This class of bike really depends on what you want.

More dirt:  KLR
More street:  v-strom

Step up in class/amenities/sorta-like-gs1200....super tenere

But that's my take on things.  You may feel differently.  

My interest in "adventure bikes" is more street oriented with some fire-road/dirt road capability.  

When I start looking, I'll be in the v-strom market.  I'd love to get a Tenere, but those are more spendy and newer on the market (so there aren't as many used ones).

Stroms have been around for a while.  They are respected as being reliable.  So is the KLR, but do the doohickey.  I like the seating position and the fact that they are better set up for carrying more stuff.  Taller bikes too, which I like.  

I got a couple shots of my tool tube tool kit today while screwing around with my bike in the garage.  It's been raining all weekend.

The tire kit is under the seat.  Other stuff is in my top case.  This is just the essentials, and really all I can get in the tube.



I probably need to try to add a few more things, but for now it's a start.

Looks like a good kit for the major stuff, well done.


I'm heading out for the Trans West Virginia Trail in a couple weeks, so I've been prepping my bike & kit for that...some sections are hairy as hell for a big bike, but it's been done so I'm gonna give it a crack. Gets hard trying to think of all the ways you can strand a bike and how to unfuck it, lol.


 

I'll be using "knobbies".

I really wanted to use ratcheting wrenches, but I'm not willIng to part with the set in my tool box right now, and I haven't had time to get up to Lowe's to get a set at a reasonable price.  The little craftsman set seemed like a decent set for not too much money locally.  They just wanted too much for ratcheting.

When doing major rides like that, i like to  get the bad stuff out of the way.  Not long after leaving pavement, I dump the bike. On purpose. That way it's done and I can just ride without worrying about doinng it. twisted logic, but has worked for the most part.

546 miles on my 2005 DL650 Vstrom today, I need a better seat for sure. I have 650ish more to go tomorrow. Pasadena, CA to Stanwood, WA in two days!

Cruising at 85 indicated with a head wind, saddle bags, and 50-60lbs of gear makes for the worst mileage I've ever seen on this bike. 42mpg, when I normally average 50-55mpg. And I'm running a 16t front sprocket.

Pussy.

What is a little MPG when you are having fun

I can't wait for it to quit raining long enough to take my DL650 for a nice long ride.  ***I will fully admit to being a wimp that does not like riding in the rain.  I might melt.***

 
The stock 650 seat is a torture device after a few hours.


The Sargent is a really good seat for the $$, even the Suzuki Gel seat is a big improvement over stock.

I seriously reccommend Seat Concepts.  Best seat i ever had, and fantastic people. Out near Riverside, so possible to ride out for you. Call ahrad, they may do a swap while you are there. Tiny shop, run out of Lems garage

 
That's a good solution too. I used one of their kits to re-do my KTM 525, made a big diff.

I had a flat on my truck so I took the bike to work. Radar said I should have been OK. The radar lied! It was a wet ride home lol. Gear kept me dry but its time to rain x the ole visor

I made it to my destination. Almost 1200 miles in 29 hours. A seat is definitely on the short list.

Hell of a ride!

I wish I'd had a week to take the coast, but I was on a deadline.

I have a 2010 BMW F800GS with 13,800 mileage I will be happy to sell you. Has heated hand grips, skid plate, BMW panniers with BMW luggage, ABS that you can turn off for dirt and other stuff. will sell for $7500.

should have read more than the first post. He bought a bike a few weeks ago.  Also, your post is a good way to get the thread nuked.

Well, my boots aren't going to ship

They offered my wife something "similar" that "he's going to love" at about $5 less. Guess we'll see. I'll post em up when they get here. I have no clue what they are. I really hope they aren't full MX boots...

 
Slicks says they're the best.


(and he's right, except that's impractical)

Best guess from poking around their site is a pair of these:




http://www.chaparral-racing.com/Product/thor-blitz-ls-boots/037-3410-1207.aspx


I like the looks of the O'Neil boots better but can't get them in my size. These are growing on me though. They look comfy.

'Xactly

Those seem to get fairly good reviews.  I was considering those or the ONeals.  Unfortuneatly, damn Glock 43 stole all of the rest of my play money this month.

My leather hiking boots will have to last another month....hopefully along with my ankles.

That makes me feel better, I'm not familiar with the brand.

 
In case of accident, fall on your head.

The Glock 43 was $405, plus shipping and a $15 transfer fee........I could wear it in an ankle holster as protection for one of them.

Can you blame me?


ETA , almost ran over a roughly 36" bull snake the other day with my vstrom.  Scared the shit out of me, as they look very much like a rattler, until you stop and get a good look at the head and tail.  I wasn't fast enough to get my camera out when I went back to check.  He was warming himself on the pavement.  

I hate snakes.

 
I have a picture somewhere of a 10' blacksnake stretched across a road that was sunning itself. I came super close to running it over, and circled back to check it out. It was a cold snap, and I think it came out too early in the spring/summer and was trying to get warm. It was so sluggish when I picked it up with my tire lever, it just drooped its head over it like it was asleep. I skootched it sideways so it was down the road instead of across it.


I don't love 'em, but he's a rat-eating superhero, and a big boy so I figured he deserved to live. Biggest blacksnake I've ever seen, probably 3" across at his fattest. They don't get that big in Ohio, as a rule.

I saw some video of a truck in Africa running over a mamba, and the snake striking the passenger  through the window.   Thats the scene that ran through my head as I swerved to miss my snake.

A 10 ft er would have had me climbing the handlebars.....nope, nope, nope.

Ok, you guilted me into ordering the O'Neals.  I'll let you know what I think when they get here.

I've just spent the last 20 min watching KTM 1190 Adventure R videos on YouTube.  Someone please convince me that these bikes are not reliable and a bad choice for a mid life crisis bike....

Actually, I think it IS a bad choice for a mid ife crisis.  KTM are overbuilt, and you pay for it. Unless you actually need to capabilities, a V-Strom, Tiger 800, FJ09, etc will do what you need, and save money at the dealer and in the long run.  KTM are very maintenance expensive.

I did the Yamaha demo ride a few weeks ago planning on purchasing an FZ 07.
After I rode them all I want the FJ-09 in the worst way.
Eta:A mode is stupid fast

 
Agree with this this. Owned several ktm's...great grin machines, but they're all fussy and everything about them is expensive. If you know that going in and don't mind it, they are all kinds of fun. Someone always says "Mine has been stone cold reliable." But do your homework, read a lot...they all have their gremlins, and you're probably not going to get the perfect one. I didn't. Not once.


 

My wife rode it also. She decided on the Versys 1000. I didnt ride the FJ09, but highly reccommend the Versys 1k.  It's almost perfect.  Also stupid fast on HI mode.

She says her Versys is quicker and faster than the FJ09. She came from an 2006 FZ01.

MSR ATV Boots

i just got these, cant beat them for 70 dollars shipped.

Well, my boots arrived today. They're the Thors I linked to earlier. 14s are a size too small, so I'll have to see about returning them. I'm not too crazy about them, the buckles don't work well and they don't show that they have WHITE SOLES in the pics . Guess its back to the drawing board...

Ok, I'm hoping one of you adventure gurus, can help me out.  I have the Givi monokey rack on the back of my bike , as well as the side racks.  I like the ease of popping one of my two Givi luggage bags on there, but it's big.......and tall.  I'd like to be able to throw a shorter box on there and save the Givi luggage for the side racks.

Today at walmart, while waiting for my truck tires to be installed,  I found a Plano Large pistol box for $40.  It would be perfect as a nice shorter box for my bike.  Anyone have any experience with mounting this up on the Givi rack?  It seems I could easily cut holes for the rack points into the box, then reseal up around those holes, so it stays waterproof.  My one problem is the latch, or lack of one, or even a way to lock the box on the rack.  

Anyone do something like this?  I really like the size of that box.

I had a small Pelican box for a long time.  Pull the givi mount plate off and just bolt your box to the bike's rack.  Or buy a very top box off ebay for about $30

I got the O'NEAL boots today.

Yeah, I won't be walking very far in these.    You folks werent kidding when you compared motorcycle boots to ski boots.  Hell, I've got a couple pairs of ski boots, I damn near could have had them pull double duty.

The O'Neals seem to fit fairly true to size.  Maybe a bit wide.They don't seem to have much flex at the ankle.  I definitely will be taking walking shoes everywhere I go that I intend to get off the bike.  

I guess, I'll let you know what I think of them after I ride in them a bit.  

Update on the ONeals.

I rode 220 miles today to Cook City MT.  I had a quick lunch there before scurrying hoe before the afternoon storms.  I got sprinkled on a bit, and it was much colder up on the pass than I figured it'd be today.  Luckily I packed warmer clothes, and rain gear, just in case.

The boots.   hmmmm.  They are not comfy, even riding in them.  I've got red marks in my shins where they rubbed.  Also, my biggest problem with them is I can't get my toe under the shift lever with them.  I had to use the side of the boot, which does have ribs that did the job, but I wasn't very graceful shifting.  I just couldn't get that big boot angled enough.   Are all MX boots like this, or is it just the combination of my bike and those size 13 boots?

I'm interested in others experience with their boots.

for a full boot I really like Sidi Adventure Rain.   Flexible enough to shift the Strom and KLR, but you dont want to walk very far in them.  I'm odd that I like a full boot with shin protection. Never needed it, so I dont know why. Maybe just the feel?  I always get waterproof, because wet feet all day really really really sucks. A lot!

Yes, they are stupid expensive, but worth it in my opinion. Hopefully swingset will chime in with better options for you.

http://imgur.com/gallery/zO3eL12

Well, I was smart enough to bring walking shoes in case I broke down and had to hoof it.  I took that advice from you fellas.  

I'll bet once they break in a bit, they will be a little more flexible in the anke, but not much.  The inword side of the boot is plastic for stiffness and protection.

I went for a 200 mile ride today on my Wee-Strom. Love this thing!!

Also wanted to mention;  wow, I can't believe how well the weestrom handled the switchbacks, twisty mountain turns and steep grades.  Compared to my old cruiser, it was night and day.  The cruiser was awful in the turns.  I always felt like it just wouldn't turn.  The wee, just leans over and sweeps the turn.  I can finally see why folks like riding "twisties".   I never understood that before.

I also noticed when I got home that the suspension on my Wee was set to the absolute softest and least dampening.  I added in preload to the rear shock and was surprised that it made the bike sit higher with me on it.  Just a bit, but noticeable.

Nice,

What tank bag are you using, and do you like it?  I like the size.  It doesn't look too big.

It is a Sedici tank bag.  Size wise, it is pretty nice.  I bought it for my old bike and used it today on this one.  The only real negative, is that only 2 of the 4 magnets are actually holding it to the tank, the other two magnets are sitting on the plastic.

I used a Joe Rocket Manta XLtank bag. pretty good size, fit the Strom tank well.  My wife has a Manta, about half the size. She says it's perfect, i think it's a tad small. It willl hold a water bottle, wallet, phone , and noting else.

Just got back from several days on the TWVT (that's Trans West Virginia Trail, an addition to the TET & TAT if you're unaware). It's a 700+ mile trail going in two slices through the entire state of WV into Tennessee where it links up with the Trans America Trail.

It ranges from mild back road paved roads, to some short section of 2-digit twisties, and the better portion is unpaved roads, derelict roads, trails and goat paths marked for severity. It's an endeavor better suited to a thumper than an adventure bike, but my buddy and I hit it on my DL650 and his GS1200A. We did the leg starting in the upper panhandle of WV going down to Jellico. We had no itinerary or timeline, just ride and see where we got. Turns out the trail has changed substantially since originally laid out, some sections widened and fast by oil work, while others have turned rutted and nearly impassable by big-bike...but we gave it all a shot. Our mph average was pathetic because of the terrain and cautious riding where a gravel truck or oil service vehicle will send you off a hillside. But, that just added to the fun and made us alert.


The riding is just spectacular...it's a crazy mix of "holy shit", "wow this is pretty", "damn these twisties look like ribbon candy" and "where the fuck are we"....sometimes within the hour.


Even with a good bit of offroad experience on big bikes, I found several sections white-knuckle hard because of massive two-track ruts that would bury you if you crossed up, and even with "knobbies" (lol), neither one of us could overcome some of the worst of it and we had several small sections where we had to "walk/power" the bikes through as a team then go back for the other bike. One part required a tow when I buried the back end in a muddy spot.


We renegade camped along the entire route, staying behind old community churches, in old graveyards, and sometimes on power line roads where we were generally left alone. One night some drunk side-by-side driving teenagers nearly wrecked into our campgrounds, but they were friendly enough. It's laid out so that some small town food/gas made it pretty comfortable, and aside from one episode where a union-bolt came loose and I lost my front brakes completely (requiring a long backtrack to a hardware store), we had no real issues.


Amazingly, neither one of us dropped a bike the entire time...but encountered many instances where it should have happened. Panic stop/full slide when a deer ran out in front of me, my buddy glanced off a stump and into a sapling, but stayed upright.


Here's some pics.














Typical road conditions on the bad sections. Nothing bad for a KLR...but with my ground clearance...fuck.
















Notice brake fluid leaking all over front wheel/ground....check those bolts!




One trail had 3 or 4 shit-choice parts like this....sinkhole on the left, washed out, 20-foot drop on the right, one slanted or off-camber path through you didn't want to fuck up.




It wasn't all bad.

Oh, and in the middle of the most remote oil-service road in the heart of that state, we got behind some twatwaffle who passive-aggressively drove 10mph and in the center of the road blocking us for nearly 5 miles of slow going road.



This is not noteworthy except that he had a BFL in his rear-window, and I have one on the nose of my Wee. Either it was Beekeeper who finally got his revenge on my years of zingers, Slicks hired someone to hold me up for a laugh, or the guy just didn't look to see I was a fellow ARFcommer...but I never wanted to see a hive of hornets thrown into a car window worse than that. When he got to a highway, he sped off...so I didn't get a chance to thank him for the slow tour counting pebbles on the road. I did get to catalog all 31 species of butterfly in that valley, and publish my work before we got to an intersection.






Hey, WV folks, it's polite to pull over if you're holding up 2 bikes and another truck. Either you're oblivious (bad), or you're getting off on it (worse). Either way, you suck.






Here's the culprit. PA plates. Notice where he's at on the road...blocking us like we were trying to win the Charlotte 500 on the final lap. Bitch move.











 

Looks like an amazing trip Swingset.  

Some people.

You should call then out in GD and see if anyone owns up, although, with that kind of passive aggressive move, they'd be to pussy to admit to it.