Trail Bike Monthly Ratings

[Suzuki Al]

:XT Alan:

Aprilia Caponord - the standard bike is mor adventure-tourer than true trail bike.
The Rally Raid should be more than capable of some gentle off-road.

BMW GS1150 The first superbike trailie. Superb road bike....Adventure: a wealth of practical overland optional extras.

BMW GS1200 Good off-road ability for such a big bike...niggling warranty issues (spindles, gearboxes, rear wheels) hasn't stopped them selling in droves. Even more of a superbike (than the 1150).

BMW F650 Solid, stylish and sensible. Great fun to ride on and 0ff-road.

Cagiva Navigator Right up ther with the best of the bunch, though, certainly more giant motard than big trailie.

CCM 644DS Good on the dirt considering its size and weight. Still beefy but better.

Honda XR650R The one to beat. Not for the faint-hearted.

Honda Dominator The definitive civilised big-single 4 stroke trail bike, with genuine off-road ability.

Honda TA 600: superb trail tourer. 650: Same as before only more so. True dual purpose machine, great all rounder.

Honda Africa Twin Better off-road than you'd imagine, great on fast and dusty trails. Top quality all rounder.

Honda Varadero Limited off-road ability....serious adventure tourer.

Kawasaki KLR600/650 Fine road machine with plenty of off road ability.... 650: competent rather than spectacular.

KTM 640 Adventure KTM;s attempt to cash in on their successful rally raid bike.You too can be Kini.

KTM 950 Adventure Awesome monster trailie with great off-road ability. By far the best off-road performance in class.

Suzuki DRZ400S Superbly versatile water cooled lump. Over-geared and a tad porky for serious off-roading. DRZ400E Time for an update?

Suzuki DR650 Okay I s'pose.

Suzuki DL1000 Excellent handling but cast wheels and and limited off-road ability make this more tourer than trailie. Stick to the hard stuff.

Triumph Tiger On-road only......Good road bike.

Yamaha DT125/175 One of the best trail bikes ever.

Yamaha TT250-R as civilized as it is competent. Mr Nice Guy

Yamaha XT600E Not as good as the original. TT600E nicer than the XT.

YYamaha XT660R Very little in the way of off-road ability, but the torquey motor is good. Regrettably not the all-rounder the XT6 was.....

Yamaha TDM850 Not a true trail bike but no less trailable than the Tiger. Good roadster.

[XTreme]

David Jones has got an XR650R import with 1200kms on the clock. Not sure how long it's been there....bloody big thing too.

[Buckster]

Originally posted by Pete@Jan 23 2005, 08:08 PM
David Jones has got an XR650R import with 1200kms on the clock. Not sure how long it's been there....bloody big thing too.
16522


Very easy on front tyres I've heard.

[Cupid Stunt]

I'm gobsmacked
They actualy listed the CCM :o

Gotta say I'm sooo impressed with how smooth it is


Turns out it's not a DR650 lump after all, it's an XF650 (apparently same thing but a little more refined)

[Icecold]

Originally posted by XT Alan@Jan 23 2005, 09:04 PM
:XT Alan:

Cagiva Navigator Right up ther with the best of the bunch, though, certainly more giant motard than big trailie.

16521



:lg: Yep,got to agree with that :o

Oh Shit!,yea but,no but,yea but......it does look like a big trailie :unsure:

[XTreme]

Honda TA 600: superb trail tourer. 650: Same as before only more so. True dual purpose machine, great all rounder.

What happened to gutless, bland, and boring? :laughing:

[WRANT]

I must be wrong then,
I'll start going to work on the XTR and leave my DT 125 in the garage for the winter or if I want to go off road.
Thank smeg that someone told me I could't go off road on it, I could have hurt myself. I'll borrow my mates short wheel base landie to come to wales for the meet.

[Suzuki Al]

Originally posted by Pete@Jan 24 2005, 12:06 AM
Honda TA 600: superb trail tourer. 650: Same as before only more so. True dual purpose machine, great all rounder.

What happened to gutless, bland, and boring? :laughing:
16553


You see what an honest reporter I am :lg:

Sometimes magazines are complimentary sometimes they aren't. They obviously don't like the XT at all :(. They aren't too keen on the DRZ either.

I didn't include every bike, but the Yam WR450 isn't on their wish list either.

[Dr Rich]

I agree completely with what they say about the TA, the only one of these Ive ridden for any serious time on and off tarmac, as a total novice. Completely confidence inspiring.

[Suzuki Al]

Yes indeed. This :XT Alan: has made Pete a happy bunny :FFonRF:

[XTreme]

It's just telling me what I already knew TBH. And anybody else who's had one.
I'm sick of these mags slating it, despite the fact that they can't find anything to fault it for.
It's comfortable for both rider and pillion, smooth, it handles superbly, stops well, has more than enough performance for sensible real world use (as Cupid will confirm), and it starts first time every time.
Realistically, how much more do they want from a bike? Oh...I forget...150bhp. :rolleyes:

[Cupid Stunt]

How come you don't use it off road Pete ?

It's what it's for init (well half anyways)

[XTreme]

Originally posted by Cupid Stunt@Jan 24 2005, 11:56 AM
How come you don't use it off road Pete ?

It's what it's for init (well half anyways)
16638


I don't know what I'm doing in that environment Terry. And plastic is expensive.
That's why I got the TT-R.
And I bought the TA for it's ease of use on the road and two up capability.

[nav18tor]

Originally posted by Icecold@Jan 23 2005, 11:54 PM
:lg: Yep,got to agree with that :o

Oh Shit!,yea but,no but,yea but......it does look like a big trailie :unsure:
16547



Big fun, big Cagiva, must agree with that
:FFonRF:

[Icecold]

Originally posted by nav18tor@Jan 24 2005, 05:06 PM
Big fun, big Cagiva, must agree with that
:FFonRF:
16719


I bought the Navi 'cos it suited my needs,not because someone told me it was the bike to have! It will do virtually all I want it to,long distance 200miles+,town & commute,big torque engine,good handling & individualality :lg:

Despite me being 5'9" & 11 stone,for a big bike it is very well balanced & slim in width,we're just well suited together :original:

To me all the other big trailies I tried:-Vstrom,Valdero,Tiger,1100GS seemed to me top heavy,wide,vague front end & some just to big for 'ickle me :blushing:

[nav18tor]

Originally posted by Icecold@Jan 24 2005, 10:55 PM
I bought the Navi 'cos it suited my needs,not because someone told me it was the bike to have! It will do virtually all I want it to,long distance 200miles+,town & commute,big torque engine,good handling & individualality :lg:

Despite me being 5'9" & 11 stone,for a big bike it is very well balanced & slim in width,we're just well suited together :original:

To me all the other big trailies I tried:-Vstrom,Valdero,Tiger,1100GS seemed to me top heavy,wide,vague front end & some just to big for 'ickle me :blushing:
16809


Strange how people are surprised at my (our) choice of bike, because we did not follow the crowd.

Like icecold, I took 2 years to come to the conclusion that Cagiva has designed a bike around my requirments and that has been bourne out in the grin it puts on my face :original: :original:

Its even funnier how every magazine that tested it rated it very highly, but no one in the UK noticed what they were saying

Navigator + Fun
:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

ps I am 5'11" and 13 stone (without bike gear)

[Icecold]

Originally posted by nav18tor@Jan 25 2005, 12:06 AM
Strange how people are surprised at my (our) choice of bike, because we did not follow the crowd.

Like icecold, I took 2 years to come to the conclusion that Cagiva has designed a bike around my requirments and that has been bourne out in the grin it puts on my face :original: :original:

Its even funnier how every magazine that tested it rated it very highly, but no one in the UK noticed what they were saying

Navigator + Fun
:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

ps I am 5'11" and 13 stone (without bike gear)
16826


I looked at one magazine write up(Bike?)& thought it could be what I'm after.
Got a test ride on a skanky one at Infinity(Clapham)for three hours!! Best out of all I mentioned before by far :lg: Found my 2 year old with 4000km on it & bingo!

Even if I won the lottery I'd still keep it :o High praise indeed :thumbsup:

[vstrombc]

[quote=XT Alan,Jan 23 2005, 01:04 PM]

[
Suzuki DL1000 Excellent handling but cast wheels and and limited off-road ability make this more tourer than trailie. Stick to the hard stuff.


:faintthud: Again - the myth about the V-Strom's cast wheels !!!!!!!
We have never seen a report on a broken cast wheel on a v-strom !!!!!
And, yes they will go everywhere a GS1150 or KTM 950 will go - just slower off road.
the terrain shown in the links was cake for the v-strom - no wheel damage, no chin spoiler damage, no bodywork damage.
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=47146
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=48367
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25173
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread....t=loadedpalooza (http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=53308&highlight=loadedpalooza)

[Pete Rock]

Originally posted by vstrombc@Jan 27 2005, 05:47 AM
And, yes they will go everywhere a GS1150 or KTM 950 will go - just slower off road.
the terrain shown in the links was cake for the v-strom - no wheel damage, no chin spoiler damage, no bodywork damage.
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=47146
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=48367
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25173
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread....t=loadedpalooza (http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=53308&highlight=loadedpalooza)
17191

:rolleyes:

[MilleOnAir]

Originally posted by vstrombc@Jan 27 2005, 06:47 AM
We have never seen a report on a broken cast wheel on a v-strom !!!!!

And you still haven't - that's not what is says. They're talking about the suitability of a bike with cast wheels to go off road - ie NIL.

Cast wheels are stiff and when they break, you chuck the whole wheel. Wire spoked wheels have built in shock absorbtion, When you ding a rim or bust a spoke, you straighten or replace it.

Cast wheels are also quite heavy unless they're forged.

Ian

[Suzuki Al]

Originally posted by MilleOnAir@Jan 27 2005, 04:12 PM
And you still haven't - that's not what is says. They're talking about the suitability of a bike with cast wheels to go off road - ie NIL.

Cast wheels are stiff and when they break, you chuck the whole wheel. Wire spoked wheels have built in shock absorbtion, When you ding a rim or bust a spoke, you straighten or replace it.

Cast wheels are also quite heavy unless they're forged.

Ian
17245


Correct :lg:

[Suzuki Al]

BTW If I was in the market for a 650 or 1000 V Twin, I would seriously consider the V Stroms ahead of the more expensive equivalent Hondas, Aprilias, BMWs etc. They are great value for money and to all intents and purposes are a match for any other bikes in their categories.

[vstrombc]

Originally posted by MilleOnAir@Jan 27 2005, 08:12 AM
And you still haven't - that's not what is says. They're talking about the suitability of a bike with cast wheels to go off road - ie NIL.

Cast wheels are stiff and when they break, you chuck the whole wheel. Wire spoked wheels have built in shock absorbtion, When you ding a rim or bust a spoke, you straighten or replace it.

Cast wheels are also quite heavy unless they're forged.

Ian
17245


I disagree with your statement that cast wheels are not suitable for off road riding - in your words "NIL" . Many v-strom riders in North america and at least one skilled rider in Australia ride very rough off road with no problems. It would take a monster hit or crash to break one but yes, once you break one your hooped.
click the link for an expert wheelbuilder's opinion.
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread....t=spoked+wheels (http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=66791&highlight=spoked+wheels)
http://dr650bc.smugmug.com/photos/8892883-M.jpg

[Suzuki Al]

You could get a Goldwing along that track. So, if you are talking about this kind of terrain cast wheels are fine.

[XTreme]

I'd even take my Honda Gayboy up that track....if there was a cafe there! :Julian:

[vstrombc]

Originally posted by Pete@Jan 27 2005, 09:37 AM
I'd even take my Honda Gayboy up that track....if there was a cafe there! :Julian:
17278


ok ok - but the section just previous was a 20% grade with loose rocks and erosion gullies - looked spooky but the v-strom putted up at 2000rpm & sounded like a thumper. And on the downhill side the engine torque made braking easier. The GS guys had trouble with the brakes heating up due to the heavier weight.

and no - you most certanly wouldn't take a gold wing there - the GW likes this type of road better - my brother along side Okanagan Lake, BC
http://dr650bc.smugmug.com/photos/9550425-M.jpg

[XTreme]

You got some great roads out there. :FFonRF:

[Suzuki Al]

Originally posted by vstrombc@Jan 27 2005, 05:53 PM
my brother along side Okanagan Lake, BC
http://dr650bc.smugmug.com/photos/9550425-M.jpg
17283


Has your brother had his frame checked for cracks and some extra welding? There was a recall here in the UK on some of the (02 and 03) 1800s.

[vstrombc]

Originally posted by XT Alan@Jan 27 2005, 10:03 AM
Has your brother had his frame checked for cracks and some extra welding? There was a recall here in the UK on some of the (02 and 03) 1800s.
17294


thanks for the heads up - his bike is an 04 - hopefully that situation has been addressed by Honda - but we will watch it