MCN ADV Bike Test: GS, Explorer, Tenéré, 1190R

http://youtu.be/f1SZbgLxOGQ

Cycle world came to similar results a couple months ago

I rode both the new GS and the KTM in the UK a few weeks ago in the same type of weather and the MCN got their evaluation right.

These two bikes have really advanced what a large dual sport bike can do when compared to the Tenere and the Triumph. The Triumph is truely a disaster on anything other than pavement and the Tenere just can't be considered even in the ball park off road when compared to the new GS and the new KTM.

When back on pavement, the GS and the KTM are best by far there too with the Triumph better than the Tenere, making the Tenere in need of a redesign to be taken serious against the newer bikes.

Anyone who feels this can't be true needs to ride the GS and the KTM. After riding both, no one would say the newer bikes have not jumped way ahead of the Tenere in every way.

Odd how opinions differ.
I had a Tenere for 18 months. After a test ride on the GS LC today, i'd have the big Yamaha back in a heartbeat.
I could not wait to hand the GS back. Mortally hated it. The bike felt dead. Zero feedback, even for someone who has had 3 telelever bikes.. Haven't had a go on the KTM yet - but hope to before the end of the year.
Booked in for a pop on the new Capo 12 next week. Can't imagine it'll disappoint me like the GS did.

What really blows my mind is that the Tiger explorer looks like a monstrous dirt bike, yet is terrible off road. Why-oh-why did Triumph missdesign this bike so badly?! I probably would have bought it had it looked like a classy street cruiser traveler bike, which I know triumph is capable of designing, not some behemoth dirt bike impersonator.

Tiger explorer - major appearance/image design fail in my book.

Hm, maybe not. 99% of these bikes never see more than a gravel driveway. So Triumph gives the look but not the limitations of owning a true big bore adv bike. Far cheaper to develop a road-going look-a-like than a bike competent both on and off road.

Nice to hear they think the BMW has got the electrics figured out after giving TC and ABS
a bad name for the last few years.

I think I'll hang on to my dated ole Tenere a little longer.

Stock tires on mud, those guys have guts

I think they have done well in the image / appearance stake. That's all most people need. It's just that if they did a real big traily most people would call it dull and uninspiring on the road. And since most owners like the image but don't live it, that about is where the sweet spot is. Seems the same in the 4 Wheel "off road" market.

Not where I live though. Glad there are KTM's and the S10 right now and I hope they don't all pile into the street end of the deal.

MCN liked the German/Austrian bikes.

HUGE surprise...


.

Oh, you mean that the British magazine basically said the British Triumph Explorer is rubbish off road? Yeah, huge surprise.

More adventure in the first gear of a KLR than all that whiz bang shit put together.

Na, not really. Isn't "Adventure" defined as "taking inappropriate gear to far away places"? The Explorer is way more inappropriate than any of the other bikes, especially the KLR. So way more adventure with the Explorer ...

A little FYI on Rick, he's a well-known troll in the S10 threads so take everything he says about the bike with a bucketful of salt.

and before he started trolling the S10 threads and bashing it, he did a lot of bashing in GSpot, till they kicked him out of that forum so he can't post there anymore.. his signature line reflects his arrogance and invalidates his self professed "expertise"; clearly the notion of different strokes for different folks can't be true... He's the only person on my Ignore list.

I love how they go on about how similar the BMW R1200GS and KTM 1190 Adventure R are offroad and yet the KTM is more fun.

And then look closely and carefully.
That isn't a KTM 1190 Adventure R, that's the bog standard 1190 Adventure, is it?. Front wheel too small, wrong color scheme, no bars.

So if the normal one is already the best on slippery, slimy, snowy mud.... what's the real Adventure R going to do to the competition? :eek1

The R is gunna be more better.

Fo sure!

Don't know Rick West. But on that particular post he didn't say anything different than what MCN say on their test.

According to a German magazine that compared the 1190 and 1190R, it is likely that the people who will buy the 1190R will buy the wrong bike. Their assumption is that unless people are really serious about off road riding and do spend a good amount of their riding time on off road situations, the 1190 will do the job fine, is a better street bike, will be a better choice.

Yeah i watched that video too (was it from 1000PS? i think).
Well in all honesty here in Europe most of the big trailies dont see 70/30 or 80/20.
To ride those ratios you really have to put an effort in and there are large areas in Europe where the roads are paved and everything that is gravel is off limits by regulations etc.

I think 95/5 is pushing it, most of the bikes will maybe see 99/1 if the owners are really honest with themselves (gravel parking lots do NOT count!). And this is clearly reflected by the latest generation of tyres for big trailies. Look at the Anakee3, Tourance Next, Conti Trail Attack 2 (All tyres available as OEM fit on the new BMW and KTM). Even the manufacturer say 95/5 or 99/1 usage, they completely dropped the pretending now and set those bike up for the road. And I applaud them for it, most european owners will enjoy their bikes more on those rubbers than on TKC, Scout or Tourances. In the US that might be different, gravel and dirt roads more accessible.

And thats where those guys in that test were coming from when they said those guys buying the R might be buying the wrong one. It's like with the previous generation KTM, were there were few little differences in the R and non-R verison. This time they are setup for a purpose, on- or offorad. Make a choice. An "R" behind the name doesnt mean "more" or "faster" anymore, it means you are buying a bike that needs dirt to come into its own.