If a Japanese manufacturer made a 500cc 'Honda 300 Rally' equivalent, it would be a huge success... 50-60hp, ≥160kg, 6th 'tall' gear, range of 350-400km, services 8,000-10,000km- That'll be my everything bike.

Exactly why I bought a DR650, mine is not buzzy, I love singles. Put $2,000 into it and it's perfect for me and all under $10,000. I don't need all the bs riding modes, abs or quick shift and I can figure out which gear I'm in without a special readout or a blinking light for gas level and I can fix anything on it without a computer and 6 month wait for parts. Over 250 mile range with my tank and a little piece of plastic above the headlight keeps wind off my chest, cruises freeway all day at 75. Maintenance? What maintenance.

It is not about spending 50/50 time on- and offroad. It is about having a bike that can do both as good as possible. Even if I spend only 5% off my time off road, I want those 5% to be as enjoyable as possible.

I purchased my 2012 F800 with this in mind. I cut a bunch of weight, added 21” x 18” steel wheels, let Racetech create great suspension. I had about the closest thing I could get my hands on. I’ve been enjoying it for a long time now and it just keeps on going. In my garage it’s my dirt bike.

Yes. We have a goon! Seriously, we had a good compromise with the Honda XL/XR 500 models. Later, replaced by the XL/XR600-650 models (depending on the markets). I had tons of fun riding my XR500 in on/off road conditions. This changed when I fitted the XR engine in a C&J frame. Then it became a pure off-road bike.

CRF ~400cc Rally ~40hp with better suspension than 300 rally and similar service intervals for 2 or 3k more. I think it would sell. Don't need a twin, just decent balancing.

Great video with excellent points. I too have multiple bikes and agree with your general assessment. But you overlooked another opportunity that seems possible. A DRZ400 with a 6 speed transmission and fuel injection. That's probably why you have the Honda 450.

If you have multiple bikes you’ve already failed the test of being a 50/50 rider. But for those of us who can only afford/want one bike that does both well, that’s the market. By having multiple bikes you’re more in the enthusiast category, and therefore disqualify yourself from needing a 50/50 machine. The market is for people that don’t have the coin, desire, space to have multiple machines sitting around that we can jump on when the need arises.

After exhaustive research I’ve come to the conclusion that the only answer to this dilemma is a five bike stable.

I'm pretty happy with the KTM 690 Enduro R. Some mods are needed to help it be the bike I want it to be but it was pretty close right out of the crate. Coming off an extremely moded KLR, the KTM is light years ahead of it. It vibrates a LOT less and oil change intervals at 6,200 miles don't seem too often to me. I will still change it every 4k miles or so but I would do the same on a DR or KLR as well. I get the point though. I have 6 bikes and they all serve a purpose. Keep up the videos. I enjoy watching.

Chinese companies like CFMoto may surprise us and get closer to a unicorn bike. Your definition of a unicorn is different than how I and many would define it though. For me, it would be something like a WR450R with a 4-5 gallon tank, basic windscreen, comfortable seat, 40HP, sub 350lb weight, and service intervals similar to the WR250R I currently own.

When I look at adventure bike videos, I want to try them. I then realize, if I bought one, I would still ride my dirt bike more, because that is what I enjoy more. Unless you are Chris Birch, who is sponsored by KTM, most of us will not enjoy an adventure bike in the dirt. They are too heavy. Thanks for your video.

This is why I'm old school at this point and ride two bikes: 2005 R1200GS and a 2022 Husqvarna FE 501S. That combo was solid in 2005 and it's solid now. I'd love an 890 Adventure R, but then I'd have to look at it and it would be worse than both bikes I have.

Xr650r with a magic button and detachable subframe. The 690 has a pretty long maintenance interval. The small gas tank is the biggest hindrance.

There have been a few that came close. The old KTM 640 Adventure had a 7 gallon tank and weighed about 400 lbs fully fueled. It had a payload capacity of around 440 lb and pillion pegs. It had a great long-travel suspension. It was related to the 660 race bikes that KTM used to win the Dakar circa 2000. Shortcomings were a minimal wind screen and a very buzzy engine. It didn't sell very well -- in fact, I never even heard of the thing until long after it went out of production. Currently the AJP PR7 is not far off from unicorn status. It weighs about 364 lb wet. It has a 4.5 gallon under-seat tank that keeps the weight centralized. More than 11" of suspension travel. It has reasonably long maintenance intervals and it has a rally-tower wind screen. It is a thumper, so it won't be as smooth as some twins, but the biggest issue is that it isn't street legal everywhere. As for the KTM 690 Enduro ... it's a good bike, but KTM (for some inexplicable reason) has steered it away from unicorn land. It has one of the best thumpers ever made (powerful and with long maintenance intervals), a decent suspension, and a good frame. But, it doesn't have a real sub-frame to support luggage, it doesn't have even a rudimentary wind screen, and it doesn't have a wide-ratio transmission. That last one is a real crime, because the 690 is light enough to handle moderately-difficult single track, but you can't gear it down enough for single-track without making it scream on the highway.

Great video mate. I think the latter point is the most likely. In my humble opinion the reason this bike doesn't exist is because we all think we are better riders than we actually are. The reality is every bike in production is more capable than 99% of the riders. The bikes are not the limiting factor. Case in point Pol Tarres finishing top 10 in Erzberg on a light weight enduro rocket ship and 77th on a Teneree 700. We want to much out of our bikes. The reality is the light weight adventure bike does exist albeit with minor modification. KTM 690, AJP PR7, SWM 500 (wider range gearbox) , WR 450. The bikes are not the limiting factor, we are. Having said that KTM should produce the 690 enduro and husqvaran the 701 rally and problem solved. We all have so many complaints because we are soft as ferk. Oh my bike is to heavy (get stronger), oh my suspension is to soft ( lose weight) oh my bike doesn't handle well enough (get better) oh this single is buzzy (harden up). Rant over lol.

This is why I chose the Husky 701 SM as my ride. I am and always will be predominantly a road rider. I like the idea of offroading, but apart from the 1 or 2 gravel roads I ride on a year, it makes no sense for me to get anything more dirt biased. The 17s on the supermoto with some nice 80/20 ADV tires is plenty enough for the "offroad" that I do while giving little away on the road. That's where my balance is for me and makes sense for me. Admittedly though, I am thinking going back to a full road sport touring set up. That's just more what I truly am, but still am enjoying the 701. Some of these ADV bikes with some 17s slapped on would be a greatly welcome addition. KTM 890 sport tourer anybody?

AJP PR7 looks so good on paper.... Just don't know a whole lot about them.

I agree on the technical points of the difficulty in manufacturing a sub 400# twin. It's gonna be real difficult while keeping it reasonably priced and maintaining reliability. I disagree somewhat on the 50/50 rider. It's not the amount of time I spend on each surface (dirt/asphalt), it's that I want to bike to perform (as close to) optimally under most conditions, even if it's more like 70/30 (dirt/street). As an example - I did 1,400 miles across SW/SE Oregon back in September. I planned a route that stayed on as much dirt as possible. But, I did have to bail out on the pavement a couple of times and covered 100-150 miles or so at a time. Having a twin (Yamaha T-7) makes that so much more enjoyable than a single. Having that same capability on the road, but about 75# less weight on the dirt would open up even more terrain. If someone does make a sub 400# twin, then I think the horsepower will be where the tradeoff is made, say a 500-600 cc with 60 or so hp.

It's so frustrating but you're spot on.

The Yamaha TW200 missed all the criteria, but yet gets the job done and is fun doing it!

Nice work. But I do have to say... I think your 70-90 hp benchmark is overkill. If your bike weights 400lbs or less, than 40 hp will propel you enough to overtake whenever you want ( normal circumstances) ,and you will accelerate faster than MOST cars.The DR650 fits the bill. And it's cheaper than your 5 figure. And yes I was scammed with my 1st bike when I bought a cb500x thinking I was going to enjoy it offroad. Got a DR now! Cheers

Bring back the 2 Stroke with modern fixings! It’ll Cut the weight, Add exhaust scavenging or supercharging. Make it a twin 350 or 400 with an oil sump or oil injection with a relatively large gas tank and a way to put on luggage. I think sub 400 is definitely possible with touring in mind and will handle happily off road.

Really great points-thanks for posting

KTM500EXCF is the closest I've come to finding a perfect bike. Extra set of SM wheels is fun.

KTM 390 ADV is as close as you will get off the shelf; it’s more road based than many want, but put nobblies and a smaller front sprocket and it’s better off-road. The engine is great fun on the road.

Miss your vids. I love watching them. Cheers!

I liked the way you did this video. Great edit. Thumb up and subscribed.

Honda already has the perfect platform to build up into the unicorn adventure bike. The xr650l. With a lower seat height, a larger tank, fuel injection and borrowed fairing styling from its little 300 sister honda could tick all the boxes we are asking for. Also the xr650s existing culture and wide aftermarket selection this bike would be a hit among the adventure community. A capable bike that out performs the kawasaki klr, while undercutting the price point of the yamaha T7 and suzuki V strom.

This video is so spot on! The adventure motorcycle market is a marketing scam. Just my little humble opinion, adventure should be in the soul of the rider, not the bike he or she rides. Unless someone lives in the middle in the Outback or Patagonia, the rider profile of 50/50 will probably not apply. Bottom line, be happy to be riding on whatever terrain you have available! Great video Mr. Goon! Cheers!

Customers also didn't know they wanted an iPhone before it was born! 50/50 Honda CRF500L + CRF650L Africa Twin as well as in Enduro Sports version- That's motorcycle freedom!

Brilliant thanks just subscribed and passed it on to a few friends.

Great video. I am not a 50/50 rider, and I will never be one, but I would love to see something like CRF 450 Rally (that has 300 Rally service intervals) or T5. I would buy that bike without hesitation.

Should be able to build up your Honda for light adventure with 20L onboard around 330lbs. Probably get a KTM500 built up similarly closer to 300lbs. Would sure be sweet to see Yamaha step up to the table with a dual sport WR500. Thanks for keeping the dream alive.

My unicorn bike is a 400-500 cc single cylinder ADV bike, sub 400 pounds, 40-50 HP, $8000 or less, but with good suspension and ground clearance, a 5-6 gallon fuel tank, tubeless spoke wheels and long service intervals. Bonus points for a proper bash plate and engine protection, serious brush guards on the grips, a comfortable seat, large pegs for standing, and a large rear rack. Now that I'm in my 60s I ride back roads and a little mild off road, but would like to be able to take a highway for a get-home-quick option when a ride goes off the rails without red lining the engine for an hour. Modern thumpers have good counter balancers. They aren't as smooth as a twin, but they're smooth enough. From what I can see, this bike doesn't exist because of marketing weasels. The big manufacturers see their reluctant late addition small ADV bikes as beginner bikes to get customers on the upgrade path to their $15K to $20K "proper" ADV bikes. They don't want to make a great smaller ADV bike because it would detract from their big ADV bike sales rather than add to them. The problem isn't engineering. The problem is marketing. That's often the way of the world. The closest I've found to my unicorn bike is the BMW G310GS. I'm very happy so far, but I'd like a bit more power for the occasional highway riding that I do, although it doesn't seem to mind me ringing it out for an hour to sprint home. The fatal flaw in the baby GS is the 2.9 gallon fuel tank on an ADV bike. That's unforgivable. It should be twice that capacity.

Clever vid. Nice work. Thanks!

Even though the Aprilia Tuareg 660 is just over 400lbs, it is still a good value and close to all the specs that everyone is looking for. I was kind of disappointed when the Transalp 750 when came out more road oriented.

Aprillia's 550 RXV was as close as this earth 🌍 will ever see to a perfect design. It needed a Dakar Rally fairing and larger tank, but the H.O. Twin is what is needed. I would also like to see a front wheel electric motor for slow speed acceleration or off the line torque and regenerative braking.

Very well said but there is still another dimension. For example, if I wanted to ride between Telluride and Ouray, I could do it without ever leaving pavement, or I could do it without ever leaving the dirt. So that is the choice you refer to. But certain choices are made for us instead. For example, I could choose a dirt bike for the street but only one that has a license plate, or I could choose a street bike for the dirt but only so long as it has the needed traction and clearance. So either way, you make a choice to start out on the street but at some point the trail is presented to you. Or you start on the trail, but at some point you have to ride on the paved roads. So the unicorn everyone really wants, is a street legal machine that go as deep offroad as desired. Sometimes that machine won't take you as deep as you want. Sometimes the machine that can take you as deep as you want won't take you on the highway. So the choice between 50-50 or 70-30 is a moving target, for everybody, and everybody looks for the bike they are capable of handling everywhere they want it to go, and they want it carry them comfortably as far and as fast as they would like. Therefore the perfect unicorn bike is a 200/200/200 machine with heated seats and grips that weighs nothing, 13 inches of clearance that you can easily plant both feet down, that's 200 mph, 200 mile range, 200 lbs.

WOW, great video. I originally thought the manufactures refused to make the Unicorn bike because they would shrink their own market. Meaning, they can sell you one bike not the two that are required to satisfy the 50-50 rider, but your logic and knowledge of the motorcycle rider completely convinced me that your correct. There is no 50-50 rider!!!! Genius !!!!

The 2019+ KTM 690R has a revised engine and is pretty darn smooth. I think this is a perfect light weight adventure bike with the proper setup. Hopefully KTM we'll realize this too

It looks like so many of us would like to see a crf450l rally with similar maintenance intervals as the 300l , but I think that Honda knows that if they bring that bike, it will affect the sales of the 300l and maybe the sales of the 450rl and besides that,it looks most manufactories need an engine that can be used in at least 3 different models to make profit out of their investments Cheers 🏍️

My KTM 790 R has been a great blend. I realize it’s 450 lb. + bike but for the mountains of Idaho, it’s been fantastic! It’s the closest unicorn bike for me.

I'm a literal 50/50 rider lol. I live off grid up in the mountains. Exactly half my commute is steep dirt twisties that are often washed out or blocked by landslides or snow. The other half is a twisty paved canyon run down into town. Usually i end up riding 50/50 in the area as it's a pretty even mix of paved and dirt roads out in the valley. 5 miles or so of pavement to get out of town, a 10 mile stretch up to another 5-10 mile pavement stretch then more dirt across the valley until i hit the paved section leading back into the mountains. It's like y'all forget rural Arizona exists lol, i prefer to ride on dirt, the longer the ride i do the more the dirt % rises but as a daily commute it's literally the mythical 50/50 ride.

Take a 690/701 motor, put a wide ratio transmission in it. Put that motor in the old 640 adventure frame (with attachment points for lightweight luggage), with the good suspension from their dirt bikes and people will be lined up to buy it.

Because a lightweight and reasonable price adventure bike will fucked up their bottom line since all of the other line up will be relegated to nothing. Imagine, for example, a CB500x motor with a body like the CRF300L, abs, 21-inch front wheel, and no crap electronics, at 7000 USD. No one will go for the ktms or the teneres unless they need the HP, and let's face it, most traveling adventure riders won't need more than 50 hp.

I recently bought a Honda 450L and am in the process of turning it into a lightweight ADV. Aside from the Kove 450 (which is not yet street-legal as I write this), I think it's about as close as you can get to the right platform for building the bike I want-namely, something I could do a BDR on by myself and enjoy the experience, rather than just survive it. I intended to do this on my Africa Twin but after a few reality checks, it's just too much damned bike. I realized that I could either have a true lightweight that's more fatiguing on the freeway, or a big bike that's MUCH more liable to injure me or get stuck on a difficult trail (and less enjoyable regardless). For me that was an easy choice, but it's certainly a tradeoff. Having no prior experience with dirt bikes, the weight of this thing is a revelation. I'm sorry, but your T7 or 890 or any other "middleweight" ADV is still a heavy-ass bike. Yeah, Pol Tarrés can rip on it like it's a 250 or a Trials bike, but are you Pol? I'm not. Multi-cylinder ADV's are easily the most versatile motorcycles. They're a great choice for any trip on quasi-maintained roads (paved or otherwise). But are you in good enough shape to pick one up 5 or 6 times, fully-laden, when it's 100º in the desert and your choices are to keep riding or call for LifeFlight? I'm not. And even if I were, it doesn't sound like fun. It's going to take some mods, but if you buy one used as I did, many of those have probably already been done. My bike is currently ~280lb and 50HP or so; the weight and power are certainly there. Stock suspension is far more capable than I'll ever be. There are aftermarket fuel tanks up to 5 gallons, so the range can be had. The frame has proven sturdy enough to carry a reasonable BDR load. And honestly, it's not as bad on the freeway as I thought it would be. Would I choose it for a 1000-mile highway journey? Heck no. Can I deal with it for a couple hours? Sure. And it's an absolute BLAST lane-splitting through traffic. You can't have it all, and with this bike, reasonable maintenance intervals are the major thing you can't have. You just have to accept that as the price of entry. Oil changes are a 10-minute job if you get a skid plate that allows access to the drain plug. And it only takes 1.2qt of oil, so they aren't expensive either. I can live with it, for everything else I'm getting.

I love my DRZ400 with big tank, slightly lowered and geared up... no trials, MX or freeways, but everything else. Just start by finding tires that both have great asphalt and mud performance...

My only gripe with the KTM 690 is the fact it has no fuel gauge. You have to rely on the trip meter.

I want the 50/50 unicorn twin, and I want the 300 mile range. But I'll probably settle for a T7 Raid.

My first ADV bike was a 1979 Yamaha MX100. Several bikes in between, on road, off road, an off road racing career, a street instructing career, then a T7 in 2022. Full circle in my view. Adventure tag, versus dual purpose, dual sport, and remembering the origins of this off road/on road phenomena....the Yamaha DT. Is it about what it is called? The type of riding style. I was 14 then, now 57, and I ride the same trails, gravel roads and highways. The only real difference is that the T7 doesn't fit into the back of RCMP "police" cruiser taking me back to my home to report me to my parents. Riding motorcycles, an adventure in itself. I get the point of this video though, it tackles the concept of 50/50, when there really isn't such a thing. I have DRZE since 2002, kept it to have as a pair with my T7, for the real off road trails. After all that, I conclude it does come down to having two bikes, no way around that in the end. The DRZE , in my humble view was the closest anybody has come to the 50/50. Sure one more gear would be nice, but then if that were the case, my tranny wouldn't have lasted as long as it did so.....I close with this.....ground clearance. The truest test of a bike's off road capability. Anything lower that 12'' is just not quite enough, heavy or not, and in that department you can't have one without the other... in other words, smaller engine. Imagine a T7 with proper ground clearance and it would be top heavy, even more than it already is...I do look forward to the Suzuki twin 800 success stories, but really watch now for the newer, smaller ADV bikes....of the future.....

Being a new owner of the KTM 890 ADV R, I realize now this bike is capable of anything! However, at my age and sustaining a major injury; I don't do all the daring stuff that the bike is capable of. The main thing I dread when riding hard is being able to pick it up when I crash. I usually crash at least twice when riding hard. With my luggage it's probably ~ 500 lbs. I'm a strong burly guy, but 500 lbs is a lot to pick up alone (multiple times). I agree with you in terms of a single cylinder vs. a twin cylinder. It definitely needs to be a twin cylinder. Somewhere in between the 690 R and 890 R weighing ~ 400 lbs with luggage would be ideal.

Some good points... however I think the market has come close a few times and those bikes have sold well. T7, 500x, 390adv, DRZ400, and various 650 dual sports are all great examples. I dont think the "Unicorn" necessarily needs to be 600+ CC. It just needs to be a competent offroad machine still capable of Decent freeway riding. And to that end I think the sweet spot truly lies in the 400-500cc range. Either a big single or small Ptwin. Rumors have circled about an NX500 Dominator in the works. Wich if it follows through with its traditional Enduro frame with fairings could very well be that bike. KTM is also said to be working on a 490ADV Ptwin that could hit the mark as well.

The ktm 690 isn't buzzy. Oil change intervals are 6k miles. Its the unicorn you speak of, but too heavy for ohv trails in the pnw. I hope they make a 390 enduro that weighs less than 300lbs and costs less than $8,000.

I just want them to put twin tanks of the 450L and a rally tower for styling. Call it the 450L rally... then make it around the tenere price tag. I'd buy a single with twin tanks and rally looks. Hell yeah... unfortunately if I want a rally bike atm, I'm looking at spending 30k.

My 790AdvR comes darn close to unicorn. I shed some good kgs and now it's ~195kg with fuel and with enduro tires plus tubliss system, suspension tuning, steering damper. This bike over terrain I am riding is not performing worse than dual sports. On the other hand I have no problem riding 140km/h on tar except maybe for tire wear. I had a chance to compete on it in Rally event and my special stages times were equal to average time in single cylinder class. Also rode with buddy of mine on EXC-F350 and he stayed behind for the most part. In a bit more difficult terrain I was able to ride over everything he was. Situation would change in mountains and rocky terrain, but that is not where I ride. In sandy/forrest, flat terrain it is my unicorn and I recommend to anyone both the bike and mods

Hi Mate-Rider, I want try to reset my backround to reborn and giving importance to things they didn't have it ... ... it's all in our mind / WE MUST CHANGE ( My 44th Bike , after the last Africa Twin Adv Sport 2018, just little heavy , and Husky 701 (Fragile cams) it's a new Honda 300 L Rally 2022 //// It was not easy but I had prepared myself 😘 and after 4 months and 8000 km, I believe I'm reaching my balance now //// YES I spend other 4000€ in addition for many parts / suspension + exhaust + rims + remap ECU + footpegs and other parts , but I have my little UNICORN now ..... and I'm HAPPY but we must reset. Maybe we really have to lose something to earn something else in a new unknown horizon, Sorry for my english Luca (Milan Italy)

My local Honda dealer said we wouldn't see the Transalp 750 in the US until 2025, if ever.

Great video I couldn’t agree more I have a bmw r1200gsa , a Honda crf 450L and a beta 300 two smoke . I love them all I used to ride my bmw off road kinda hard but it took a toll on my body. So I leave it for the long halls , camping trips and dirt roads and on a rare occasion two track . My crf450L and do alittle long haul to some great single track two track. So it goes either way . The beta 300 single track it’s an amazing bike it’s like a mountain bike with an engine but I agree there’s probably never gonna be one bike that can do it all great video thanks again

Gets you thinking. I guess at the end of the day you just need to test ride as many bikes as possible to understand what you really need. Or like most of us this enlightenment comes after many years of riding! I found my unicorn with the T7 like many others have. It's a handful on really technical off road and gets a bit wayward when you push the boundaries on tarmac. But as I never live in either of those extremes it just works for me!

For me the focus should be on calming the vibes of a thumper. This and more oil capacity. The parallel twins all have the weight in the wrong spot. 500excf is so close to the unicorn.

you have to have 2 bikes unfortunately (I actually love having 2). I use the KTM 500 for overnighters closer to home or more technical, but its terrible on the highway. I recently got the desert x which is the most fun I've ever had on a motorcycle . It feels so light and flickable that I'm using it more than my KTM - and on the road it feels like a sport bike. I put the decat pipe on as well as silencer (SC Project) and it took an additional 12 pounds off the weight which is now just 20 pounds heavier than my old T7 but with a lot more power and way better suspension.

DRZ500, 6 speed transmission would be a contender

This was an absolutely excellent review.

In my search for the unicorn ive settled on three sizes. a wr450, dr650, and super tenere. The dr650 is the closest to a true 50/50 bike, took alot of adjustments and farkles but it is the true 50/50 rider bike, which being that is what made me go and get the other two. Because it did it all but was not great on long trips and on more technical trails it was a bit heavy and clumsy compared to trail bikes. 50/50 =100 it is a compromise in the name alone, it will never be the best at all but good for both. The unicorn would be a 100/100 or as close to that as you could get, they dont want a 50/50 bike thus the quest for the impossible? If they could make that unicorn a bike. To me it would be you could comfortably ride 500+ mile days to get somewhere to camp, then go blast single track with confidence and speed of a slightly heavy enduro. The factor is weight for it to be great at one or the other it has to be heavy for the road for stability and comfort over distance, or light for the trail to be nimble. the middle is always going to be a compromise.

Besides the KTM; Yamaha Tenere700 is pretty close to a lightweight adventure bike

Great video. I am struggling with this as I am sure many are. I think the right answer for me is a solid dual sport with a larger fuel tank and soft luggage for those times when I want to travel with it.

While I would be super excited for something like the AJP PR7, most people would not be. A single doesn't bother me at all. I ride a DR650 and have done big 12+ hr rides without ever thinking about the vibration but I also don't know what I'm missing. The short rides on my friends T7's have been insightful but didn't leave me questioning the single lyfe

I have had a bunch of dual sport and adventure bikes. I recently sold a couple of my bikes and picked up a lightly used KTM 690. It's everything that it's hyped to be. I've owned all the Japanese 650's, none are in this league. I had a few DRZ400's, no comparison. Like any "multiple use" bikes you're going to have to compromise one thing to excel more at another. I don't look forward to 400 miles of slab to get to the next BDR or get home from the last one on the 690, but I also don't dread it...and riding off road is way more fun on this than any 600 pound "Adventure" bike out there.

The T7 is as close as it gets for me. I don't see how it could be made significantly lighter without increasing cost and or reducing reliability.

Hi there, In the year 1998, I have bought a new KTM 620 EGS-E Adventure model 1997. And I still ride this bike, it is the best dual sport bike, which is also suited for travelling, that I could find on the market. It has a 28 liter fuel tank, a dry weight of 166 kgs., about 30 cm suspension travel in front and rear. A strong rear frame allows you to mount luggage for long distance travelling. This was the first bike from KTM that was also suited for road use. The ride is quite "spartanish", lot of vibrations, super-hard seat. But I like it, simplicity, ligthweight, long range. Most customers here in Europe want to travel long distances at high speed on the highways, so KTM builds heavy bikes nowadays......

It comes down to weight. Ridding a 350lb bike on the freeway sucks and ridding a 450lb on single track sucks too. Both can be down but it is what it is.

I felt that video. Keep it up!

Ha! I guessed KTM 690 too! And I think the ideal Adventure Bike CAN be built, if a manufacturer puts a team together to design it.

It's why I own two bikes. Versys 1000 for touring and carving up corners. KTM 890 R for everything else. I actually prefer it this way, than having one bike for everything.

There is one that is 300 lbs wet, 65hp tuned, increased oil capacity via frame storage, produces 200watts at the stator, has full dirtbike suspension, will go 110mph with the right gearing, expandable tank to 6+ gallons, durability wise is the equivalent to the Cummins engine, valves that are adjustable with a wrench and screw driver... The XR650R Ohh... you have to kick start it...

My KTM 890 Adventure R is very quickly becoming my 50/50 “everything” bike the better I get at riding it. At first it seemed very heavy and not meant for more technical dirt riding. But the more I learn to control the weight and power, the more nimble it seems off road. Plus, there’s nothing wrong with having different tools for different jobs. You can cut many things with a Swiss Army knife, but you’re not going to use it to carve a turkey. Lastly, the Husky 701 is already a fantastic lightweight adv bike if you truly want most of the things you’ve mentioned.

Your right. Its a marketing scam in the same way that we drive "trail ready" SUVs and trucks with an off-road package. Most don't use these vehicles off-road and when they do, the factory set-ups tend to break easily. Personally, I prefer ADV bikes because its nice to have a vehicle that is stable and able to handle poor road and climate conditions.

I have an AJP PR7- 600cc, long travel suspension, great brakes, comfortable seat, 365 lbs and I can ride it on an MX track, single track or hundreds of miles from home with camping gear strapped to the back. I’ve found my unicorn 🤩

I ride my Africa Twin off-road as much as I can, which is where i truly enjoy it. But also I sometimes need to ride it across the country

husqvarna 701 that i use is pretty much it. You almost describe it exactly in your intro. I love mine. The problem with it is the overthetop electronics and dodads in the electrical system. If you dont like that get the tenere 700.

Cool video, i guess everyone's riding styles are different, for me a husy 701 enduro with a set of supermoto wheels is perfect i feel like its as close to 50/50 as i can get

I had such a 50 50 bike. In 1990 in Germany I got the MZ ETZ 250 - military version. It was a true all purposes bike. Strong as a 500 ccm standard bike, 1 cylinder, two-stroke engine, the chain protected in chain case and chain hoses, 2 individual seats with grab handle in between, more torque and less speed than the street version (140 km/h), but still up to 95 km/h on the road. 150 kg. You can lift the rear part of the motorcycle alone. Heavy weight to carry - no problem! Stable luggage racks on the sides. These bikes were last made 30 years ago but today have a higher market price than new equally powerful bikes from other manufacturers. New MZ ETZ 250 bike parts are still available.

You make a great point about 50/50 rider. Very few motorcyclists even approach that. Lots of dual sport riders trailer to locations, despite having a plate and ability. Adventure folks are obviously the opposite, the fear of hurting the bike or themselves prevents riding too deep into the woods. I am however the 50/50 unicorn. I want to ride hours on pavement to ride hours of nasty trails. I’m also a cheap ass so this WR250R will have to do until I figure out how to jam a cb500x engine into an XR650L chassis.

Brilliantly done video

My first time finding one of your videos. I fully agree. My bikes are at DR200 and a v-strom 650. I ride the DR in town daily, and only use the v-strom when I'm traveling. For some reason, I'm leaning hard towards a versys 300x. Takes care of that single cylinder conversation. Has a little wind coverage. Can do okay speeds, but doesn't really have enough power or ground clearance for major off-road. However, I'm 90% on road, with big dreams. 🤷

Riders who focus too much on modern models talk about all the negatives about single cylinders, but that doesn't stop the popularity of bikes like the DR650. You judge too harshly when you say" they're so vibratey it's unridable". I'd go so far as to say the DR650 is in the running for top 5 bikes taken around the world.

The answer is exactly that. Have more than one bike that can do what you're most likely to do. If you make long cross country trips that dip into the back country? Then get a KTM 890. Or if you mostly ride the back country and occasionally use tarmac to get there then get the KTM 690 or hell the 500.

I wasn't afraid to take my ZX9R on dirt roads. You just have to move to the other side of the bike in turns like you're riding a dirt bike. I'll never forget when my buddy and I took a gravel road shortcut through Black Hills of SD on our trip from CA to Indy for the F1 race. We were power drifting around a big sweeper when we passed a bunch of National Guardsmen doing whatever they were doing in a flat area on the inside of the turn. They all did a double-take. LOL!!! That was the LAST thing they expected to see out there, two crotch rockets not giving a you-know-what! XD

I've seen alot of m/c vids & this one has to be up there with the best.Nice views of trail-riding I've got a v-strom650 & understand what a bike can & can't do.The new Suzuki800?For me is too heavy for starters.Great philosophy at the end there mate.

I did get the Gasgas ES700 and its have the same service time as my friends T7, im happy whit the Gasgas hade some few mods and it runs fine, i wish it got a nav tower standard whit windprotection that's on my wish list. changing the tires to Pirelli mt21 when the stock are worn out.

The 690 enduro doesn't flex like an enduro bike and it is not that buzzy. it also can go 10k kms between oil changes. don't let the "enduro" wording fool you. It is a road bike with off-road pedigree. And the lack of flex is notorious in technical terrain, when compared to a ktm500exc.

That was great!

All good points. Another to add is that a 50/50 unicorn might just kill all the sales of the lightweight and heavyweight adventurers

An Itchy Boots style trip across a continent, seeking out of the way dirt roads, seems like the 50/50 application the presenter is musing about. And, I'd submit that those types of trips are becoming more and more popular because of the efforts of folks like Itchy Boots and the establishment of routes like the BDRs and TET. The 701 is great bike for this application, but requires quite a bit of modification for 50/50 riding (comfortable seat, bigger tank, windscreen, etc.). The AJP PR7 seems like another contender, but I haven't met anyone who has ridden one. I do think there it an increasingly bigger and growing market for this unicorn bike.

Your assessment is correct, that’s why I own a BMW F800GSA, Beta 300, and a Yamaha WR250F. Rarely ride the BMW off road.

Good video and some good points, thanks. For me, any of my off-road riding should be on a lighter bike, so I agree that most of the "adventure bikes" need to lose some pork.

You make some good points about the modern market, however I’ve been a 50/50 rider in my younger years - but for that you have to accept machine compromises and you can have the 50/50 machine to match. I guess it’s what you in the US call a Dualsport. The weight 300 to 350 lbs but power 30 to 45 bhp. Available on the market (still) in the US you have the Honda XR650L. Put on a big tank, some tyres like Pirelli MT21 Rallycross, some (not much) soft luggage and off you go. Simple to maintain too. The closest I’ve had were the Honda XR400R which I rode across Europe from UK on and off-road, also Morocco. XR600R in California and Baja and a Gilera RC600R in UK. I could go pretty much anywhere on those bikes, save trials type sections. I had the XR400R geared up a bit to help on the road. Those XRs were bombproof motors too. Currently though, now after 53 years riding and 53 motorcycles I enjoy my Triumph GT Pro, 99% on-road. It’s got the 19” front wheel. I changed the tyres to Dunlop Mutants and the front size to 110/80 for more on road ability but still with the option to do the occasional fire-road. I guess it all comes down to what compromises you are prepared to accept. When I needed more trials type ability I went smaller and lighter like a 12 bhp 1986 Honda TLR250R. 6 speed box, twin fuel tanks, one below the seat, the other conventional with the airbox in the headstock. It would cruise at 60 mph on the road, but could climb things no rallye bike could. In fact I entered it in a Rallye in Wales and beat most of the big bikes - simply because the wee bike kept going when they couldn’t. Compromise and enjoy…

Why do all KZfaq motorcycle pundits seem to have a blind spot for the AJP PR7 when they as “Why will no one make me the bike I want?” It IS the bike that you all call for!

Most important is that a heavy more street oriented adv will eventually get you anywhere a 250 lbs off roader can go. You won't be jumping and it will take some more time but it will get you there (and back).