FAQ: Adventure bikes

From time to time Bikesales will be running these Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) articles dealing with any of a wide variety of motorcycling topics. Designed to break down often complex subjects into bite-sized pieces, they're aimed at pointing riders from novices to experts in the right direction on any chosen topic.

What is an adventure bike?
The term 'adventure bike' can be applied to any motorcycle whose focus is split between use on both sealed and unsealed roads. Adventure bikes can also be called dual-purpose bikes or dual-sport bikes – the terms are interchangeable. Adventure bikes can range in scope from bigger-capacity dirt bikes with a little extra comfort like Suzuki's DR650SE or Kawasaki's KLR650, through to road-biased models able to handle good-quality dirt roads, like Honda's VRF1200X Crosstourer or Suzuki's V-Strom 1000 (and siblings like the V-Strom 1000XT).

What are the most popular adventure bikes?
Virtually every brand offers at least one adventure model these days; some offer several. The top-selling adventure bike in 2017 is Honda's Africa Twin, followed by BMW's R 1200 GS and R 1200 GS Adventure, Suzuki's DR650SE, Kawasaki's KLR650, Honda's CB500XA and BMW's F 700 GS and F 800 GS. Other notable models include Triumph's Tiger Explorer 1200 and Tiger 800, Ducati's Multistrada 1200 and Multistrada 1200 Enduro, KTM's 1290 Adventure R/S and 1090 Adventure R, and Yamaha's Ténéré and Super Ténéré.

What makes a good adventure bike?
That depends on how you define 'adventure'. For some, staying relatively close to civilisation and avoiding anything more arduous than a gazetted dirt road is adventurous enough, while other might be setting off on a round-the-world epic, taking in everything from soaring mountain passes to jungle swamps, river crossings, thickly wooded trails and more. Adventure bikes are inherently a compromise between highway comfort and luggage-carrying ability versus off-road ability, and the trick is matching this balance to your own intended usage. Ask yourself what percentage of the time do you really plan to spend off-road – if you'll only be hitting the dirt once or twice a year do you really want to put up with those knobby tyres and skinny seat for the remainder? Fuel range is another factor to consider, as is tyre choice, luggage options, and crash protection. The seat height and the weight of the bike are also important – you need to be able to hop on or off without climbing ropes and oxygen tanks and there's no use heading into the bush on a bike so heavy you can't pick it up if thing go bad. And remember, a manufacturer's quoted dry weight and your bike's weight, fully fuelled and loaded with luggage, are two very different things…

What's the best luggage for an adventure bike?
There are two schools of thought here – hard or soft – and both have their pros and cons. Most manufacturers produce hard luggage for their bikes these days, which means two hard plastic (or alloy) panniers and a topbox. These usually require mounting brackets, which may or may not cost extra. Hard panniers are usually lockable and so they provide security and protection for your valuables. Most these days also detach in a couple of seconds, turning into a suitcase with handle for easy transport to your hotel room (or, ahem, tent – this is meant to be an adventure!). For adventure riding that's mainly conducted on the blacktop, they may be the best option. However, for off-road riding, hard cases are more prone to damage in the event of a spill and potentially trickier to fix out in the field.

While alloy boxes are tougher than plastic ones (and there are plenty of aftermarket companies that make extra-tough metal cases, like Touratech or Metal Mule), throwing the bike down the track can still result in damage, usually where the case rips off, breaks or twists the mounting bracket. Soft luggage, however, like the Andy Strapz gear shown below, won't do this – synthetic throwovers (instead of panniers), seat bags (that strap onto on the pillion seat) and tank bags usually cope with a spill, just don't expect your precious electronics to do likewise. Oh, and tank bags are very handy on the long haul – they're a great place to store those valuables in the one spot and most come with a clear sleeve for a map, if you still prefer old-school navigation to GPS.

What differentiates 'hard' from 'soft' adventure bikes?
There are a few tell-tale signs. Firstly, if the bike has antilock brakes, can you switch the system off? Being able to lock the rear wheel can give you better control on the dirt (like rear-wheel steering into corners), whereas active ABS can inadvertently see you overshoot corners. Some models have 'off-road ABS', where the ABS can be switched off at the rear while remaining active at the front, giving the best of both worlds. Honda's Africa Twin ABS model is one example. Next, check the suspension travel – more travel generally equals better off-road ability. Now, the tyres. All adventure bikes should come fitted with road-legal rubber, but there's a wide range of tyres available from chunky knobbies like Continental's TKC80s to milder, more road-oriented types, like Pirelli's Scorpion Trail II. Again, match the tyre to your intended usage. Finally, weight plays a big role. Triumph's Tiger Explorer 1200, at 258kg (dry), isn't going to be as nimble in the loose stuff as, say, KTM's 1290 Super Adventure R, at 217kg (dry). Suzuki's DR650SE has remained largely unchanged over decades and it's a bare-bones machine with a price tag to match, but it weighs 166kg (dry) and it'll handle rocky trails in the High Country where some of the top-dollar big-bore machines would fear to tread. Then again, it offers nowhere near the level of comfort, range or luggage-carrying ability, so you pays your money and you takes your choice.

What do adventure bikes cost?
How much do you want to spend? At the budget end of the scale, there's nothing to stop you making a few mods to a clapped out Honda postie bike and hitting the trails (plenty have done just that!), or you can lay some serious cash on the line for a top-spec big-bore model with all the trimmings. As a guide to new models, Suzuki's DR650SE kicks off from $8090 plus on-roads, while the market tops out with Ducati's Multistrada 1200 Enduro, at $29,990 plus on-roads – in between lies a world of options to suit budgets both big and small.

Still confused?
Don't worry, with the number of adventure bikes available, and the sheer scope of the models on offer, a little confusion is to be expected. Our advice? Read up before you buy – knowledge is power, and forewarned is forearmed. Of course, Bikesales reviews are a great place to start, so why not begin with our recent big-bore adventure bike comparison test. We plan to run a middle-weight adventure bike comparison test in coming months, and we've already published single-bike reviews on pretty much every adventure bike going. So get stuck in – and get set for adventure!