Off Roading !!!

[Womble]

I've got both an 1150 (shod with Karoos) and a puddle jumper. I'm continually amazed at people who slag off the big GS for not being light and nimble. Who cares? Even if I can sprint, sometimes I just want to jog, and why should speed be the only criterion for enjoyment?

I love taking my GS around the local lanes and if I only had the one bike, I would keep the GS. Unlike my pogo, it can carry luggage, take me 500 miles in a day and then go exploring, and it doesn't need an oil change at the halfway point. The seat's not cripplingly uncomfortable either.

 

[Michael R1150GS Adventure]

+ 1

the better bit is that the Kielder K2 was not green back lanes, it was full on off roading with super fast gravel sections between to get cooled down (relatively !)

Great bikes. Still dont know how it did it

 

[Packer]

Tourances and mud aren't a great combination. On road you can get 12,000 miles from a set if you go easy on the loud grip in low gears.

The old Heideneau K60 were a good compromise between Tourance and TKC80, more grip in slippery off road than Tourance but far better mileage than TKC's on the tarmac, I got 7½k out of mine but they were then withdrawn from production. You could ride to the side wall and the blocks wore out in interesting patterns

The new version of the Heidi is the K60 Scout, look here but I don't have any experience of those.

The big GS can do a lot off road but it is a compromise bike. It does everything from track to touring to off road but there is always something that is better in any given condition except perhaps going touring including unmade roads with a track day part way through the holiday.

Off road the weight soon exceeds the capability of the suspension as speed increases. Getting airborne over humps and bumps can result in frightening noises as one third of a ton returns to terra firma with the suspension bottoming out. It is however extremely satisfying getting the big pig up or down a steep loose and stony track without dabbing.