People became interested in ADV touring because of the rise in long-distance touring but there is a big question mark when someone wants to enter this segment, mostly short riders like me
Bhpian vamsi.bobby recently shared this with other enthusiasts:
I would like to share my experience with the market’s entry-level ADV bike alternatives.
Nowadays, following Corona, everyone is talking about touring. People have come to the realization that living is better. Following the pandemic, there is a certain improvement in everyone’s way of thinking and living. This also holds true for the biking community, as more people are willing to invest in bikes and go on cycle tours.
During my engineering studies from 2000 to 2004, I owned an LML Adreno-FX 110CC, which was the first bike to appear like a race bike. And I used to make the roughly 300-kilometer trip from Hyderabad, where I came from, to Palvancha, where I attended college. I use to travel every month once. I used to take only one break for a little refreshment, and everyone used to think I was a Super Human who had conquered Mount Everest. People used to think it was crazy to go so far in one sitting, but I found it to be enjoyable. I would start at midnight at 12 a.m. and be at my destination by 04.30 a.m., and along the way, I would sing loudly because no one else was on the road. The only worry was what may happen in the case of a puncture or an accident, which was very regular back then because of the narrow, one-lane highways.
After realizing that riding a bike was far more enjoyable to taking a train or bus, I developed a passion for riding for a long time. I continued my journey by riding my bike to see my buddies. My longest journey at the time, which involved two stops, was 680 km from Hyderabad to Vishakhapatnam.
I still enjoy doing long journeys, and my personal best was 700 km without stopping on my JAWA 42 from Hampi to the Isha Yoga Centre in Coimbatore.
If we love riding, we can easily reach 1000 km in a day thanks to modern technology, bikes, and broader highways. These days there are a lot of gear like hydration bags, GPS systems, and helmet-mounted intercoms that let you enjoy the ride instead of pausing to answer a phone or ask for directions. I used to only go to new places during the day in the early days of my ride so that I could have people on the road to help me navigate. We even have offline maps on our devices these days for trips.
To get right to the point, people became interested in ADV touring because of the rise in long-distance touring and the opportunity to ride bikes on a variety of terrains. There is a big “?” when someone wants to enter this segment, mostly short riders like me.
I have a JAWA 42, and as I was planned for big rides, I considered upgrading from a cruise segment to an ADV. The market offers a wide range of options to suit your budget, from 1.5 Lakh to 20 Lakhs and beyond. It was really challenging for me to choose one because I am a short rider (5.4 feet tall) and have a limited budget. I believed that the Hero X-pulse and Suzuki V-storm SX were underpowered at first, but the Yezdi Adventure, RE Himalayan 450, KTM Adventure 390, and BMW GS 310 were all within my price range.
I then reasoned that I could spend the same amount of money on seconds instead of a brand-new bike, hence my alternatives then went to Honda CB 500 & Benelli TRK 502. Both were excellent bikes, but once more it got me to think: if I’m spending 3.5 to 4 lakhs on a second bike, why not spend an additional lakh on a super adventure bike? The Kawasaki Versys 650, Suzuki V-storm 650, and Triumph Tiger Sport 660 were my next options.
I created the following table based on my survey results.
According to my height, I felt at ease with the Benelli TRK 502 and the Yezdi Adventure, but my eyes were fixed on the Suzuki V-Storm 650 and the Kawasaki Versys 650. Later, I learnt that there are service issues in the HAMPI area where I live, and that even in metro areas, there are significant difficulties in obtaining parts for the Benelli TRK 502 and Suzuki V-Storm 650. directing me to Yezdi Adventure as my only choice.
I also believed that it would be best to start with a less expensive ADV and train ourselves so that we can ride the more expensive ADVs with confidence. I bought Yezdi Adventure 2024 because of this discussion
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