End all be all adv & 2up bike

I am in one of the largest dilemmas I have ever faced when it comes to bikes.... Some back ground of bikes I have owned over the last 10 years (roughly 50k miles), from a Qlink 200, to yzf600r thundercat, to my absolute dream bike an RC-51 (stolen & recovered after being wrecked ). To now a buell blast, more fun in twisties than you shake a stick at , a ktm 250 sx smoker . And my commuter/2up steed a bandit 1250s. I love the motor but the ergonomics are just not appealing to the wife, she is 5'9" with long legs I am 6'1" no issues reaching the ground. So I have looked/sat on a few V-Stroms (all 650) and she likes the rear seat room and pegs. I want to ride one to try out how it feels while 2up. My riding style is 90/10 on road, yes the bandit has enough clearance for fire roads...:eek1 but with a limited budget and already 3 in the stable I can't justify brand new without trading in or selling one or two. My question to the inmates consists in 3 parts:
1. Do I keep the bandit and buy new seat (~$500) and modify rear pegs with extensions (~$200)?
2. Trade into a V-strom 650 (maybe 1000) with little cash (mileage not a huge concern as long as regular maintenance completed)
3. Look at a completely different bike altogether?
I want to travel longer distances without being 1.5hrs in and she needs to stop for the day. I have an airhawk R, it helps but still the rear pegs are too high for a 5'9" frame women . Let me know your thoughts!!

Consider a Yamaha Super Tenere. Comfortable two up, sufficient power (1200 cc), reasonable for fire roads, shaft drive so no messy chain. Very reliable reportedly; I commute on mine as it's plenty narrow for filtering/splitting. Traction control, ABS, etc.

- Bart

I just switched from a GSX1250 to a Super Tenere. It's a bit slower and bigger. But I couldn't be happier. Definitively worth a look.

Not a bad choice at all.

I looked at a Bandit briefly but the rear passenger pegs are way too high for any sort of pillion comfort. So I passed. I had a Vstrom 1k for a couple years, very comfy for me and my wife with a nice engine and plenty of power. But I'm not keen on chains for long distance riding so the Stelvio took it's place and I couldn't be happier.

You didn't mention budget, but I get the feeling it's not without limits.

It somewhat depends on how comfortable you are with Euro bikes, otherwise you are somewhat limited in the ADV style selection from the Japanese companies as they didn't choose to import many of them.

There are some sport touring options with good passenger ergos but I guess you have to decide what class of bike will work for you. The ADV class is just getting rolling here so older choices are somewhat limited.

Commuting +
two-up +
limited budget.


Of new bikes, I say it has to be the DL650, 2012 or newer.

If your budget can´t take that, then sure why not the older 2004-2011 version, too... but in fact the -12 model did address many of the older versions shortcomings quite nicely. What exactly is the price difference, will probably vary from region to region, and whether the newer model is worth that difference, is really up to you to test ride them both, and then decide. Kawi Versys 650 might be another candidate, but it´s a sportier bike, and won´t match overall two-up capability of the Suzy.

If you have more money to spend, then you´ll have a lot wider selection, including the Super Tenere, or the new DL1000 version... and surely those bigger displacement bikes will beat a 650 on two-up extended motorway riding, will have better suspension and electronic gadgetry. But its obvious they cost a lot more, weight some more, and won´t match the fuel economy of a midrange bike. Besides, the new model DL650 does motorways two-up remarkably well for a 650. Older wasn´t bad either.

Barts: I like the look of the S-10 as i hear they are called, the chain drive is not a deal breaker with me. At least i have never run into issues with the chain drive. I will keep the Super Tenere in mind.

Sander: Thank you for the comparison since you have come from the 1250 to an Adventure Style bike. Can you compare the wind difference with both having stock windscreens?

danketchpel: I did my homework but there were comfort concerns that were not said until after the purchase. So now after 1 year its time to look for another great steed. I am heavily looking at a V-Strom but i want to keep options open to anything else too.

Pecha72: That is the way i am leaning now, but i just need to find a smoking deal on one if it comes down to getting one. If i do get an Adventure style bike i think some RR are in order!!!

Thank you to everyone commenting, keep it going and if i missed something let me know!!

"90/10 on road" - get a used 12 Triumph Tiger Explorer - no question.

Used Super 10 or used Explorer. They are both starting to show up on CL and @ dealers. I prefer the TEX, but they're both great bikes. The TEX fit us better @ 6'4" and 5'9". Ride them both, (with your wife) and see which one puts the biggest smile on your faces. I'm betting you'll be ready to trade one of the old bikes off as soon as you've taken the test rides.

The Stelvio has a great pillion seat. Lots of leg room, monster fuel tank for distance, and that motor and sound.

Another vote 2012+ dl650a

Here is a 380lbs 6'4" man sitting on my bike.


I am a 250lbs and 6'2" and my wife is 5'9" and a lot less. We fit great on the glee.

Bu I like the tiger just no dealers around.

I've put 3700 miles since April 23rd and it does everything I want it too. Gravel/dirt roads, pot hole ridden back roads, twisting county roads and highway.

The 650 vstrom will do it, but the stock seat will not work for long distance. Maybe the airhawk might help... but id still recommend budgetting in a nice custom seat, if for no other reason than to make the trips that much more pleasant. Pleasure is why we ride in the first place, and the stock seat will become a hiderance.

Try a Buell Ulysses. It will fit you well, your wife will like the passenger seat, low maintenance, belt drive, you will like it in the twisties and based on your other steeds, it fits your personality.

When we were shopping we rode both the S10 & TEX 2 up. I thought the stock ergos on the S10 were better and I liked the handling a little better. The triple in the TEX will walk all over the S10's twin but can be a little abrupt for dirt riding. But since you said 90/10 that might not be much of an issue. I think there were some issues with the early TEX cylinder heads but I haven't read up on it fully, check the TEX threads. The S10 is pretty much bullet proof.

But.... I wouldn't own one without doing a ECU reflash to fix the lame throttle response and power restrictions. I simply hate the stock S10 throttle response down low, it feels very disconnected. I rode three of them to make sure and all three were the same. The reflash makes it what it should be in many ways.

The mapping on the TEX was fine, no complaints there from me.

I'm not sure what you're expecting to carry for luggage when riding 2 up but if it's much I might think twice about a 650. It will do it but you'll be wringing it out pretty hard.

The new Vstrom 1k is sounding very appealing from what I've read. It seems like they took the old bike and improved on it in just about every way. And the price is pretty attractive.

yeah, a 650 is just too tiny, can´t do it no way...

I almost always travel 2-up, after growing tired of trying to keep my old beemers on the road, I bought a 2012 650 strom because I'm cheap. The bike works amazingly well at 2-up travel, however, if I wasn't so cheap, I'd get a yam super10. With either bike, great dealer network around the US, but in all honesty, probably never need them! I just have too many friends with beemers and guzzis, swear they are awesome bikes, but always seem to have them in pieces!

I'd be curious as to what modern Guzzi is "always in pieces". I've got 6 of 'em, from '66-2011, lowest mileage on any of them is 50,000 and they're never "in pieces".

Maybe because other brands are brought to dealers to be put in pieces.

+1 to that. My wife is a little shorter at 5'-4", but we both find the Tiger Explorer to be very comfortable.

If you had a DL650 and hated it, you are really screwed.

At the light end, there's the WR250/DRZ400, then DL650, then S10.

Really, nothing between the DRZ400 and DL650 that's actually better, yeah, different, but not 'better'. I owned an F650, the ONLY advantage over the DL was better turning circle.

2012 DL is better than the earlier models, but .. probably not enough.

Pete

I've had guzzis, and rode them plenty of miles,(and still go to guzzi rallies) yes, at times they were reliable for the most part, but when they needed something, it was quite the chore(rear main seal!!) My buddy rides a California, can't remember the year, keeps it well maintained and spotless, yet I cringe when he says that is what he's riding for the weekend, I've had to screw with that bike more often than not while on the road, but he says it's reliable!!
the modern guzzis do seem years ahead, but what scares me is the lack of dealers if you do need something on the road(not many dealers out around Wyoming!) and the fact that they seem to be changing models often, which is something the Japanese used to do, but now it's the Europeans doing it. Reasons I chose the strom, dealers everywhere, been made for over a decade with minor changes, damn near bulletproof, cheap to own and maintain, relatively simple, not "over-gadgeted" and for a 650, it puts a lot of other bikes to shame.
I like the new stelvio, but I don't know if I would want to go around the world on one, the yam super 10, I wouldn't think twice about it.

Even though i am a big fan of the vstrom, If a used s10 is within the budget, I too would pick it over the vstrom for 2 up duty.