ADV 2 WD Nice engineering!

Nicely done! Not the first bike with 2WD but still...

Pretty cool. .. but personally I would go telescopic drive shafts or hydraulic front wheel drive.

I do think that awd will be the next big thing for bikes. .. especially once we start seeing 250hp bikes in the near future. .. it will be the only way to get the power down.

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=21468
It's the same guy who build the BMW in this post.

I like it but all that drive chain must sap a lot of power to the wheels.

I've been subscribed to that thread for a long time. It's great to see the goal reached. The mission creep is something I understand and enjoy going along for the ride.

That is a Christini setup adapted to the 9** ADV .

I agree that it might be a bit much though. But then again, thinking that way, hand clutch and foot shifting or rear suspension and hydraulic dampening of front suspension really does take some of the danger out of motorcycling

I'm pretty sure that once upon a time a 1300cc Vtwin could only come from hd... yet it is the top of the naked sports tree with a possible 192hp factory backed

"You'd think if AWD was capable of giving a performance advantage which overcomes the disadvantages in terms of cost, complexity (including increased parasitic loss) and weight, it'd have made an impact on desert rallies (or similar) where it potentially offers the most advantage."

+1 on that.

Lot of buck for the bang.
Then you have extra maintenance to boot.
All depends how deep your pockets are.
I like the less is better approach on my bikes, as long as it has some go power.

As seen at the 2012 KTM Rally Bend Oregon.

I love carbies and drum brakes, and cork gaskets, and total loss oil systems, and.... and... If you can't ride around 'em, your not a rider... What...? You use a multiplate clutch...? Pffft! wanker!!

It's another stunning day here, and I decided to ride my remaining carbed bike instead of the SD to work.

It's heavy, skinny-tired, air-cooled, and maybe makes, I dunno, 50 or so HP. 5 spd. only! It does have thoroughly modern electronic ignition, electric start, and what have you. But there's no ignition interlocks (needs a separate key to lock the fork - lol), no waiting for the system electronics or fuel pump to light it up. Single discs front and rear - not MotoGP stuff, but they work well.

I mean, if it won't idle well, or ever coughs or spits going down the road, I can tell almost instantly what's wrong with it. It doesn't need "diagnostics" or special cables to see what's going on. Wiring is so simple on it, it's silly.

It's tank is made of real metal; there is no fuel pump in the FI sense; and it has a real petcock; where the engine tells me when to put it (manually) into "reserve". No water pumps to fail; no hoses/radiators/tanks/coolant to deal with - just oil and spin-on filter.

The only thing on it that ever gives me any trouble are the carbs, which can be pulled off, sorted, re-installed, and synched in about an hour. I always keep a set of the consumables on-hand - which are cheap.

I do have to say, that it's real nice to ride, and I have even tracked it a few times. It's crushed the spirit of many a squid on more potent hardware in the twisty bits. It has an impressively smooth engine for the layout type, and yet makes great noises. Easy to care for, and good looking too.

Big aftermarket to boot.

Why do I bother you all with these points in this thread?

Because it's an honest motorcycle. It's not stupid fast, and a joy to ride. No "state-of-the-art technology" to help it go, turn, or stop. No bullshit whatsoever. I almost (!) wish it had a kickstarter. Almost ...

Of the bikes I currently own, it's unquestionably the one I'd have the most difficult time parting with for these reasons. While you can still get this same model (new), the manufacturer has put EFI on it, and ABS is coming. You can't really buy one like it any more.

Make fun of simple, old-style, stuff all you want - but it can be at least as enjoyable to ride as anything else.

"and it has a real petcock;"

Had to turn my petcock yesterday and get a fill up of non-corn syrup.

Tried to take the KTM 950 Adventure out with the wind protection and heated gear hookups. DNS (did not start)

Go to the SuperDuke...fook, another DNS.

Third time the charm....yep the 4 banger B12 wants to go ...but too cold to stay out long with out the heated gear . Just above freezing.

Should have took the 300 KTM 2 smoker out but , but , but ....lazy fook. More work to load up , gear up, ride, unload, clean up.

Some of my riding buds get together for a ride turkey day morning. Will see if I pull that one off....burrrr.

Sorry mate, not baggin the old bikes, I have my eye on a couple. Just baggin the baggin.
Your skinny tyred, 50hp monster is most likely nice. But go back far enough and there is always an older guy (or his son lol) telling us how the old stuff is better than the new stuff. Conversely, there is always a younger guy claiming the newest is the greatest.
I'd rather evaluate current tech on its own merits accordingly. Horses for courses.... And Era's