Thoughts on best 2up !!!! for ADV

[Sound Farm]

hello
Im sure this has been covered so, if someone has a link that would be great. I couldnt find one searching.
I would like to get an Adventure bike that rides 2up decently comfortable for the 2nd rider but isnt a road hog, non agile bike when riding by myself and on dirt . I have previously owned a ktm 640 loved it- but not the best 2 up bike so,
i have been looking at and wanting a KTM 950 ADV. But I may just be partial to the KTM brand because thats what I know and have ridden. I do like the BMW F800 GS platform but am not familiar with the bikes. Any help ,suggestions, positives and negatives to certain bikes that would be great. This is coming from a guy that lives in Iowa - so its tough for me to go check out a lot of these bikes and experience them - So any advice would be great
Thanks
Matt

[PDX Alamo]

I think if you read some of the amazing riding reports from Big ad Little Wan you will no doubt see that it is a two up machine. Granted Big Wan has unreal skills but looks like it works well form there. i use a Wee Strom but that is Adventure light.

[jon_l]

Gonna get flamed here but...

If you have the coin:

R1200GS
990 Adventure

Less money, &prob less bike, for 2-up anyway:

F800GS
Tiger 800XC

[TuonoBiker]

Guess I will chime in with another vote on the GS. Bought the GS ADV and the wife loves it more than the Harley Street Glide for comfort. The other benefit with large, ugly metal box panniers is the luggage space - especially traveling 2-up. She's a short, petite 5'2" lightweight at about 110lbs, so she doesn't take up much room. Plus we are camping/backpackers so she knows how to pack light.

As for off road, well, we all know the GS Adv is NOT a 2-stroke 250 dirt bike. Depends on what you want.....more dirt or more tour...you decide. Either way, I have no qualms exploring any dirt road and crossing small streams. With the Harley? Forget about it, you kidding me? The GS will absolutely travel all roads...and do it all with room for 2.

Good luck on the hunt. I've always preferred the hunt over the kill. This is the first time I'm still truly enjoying the fruits of the hunt....

[DLFLHT]

I ride two-up most of the time. I've had V-Stroms, a GS, a 990 and now an Explorer. Out of all of those, I think my wife would say the 990 was the least comfortable, but it wasn't bad. There's not that much difference for the passenger on the rest of them - whatever you do for the backrest will probably make a bigger difference than anything. I would have to qualify my comments a bit because my wife weighs 95 lbs. wringing wet, so they're all plenty roomy for her. Her favorite was the Electra Glide Ultra Classic, but I don't think that's on your list.

[CanadianX]

Happy with the GSA for two up, a little more comfort and more roomy for two. I think the Tenere would be a good comparable option. The 990 would be a little less roomy but probably a bit more fun. A back rest is key to a comfortable passenger. My wife took naps while we we bouncing along the on the TLab.

[ParaMud]

Only done 2 up on a sv650, fz1, and a klr 650.
Fz1 was comfortable and had enough power, the others sucked



On that note, check out this ride report.
http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=816300

[Sound Farm]

I have heard horror stories of the cost to maintain. A Beamer GSA. Is that a make or Break for some people. ? Are they as bad as a Ktm ?

[AviatorTroy]

I love my GS, but I thought you said you wanted something that is not a pig? 'Cause the GS most definetley is, just sayin'!

[SidewinderX]

In the past 2 yrs I have owned a Ducati 1200MTS, KTM 990 R, and BMW 1200GSA.


If $$ is no object and you have throttle control then try a Ducati MTS. Hands down the funnest bike I have owned for quite awhile. Although the maintenance is $$$$ and nothing is cheap on it.... It is capable of about anything with the correct tires, but just dont expect the results to be free...

If you are going to actually ride dirt often and passenger 10-15% then try a KTM 990. Extremly dirt capable and decent 2 up bike for smaller <200 mile trips.

If you want a slower dirt capable machine that is extremely 2 up comfortable then try the BMW..... It can go anywhere the other two can but it will not be the first to the finish. However, if you plan on long distance riding >350-500 miles in a day, then this is your machine.

[650GSguy]

Ihave done2 up on the Suzuki 650 and done fine. I have over 60,000 km on my 650gs 2 up most of the time. No problem. Although I made one modification, Different sprocket to give more low end acceleration. Have been to Alaska. Done 1000km days. My wife weighs in at 145 and myself at 170.

We drove the Italian Alps in a V Strom adventurer for 10 days no problems. Never wanting more power.

I think the problem is lazy shifters. Big bikes do not need as much shifting.

Originally Posted by ParaMud

Only done 2 up on a sv650, fz1, and a klr 650.
Fz1 was comfortable and had enough power, the others sucked



On that note, check out this ride report.
http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=816300

[Neonguy95]

Love my Super Tenere for two up touring.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Tapatalk 2

[Snarky]

Two up. If you are adding another person, I think the piggy-ness of the GSA is not a problem.

On the road you're not going to be more comfortable than you would on a Conny, but then again on gravel or dirt roads, the Conny would be miserable.

Off the road you're not going to be keeping up with a smaller dual-sport (though maybe you would be, if he's also two-up), then again, on the highway the smaller dual-sport is going to be more miserable.

You also have to compare the GS vs just the GSA. The GSA has stock protection and longer range but greater weight.

I think the Tenere weighs the same as the GSA, but costs a lot less.

But you have a bunch of other bikes in a similar class, or the slightly lighter class, and blah blah blah.


At the end of the day you notice that all the bikes are a mixture of trade offs in weight, power, price, complexity, looks, etc etc etc.... You just have to choose the one that appeals to you most and go with it.

I like my GSA with the extended service plan, and aftermarket panniers, but then again I'm solo, not two-up.

[montanaman]

I have them both. The F800 is capable for 2 up but with 300 lbs. of rider and passenger its a little anemic. The Muti on the other had handles the weight effortlessly and fully loaded still has plenty of suspension and power. Then again I do not take the Multi off- road. YMMV..

[roostar]

I've gone through a few bikes figuring this out and settled on the S10 FWIW.