples and even fours.

Don't try this at home boys! Certainly not on your GS 1200

In my riding career I've traveled a great deal on bikes from my DT 50 (CDN BIKER B.C. on 49cc a Day) right on up to Gold Wings. I get a great deal of satisfaction riding my dual purpose bikes on trails that could and have swallowed mountain goats! I personally own several true dual purpose bikes including a family of three XT Yamaha's.

I don't need a Go Pro, I have a handlebar mounted Gopher!

Street and off road legal, they bikes are powerful enough to ride to your trail head, suspended with decent suspension, shod with the obligatory 21" front and 17 or 18 inch rear knobby or semi knobby tires, in my case suitable for 50/50 riding off and on the road. They are slim, unlike the ADV bikes but carry far less fuel, however simplicity and reliability coupled with very good fuel consumption allow me to ride my XT 350 for example, about 175 miles on a single 10L tank without switching to my reserve. All of my DP bikes are air cooled, two of them are 6 speed transmissions and all my XT's are four cycle engines! I used to ride two cycle bikes at one time but of course they have virtually vanished from the makers.

I know this 'road' it's hard packed and suitable for a good rider on an ADV

Hard to beat an ADV for long distance touring.

I have ridden various DP bikes on freeways, quiet two lane country roads, on parts of the SCORE Baja race course and many trails all over the continent. The downside of these bikes... I'll be the first to admit, the leanings to off road use limit the comfort a great deal. Gearing (which can be altered in most cases by changing sprocket teeth ratios, try that on your BMW GS 1200!) can inexpensively and fairly quickly be changed to suit your riding style. If you want to carry anything at all you will have to choose from a variety of soft sided bags. The ADV bikes generally are equipped with good quality hard luggage systems.

Hard packed gravel, no problem. Just don't try this...

Should you buy an ADV bike ranging in size from 250-1200cc... depends on what you wish to do with it. Pack the DL up and head around North America staying mostly to paved roads or hard packed gravel... go for it! If you are like me and wonder while gazing off the highway, where that trail in the woods goes... forget the ADV and find yourself a new or used Dualie.