Adventure Motorcycles are a SCAM / Here is Why
Summary
TLDRThis video script challenges the marketing hype around big adventure motorcycles, arguing they're often over-engineered and impractical for real off-road use. It points out the excessive weight, complex electronics, and high costs as downsides, suggesting lighter, more affordable dual-sport bikes as a better choice for true adventure seekers. The script also warns of the dangers of relying on these bikes for extreme conditions, as advertised, urging viewers to consider practicality and safety over marketing promises.
Takeaways
- 🏍️ **Adventure Bike Misconceptions**: The script challenges the notion that big adventure bikes are necessary for off-road and gravel road exploration.
- 💪 **Power Overload**: High horsepower bikes may not be suitable for off-road use due to the risk of wheel spin and difficulty in managing the bike's weight.
- 🛠️ **Over-Engineering**: Adventure bikes are often over-engineered with complex electronics that can be hard to fix, especially in foreign countries.
- 🔩 **Parts Availability**: Replacing parts on adventure bikes can be difficult, especially in remote locations, which can hinder the adventure.
- 🚫 **Legal Limitations**: Many countries restrict off-roading and gravel road use, limiting the practicality of an adventure bike for everyday riding.
- 🏞️ **Real-World Usage**: The reality of motorcycle touring often involves more road riding than off-road, making the specialized features of adventure bikes less useful.
- 💰 **Costly Investment**: Adventure bikes are expensive, and their value drops significantly with use, especially when used for their intended off-road purposes.
- 🌍 **Market Misalignment**: The marketing of adventure bikes often sells a lifestyle rather than a practical tool, leading to unrealistic expectations.
- ⚠️ **Safety Concerns**: The script warns of the potential dangers of relying on the capabilities promised by adventure bike marketing in hostile environments.
- 🏁 **Alternative Options**: Dual-sport bikes or sport tourers might be more practical and safer options for those seeking adventure motorcycle travel.
Q & A
What is the main criticism of adventure bikes in the script?
-The main criticism is that adventure bikes are marketed as essential for off-road and gravel road exploration, but they are often over-engineered, heavy, and not as practical for real-world adventure touring as they are portrayed.
Why does the script suggest that the power of adventure bikes is not practical for off-road use?
-The script suggests that adventure bikes with over 100 horsepower can lead to wheel spin and are difficult to control off-road, making them less practical for actual off-road adventures compared to motorcycles with less power.
What is the issue with the electronics on adventure bikes according to the script?
-The script points out that the numerous electronics on adventure bikes can be hard to fix if they break down, and they add to the weight of the bike, making them even less suitable for off-road use.
Why might it be difficult to replace parts on an adventure bike in a foreign country?
-The script explains that some parts, like the Cardon of a BMW GS, can be hard to replace in foreign countries due to the time it takes for parts to arrive from the manufacturer.
What does the script argue about the necessity of high ground clearance on adventure bikes?
-The script argues that a high ground clearance is not necessarily needed for off-road capable bikes, and a lower center of gravity could be more beneficial for maneuverability and handling.
How does the script describe the usability of adventure bikes for day-to-day life?
-The script suggests that adventure bikes are not practical for day-to-day use due to their size, weight, and the illegality of off-roading in many areas, making them less usable for everyday exploration.
What is the script's opinion on the value retention of adventure bikes after extensive use?
-The script states that adventure bikes can dramatically decrease in value after extensive use, especially if used for off-roading, due to the wear and tear and potential for crashes.
Why does the script advise against buying an adventure bike for the purpose of touring?
-The script advises against it because most touring is done on roads, and the off-road capabilities of adventure bikes are rarely needed for typical tours.
What alternative does the script suggest to adventure bikes for those looking for a motorcycle for touring?
-The script suggests considering sport tour bikes or dual-sport motorcycles as alternatives, as they are lighter, cheaper, and easier to maintain.
What is the script's biggest concern about the marketing of adventure bikes?
-The script's biggest concern is that the marketing of adventure bikes sells a dangerous and potentially life-threatening promise that the bikes can handle difficult off-road conditions easily, which is not true.
Outlines
🏍️ The Myth of Adventure Bikes
The paragraph discusses the misconception that a big, powerful adventure bike is necessary for off-road motorcycle trips. It challenges the idea that more horsepower and advanced electronics are beneficial for such adventures. The speaker argues that these high-powered bikes can be difficult to control off-road, leading to issues like wheel spin. They also point out that the extra electronics can make the bikes heavier and harder to repair, especially when traveling in foreign countries where parts may be difficult to source.
🚦 The Reality of Off-Road Riding
This paragraph delves into the impracticality of using large adventure bikes for actual off-road use. It highlights the excessive weight of these bikes, which makes them difficult to maneuver, especially in off-road situations. The speaker also discusses the challenges of lifting these heavy bikes when they fall and the impracticality of using them for single-track riding. The paragraph emphasizes that the high center of gravity and the need for specialized tires and crash bars make these bikes less suitable for the advertised off-road adventures.
🌍 The Limitations of Adventure Bikes for Touring
The speaker addresses the limitations of adventure bikes for touring, pointing out that off-roading and gravel road riding are often illegal or restricted in many countries. They also mention the social stress of encountering hikers who may not appreciate motorcycles in their environment. The paragraph discusses how the reality of touring rarely involves the need for off-road capabilities, and even if it does, most gravel roads can be managed by any bike. The speaker suggests that the marketing of adventure bikes sells a false sense of adventure and that a sport tourer might be a more practical choice for most riders.
💸 The Cost and Depreciation of Adventure Bikes
This paragraph focuses on the high cost of adventure bikes and the rapid depreciation they experience when used for their intended off-road purposes. The speaker explains that the harsh conditions of off-road use, including crashes and exposure to elements, can significantly reduce the value of these bikes in a short period. They also discuss the potential dangers of relying on the false promises of adventure bike marketing, which can lead to life-threatening situations. The paragraph concludes with a recommendation to consider dual-sport bikes as a more practical and cost-effective alternative for those seeking adventure.
🛣️ The Truth About Adventure Bikes
The final paragraph summarizes the speaker's main points: that the marketing of adventure bikes is misleading and that these bikes are not as suitable for real-world off-road adventures as they are portrayed. The speaker advises viewers to consider the actual use and value of such bikes, suggesting that a more practical and cost-effective option might be a used bike with off-road capabilities or a dual-sport bike. They emphasize the importance of making informed decisions about motorcycle purchases based on actual riding needs rather than marketing hype.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Adventure Bike
💡Over-engineered
💡Off-road
💡Electronics
💡Ground Clearance
💡Center of Gravity
💡Dual Sport
💡Enduro Park
💡Tires
💡Crash Bars
💡Resale Value
Highlights
Adventure bikes are marketed as essential for off-road and gravel road exploration, but this may be an overstatement.
Middleweight adventure bikes start at around 70 horsepower, with larger models exceeding 100 horsepower, which may not be practical for off-road use.
The excessive power of these bikes can lead to wheel spin and difficulty in off-road maneuvers.
Manufacturers include electronic packages to manage the power of these bikes for safer riding.
The added electronics and powerful engines make adventure bikes heavy, which can complicate repairs and replacements abroad.
The complexity of adventure bikes can hinder their usability in foreign countries due to the difficulty of sourcing parts.
Many features of adventure bikes, like electronic lifting kits, may be unnecessary for the average rider.
The weight and high center of gravity of adventure bikes can make them difficult to handle and maneuver off-road.
A lower center of gravity and less ground clearance can be beneficial for off-road capability.
Adventure bikes are not typically designed for off-road use straight from the shop and may require additional modifications.
The reality of motorcycle touring often involves more road riding than off-road, making adventure bikes less practical for long tours.
Adventure bikes can be expensive, with some models costing up to €33,000, which may not be justifiable for their actual use.
The marketing of adventure bikes often sells a feeling of adventure rather than the practicality of the bike.
The high cost of service and potential for damage can devalue adventure bikes quickly.
Many adventure bikes become 'ride-offs' after difficult trips, indicating their durability may not match the marketing promises.
The marketing of adventure bikes can be dangerous, promising capabilities that the bikes may not deliver in harsh conditions.
Dual-sport bikes may be a better, safer, and more affordable option for those seeking adventure motorcycle travel.
The video concludes by advising viewers to consider their actual needs and not fall for the adventure bike marketing hype.
Transcripts
so you want to experience a big
motorcycle Adventure a trip to a foreign
country thousands of kilometers
exploring off the beaten path on gravel
roads and off-road and for that of
course you need a big adventure bike
with Cutting Edge technology and here is
why this is a profit orientated and
dangerous marketing lie and of that
welcome back to the free miles MC so
what does the term adventure bike
actually mean Adventure is if you look
at the average advertisement for a bike
like this seems to be defined by riding
off-road and on gravel roads and to do
that you apparently need a
top-of-the-line Engine with loads of
power and loads of electronics to help
your Explorer desires so how much of
this actually holds up with the reality
of a big motorcycle trip so first of all
let's talk about power if you look at a
bike like this um those middle weight
bikes start at around 70 horsepower and
the big ones have way over 100
horsepower this for me begs the question
what is all that power for if you would
actually take this bike off-road like
how do you want to get up a hill with
more than 100 horsepower with that heavy
of a bike I think this would just lead
to loads of wheel spin you would be a
lot better off with a motorcycle that
has less power and the companies that
produce these bikes are aware of that
that's why those bikes have huge
electronic packages to kind of dial this
power back to make it manageable for
your average Rider and to prevent them
from yeting thems off the road all those
added Electronics of course make the
bikes that are already quite heavy
because of their big engine even heavier
this kind of leads me to my next Point
many of those motorcycles are over
engineered because all those Electronics
can become quite hard to fix if they
break those components can be very great
when they work but when they don't work
they can actually stop your adventure
motorcycle trip thing this doesn't just
stop at the electronics also many of
these parts are quite hard to replace in
a foreign country even though something
like a Cardon of a BMW GS can have many
advantages just imagine trying to get
that thing replaced in the middle of
Africa I don't want to guess here but I
guess it takes quite a lot time for that
part to arrive from unique all the way
to where you are and I'm kind of picking
on the BMW GS here but this kind of goes
for all modern big adventure bikes also
often all these great features
sacrifice uh Simplicity that is well
needed on a trip like this just for
features that look really great on a
list picking again on the BMW GS the new
one uh who needs an electronic lifting
kit for the suspension to make it easier
to put the bike onto the center stand if
you're not physically fit enough to put
your motorcycle onto the center stand
you should really consider if it's a
good idea to tour and off-road that
motorcycle that nicely brings me to my
next Point let's talk about actual
off-road use I recently actually had a
midweight adventure bike on the channel
and I very quickly discovered those
bikes are way too heavy even turning
around on a normal Forest Road can
become quite the headache as it's just
too much weight to pull and to push
forward those motorcycles can basically
only be comfortably turned around with
the power of the engine and for a move
like that I personally missed the skill
to do that on a bike consistently where
if I drop it I have to pay for it so I
only can do that sometimes on my
personal motorcycle and it's not just
the weight of the bike itself it's also
how the weight is positioned uh for the
sake of quite High ground clearance the
weight is very up at the top of those
motorcycles and I have a little bit of a
controversial opinion on this in my
opinion a decently off-road capable bike
doesn't necessarily need huge ground
clearance so in my opinion you could go
with a very much lower center of gravity
because uh a motorcycle with less ground
clearance still has an incredible
approach angle and departure angle when
you look at the trails you realistically
going to be riding that are also open in
National Parks also because motorcycles
in general have a very short wheel base
the brake over angle is also quite good
of course with less ground clearance you
are going to have more issues on single
tracks and that's not going to work that
well but who seriously wants to take a
motorcycle with more than 200 kilos on a
single track and even if you want to do
that that's how that works on my Naked
Bike and I would say that looks all
right for the things that you are going
to do with a touring motorcycle on top
of that if the center of gravity would
be lower this bike would be way easier
to maneuver and to handle in difficult
situations for example uh if I on my
Naked Bike have off-road problems and
the bike starts to tip over I can still
catch that bike around the height of my
knee that's how far the bike can tip
over where I can still hold it um as you
see here if this would be a big
adventure bike this situation would have
been over already seconds before it came
that far as you're just not able to hold
a motorcycle with that high center of
gravity and when then a big adventure
bike lays on its side good luck lifting
that thing those bikes weigh quite a lot
of weight and you could lift this
motorcycle on your own on easy terrain
and with that I mean asphalt and you
could maybe lift it a few times but as
soon as you go off-road and have to lift
it repeatedly that's when stuff really
becomes difficult and in general there
is this technique how you can lift a
bike and many people say oh then it's so
easy and that then there's this trick
and then you can very easily lift a
motorcycle that's that this
technique is the only way you can lift a
motorcycle and believe me after two to
three times of doing that you're done
not thinking of a scenario like lifting
this motorcycle in the sand on an uphill
incline to make this whole off-road
matter worse those motorcycles don't
come ready for off-roading from the shop
which you would think the tires even if
they're something like uh par Scorpion
tires kind of suck for off-roading those
tires look quite knobbly but they cannot
handle sand and mud at all when testing
an V bike a few weeks back I already had
quite a big issue when turning around
and driving into a mud puddle so if you
actually want to take this motorcycle on
your big off-road Adventure you would
need at least better tires and crash
bars cuz the reality of off-road riding
is that you are going to fall so let's
ignore all the obvious off-road issues
and just imagine for a moment that this
bike can perform all these things that
the advertisement promises here how good
would the actual usability of a bike
like this would be so in your day-to-day
life you of course also want to then
explore a little bit your surrounding on
that bike uh those bikes are targeted
towards the American market and the
European market mostly I would say here
in Europe in many countries off-roading
is illegal also going on gravel roads in
many cases is illegal as those roads are
restricted to agriculture use and even
if you then find a road that you can go
on which they they do exist uh you then
will have to deal with hikers and for
some reason hiking just attracts the
wildest people that think they're Liam
niss as soon as they see a motorcycle or
even a mountain biker and that is a
level of stress that is just very
unpleasant and I think everyone who has
ever taken a bike to places like that
they can tell you about it it just
really sucks so you cannot even really
benefit from the bike where you live
unless you take it to a proper Enduro
Park so let's talk touring of course
then when you're on the Big T tour
you're going to do loads of gravel roads
and off-roading
right not that much the reality of Tours
looks quite a lot different you're
mostly going to be on roads actually cuz
you're going to tour first through all
the countries where often off-roading is
even forbidden and then even if you are
in a country where this country kind of
forces you to go on gravel roads because
it's the only option that's still very
rarely the case and even if you then
have to go on these gravel roads those
gravel roads can be done by basically
any other bike as well I do those
motorcycle touring videos on my YouTube
channel cuz I'm actually trying to build
a career out of this and I have to say I
did about 2% of gravel road and off-road
riding in the last year for this YouTube
channel and for me it would not be worth
getting an advv bike cuz a sport tour
would always be the more capable bike
for me as I am mostly on road due to the
nature of being on a big tour and if you
then go off-road it doesn't really often
serve a for purpose on that tour it's
just for a little bit of exploration and
kind of half forced adventure and it's
often not even all that fun after just
having stated that in many cases this
bike from a usability standpoint would
not make sense for adventure touring uh
let's talk about the price you're
actually going to pay for this so
Adventure bikes start roughly at €10,000
when you're talking about something like
a ten um and then of course you still
have to get all the bells and whistles
to actually Offroad the thing and one of
the bigger bikes something like a BMW GS
can cost you up to €
33,000 that is just insane and quite
honestly if you plan on doing an actual
big trip and experience an adventure on
your motorcycle please just spend that
money on a trip and if you look at the
content of the video until now I've been
mostly complaining about false promises
of the marketing here and the marketing
basically doesn't sell you a motorcycle
it sells you a feeling the feeling of
being an adventurer this is is
you're not going to be more of an
adventurer or less of an adventurer with
this bike so let's say you're still
getting one of these bikes for this
money and actually use them how they are
advertised this will lead to those bikes
dropping dramatically in value like a
stock market crash cuz just imagine just
imagine you go out buy a new BMW GS and
then actually take it toing how many
kilometers will you do in the span of 2
years that is for a motorcycle probably
an insane amount of kilometers and those
will not be the easy kind of kilometers
you do from home to your job those will
be off-roading then all the things that
come with off-roading uh where on all
the different bearings those things need
to be serviced so the cost of service
automatically through proper use becomes
quite High when going off-road you of
course have things like crashes and the
general wear and tear of doing that and
then of course you also have difficult
conditions like sand River Crossings
salt on the road in the winter all that
stuff I would say that you can turn a
top-of-the-line adventure bike kind of
worthless in the span of 2 years with
this just imagine all the things that
myaha XJ has been through on this
channel think about doing that to a new
GS and then trying to resell it at your
local BMW dealer also something that
many people forget many of those bikes
quickly become ride offs when you use
them like this when going to a country
that can be quite difficult to manage on
a motorcycle like Iceland and then on
the way back on the ferry uh basically
it becomes a middle-aged emotional
support club uh for people who just
total their bikes cuz uh after a trip
like this you see many bikes total on my
way back from Iceland I saw many Africa
twins with B frames and broken frames
BMW gs's that crashed in the Wind of
Iceland and then got pushed from the
wind over their own tank excapes with
broken engines and broken Transmissions
all that stuff many people that I have
met on my trip have spent on a big ADV
bike that was already used more than
€12,000 and then total their bikes and
honestly that does not sound like a good
experience and I think will rather than
giving you a great adventure make you
quite sad so please don't do that and
now we get to my biggest complaint
around advv bikes the marketing for advv
bikes sells a dangerous and potentially
life-threatening promise that just
straight up is not true if you look at
the commercials for these bikes these
commercials promise you that you can
somewhat decently maneuver those bikes
and those turns and in those conditions
with all the things I said until now it
should be quite obvious that that is
straight up not true on top of that many
places where those commercials are
filmed and also that are desired by the
motorcycle travel Community are quite
hostile to humans when from the
standpoint of how their nature there is
and this combined with potentially not
being able to lift the bike when it
falls potentially breaking your body
from the weight of the bike crashing on
top of you and you getting stuck with
this bike creates a very dangerous mix
it is not impossible to fail a river
crossing an Iceland and drown or then
freeze to death or shatter your leg in a
desert and then die of heat stroke and
thirst if you actually look at videos
where people take big adventure bikes to
something like a desert it often gives
me personally a quite uneasy feeling in
my stomach because uh you instantly
realize from your human senses that this
is just not a good idea so those false
promises can leave you in very
vulnerable situations I think this is
just a bit immoral because those
advertisements open up the possibility
of the customers that buy these
motorcycles and want to do these tours
potentially succumbing to Nature because
of the thing they think they can do with
that bike so all in all I think this is
quite a big difference between what you
expect from this motorcycle what is
Promised by the marketing and how it
actually looks also the wildest thing
about this in general is Adventure bikes
so per se exist there are bikes that you
can actually take on these Adventures as
a normal person and be a lot safer on
and have a way better time those bikes
are just straight up called dual Sports
and slowly they're being more marketed
as small Adventure bikes but due to them
not having all the top-of-the-line
engines and electronic bells and
whistles they are not as profitable as
something as a big adventure bike with
this hyper fixation of Adventurer having
to be off-road uh those bikes could
actually kind of back that up if you try
to go over the trans Europe Trail or
some other off-road Adventure those
bikes are light enough to be actually
maneuverable there without having some
crazy amount of skill of course still
some skill is needed but you get what
I'm saying it's a difference between 160
Kil and 200 something on top of that
those bikes are way cheaper or you can
get them with similar power to 70
horsepower something like the new gas
gas but then they're probably just as
pricey in the end and yeah um and also
many of the Japanese bikes and older
motorcycles are easier to fix they on
location and it's probably also easier
to get your hands on parts for those
bikes there so all in all what do I want
you to take away from this video I want
to make you aware of that this whole
adventure bike thing how it is presented
is uh this is not how this
actually works if you want to do stuff
like that rather spend money on doing
the trip yourself and we are way more
satisfied probably with a bike that is
basically less either with a used bike
that then has off-road capability that
is similarly bad but at least it doesn't
have that much electronics and the
center of gravity is lower or with an
actual dual
sport just don't fall for this whole
adventure bike touring exploring the
Wilderness stuff in general all this
contact between adventure and off-road
doesn't make all that much sense to me I
think if you are looking into an
adventure bike and want to get that bike
for the body position and for doing
those huge tours maybe you should look
into a sport tour one of those big BMW K
somethings they look a bit big and bulky
but I think they probably would make a
lot more people happy than Adventure
bikes that are being sold today when you
do your trips even with the crazy
expectations that often come with a trip
like this look after yourself I hope
that you likeed this video if you did
please subscribe and ring the bell and
see you next
time
for
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