[Red Liner]

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/showthread.php?p=3851887

Back story: Early on in this thread a couple of us had a bit of a banter on what constitutes an adv bike and what is a dual sport and what it should weigh Yada Yada...

I found this link explains things perfectly: http://www.atomic-moto.com/dual-sport-adventure.html

Now I am going to try and categorize a few bikes available in India into these two buckets loosely based on the article above and let's see how this goes...

Dual sports have to be light, don't need a pillion, have to be able to run fairly quickly overland, reasonably uncomfortable (lol) , can off road, but NOT dirt biking. A few farkles and we are done dual sporting one of these.

Dual sports:
*KTM 390 duke
*Impulse (it's here because it was around relatively recently)
*Himalayan
*mojo
*benelli 300

I would go a step further and call the Bluff on the mojo and the benelli and label them as wannabes.

Adv bikes are bigger, pillion friendly + luggage, can go long distances in comfort, soft roaders , cannot off road because of weight, dangerous to drop.

Adventure:
*versys
*tiger
*V strom
*multistrada
*1200 gs
*600 gt

Am I missing any? Do folks disagree with the classification? What's your take?

So what constitutes a dual sport or an adventure in the Indian context? Does any bike work for any kind of riding? Or have we finally come of age to get bikes that suit the kind of biker we are?

What kind of a biker are you?

[navin_v8]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/showthread.php?p=3851887

Back story: Early on in this thread a couple of us had a bit of a banter on what constitutes an adv bike and what is a dual sport and what it should weigh Yada Yada...

Mate at the risk of repeating myself I would take you back at the same thread. Refer to Post#26.

I found this link explains things perfectly: http://www.atomic-moto.com/dual-sport-adventure.html

A couple of other links which details the difference between different class of motorcycles:
https://rideapart.com/articles/diffe...dventure-bikes
http://www.bikebound.com/2015/08/26/...he-difference/

Hope this helps.

Now I am going to try and categorize a few bikes available in India into these two buckets loosely based on the article above and let's see how this goes...

Dual sports:
*KTM 390 duke
*Impulse (it's here because it was around relatively recently)
*Himalayan
*mojo
*benelli 300

I am not sure if the KTM Duke 390 qualifies for being a dual sports as it is marketed as a street fighter(read Roadster), although one can modify it to do whatever they want it to. But it isn't designed to be a dual sport from the factory AFAIK. Himalayan is not yet launched but from what it looks and engineered to be and also taking the views from Sid Lal's experience and CS Santosh's test it looks like a hybrid of an ADV tourer and a Dual sport to me in the same lines of Kawasaki KLR 650. Mahindra has taken a lot of efforts in developing the mojo and marketed it as a tourer while technically it is a roadster, but Mahindra has engineered its ergonomics to be that of a tourer as well. Benelli 300 again is a roadster IMHO.

I would go a step further and call the Bluff on the mojo and the benelli and label them as wannabes.

They ain't wannabes mate if you would not categorize them in dual sport category. They are essentially roadsters(aka Standard bikes) like the KTM Duke 390.

Adv bikes are bigger, pillion friendly + luggage, can go long distances in comfort, soft roaders , cannot off road because of weight, dangerous to drop.

Not necessarily, ADV tourers can do off road although not very technical trails. Read barcalad mate's experience on Triumph Tiger training camp about off roading including some technical trails. It is enlightening.

Adventure:
*versys
*tiger
*V strom
*multistrada
*1200 gs
*600 gt

Am I missing any? Do folks disagree with the classification? What's your take?

The bikes you've mentioned in the ADV category are more or less correct.

So what constitutes a dual sport or an adventure in the Indian context? Does any bike work for any kind of riding? Or have we finally come of age to get bikes that suit the kind of biker we are?

Mate a motorcycle can be what you want it to be or rather modify it for suiting your requirements. But if one has a choice of buying a properly engineering motorcycle from the factory for a particular purpose then it is even better. We as buyers will have more choices to choose from.

What kind of a biker are you?

I identify myself as a retro classic rider(read vintage RE motorcycles which were initially used as trails bike) with ADV tourer genes. The latter has started to gain an upper hand on my riding off lately. I would buy a motorcycle built for a particular purpose from the factory. Why so? because there are a lot of dynamics involved while designing, engineering and testing a motorcycle. The people who have made it are no ordinary people these are engineers, metallurgists, master fabricators, designers, test riders who have come together to build a particular class of motorcycles.

[Red Liner]

Ah I missed the baby ceeber as well...

[vigneshkumar31]

Hi Guys!
Im looking for an upgrade from my TB350 now and was looking at the Himalayan. Heard a lot of rants doing rounds on the web about the H and wanted to check for myself.

So, I rented a snow H that had 40 k on the odo, (abused and probably bashed within an inch of its life by all those who rode it before me I'm sure). Set off on a good 2 week ride across Spiti-Lahaul valley.


Contrary to the dark media around it, I simply loved the Himalayan. It was a no nonsense throw it around all you want kind of motorcycle and was definitely more fun in some circumstances compared to my loyal TB. The electric start didn't let me down, despite all my apprehensions, even close to zero degs on an early Chandrataal morning. Off road and rocks, boulders the H was just dismissing them.
I would pray for some more power and bigger tank on it though.

BUT With the BS4 FI versions , delivery unclear and all those reports of poor QC, I wonder if its okay to plonk 1.8 lacs(?) on it (for the 24.5 BHP).

I am a big fan of the Tiger and insanely in love with it, but I'd have to rob a bank for that.
Between the H and the Tiger, probably -Versys 650 sits, but on the bad side of 6lacs.

Which brings me to wait for these options with these concerns:

BMW G310GS - Power, Maintenance, Spares???
Benelli TRK 502 - Chinese Make?? Reliability??

Both hopefully within the sunnier side of 5 lacs and coming next year..
What would you do? Would Really appreciate some clarity.

[Nilesh5417]

Neither looks a possibility really anytime soon. BMW in fact clarified this week that they have no intention of launching the 310GS. TRK502 should come end of this year is what i keep hearing but i have my doubts really.
Get a used versys 650 i would say. You could a well kept one for as low as 7lacs!

[vigneshkumar31]

Originally Posted by Nilesh5417

Neither looks a possibility really anytime soon. BMW in fact clarified this week that they have no intention of launching the 310GS. TRK502 should come end of this year is what i keep hearing but i have my doubts really.
Get a used versys 650 i would say. You could a well kept one for as low as 7lacs!

Thanks Nilesh!
I can wait till the year turns,
Does the benelli 502 actually make sense,say if it's launched under 5lacs?
This is how it stacks against the costlier japs IMHO

-build and reliability ?
-benelli who?
-ass costs?

+looks good
+affordable twin cyl adv

There are not many options south of 5 as of now.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by vigneshkumar31

-benelli who?

More than Benelli, I would be worried about DSK who is bringing the brand to India. If reports are to be believed, the group is in a big financial mess.

http://punemirror.indiatimes.com/pun...w/57583494.cms

Benelli being a less profitable brand and with not much happening to keep the sales momentum going - might turn out to be a bubble waiting for burst.

I would look forward to the Versys X300 instead. It has been getting very good reviews abroad and is the most off-road worthy Versys in the Kawasaki lineup. Saw this detailed review from the US market just today -

https://youtu.be/SINyNWwFvFk

[vigneshkumar31]

Thanks! That's some neat info .
What about the Honda cb500x?Any news doing rounds?