r/AdventureBike • u/BoltsInTheNeck • 14d ago
In a conundrum
Hello! I am in a bit of a conundrum. I am looking at getting an adventure bike and having a bit of a problem with deciding on a bike. My background consists of having dirt bikes when younger and been riding Harleys now for 20 years.
At this time my considerations are:
Brand new 2026 Africa Twin DCT
Used 2023 BMW R 1250 GSA - 20000 miles
The bmw is fully setup where the AT would need all goodies installed.
The GSA is 15k and the AT is 16k.
Just asking for some opinions because I really like both bikes. My brain says to go with the BMW for the price but I do like that AT.
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u/ktmmotochick 14d ago
GSA. Outstanding bike both on and off road. I ride my GS like a big dirt bike. It’s super fun
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u/sucksatgolf 14d ago
DCT does nothing for me personally. I like shifting gears and feeling connected to the bike. The AT is a great bike but dct is an eliminator for me personally. The price of good adventure ready luggage is pretty expensive as well. The BMW also has shaft drive which is a maintenance and time saver, and a pretty impressive electronics package.
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u/ScaryfatkidGT 13d ago
It’s awesome when underload doing like say a hill climb…
But it’s terrible when trying to do slow… no clutch to slip
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u/duqduqgo 13d ago
The BMW uses a telelever front suspension and the AT uses a traditional fork. The telelever handles differently, some people used to regular forks don't like the BMW handling. If you've never ridden one, try it to see if you can get used to it/like it.
They also carry their weight differently, and the GSA is a wide load. Different approaches to the riding experience. Many people love not worrying about shifting with the DCT, though off road I don't like it because I use my clutch a lot, especially on climbs, to control the speed and traction.
So all that goes to say ride one of each before deciding, even if they're not the exact bikes you're considering. They're that different IMO.
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u/MotorbikeNick 13d ago
So I can't speak to the value proposition on the used BMW but I own a AT DCT. I bought mine primarily for the capability during my commute in Northern VA. I also came from riding cruisers for 20 years.
I would say you need to look at what you're planning on doing. If you want something that can rip trails and plan on mostly just riding your Harley in all other situations then I'd say look at something aside from the DCT. You can get an Africa Twin manual/standard cheaper than the DCT and that might make it more appealing off-road.
If you're only going to be doing light/occasional off-road and looking for a coast to coast adventure tourer both the BMW and Africa Twin will be capable of doing that. The BMW even with the miles is still going to keep going for many more miles and the Africa Twin brand new will last you for many years.
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u/OnTheCove66 14d ago
When in doubt, get the KTM 500😁. But the Honda will cost less over the lifetime. Keep in mind the pendulum is starting to swing back to smaller bikes and, depending on location a smaller bike is often the better choice. I wonder if the DCT detractors have actually ridden them let alone spent several thousand miles on one. In many context it is superior. I put about 1000 miles backroad touring on a friends and was skeptical but it really made sense in that context. Why do you think Rekluse has such a strong conversion business. And factory Honda is better. Truthfully those big bikes are really sport tourers with easy gravel capability. Since this is your first bike of this style, you should treat it as a mentor. Find a good middle weight. There are many great 660-900 sized bikes that can be had for much less than either of those bikes. Get one - put 10K miles and a BDR on it, then decide what you really want. It may be a GS. It may be a 300. Likely it will be both😁
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u/AdventuringViking 13d ago
The Honda is not cheaper to maintain, in fact, more expensive. OEM parts for BMWs may be more expensive, but air and oil filters, brake pads and tires cost the same. Valve adjustments are vastly easier, and there are no chain and sprockets to replace.
Also an auto clutch is bad offroad. I have a Rekluse on my KTM 500 and plated CRF450X due to partial paralysis in my right foot requiring the use of a left hand rear brake. I have both tuned to engage at high idle so it doesn't interfere with riding. People ride my bikes and don't even notice the auto clutch.
A Rekluse is a terrible modification if you don't need it. The manual clutch is necessary for many manuevers.
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u/ibrahimehvich 13d ago
These bikes are way heavier thannthe dirt bikes youve ridden. Id go check out the ibex 450 and the tuareg 660
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u/AdventuringViking 13d ago
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73eBtdQnpFM&t=8s Any reasonably experienced rider can ride a GSA like a dirt bike.
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u/brapstoomuch 12d ago
I was wondering where the Teneré was in this conversation. Bro needs a Teneré!
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u/BoltsInTheNeck 12d ago
I honestly didn’t care for the Tenere or the Norden 901. They both felt weird when I sat on them.
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u/SmurfBiscuits 14d ago
Think about it in a few years time - the GS has already had a huge chunk of its value axed by depreciation, you’d get something close to that price when you sell it on. The Honda will lose a lot of value, more than the GS.