How old are you guys?

I'm 31 now and have been riding adventure style bikes since I was 24. Something that I have noticed is that I'm often one of the youngest if not the youngest guys riding in a group. Not that I mind you old-timers; your old man strength has come in handy time and time again. I'm just wondering why more young folk haven't picked adventure riding up yet.

At first I thought it was probably just an issue of price point, but then I realized that is just stupid. A brand spankin new KLR is still less than 7k. There are certainly no shortage of 21 year olds in Colorado Springs who drop 15k on a Busa and another 2-3k on leathers and other kit.

Then I thought it's probably just not exciting enough. Who am I kidding though? What's more exciting than riding the Great Divide on a few hundred pounds of metal and rubber?

It probably has something to do with girls. Girls think ADV bikes are ugly. My wife certainly does... but she also understands it. She'd much rather me have my 800GS than a S1000RR (although it is on the list).

But perhaps I'm getting ahead of myself. Maybe you all aren't as old as I believe. Is anyone here younger than 30 and riding a 650+ adv bike?

They can't afford one.........

I feel incredibly awkward at any BMW gathering because of the age difference. I have had my F800GS for almost 3 years and I am still only 29.

Nah, price can't be it. Like I said, these guys drop several thousand more on sports bikes than they would on even a mid level, slightly used BMW or KTM. The more I think about it, the more I'm beginning to think that most don't have exposure to it - they don't even know the world of adventure exists.

I'm 28 turning 29 August.

This is my 2nd bike. My first bike I got when I was 23 and it was a 2009 Night Rod Special. Loved it but I needed a more practical bike especially for long distance trips. I sold cause having 2 bikes is expensive here in Canada. My Harley was $ 1400 per year and the BMW is $ 1300.

That's with a clean record...

But yea I was the youngest guy with a Harley and now youngest with a BMW haha.

haha, great pics! How much does all that stuff weigh?

I'm 27 with a 2012 F800GS. My first moto was a DR650 at age 19 because I figured, "Why get a road bike or dirtbike when I can have both??" 3 years later I got a Ninja 500. Then I wanted a dualsport again because I didn't like trucking my dirtbike to trails, I'd rather ride there. So I got the Beemer last year (I like long rides and I ride it like a dirtbike). Most people think it looks cool. It's not the most popular thing in the states because many of the bigger dualsports, while being fantastic road machines, look quite utilitarian and odd. Smaller ones look like dirtbikes. Image plays a big part Stateside. ADVers are out having fun while the rest are looking cool at the bar and coffee shop.

Bought a brand new F800GS full option when i was 25 last year

Had to work for a year and stop any useless purchase while getting my (overpriced) dutch motorcycle licence. In total that and bike cost me around 20 000 usd. Since then i dumped at least 5000 dollars into fuel, maintenance, tat and gear.

Main problem with adv bikes is theres no place to let them out in the Netherlands. Its atleast 1 to 2 hour ride to find a small place to have some fun. (2 hours will generally get you out of the country too).

I never did weigh it. However, my tent weighs in at 11lbs, and my camera gear is also around 10lbs... so a rough estimate 90-110lbs max.

I'm 48.

I say its all about the ladies. You young fellows think the girls are attracted to hot virile young studs riding fast sports bikes not ugly slow dualsports. Us old guys could give a crap what the young ladies like in a bike, at our age, we know they are only attracted to our bank balances and a good way to demonstrate the robustness of one's cash reserves is to ride the most expensive most farkled out bike around. No better choice than a GS to fit that bill.

Bought my '09 when I was 20, in 09.

After some fairly easy math, that means I'm 24 now. Still probably one of the youngest f8 riders -shrug-

Oh, I also have a k75.... when I was a kid my dad said I had to ride something with soul. He rode triumphs and ducs, gotta follow the rules yet make my own path.. hah

28 here, bought when I was 27

I always had any eye on the "big" adventure bikes for years when I was younger. $$ was never the thing that kept me from buying one.

These were the reasons I never pulled the trigger:
First, Honda's were always cheaper and parts were always WAY easier to get when you're out in BFE and you cracked a side cover or blew a fork seal.

Second, and this one will probably get me in a bit of hot water in this forum:
Let's face it, most BMW riders don't do the brand any favors, most are pretentious, Harley/Ducati types that have a chip on their shoulders and I personally never wanted to be part of "That club"

Third, Back then being younger, we mostly liked to ride more aggressively and want a lighter, more off road capable bike for true woods/single track riding. BMW just doesn't cater to that market, full stop.

Early 40s here. Rode trail bikes off-road before being old enough for the road. Had various bikes about me the whole way through life- including a TDM at one stage. But never a sportsbike.

Personally I see the world slowly changing. Traillies were always the poor relation on-road- OK for a bimble or going to work on but limiting in other ways.
But more modern technology has created ADV bikes that happily outhandle the road and "sports" bikes of twenty years back, and do so in COMFORT.

Would anyone have expected commuting or couriering on a 12GS, thirty years back? No, certainly not. Could we have conceived of a nippy, flickable 800 twin then? Nope not that either. ADV is the new normal bike.

There are superb biking roads locally. And there's nothing I like to see better than a crowd of young leather-clad crotchrocket pilots thinking they're "on the edge", only to find the fully-loaded GS being skillfully scythed through them...

It's not about age, it's about maturity.

27, had my GS for 4 years, started riding when I was 20 and it was adventure bikes that made me get a licence!

38. Bought my first bike (Vstar) when I was 34. Had my 800GS for two years now.

Well laddie buck, an really ol'fart here, 69+ and ever bike I ever owned was an adv bike. Guess thats because every ride I did was an adv.
I for one always had a hankering to see the other side of the mountain or what was around the curve, what folks in the next town had going on, or if the girls in the next state over were as pretty as the ones I left in the last state I was in.

Started this when I was 14 and a few years after I began to wander my pappy says to me one day "Call home every so often,your mom worries", Dad understood,staying in one place wasn't in his blood either, even today I take every opportunity to be "on the road" THE ADVENTURE NEVER ENDS it always there calling you to come see what's up ahead .

So I don't think age has anything to do with it I think its attitude

And the fact that only 10% of the world is tarmac, the rest is an adventure.

I'll be 20 in October. Riding an '09 XCo now but am looking to move to an 800gs soon

26, just bought my '13 Cordoba Blue GS the day after Memorial Day. 1800 miles on it, already!

My Strom 1K was my first big bike purchase when I was 22. At that point, I knew that regardless of how many bikes may or may not be in my garage, at least one will always be an adventure bike.

Love the GS. Not quite as stompingly powerful as the Strom, but a way better overall package.

I'm now 22, bought my F800GS with 21 and bought my first GS (650GS thumper) with 18. Get back in line old shrud and ride bikes since I'm 16.
Girls here love bikes and doesn't really care what you ride, that's why the Z750 is in the hitlist since 5 years. But hey it doesn't coun't since it's France