You’re going on an EPIC Ride. What bike do you want?

[Chitza]

Buzz and I were discussing our dream vacations and adventure rides. The discussion included "If we go to ——-, I would want a ——-." Considerations included availability of parts, maintenance, roadside maintenance, appropriateness to terrain and for me comfort with size/height. My picks aren't going to be as varied as most of you guys due to the size/height factor. Can't wait to see your responses!

What are your dream adventure rides and which bike would you want?

For me:

Italy - a Piaggio X7 300cc scooter(or a Ducati 696, it is Italy after all!) I chose a scooter for Italy because it's the only country where I will be wanting to stick my nose in to multiple cities and urban areas AND I want something fun for the countryside. Most any other country I can park the bike and use mass transit for the few urban stops that interest me.

British Isles: Triumph Street Twin(keeping it British). I've always wanted to travel here. I will include Ireland and The Isle of Man, naturally. The Street Twin fits me nicely in size and performance for the country road riding I would want to do.

Latin/Central America - BMW G650gs; I know this engine and I'm very comfortable with its performance. I know it fits me and can handle the rougher terrain and road ways. Probably not as easy for parts and maintenance, but my comfort level is more important to me.

Alaska - Yes. I would go back. The only thing I would change is the bike. I would go with the G650GS. My CS did fine, but I would have been more comfortable with different tires and better suspension.

I have more, but it's time to hear from other folks! What cha got??

[jrobinson]

There's a lot of IFs for me.

IF Sandy is going, then it will have to be a Harley touring bike. It has a better sitting position than a Goldwing. Shops, parts and ease of working on Harleys are a plus.

Next trip I'd like to take, finish Route 66 from Texas to LA, take a right and head up the PCH. Possibly go to Alaska/Arctic Circle, and back through the Rockies.

I'll second the British Isles, but since I hate the flying process now, I doubt that will happen.

[Al Goodwin]

Riding solo.....I'd ride my KLR anywhere and everywhere.. they've been building KLR's since '87, with only one update in '08....  low tech, easy maintenance, parts readily available.

[norton73]

For almost every trip I will take the old R100GS, it can handle almost any situation, from interstate to easy singletrack. Riding it I can explore most places I want to go. I know it inside and out, I can fix it pretty easily and get most parts fast.

I'd like to go to the Isle of Man for the TT , for that trip I'd feel the need to go on an old 500cc British single, possibly a Velocette or something similar.

I'm wanting to do the TAT in the next couple years, the KLX351 is going to be my choice.

[klaviator]

My bucket list of Epic rides is really long.  For me it's more about the ride than what bike I'm riding but here's a few things on my list.

Ride the Alps either on a motorcycle or a scooter. 

Ride Southern Utah again.  Not sure what bike I will take.

Dual sport Colorado on a lightweight dualsport bike.

Dual sport the Moab area on a lightweight dualsport.  I would also like to take a scooter to Moab and ride the Shaffer trail on Scooter.  I've done it on my KLR and my Versys and it would be fun to do it on a scooter just because I don't know of anyone who has done it.

Do a street ride in Idaho on my Versys.  There is some spectacular riding there that I haven't done.

Ride highway one in Northern California.  Bike doesn't really matter.

Week long scooter tour in the mountains of TN, NC, VA and WVA.  I'd like to do that on my Smax.

That's just off the top of my head.  There are more rides I want to do.

[springer]

 Okay, I'll play.  :)
England and Europe, an Aprilia Tuono V4. Rode Mulleys V2 Tuono and I really liked it. Since this is sorta dream type thread, I'll take a new one.
Isle of Man, simple, an Original Brough Superior SS100...cause really...in a dream ride, the best dream bike is needed.  ;)
Asia? Hmm...something light weight, off and rough road capable...and Asian.
Australia. Bike really wouldn't matter to much, as long as it is a Beta, as I would be going to ride with this guy;

North America, the one I am riding now, A Honda Africa Twin.  A ride to Alaska, same bike.

[renchinrider]

My #1 Bucket List ride is from Fairbanks, AK to the Tierra del Fuego.  I think a good, versatile BMW would be the overall best bike for the job, but I would love to hear from people who REALLY know BMWs to learn which model is really best for a ride of that duration, with all the variables involved.  I've also heard good reviews of the KLRs, but I know almost nothing about them personally.  For a long time, I assumed I would do the ride on a Ural, but I've heard that Urals can be problematic, and parts can be hard to get.

[Fencejumper09]

My crazy dream ride is to compete in the Erzberg Rodeo aboard one of the new fuel injected 2-stroke KTM 300!

Just looks like a grueling yet satisfying event!

I am a glutton for punishment.  :-\

[TC]

My wife and I spent a week on a BMW R1200RT riding through the Dolomites in northern Italy including Stelvio and Sella Passes a few years ago and thought it was a great bike to be on.  We have made several rides through the mountains in CO, WY, NM, MT, ID and SD on my BMW R1200GS riding a combination of dirt, gravel and paved roads and thought it performed flawlessly. We rode a lot of old stagecoach and mining roads and also rode a major portion of the original Lewis and Clark trail through the mountains and wilderness of Idaho.   We have also put a lot of miles on a Harley Ultra Classic on the paved roads of NV, UT, CO, WY, SD, MT, AZ, AR, WV, VA plus all over the southeast and enjoyed every one of those trips.  For me it just depends on the type trip I will be on as to what bike I will ride. We have made two trips to AR on a BMW K1600GTL where we spent four days on each trip riding as many curvy roads there as we could and there are a lot of fun curvy roads there. That bike was definitely made for that type riding. Those are my fairly recent experiences on a few different bikes and I must say all were a pleasure to ride.   

[Chuck A.]

Ride to anywhere I could take the Kawasaki Nomad. The Russell Day Long seat has spoiled me for long rides. With all the spare parts I have inside me, my bike fits me for comfort and that's the only way I'm gonna make the miles per day. I love me some curvy roads but I prefer to slow down and soak in the scenery now days.

[renchinrider]

My wife and I spent a week on a BMW R1200RT riding through the Dolomites in northern Italy including Stelvio and Sella Passes a few years ago and thought it was a great bike to be on.  We have made several rides through the mountains in CO, WY, NM, MT, ID and SD on my BMW R1200GS riding a combination of dirt, gravel and paved roads and thought it performed flawlessly. We rode a lot of old stagecoach and mining roads and also rode a major portion of the original Lewis and Clark trail through the mountains and wilderness of Idaho.   We have also put a lot of miles on a Harley Ultra Classic on the paved roads of NV, UT, CO, WY, SD, MT, AZ, AR, WV, VA plus all over the southeast and enjoyed every one of those trips.  For me it just depends on the type trip I will be on as to what bike I will ride. We have made two trips to AR on a BMW K1600GTL where we spent four days on each trip riding as many curvy roads there as we could and there are a lot of fun curvy roads there. That bike was definitely made for that type riding. Those are my fairly recent experiences on a few different bikes and I must say all were a pleasure to ride.

TC, thanks for sharing all this information.  This gives me a much more in-depth view of the BMW lineup and which model might be best for an epic ride from one end of the continent to the other!

[merc16]

If it were an Alaska trip, maybe a Yamaha Super Tenere or Honda Africa Twin

48 state trip, a Road King with the M8 motor OR HD could build a Wide Glide with the M8

Isle of Man, my ZRX

Italy, Aprillia scooter or the Ducati 821. I love the V4 Tuono but I don't think my knees would.

Europe, my FZ-07 or a 1290 Super Duke

South of the U.S.A a Honda CRF250L

Africa, Kawasaki KLR650

Australia, KZ1000 with the Airtech body kit in MFP silver. I need get my "Goose" on !

Japan, a Kawasaki KR1S