longevity and mileage

Yeah, if you start a bike (there is a bunch of wear right there) and run it a long time between stops, it will last well.

My Bro in law did the same things with KAWASAKI 500's when he was a courier. (he had a friend in a KAWA dealer who was trading a few "worn out" GPZ500's ? at the time at about 30,000Km. The couriers used to put in an order at about 300,000Km on their current bike and picked the next one up for a song with 30,000 odd Km on it (they were no longer fashionable). Strip off all the plastic, add racks and crash bars and radio etc. Every two week out came the oil etc. I was always ragging on him about his POS KAWASAKI because he was always working on it when I popped in, not realizing that it was just scheduled maintenance. They all got around 350,000km mostly city riding. They moved onto some other brand later as the guy moved dealerships, with similar results.

So yeah, A touring bike should last a while if it is doing the big miles between stops and being used constantly. By the time most people do 300,000 Km though, the bike is just Sooooo last decade. Most of the Fashionistas wouldn't even get close in ten years.

The whole 30,000K's thing is a throw back to the Early 70's Japanese small bikes (two strokes usually). It's amazing it still pervades everything.

To answer the op question Triumph.

Of the above? Triumph

Overall? I'm with WCB- Guzzi

My last dedicated touring bike was a Victory Vision... Fantastic machine, great handling, 30K trouble free miles.

My current bike is a Yamaha Super Tenere. Also an also low maintenance reliable machine.


For adventure bikes if you're looking for reliable, longevity, and low maintenance, the Japanese manufacturers tend to put together the machines that last the longest with the least amount of trouble.

The DL1000 engine puts out 90-ish HP but was designed for more than twice that output while racing(and destroying) Ducati's. There isn't another adv bike engine that comes close in terms of how under stressed it is. Everything else being equal, that's a great indicator of longevity.

The DL1000 engine put out 30-35hp more in the TL and SV bikes with absolute reliability. Can any other adv bike have 30hp/30% more without splitting the cases and be 100% reliable?

I can change all my fluids and filters, set the valves, sync the throttle bodies, and reset the TPS (if necessary) in about 2 hours. Is there any other ADV bike out there that you can say that about?

Ease of maintenance goes a long way towards the reliability thing.

Thanks for the posts so far. I never even considered a M.G. hmmmm, maybe. I was looking for thoughts in the 1000-1200cc range also. I never dreamed the jap stuff would even come close to some of the mileage posted. Interesting blurbs on the Ducati, yes doesn't look like it would fair well in a off road laydown.

Interesting topic this,all things being equal ,,like maintenance and usage (and abuse-age)I would rate the top brands for over longevity ,1 Honda,2 Suzuki,3 Yamaha,4 Bmw, 5 Moto Guzzi,6 Kawasaki 7, Triumph... Its just my opinion,and I have not owned all the brands...Really its no shame in being near the bottom of the list when you are talking of a 10/20 year period and and over one hundred thousand miles...But point is which manufacturer today makes bikes that will survive over 10 years of hard work I still believe Honda do...not all there machines but certainly the NC700,hope so ,,it what I have....

For the guys saying Ducati does not make an adventure bike, I wonder how many actually have ridden the Multistrada 1200 off road. 25,000 miles in 2 years trouble free, including some adventures off pavement. Throw on a set of TKC 80s and I've probably been farther off road then lots of BMW and Truimphs ever go. Am I a great off road rider, no. Still learning. But the Multi does not get the credit it deserves. My good friend has a GS Adventure. Will that bike do better off road, yes. Will he go that many more places I can't, no. As for laying it down, I've done it. A nice set of crash bars and bark busters are worth the money. No harm done. Not to mention its not terribly difficult to pick back up.

Love Guzzi's. I've owned five so far and will own another. All 8 valve Guzzis require 10-60 4T for the top end to live. Certain aspects of Guzzi maintenance are easy but $20/quart, hard to find engine oil isn't one of them. Neither is 6,250 mile valve check intervals.

And....yes, I would put the total maintenance costs and time involved of a V-Strom against an 8 valve Guzzi any day of the week;-). All the $80 oil changes, oil pressure sending units, plastic in-tank fuel filters failing, etc would add up over time.

this >

$20 bucks a quart? Where you buyin' your oil? I pay 13.95 for mine which is right in line with any good synthetic. No, I can't find it at a gas station, but I don't have any issue planning around oil changes and the thing never leaks nor burns any so it's not really an issue.

I've not heard of a single Stelvio losing an oil pressure sender. If it happened, I wouldn't imagine it on more than a couple and would blame a random crap sender. I've got 50,000 miles on mine and have had no issues with the sender, in tank fuel filter etc. Don't know anyone that has either. FWIW, I did a trip up to Alaska and back to New England a couple of Summers ago and didn't touch the valves on it for the 10,000 miles of the trip. Ran fine. Adjusted and changed oil when I got home.

I've got a buddy with a VeeStrom. I've ridden it. It's a good bike, but I wouldn't trade the Stelvio for 6 of 'em.

Stelvio is a nice looking machine. I wonder if CC is in the works?

Anyone can get a case of Agip 10w-60 (Guzzi suggested) shipped to their house for $12 per liter off eBay all day long. Motul isn't hard to find in a pinch.

How about in Guatemala? Or in any non first world country? Pointing out that most people need to buy oil online for their Guzzis only serves to illustrate my point regarding some of the hurdles to Guzzi maintenance.

I'll say it again...I love Guzzis but they require more maintenance than typical Japanese machines. I used to order Motul and Agip online for my 1200 Sport. I paid quite a bit more than twelve bucks a quart.

The 8 valve Guzzis are not under stressed to the same degree as something like the Vstrom. The 8 valve is great and robust but the clutch will need work by 100k and any Guzzi owner cringes when a clutch needs to be done. CARC is awesome...1000 times better than Paralever...but it's not rebuildable. So...while it's not likely to fail, it'll have to be replaced eventually and it's a grand(in parts)when it happens.

If the Stelvio didn't weigh 600 pounds, I'd have one. A Stelvio is about 47 bazillion percent more lustworthy than a Vstrom. What it isn't...is easier to maintain or likely to outlast a Vstrom is both bikes are given the same care. Just my .02

Had issues getting oil and filter in Guatemala?

I have never paid more than $13 per quart for any 10w-60. I can buy parts all day long online, have access to parts and service manuals for free, and do all the service work on my bike in a couple of drinks and a few runs of a good blues CD. Not to mention the Guzzi community is one of the best I've run across.

It's a quirky Italian bike. It's not for everyone, thank god. It will outlast me, I'm sure.

Of all the bikes I've owned, my DL650 has been the most trouble-free and best value machine. I am impressed by it every time I get on it.

There was a trip around the world done by and Italian recently on his Stelvio. The trip included South and Central America. Availability of parts and maintenance items didn't seem to stop him.

I think they all make a good bike. get one that fits your needs best..

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