Motorcycles
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I’m halfway into a 14-day offroad motorcycle trip through Utah, ending in Las Vegas on the 7th. The show is run by an italian company, Balise Expeditions, which partners with Aprilia for the bikes. We are all riding brand new Aprilia Tuareg Rally bikes and they are proving themselves an excellent option for all types of terrain: gravel, rocky, sandy, baby-heads; including short connecting stints on paved roads. I think their strong torque at low rpms and firm, long travel suspension are the stars of the show.
About to leave Moab
That super blue water is due to the potassium they extract from potash mineral in pools around here.
Lookout point over the Colorado river. This is the spot for the Thelma and Louise movie where they drive their car over the cliff.
Typical road and terrain for the trip
Typical scene out here. This is at Valley of the Gods
One of our campsites at Valley of the Gods -
Bikes were shod with Metzeler Karoo 4 tyres and heavy duty inner tubes. They have performed flawlessly at 26 psi front and back
Deep loose sand causing minor tipovers
We had to get this pic at the well known Forrest Gump scene
Beautiful scenery everywhere along these curvy mountain roads -
@motojobobo That’s beyond incredible. Did you do any riding in or around Arches National Park?
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@Jett129 no we didn’t go through Arches. The tour guides opted not to because it is mostly paved roads there and heavily visited. The focus here is avoiding the more popular spots and towards the more remote and dirt road areas, hence the type of bikes we are riding.
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@motojobobo said in Motorcycles:
@Jett129 no we didn’t go through Arches. The tour guides opted not to because it is mostly paved roads there and heavily visited. The focus here is avoiding the more popular spots and towards the more remote and dirt road areas, hence the type of bikes we are riding.
Those are Excellent guides you’ve got there.
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I’m seeking some assistance from fellow motorcycle enthusiasts here, as we have quite a passionate community.
I’ve been a Harley-Davidson guy for quite some time. I recently sold my Sportster and still own a beloved Deluxe Twin Cam.
I’m on the lookout for a bike to add to my collection, primarily for fun. So, what does “fun” mean to me?
I’m looking for a bike that’s easy to handle, has sufficient power, and offers an enjoyable ride on winding roads where my Deluxe struggles to maintain a lean angle of 10 degrees or more without scraping
I also want a bike that can make me take detours while commuting.I don’t plan on taking the bike to the track or using the highway frequently. Occasionally, I ride it with my wife, but we usually take the Harley for two up riding.
I’m open to any type of bike, but if you think a 125cc bike is the most fun, that’s perfectly fine. If you think a Panigale is the only bike that can provide fun, that’s also acceptable.
However, I believe that riding a slower bike at high speeds is more enjoyable than riding a fast bike at low speeds. I also believe that supersport bikes like the Panigale are primarily designed for track use and don’t offer the same level of fun on the road.
I am not too much into Dual Sports/ ADV‘s as I am not planning to go off-road, but maybe would need to ride one once.If I had to compare the bike I am looking for to a car, I would say I’m looking for something similar to the MX5 or Miata. Anyone who has driven an MX5 will have a big smile on their face, knowing that any Porsche would be easily beat you in a race.
Would be great to pick your brains and get some ideas.
I have a bike in my mind that I like purely from the looks but would prefer to not influence.
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Triumph Speed Twin 1200.
There’s a reason I’ve kept my Thruxton for over 8 years now, it’s a great road bike with enough power to enjoy yourself but not so much that you’re doing twice the speed limit before it makes sense.
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Aprilia Tuono v4 has my vote
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I appreciate the help, guys. It’s funny because, in my mind, I was thinking of a Bonnie or Speed Twin and was hoping kinda for that answer. I’ll have to test ride a T100, T120, and Speed Twin to see how I like it and how much power I need.
@yannis Would you say the power of the Tuono is usable on the roads? I have ridden Panigale V2,V4 and BMW 1000RR and these are amazing bikes, I just found them boring on roads. On a track, yes, every day!
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The tuono has more relaxed sitting position. If you are asking if it has lots of power the answer is yes buy not as much as the panigale v4 and the bmw 1000rr. Those are more uncompromising and the throtle response is more abrupt and harder to modulate. More like an on off switch. The tuono is more relaxed and tuned for street riding with a definite sporty flair. Can you use all the power?Probably not all the time, you will end up in jail. But you can pass on a 2 lane country road with a twist of the wrist and that in itself matters Also it has a more complaint ride from the pure sport bikes and if you get the v4 factory you get adjustable suspension to suit your riding style. I also like the KTM super duke but that v twin is brutal.. The tuono is more composed the KTM is more of a rebel.
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@motojobobo What an exciting trip you are on. Love the pictures and write up. I’m glad to hear you’re having a great time and enjoying the ride. Never rode an Aprilia but have heard great things about them. Be sure to post pictures of the second half of the trip!
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@yannis a lovely bike and defintiely more confortable than a sportsbike, but I'd imagine it has more power than the Panigale V2 I used to have, and that was too fast for the road. It only came alive over 70mph and even with my very limited talent to enjoy the bike's performance meant that I was going very quickly indeed.
I think somewhere around 120-130bhp is the sweet spot for usable road power. The Triumph 1200 twins are a little below that, around 100bhp, but still plenty quick enough 99% of the time.
