Considering getting an adv bike. Probably a used Africa Twin. Weekend camping trips, maybe a long cross country trip once or twice a year.

I'd eventually like to ride the TAT.

Grew up on dirt bikes. Moved into street bikes in my teens. Rode some beasts into my late 20's. Then had kids and a job to occupy my time.

Now that I have some free time (and some money), looking forward to getting back in the saddle and seeing some country.

Any forums I should check out? Resources?

I have a Yamaha Super Tenere, though I've not gone on any adventures.

Though any future adventures would be strictly to paved roads (or gravel roads where necessary).

Advrider.com is probably the best forum for this topic. Lots of ride reports and also regional subforums to meetup with other riders in your area. Also there are subforums for the various adv bike styles (largely broken up between the euro and Asian brands).

Then once you decide on your sled, each of those have their own forums as well.

I have Yamaha Super Tenere with almost 80k miles on it. Advrider the AT forum seems decent.

I used to ADVride. 2000 Kawi KLR then a 2006 Suzuki WeeStrom.

The KLR was by far less expensive to keep up and upgrade, and was a pretty capable bike. The Wee was a million times better on the road though. I went from Charleston, WV to Tampa, FL in one day and felt great. The KLR on interstates was like riding an unbalanced clothes washer.

ADVrider is THE forum, aside from bike-specific ones.

Adventure Rider Forum is the place to go where you'll find dozens of subforum sites for nearly every motorcycle.

My cross country ride for years was a Gold Wing. Beautiful ride on the highway but a handful in stop/go traffic.

If you decide to ride on highways, the IronButt forum is the site to explore.

2020 BMW F850GS. If I cant get there on the BMW, I just stay home!

quote:

Originally posted by YooperSigs:
2020 BMW F850GS. If I cant get there on the BMW, I just stay home!

End of Earth: 2 Miles
Upper Peninsula: 4 Miles

/^\
| Appears to only 2-4 miles...that is not much riding.

Even Harley-Davidson is going to jump into adventure motorcycles. There should be news on January 19th, 2021 which is the dealer scheduled announcement for the new product.

Harley-Davidson Pan American

quote:

Originally posted by mkueffer:

quote:

Originally posted by YooperSigs:
2020 BMW F850GS. If I cant get there on the BMW, I just stay home!

End of Earth: 2 Miles
Upper Peninsula: 4 Miles

/^\
| Appears to only 2-4 miles...that is not much riding.

Even Harley-Davidson is going to jump into adventure motorcycles. There should be news on January 19th, 2021 which is the dealer scheduled announcement for the new product.

Harley-Davidson Pan American

Having owned a few Harley's, I believe the Motor Company will manage to fuck up the Pan American.

I have an interest in a Pan American but until I can actually look at one in the HD local showroom, I will believe it when I see it. I would like to send my $$$ to Milwaukee instead of Munich. HD has been promising it for some time but so far.... Zip! Another SF member who is well placed with HD recently told me that the Pan American is actually coming, so time will tell.
And that 4 miles is 8 inches deep in sand and full of Moose!

I have a 2019 Africa Twin DCT and love it.

How much offroad are you going to be doing? Many of those big ADV (over 900cc) are not really that much fun offroad.

If I were you I would at least take a look at the Yamaha Ténéré 700 over the Africa Twin if you are going to be doing much offroad.

Advrider.com is a great place to learn a lot, and read some great ride reports. The Flea Market there is really good to buy/sell gear. Since you’re in Texas, take a look at TwoWheeledTexans.com too.
The fellow who owns/runs it keeps it a pretty good community. Lots of dual sport and adventure riders there.

quote:

Originally posted by Jelly:
How much offroad are you going to be doing?

Probably 70% on-road. I know everything is a compromise. I'm a fairly big guy. 6'2 250. I don't mind having a bigger bike. Mostly road riding to get to some dirt roads to do some camping. Maybe some trail riding, but nothing gnarly.

The GS and KTM are probably out of my budget one you figure in maintenance/parts, etc.

I guess that leaves me with the Tiger, Tenere, or Africa Twin. Of those, I liked the AT best. I like the idea of being able to get Honda parts pretty much everywhere.

If you get the AT, you may want to get it resprung for your weight, especially 2up and/or fully loaded panniers. I see a lot of riders your size complaining of bottoming out. Honda apparently thinks the average size rider is about 165. I’m 180 and have preloads maxed out. I ride about 60/40 favoring dirt. I really should respring mine.

quote:

Originally posted by fwbulldog:
Considering getting an adv bike. Probably a used Africa Twin. Weekend camping trips, maybe a long cross country trip once or twice a year.

I'd eventually like to ride the TAT......

My current adventure bikes are a 2021 Tenere' 700 (which I traded in my 2016 African Twin on) and a 2019 KTM 1090R. The Africa Twin was a nice piece, good power, comfortable, nice handling on all roads... dirt, curvy, and highway. If buying a used Africa Twin I would look at 2018 and up.

Ride something similar to whatever your friends or people you plan on doing ADV trips ride. You want a bike that performs similarly to theirs. No fun being the slow guy on the Highway if your riding partners are all running big bikes, even if your "little" bike performs much better/easier on the trails. Likewise, it's no fun being the guy who's bike can do 125mph on the highway, but misses out on all the fun forest single-track because riding a big ass bike sucks for narrow technical single-track.

Why does what your ADV partners ride matter? "Solo" multi-day ADV back-road riding/trail riding/camping is typically for very experienced ADV riders or masochists. When you go with others, you can split up the camping gear loads (cooking gear, tools, food/drink, toiletry, shelter, etc). Heavy loads SUCK on a motorcycle and it's always heavier when you go solo than when you go with friends and can lighten the gear loads. Plus if you have motorcycle problems, accidents, stuck, etc, you have support to help get out of trouble. Sucks being by yourself in the middle of nowhere with a broken bike, cell service or not. Even worse if you have an injury (and even minor injuries on a motorcycle like a slightly sprained ankle or wrist from a fall are pretty major problems without anyone to help with simple things like lifting a dropped motorcycle off the ground).

^^^^ What he said! I am very careful about choosing my rides and routes. Breakdowns, crashes and injuries can turn life threatening in the Yoop pretty quickly. I want a pleasant ride not a survival course!

You want a crash course on adventure riding, look no further than Helge Pedersen. His book 'Ten Years on Two Wheels" will give you an inside look at how it's done. I ride a 2005 BMW GS and can tell you that when the bike gets that big it's more like a Ford Explorer than it is a Jeep Wrangler. It's an extremely capable machine, but it's more suited to some kind of track rather than true off roading.

quote:

Originally posted by AllenInWV:
The KLR on interstates was like riding an unbalanced clothes.

Been there.
Sold KLR and bought a 2018 AT w manual transmission.
Regarding Fort Nine review on the New Yamaha Tenere 700, have a look at the older Fort Nine review of the AT.

quote:

Originally posted by p113565:
Regarding Fort Nine review on the New Yamaha Tenere 700, have a look at the older Fort Nine review of the AT.

The T7 looks great, until you find out it's seriously undersprung. So you have to add the cost of new springs front/rear, shock re-valve, all the setup, etc. I'm 255lbs without riding gear and luggage. No way I can ride a stock 700.

By the time you add up all the work you gotta do, you're at Africa Twin or KTM890 pricing.

I keep going in circles trying to save a few thousand dollars, which is stupid considering I don't want to be stranded out in BFE with a busted bike.