Motorcycle Lovers Thread

[scott43]

RIP Nicky Hayden...

 

[Snowfan]

The Tenere 700 continues to please...

There is a woman riding her Tenere 700 around the world. Her videos are fantastic. She passed through my area a few weeks ago. https://www.youtube.com/c/Got2Go/videos

 

[Bill Talbot]

This may be my next ADV style bike. It's kind of a mini me to my 950ADV.

Honestly I find the 950 just too big, heavy and powerful for the type of riding I've really been enjoying the last couple years. (btw, it weighs less than the T700)
This one (KTM 640ADV) seems to check all the boxes I've been saying inside my helmet. It can handle backroad blacktop crusing at 70mph no problem. Nice big gas tank with the weight down low so it has the range I want. (without having to strap on Rotopax). Great KTM suspension for the real off road bits. Nice light weight for corrections and saves. A joy on the dirt roads, rail beds and gravel sections. It will be just what I've been looking for I think. Now I just need to talk its owner into selling it to me! The 950ADV will stay too of course...

 

[Tom K.]

This may be my next ADV style bike. It's kind of a mini me to my 950ADV.

Honestly I find the 950 just too big, heavy and powerful for the type of riding I've really been enjoying the last couple years. (btw, it weighs less than the T700)
This one (KTM 640ADV) seems to check all the boxes I've been saying inside my helmet. It can handle backroad blacktop crusing at 70mph no problem. Nice big gas tank with the weight down low so it has the range I want. (without having to strap on Rotopax). Great KTM suspension for the real off road bits. Nice light weight for corrections and saves. A joy on the dirt roads, rail beds and gravel sections. It will be just what I've been looking for I think. Now I just need to talk its owner into selling it to me! The 950ADV will stay too of course...

Looks like a winner to me!

If KTM still made that 640 ADV, I'd have bought one -- really wanted a new bike this time around, plus the new dual-counterbalanced 690 single is SO smooth.

BTW the interweb thinks your 950 weighs more than a T700.

 

[Bill Talbot]

Looks like a winner to me!

If KTM still made that 640 ADV, I'd have bought one -- really wanted a new bike this time around, plus the new dual-counterbalanced 690 single is SO smooth.

BTW the interweb thinks your 950 weighs more than a T700.

My 950 went on a diet! You are correct they are a few pounds apart stock. Of course listed weights can mean little as many manufactures play the game well. I personally like the weight to reflect ready to ride with half the gas it can carry. Not to mention the fact that most ADV bikes get a LOT of farkles added.

2021 Yamaha Tenere 700 vs KTM 950 Adventure

A blog about dual sport and adventure motorcycle riding.

www.motoadventure.me

 

[OldJeep]

This years new toy. 2007 FJR that I picked up with under 17K miles. Got rid of the odd shaped stock bags, converted it to tubular bars so that I could get them where I wanted them. Been a very comfortable bike so far, but still fun on the track. Should be able to put a few thousand more miles on it before winter comes. Still have the FZ1 for shorter rides.

 

[OldJeep]

The other one - 2003 FZ1. Checking to see if it was time for waterskiing yet in March - nope

 

[crgildart]

What are the preferred riding rules in winter for folks here? I'm not comfortable going out when it's below freezing and there is a possibility of a frozen puddle here or there. Do you folks ride 2 wheelers in anything remotely like winter conditions?

 

[scott43]

I never rode in winter unless I had to. Once I had to start gearing up too much it became not worth it for me. 50F and below, nope.

 

[OldJeep]

What are the preferred riding rules in winter for folks here? I'm not comfortable going out when it's below freezing and there is a possibility of a frozen puddle here or there. Do you folks ride 2 wheelers in anything remotely like winter conditions?

I'm done if there is any chance of frozen water on the road. Actually managed to ride a couple days before xmas last year because it had warmed up enough to melt everything. Typically done late Nov. Usually can go pick up my ski pass on a bike though. (DL1000 I got rid of in May this year)

 

[Dakine]

Nothing like a frozen lake and a bike with ice spikes.
You talk about grip!

 

[Andy Mink]

When we had our Gold Wing the coldest I saw was <10°F. I went for a quick ride west on I80 then on 89 to 70 to 395 back to Reno. I had heated chaps and vest, plus that big, beautiful faring. The only things that got cold were my feet.

On a more thrilling note I rode to the wine country over I80. I got to the bug check station in Truckee and it was drizzling a bit, no big deal. By the time I got further up the road with nowhere to turn around I was in 4-6" snow. Now being younger and apparently not too bright I aimed straight, kept of the brakes, and held the throttle very, very steady. By the time I got to a place to turn around the snow had stopped and it was raining. I pulled under the offramp overpass, caught my breath, and continued on. A learning experience to be sure.

The worst riding conditions I've experienced have been high winds from the side. Gusts that catch you or the steady blow that suddenly, inexplicably stops and you make the quick swerve to catch yourself.

I consider think about getting another bike but it just doesn't seem reasonable at this time.

 

[scott43]

Having two young kids finished it for me.

 

[Andy Mink]

Having two young kids finished it for me.

There was that aspect. Now they're 27 and 24. The 27yo rides a Harley 883.

 

[scott43]

Yeah it's easy to be a hero when you have no kids. World charges after that ..
I'd love an 883 Iron..

 

[Snowfan]

What are the preferred riding rules in winter for folks here? I'm not comfortable going out when it's below freezing and there is a possibility of a frozen puddle here or there. Do you folks ride 2 wheelers in anything remotely like winter conditions?

 

[Snowfan]

I'm done if there is any chance of frozen water on the road. Actually managed to ride a couple days before xmas last year because it had warmed up enough to melt everything. Typically done late Nov. Usually can go pick up my ski pass on a bike though. (DL1000 I got rid of in May this year)

View attachment 144864

Did you like your V-Strom? I bought a 20 Wee(650)-Strom Adventure and really like it.

 

[OldJeep]

Did you like your V-Strom? I bought a 20 Wee(650)-Strom Adventure and really like it.
View attachment 144899

Honestly, I was not a fan. Mine was a 2004 DL1000. It was comfortable, poorly built and lacking power. I had it for a season and a half and sold it. Put maybe 6K miles on it. It just wasn't the right kind of bike for me, maybe if it had another 50HP

 

[Snowfan]

Honestly, I was not a fan. Mine was a 2004 DL1000. It was comfortable, poorly built and lacking power. I had it for a season and a half and sold it. Put maybe 6K miles on it. It just wasn't the right kind of bike for me, maybe if it had another 50HP

LOL...with an FJR and an FZ1 I can see how you came to that conclusion. So many fun bikes out there!

 

[François Pugh]

What are the preferred riding rules in winter for folks here? I'm not comfortable going out when it's below freezing and there is a possibility of a frozen puddle here or there. Do you folks ride 2 wheelers in anything remotely like winter conditions?

I don't ride these days, but I used to push the envelope into the winter.

I stopped riding in winter weather after getting my bike soaked in salt spray while riding home through some freezing rain that I got caught in. The ice wasn't so much of a problem as the resulting corrosion from not cleaning off the bike well enough when I got home. Speaking of ice, beware the manhole cover; they frequently freeze over first.

Winter riding rule # 1: if you are getting cold stop and warm up; you don't make the best decisions when suffering from hypothermia, bad decisions like, "If I ride twice as fast it will take me half as long to get home and I won't freeze to death." - got lucky on that one. Gas stations often have warm air hand dryers in the wash rooms that work for more than just drying hands, just say'n.

Rule # 2: Remember cold pavement does not have the same grip as warm pavement.

Also take note, your local snowmobile dealer is a good place to find winter gloves and other cold weather gear. Often times they are also a bike dealer.