Dual Sport reviews

I have owned nearly a dozen bikes during the last 50 years plus. I have wanted a K1200LT since they came out but could never justify such luxury. I am so sorry I waited. I bought a 1999 with 7,403 miles on it last year from a guy just like me. There is nothing about it that I don't like. It has performed flawlessly and I find myself making excuses to ride it every day. The K1200LT is one of those machines that you can park but you have to look back at it when you are walking away. I really like the way that bike makes me feel. That is surprising at my age. Just don't wait.

Just what part of "BEAST" didn't you understand? It's huge. It's heavy but I, for one, have had no problems with moving it around, by pushing it with my feet, at times. Sure can't say that about a harley! Terain' up the highway, like a big 'ol DINOSAUR! Right there, in the dictionary, where it says TORQUE, you'll find a picture of this machine - full-color, high-res, quarter page! This one DELIVERS THE GOODS, like no other. I've ridden them all and owned, more than a few of them. Moving west out of a little town called Brazil, Indiana, wifie on the pillion, I shifted it into second gear. I opened the throttle about 1/3. Within two seconds we were doing 60! On a road we call the old Paris (il) highway I put her into a few turns. She's all Suzuki, that's for sure. Turns marked at 45 were entered at 60, exited around 75. Just a little pull on the bars then, when she just starts to turn, lean in, just like you always do. HOOPIE! She leaned 'way over but never drug the pavement. What a blast! As icing on the cake, she makes v-twin noises that would make a panhead jealous. She pulls hard and, with dual overhead cams, she revs right to about 7.500. The motor just sings. She's glad to be alive. You will be, too :)

Wonderful motorcycle! After riding my 01 K1200RS for 20 years my bones were becoming a little weary! Found an 02 with about same mileage, I bought it from the original owner with all maintenance records and he lived nearby. This bike is so much easier to ride and is deceivingly quick! Yeah, the gear box is a little clunky but that gives it some character! I did raise the front of the seat about 1/4”. This is a must, no more sliding into the tank! A piece is aluminum stock and some new bolts from hardware store, problem solved! Yes the interlocking brakes are a bit touchy, but it didn’t take long getting used to them. The wife says it’s more comfortable too! I can ride this motorcycle all day from twistes to the highway, as compared to the K bike. Lots of storage too. My only complaint is the gearing between 5th and 6th is pretty extreme. A taller 5th gear would of been nice. I’m just nit picking now! Look at it like this 5 years prior to purchasing the RT. I put maybe 1K on the RS it just wasn’t comfortable anymore. Had the RT less than a year and put 3K on it already ! Remember raising the seat is a must! Good wind protection too!👍

After being a BMW customer for 40 years and having purchased and owned several BMW automobiles and various motorcycles including 600 GS and 800 GS, 1200 LT, and 1600 GTL. I have come to the conclusion that I would never ever purchase another BMW product. BY way of background and not being a person who writes negative reviews, I feel it's necessary to post my treatment by Motorrad this last spring. The motorcycle in question is a 1600 GTL, last July I received a factory recall to have the fuel pump replaced, I advised the BMW dealer that I previously paid to have one installed, they inspected it and said it looked fine. BMW motorrad insisted it be replaced again which was performed as a factory recall in July 2021. The motorcycle sat in my garage for 6 months and was not driven. After starting the bike, I noticed a faulty fuel issue - I took it back to the BMW shop, they tested and advised it needed another fuel pump. THe price for pump and labor was $1,000. They advised me that motorrad would not pay. I called motorad at their 800 number, which by the way is a complete waste of time because nobody answers and you just get the runaround. After numerous calls and being on the phone for hours I eventually got through. THey advised me they were going to check with the deal to verify my complaint and would reach out to me by no later than March 24th. That did not happen, typical of BMW and again after numerous calls they got back to me 4 weeks later. They advised me that the higher ups in the organization would not reimburse me for the second fuel pump hence my posting. I think it's important for everyone that reads this to know that the mileage on the motorcycle from the installation of the recall fuel pump to the one I had to pay for was 17 MILES. Needless to say, they can shove their BMW where the sun doesn't shine.

I bought the motorcycle from the original owner in Colorado with 40 K on the odometer. This so far has been the best BMW I have ever owned I have owned five of them, I love traveling on this bike, it is one with road at 75 mph, all weather. With new Michelins , the grip is amazing. Reliable and quick with a heavy load rides so stable. I have added a Sargent seat, ohlin shocks, exhaust, ilium foot rest, and bar backs. Such a wonderful motorcycle. I’m very attached to the bike.

Very well priced bike with a ton of features and the quality of the premium brands (BMW/Duccati). This is the most comfortable long ride motorcycle I have tested, among others BMW, Ducatti, Harley, Kawasaki, both cruisers and dual sports. The Adventure Sports model is extremely gorgeous and its presence is impressive. It calls for attention everywhere I go, even from Harley fanboys aha. I have tested the DCT model of this bike but it gets very boring very fast. Most folks I know prefer the manual mode, even because it is more responsive on traffic. I have ridden the AT model for 5 years and not a single mechanical issue. The engine is very reliable because of its low compression ratio. The engine sound even with stock exhaust is remarkably likeable and somewhat loud. I did not feel the need for an aftermarket exhaust. The engine power is immense 97HP for a bike this light (520lb) but it feels very balanced and secure due to the electronic delivery modes, which provide dozens of different combinations of configuration. Due to the tall position, it is the perfect bike if you are exploring a region as your head will be usually above most passenger vehicles. Although it is a tall bike, the seat is not that high up. I am 5'10" and I can plant my feet on the floor with the seat in low position. The center stand is a must have for maintenance. The bike comes with a built-in 12V socket that you can use to power your USB devices and phone. Overall fantastic motorcycle for the price. I don't see any competition in this price range.

The Suzuki Vstrom DL650 is probably one of the best all around motorcycle built. It does everything well and is bullet proof reliable. Easy to ride, very agile, can cruise smoothly all day at 80 mph, handles very well in the twisties, interstate, backroads, and dirt roads. I have ridden two 650 Vstroms over 50,000 miles throughout the U.S. and Mexico multiple times. Taahe can be ridden like a sport bike or used like a pack horse. They don't feel heavy. The weight is low. Driven at speeds under 50 mph and get 60-80 mpg. The average mpg is always about 52 mpg. A good rider can keep up with any average sport bike rider in the tight mountain twisties, They are equally adept on rough roads in third world countries. In over 50,000 miles, I have never experienced any type of malfunction. The are just plain fun, versatile, and easy to ride bikes.

2018 Kawasaki Versys300x. My red 300x is a fantastic adventure bike for commuting and medium offroading. I have it equipped with armor, 15 tooth sprocket and 50/50 tires. Fuel mileage avg is 50 and it is easy to ride. Cons are lack of power for any long stretch of hwy and being light crosswinds can move it easily. Overall I would highly recommend the Kawasaki 300x it is great small adventure motorcycle with exceptional reliability.

Honda, years ago, burst into the MC-field with the 250 cc dual sport and it was an instant hit with owners being deeply satisfied. It wasn't long after that owner feedback requested a more powerful model and Honda heard them. Enter the 2021 300 dual sport rally model with ABS (optional). To make it more appealing besides power, they added more looks (sleeker) and an extra-large gas tank. If that wasn't enough, they made it affordable too. The perfect bike was born. For those that wanted even more power, the 450 became available but required more maintenance for that power. Not so with the 300 which is why this bike remains in constant demand

The TAO TAO TBR7 was a great entry level motorcycle and anyone can enjoy it. Yes there are quite a few things that could be improved on but overall the bike rides well and is comfortable. I loved owning it and would recommend it to anyone. If you maintain it the bike will last a long time. I only sold it because I got a 2022 Yamaha YZ450FX.