Get your name in the end credits of upcoming videos! JOIN now and become an Associate Producer. www.youtube.com/@MOTOTREK/membership

My '21 GS is all I have, do not own a car. I commute on it daily, grocery shop and have crossed the US on it. Twice. What a machine.

Thank you for this! So tired of everyone telling people what they should be riding. Just go out and enjoy yourself. Just because you cant handle it doesn't mean all of us can't.

Dusty, man you gotta post more! We miss ya dude!

Finally, some honesty from a big bike ADV rider. Thank you! Because I can - is what I heard. If that’s your bag, then rock on dude.

Awesome points. I agree. I want my ADV bike to excel at touring, which the GS does. I hope you can spend time on the 1300GS soon - they added the ability to fine tune the suspension like you were showing on the Multistrada. The 1300 is a big improvement both on and off road, and will make you fall in love with the GS even more... let's ride again soon!

Dusty runs a great training program for all levels of ADV riders.

I think the key here is to keep in mind that offroad riding and adventure touring are quite different things. Most people are ok with these big adventure bikes being used for tarmac and gravel roads, basically conditions that allow you to get to the end of your continent without trying to emulate enduro or motocross riders. These big bikes are meant to travel and when you travel and encounter a difficult pass you always have the choice to drive through an easier and safer one.

Great video Dusty. Lots of great points made on both types of bikes. Keep the videos coming!

I love videos with Dusty. Such a great explainer, very well spoken.

I forgot this channel existed thanks for posting

That was my favourite vid. Honest and in context. As a guide in Europe I can relate. That issue is a lot of of people won’t commit the time to learn the skills. UK riding is very technical and I believe light is right for the UK trails UNLESS you have the learnt the skills and big bike is fun for the challenge. I like this honest and to the point vid. Keep them coming JP

The GS is often hated just based on the brand/price tag. But anyone that has ever ridden one will tell you that they're the best all rounder ever... They don't excell at any particular thing, they just do everything right. And I would 100% agree on how reliable they are and easy to maintain. With the exception of replacing a clutch on a air cooled one, but than again I sold mine with 50k miles and the clutch was still solid. I'm on my 2nd GS and tried/owned a number of different bikes, I always go back to the GS.

Before watching, I just want to say I'm 5'6" tall. I grew up racing motocross, and have had a lot of bikes. My last adventure bike, before the R1250GS was a Tiger Explorer 1200. THAT bike almost made me quit ADV riding. It felt huge, it was hard to handle, top heavy and picking it up felt like I was deadlifting 400LBs. Then I rode my friends GS, my first order of business was to dump the Explorer. The GS is nimble, feels half its weight, easy to ride off road, does not feel top heavy, and easy to lift if it goes down. If you set it up the correct way, it feels like a wide MX bike to me. That being said, the F900GS definitely looks appealing.

Well said Dusty! Looking forward to our next Level 3 training!

Ahh, so good to see you post this video. This novice rider took one of your courses and learned so much. I am still hanging on to my GS 1200 after following many of your tips, I will keep practicing what I learned, when I can, but still need lots of work. Thanks again for posting and instructions. JR

Awesome info and demo! Thanks

You are absolutely right. I took some training lessons and learned how to ride a bike bike, now I can ride anywhere for as long as I desire. And man, once you come off some rough terrain, and then hit the highway, what a feeling!

Another great video. Please keep them coming! Always love Matt jamming in the background!

Well, it’s your money your choice. But as you already mentioned you have the skills, 80% of the riders that buy ADV bikes don’t take it that far. Why? IMO skill level, which is fine, not every Ferrari owner knows how to drive a fancy super sport car on a track, but that doesn’t mean they can’t own one 😂. Many KZfaq channels show how to ride a big ADV bike, but what those channel never say is that it requires time, skills, gear, enthusiasm, long legs, strength, etc. we like to watch channels like this and others just because it makes us feel like we can learn something and we do learn, but definitely not every rider is made to be a pro 😢. Awesome video as always!

I really enjoyed this vid, the perspective, and the comparison between 2 top bikes!

Good stuff Dusty. You are spot on Pal. Only those who do it really understand. Avoiding these beasts doesn’t make anyone an expert on their capabilities. With skill, they are incredible.

Great choice of bike and the fun you get with the skills you have developed!

OMG thank you. You made me want a 1250 again. Thank you so much. Great video.

“Why Not”. Love it!

Great video! Informative with high quality production. Thank you

I got a GS1200 and started on it offroad, and totally agree with your starting comments - although it was a somewhat steep learning curve, I love it. I've tried the Tenere and some other lighter mid sized bikes and even taking the 21" front into account (which sucks on the black stuff), im so comfortable and tuned in with my GS now I don't think I want a smaller adv. Actually thinking of moving up to a 1250 like yours. Also, I don't only do 'green' route either, my riding buddies ride KTMs and Africa Twins and we've toured Namibia and South Africa extensively. I love my GS! Your fork comments are interesting though, and the new 900gs seems like a viable option too. Keep posting, your stuff rocks!

Luv ur videos man.

Great video… I’m glad to see more content coming back to the channel…

aaaaaaaand that's why got my V4 Rally months ago, great overview for sure, thnx V!

I'm glad to see you back! Maybe KZfaq moved me on to other things, but I love your videos!!

You and I are in the same camp. I agree with everything you said in this video. They are extremely capable machines and with a little bit of skill, they are very enjoyable to ride even in technical terrain.

We need more Dusty videos!

Great video, thanks.

I have a mid weight adv . Dropped it 2 times . Every part of the bike is scratched and damaged. And it’s 2months since i got it. I sometime feel like I’m not worth riding that big expensive bike. But i think that bike is made for that and it teaches me something that no one can. Don’t think too much on dropping the bikes. It does hurt but in exchange you’ll learn a lot and will feel free .

It's not that you shouldn't do it, it's just that there are so many better choices.

Excellent explanation!

He’s back, yippeeee

I have the Behemoth R1200 GSA and I wouldn't exchange my girl for anything else. I have crossed the desert, and rode in passes that a Jeep would weep. Rivers, canyons, trails, and more. I ride heavy, as I do it solo and I camp a lot. I carry lots of tools, for me and for the people in need on the road. And on the tarmac... oh man... Having said that, I admit that my Bavarian Bear is a little too much when you have to lift it up several times in a day, especially fully loaded. I get that. But I have the size and the strength to deal with it. If I was riding trails on a single day, close to home sure, give me a lighter bike and I would be happy. But I don't do that. I ride far and wide. There's no other bike more suited to me. What can I say? I like big girls...

I respect your opinion and your choice. I know several guys who ride these huge bikes like dirt bikes. I grew up riding off road and consider myself better than average on a big bike off road. I do see so many riders who have never ridden dirt start on these big bikes and have a really tough learning curve. Some get hurt and some just quit. Some do well. I will never stop recommending a lighter bike for new riders to learn some dirt skills on first. If I have the free time to do a cross continent ride I ride a big bike. But for local off road rides I will always enjoy the pleasure of riding a light bike. So much control and confidence with so many less compromises.

You tell them Dusty…….you badass! 🖖😎

Thanks for the inspiration! I love my GS but struggle quite a bit here in the Florida sand while practicing. Riding from SWFL to ID, WY, and CO to run the BDR’s was comfy on the long ride out and I found it very capable off road as well

Awesome video! I had to double check if I unsubscribed to your channel as I have not seen much for a long time. So this was nice! I ride a GS1250 as well and it's the first bike I have that even after 3 years of ownership I never think of 'upgrading' . I guess once the intimidation is over, it gets much easier. Could you do a series on your GS experience? I guess you know a lot more than most of us how to upgrade the bike say tyres?

As a Multi V4S rider who loves taking the bike off road, thanks for making this video! The bike is just so good to get around on, and when you do encounter an off road trail or section of gravel, it's nice not to have to get bummed out and turn around! Is it sometimes challenging and hard? Absolutely, but it's also a lot of fun and it's satisfying to push yourself outside of your comfort zone and look back and say that you did that. Also looking forward to trying the Desert X.

Thanks for this video! This makes me realize I need to practice more on my AT AS, it is an amazing bike but I still need to learn how to handle it in moderate to heavy offroad. I always end up taking my DR650 which, tbh is extremely fun off-road but a pain in the ass (literally) on highway.

Good stuff !! Thank You !

For epic trips, big bikes rule! They can get you into (and usually out of) plenty of tight spots, but that is only a fraction of what you'll encounter on any long adventure. For every mile of sand wash or rocky trail, there are 1000 miles of tarmac and dirt road. The power to chug up and over the Andes and comfort to grind out 10-12 hour days between backwater towns are awesome.

I love the boxer motors. Had a 1200rt, last few years a 1200gsa. So much fun, but can also be terrifying off road at times!

Seems like the big bikes fit your needs very well. I am 67 and do a lot of solo day trips, including off road. I have moved from a KTM 890r to a KTM 690r as the weight of the 890r got to be a problem if I had to pick it up in tough terrain(only had to do that once but once was enough!). The 690r is the perfect compromise for me. It is OK for day trips and light enough that I can handle it very well, while being acceptable for highway riding. My off road riding skills are pretty good, but even with good skills the lighter 690r is just more fun. I only do day trips though, so for multi-day rides with a lot of pavement the 690r would not be the right bike.

Another really nice video. Perfect sound, perfect camera, perfect editing with a really nice, likeable dude who knows what he's talking about, simply wonderful to watch. But unfortunately it takes far too long until the next video ;) P.S. love to travel with my big bike (also offroad) and would never switch to a light version.

Couldn't agree more - I'd take my ktm 990 adv out to all the difficult hills and sand sections I found most intimidating - and practice over and over until mastering it.

I've recently converted to a 2023 Husqvarna Norden 901 expedition for me. This midsize bike with all of the technology of the big bikes and is best for a single rider I put over 54,000 miles on a 2017 BMW GSA very happy with that bike, but was expensive to maintain an extremely expensive to buy, prior to that bike I had a 2014 KTM 1190 R which I put 44,000 miles on it. Awesome bike both on an off-road. Before the Norden I put 40,000 miles on a KTM 690 great BDR bike but not good at carrying luggage especially if you were camping, so my take is you don't have to go small and you don't have to go large go midsize and buy the best midsize bike, for me that's the Husqvarna Norden 901 expedition price was $15,700.

I completely agree with this. I rode a 1981 Honda XL500 back in the 80s, once even on a 3,300 mile trip from Northern CA to the Canadian border and back, decades before the term adventure bike came into being. Last year I did something crazy, crazy for me because I'm a very frugal person by nature. I decided that the time to get a new bike and head out into the wilds on an adventure bike was now or never for me. I'm 6', 1" tall, so bike height is not an issue for me. I looked at bikes from the Honda CB500 up to the Tiger 900 Rally Pro. I hemmed and hawed over the big bike question. Then the Husqvarna 901 Expedition came out, and I wrote a check and never looked back. My summary conclusion was like yours, "why not?" My typical rides begin with a mile of dirt road from my house to a county gravel road, to a county twisty paved road, to USFS forest service roads, to single track and back. I am addicted to to the power and love gliding through the twisties. I love the amazing suspension (WP Explor) that just swallows the holes and spits them out like they were nothing. Redlining the tac through third gear makes me feel like I'm on a rocket ship. Why not? : P

Welcome back Dusty. It's been a while. The moment you started on the topic I was thinking that the bike should match the rider before it matches the terrain.

I just got my 2021 1250gs and i will say it feels far more stable than my CB500x which is 200 lbs lighter. Im still learning on its offroad use, but now that i have proper crash bars i feel more comfortable pushing a little harder on my training exercises. I love this bike

I have over 78k miles on my 2017 GSA best bike I've ever owned i do ride off road as much as I can have done one BDR by myself 2¹/² months after complete knee replacement. I've taken it places alone i probably shouldn't have but I've also turned around alot of times also. I would really like to try out the Ducati multistrada v4 rally but I don't have that kind of $ anymore 😢. Great video Dusty keep them coming.

Dusty makes some excellent points, though I'm partial to a second-hand dirt bike I can beat the F out of without fear costing myself any serious money and knowing I can left it up a dozen times without breaking a sweat. Adventure bikes are really about long-distance riding in areas with poor roads, not afternoons spent hooning through farmland (with owner's permission), logging trails, or beaches.

I have one of the new 1200 Tigers with the 21 inch front tire. I didn't have ant off-road experience before I bout it but I can tell you that I can keep up with most of my mates on much smaller bikes who do have a lot more experience than me. I am finding it a lot easier in the dirt than I had expected. So far so good. If I lived near more dirt roads and could have two bikes then I would love a smaller and lighter bike for the really tough stuff but then I would not want to be travelling far on highways to get to the tougher stuff.

I've owned 800s, 900s, and 1200s. At age 60, I now ride a fully modded 300L. I can run 65 all day long and go anywhere here in CO. From I-70 to Mosquito Pass. Hey Dusty, have you ever had someone say, I wish I had a heavier bike on any of your rides?

My first comment is Man you have the same last name as me. My name is Randy Wessels. It isn't a common name so i think it is cool that I found someone that somewhere down the line we could be related. I bought a 2023 Triumph Tiger 1200 GT Explorer a month ago and I am loving it. I haven't taken it off road yet but i will in the future. Most of my riding will be pavement with an occasional dirt road. I do have dirt riding experience as i used to race motocross but not on this heavy bike. I enjoyed the video so I am subscribed.

riding the wrong bike can often be more fun than the right bike

My 23GSA is my ultimate travel bike.. i go everywhere!!! I love it. I don't turn around like i did on a Harley when I'm in a long tour and the payment unexpectedly goes away. I really enjoy the bike and I'm enjoying getting into more remote areas. I'm not sure I'll be an expert off road rider, but I am having fun.

What makes this bike so great, and why it's going to be my first big bike purchase in a year or two, is because it checks all of the boxes. I'm 57 years old now, and I don't want a garage full of different bikes. This bike is great for short blasts, touring, grocery shopping, and trail riding. If anyone asks me to join them for a ride anywhere other than maybe true offroad mudding (not interested anyway), this bike is perfect. Expensive? Yes. 100K mile capability? Yes.

You checked all the points concern...nail it ,..💯🙏🤙🤘🤟👍✊️💫🙂

I have been riding a ‘23 gs adventure commuting every day for about six months now. It doesn’t feel nearly as heavy as it is. BMW really put the weight down low. I used to ride a V-Strom 1050 and it was extremely top heavy caused me to drop it many times off-road. Only dropped the gs once so far and it is easy to pick up by myself too what a bonus!! V-Strom required a second person to help pick it back up every time.

I ride my 2010 F800GS everywhere except in tight single trail or mud (1 inch rain in heavy black soil forget it). It's a great adventure tourer.

Great video! Training is key for riding big bikes in inappropriate places. But the rewards are worth it. 😁

Just bought a Teneré 700 and I absolutely love it, probably gonna go up 1-2 teeth on the front sprocket just for better fuel economy on the highway tho

Awesome video

Amazing the mental gymnastics people go through to justify their bike choice.

Well, good for you. I myself ride a GS and although it is not perfect, it is perfect for me and since I am paying, and i hv ridden other bikes too, i keep going back to the GS.

Practice On Man I spend lots of time on my dirt bike learning skills to transfer to my ADV. Sad how few people will put time into practicing. LITTLE is learned just riding. Slow speed of balance skills are invaluable!

Chris Birch: YES 😂

In South Africa we call the GS "Geen Sand" No Sand 🤣

6 foot tall KTM 1290 R rider here. I absolutely love the bike for travel over any paved, gravel, or seasonal road. However. Once the route of travel gets any more technical than two track, it is a lot of weight to manage, and it has a very high standover height, when things knock you around and you have to dab, it is challenging to get the purchase required with your feet to keep the machine upright. It is then a lot of weight to pick up. All this weight also means things are more apt to break when a crash happens. With my buddies on lighter dual sports, sometimes that means going on an easier track. Not a big deal, but you do feel like you miss out on 'the good stuff'. That said, I wouldnt trade this bike for anything on the travel side.

I got a T7 first. 2 years later got a ‘23 1250 GSA. Have only ridden my T7 once since then. I put an awesome suspension on the GSA and I’ll take it anywhere I ever took the T7.

Bravo! 👍👍

I have a Kawasaki KLR 650 2023, and I love it 💚

99% of GS's will never be exploited beyond 50% of their true capacities.

I was one of those naysayers two years ago the bought a used 2006 R1200GS and freaking love it i ended up selling my 650l honda loved that too because the GS did what i wanted im 71 and ride alot of offroad two track mostly ,camping and living! Get out and ride people!

Awesome post!! I am a newer rider, got back into riding like 4 years ago. Started off on a Vstrom 650, and just bought a 1250GSA last year, and freaking love it. I am learning some off road skills and love every second on the bike. It's ridiculous hearing all of the backlash about these bikes, and honestly don't get it. Why be so noisy about it? If people were confident with their decision to ride smaller bikes, then why bitch about the bigger bikes? I love the GS for everything you stated and plan to be on it for a very long time and grow into it as I develop more skill! Cheers man!

A rider should ride what they want to ride, no matter what others think. But the market is pushing big heavy expensive bikes instead of small light cheep ones. My perfect bike would be light, not to expensive (if I drop it I do not empty my wallet) and fuel efficient with the option to get more power if needed but range is more important. And that the gearing would fit both off road and pavement, that the first 4 gears would be made for off road and the top 2 would be made for highway speed.

You need to master Brett's hat to helmet switch, but great videos and keep them coming!!

I grew up with dirtbikes and street bikes. Got a v-strom about a year ago... first time in sand and through twisty fire roads I quickly realized I did not have the skill set for this type of riding! I've been considering a dual sport to "bridge the gap" and improve my skills a bit, then back to the v-strom or maybe a different adventire bike all together! But , man, that sand! 😂

Started on 750, Upgraded to 1250 and love it ... ended up buying a 310 as a practice bike ... Did end up with an 850 as well so now I have a whole line up 310, 850 and 1250 in garage LOL

Love my old 2007 1200 gs it’s goes any where on or off road.

I went from the Africa twin to the tenree and it was a game changer

claro que si, adelante

Big and heavy is good for Nevada 60mph crosswinds. Driving home 850 miles in one day because I was out for 3 weeks and done. Dirt in eastern Oregon, Nevada, Idaho with tons of camping gear and an ice chest. It was the right bike for those type of trips. I call it my old man bike. When I want to slow down and enjoy the scenery. Else I’m on the mt09.

It saddens me that people think 60,000 miles is a long life.. that is only 3-5 years of riding...

I like big bikes, and I cannot lie 😁

Hi Bro, have you tried tiger1200 Rally on this type of offroad riding?

Mototrek is BACK! And with NEW SOUNDTRACK!

My new favorite moto guy, and it's the first time I've seen or heard of this guy, but I enjoyed the video from start to finish. Bmw needs to send him the new 1300 they know damn well they don't have anyone on their payroll who could've sold that bike so we'll.

hello from Canada , how often do you clean your chain riding on dirt and dusty roads

GS stands for Gelände Straße. Off road + street. Like Dusty says, load ‘er up like a pack mule, ride 500 miles in comfort, then pull onto the dirt! My ‘05 GS is still a beast, fast and agile in traffic, and Boxer balanced and incredibly torquey off idle pulling up dirt trails. GS’s are also a commanding presence filtering to the front of an intersection with Amber riding lights. 🟡🟡 The GS is the proverbial Swiss Army knife.

I love this channel, you know your shit.

I couldn't agree more about being more planted at high speed that's for sure. I ride a big bike because I live in the High Desert of Nevada. The huge mountains I see in the background that are calling my name could be 60 miles away or more. I don't want to ride 60 miles on a CRF pinned and then ride the mountains and try and ride back pinned. I love my GSA Prove Me Wrong!!!

this y i own 2 adventure bikes, ktm 1190 adventure r for local offroading with firends. some races. i have a honda transalp 600 for solo adventure riding, best mix. i did use the 1190 for long distrance it was easyer then transalp for hightways. over 60mph. transalp prefect for long disance offroading.

Amen!!