That was a great video I watched every second. I am in British Columbia about an hour east of Vancouver. There are many mountain access roads and forest roads here as well of course. The rocky environment I can relate to first hand. I have a 2017 Africa twin. The second day I got the motorcycle in May I attempted a steep uphill loose rock climb and as the bike slowed down and started to lose traction the stupid traction control started to cut back the engine power just when I needed more power until it finally cut out so much the motorcycle came to a full stop on this extreme uphill and over it went. Luckily a guy in a jeep came by and the two of us manage to get it up again. From that moment on I turn off the traction control every time I start the engine. 41 years of riding I've never had such horrible intervention. But thanks for publishing a great video.
Thanks for the kind words. Appreciate it. Marc always turns that stuff off. When I did the demo ride the Honda guy told us there was a hill we wouldn't make it up without switching the traction control off. We stopped to switch it off and I decided to go for it. Just held it wide open and it made it with the TC on. Of course I wasn't going super slow and technical. Some of the bikes now have an off-road mode that allows a certain degree of spin and sliding. I tried that on a demo BMW 1200 Rally and it worked amazing. Enough spin to climb and step out the rear but not enough to dig a hole or slide out sideways.
Some trails in ALBERTA, are narrow for one atv, I followed a group of quads on my 2stroke Husaberg. The quad in front of me, kept looking down at his motor, and his front end, finally he glanced back and threw his hands up shaking his head. We teach our boys on the dirtbikes, to be patient and cooperate with the couches. Good times offroad
Wow, just stumbled on this video; this area is my old stomping grounds. I was born in Quebec, was part of the 1970’s anglophone diaspora - moved to Prince Edward Island, planned to stay here for six weeks. Married, had kids, now grandkids . . . still here. Still miss Quebec! Even though one of my bikes is an adventure ride, there’s no real decent trails in PEI - but in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, they’re fantastic. Thanks for the video - maybe time for a ride “home” . . . sigh.
I've visited PEI a few times and now that I think of it didn't see a lot of trails. Some great stuff in New Brunswick. Sign up for the Fundy Adventure Rally next year.
As a fellow qubecker and adv bike newbie thank you for bringing to my attention that you can use some of the atv trail network with that pass. Amazing!
Awesome video as always! The 701 looks like a lot of fun, makes me want something a little faster then my KLR650. I'm looking forward to an updated version of the old KLR and since they conveniently left out a 2019 KLR on the website, perhaps we will see a replacement next month with the release of there brand new models?
I had two KLRs back in the day before I really did any dirt. I heard the KLR is no more for 2019. The 701 is like a KLR on steroids. KLR needs a little more power and the 701 really has too much. Mine is a 2016 but the 2018s are running like 71hp.
Since you have the Husky, I feel like you're going a lot quicker than with the old F800GS. I startet watching your videos, because I got one myself and I was curious whats possible with it. But right now I think I might have a look at some lighter bikes next year, e.g. Yamaha's Tenere 700. 220kg are just to much to take it seriously offroad.
My 800 weighed a lot more than that. Skidplate, crash bars, side racks, hand guards, rear rack, tools, spares etc. The T700 and KTM 790 look interesting. I just hope they actually come in light. Everyone thought the African Twin was going to be lighter than an F800 but it weighs 230 kg naked. The smaller bike is easier for sure. If you can have multiply bikes you have more options. If you really need to have one bike then you have to make some big compromises for sure.
Still plenty of fun to be had on the F bikes. If you want to be challenged the F800 can certainly provide that. If you get a smaller bike, like the 701, and do tougher trails you are right back where you started and are looking at 250 cc bikes.
Great fun! Thanks for taking us along. I have a KLR with a 705 kit and it makes all the difference. At 25:16 in your video you stop at an intersection and there is a clear view of your dash. I was wondering what the rectangular gadget with the four allen head screws is on the right near your master cylinder. Camera, or GPS antenna, or...? Thanks!
Hi Philip. The little box is my tire pressure monitoring system. First season with it and so far I really like it. Starts flashing if the pressures get below a preset level. From Cyclops. Had a few flats and this at least gives me some warning that things are going south.
Awesome Players yea I can see 👍I have crf250l Honda but I want a new bike and I can’t decide if to buy 701 Husqvarna or a bigger bike like Africa twin or KTM adventure 1090 r
Awesome video Riley!! We should get together at one point this summer and go for a ride, I don't know to much that area of St-Donat. I mostly ride around Scotch rd. I'm from Rockland, Ont. We spoke at "La Classique" in 2017 before the event...
I started watching your videos 3 years ago...and bought a dr650 to start offroading ! I've been travelling and bought a Vstrom 650, went a lot offroading with it, and as I'm a bit more "expert" now I'm hesitating between a f800gs and an Africa twin (lots of long distances with passenger). Thanks a lot for ur videos ! Wonder where the HP2 guy and DR650 guy went ;)
Hey there. Glad you have enjoyed the videos. Seems like the AT is a great deal. I found the F800GS a little more off-road feeling but that might just be me. Chris on the HP2 is still around. We will see more of him for sure. Henrik on the mighty DR bought a WR250 and since then has bought a boat. Won't see him as much till he realizes the error of his ways and gets back on land.
Ahah funny story about Henrik ! Hope to see more videos of your dream team in action ;) Thanks for responding, I'm just not sure about confort riding with two people on the f800gs, I'll have to try !
@@cracotator put the pre load as high as it goes and a passenger makes near no difference to the 800gs. Still has enough power to hit 100mph easy enough. Where the fuel is makes little difference it's only 16ltr. Only weights around 11-12kgs and gets even lighter as you ride. Besides the 5-6kg battery is where the fuel would have been.
I really like them. They tuck in so tight I don't even notice them. Anything bigger wouldn't work for me. Very happy to get rid of the tool belt I was wearing. I would rather have the bike carry the weight any day.
Pretty aggressive hill at 29 minutes in. I would do that on my 701 in a second, but no way on an AT. The AT rider is a stud for trying. I'm in Colorado, I have a '23 701. While they won't turn it into an AT on the road, these mods make it much better. 1) Taller 16/45 gearing (stock is 15/46). This drops RPM from 5100 to 4700 at 70 MPH and gives the bike the feeling that it has "legs" when shifting gear to gear. The quickshifter even works better with the taller gearing. Interesting factoid - I had an '83 Honda XL600 way back when, that bike cruised at 70-75 easily. Post gearing swap, the 690/701's 1st and 6th are almost identical to the XL's stock 1st and 5th gearing. With it's hard revving top end, I suspect my good running 701 can approach 120 with the gearing change, but I'm not interested in going that fast on a dual sport. 2) Rottweiler O2 sensor delete ($40) and, if inclined to go all the damn way, add their Power Commander 6 with map, plus the slip on exhaust of your choice. The 690/701 come set very lean at part throttle and low RPM, full throttle is pretty correct, but how often do ya ride at full throttle? The low end and midrange power and response are drastically better, and the big thumper sounds awesome. The stock exhaust is hot, heavy and just plain heinous, but on the plus side the CAT goes away when the muffler gets swapped. 3) Puig windscreen. This blocks the wind off your chest which helps. It is not expensive and small enough that it doesn't get in your way. 4) Seat Concepts or Renazco Racing saddle. I went with Renazco, night and day better. The stock seat is is OK while off road, but it is hard and it becomes a weapon of ass destruction after an hour or so on street rides. The big thumper is surprisingly smooth vibration wise. Geared up (which it easily pulls when tuned) it cruises very easily at 70-75. The real limiting factor on cruise speed is the dual sport format of the bike itself. The wind, even with the screen, can be a bit much once you start creeping past 75. The 690/701 is heavy enough to not get blown around on the road like a real dirt bike, but not so heavy that it is unmanageable while riding off road, it really is a true 50/50 dual sport. Whether that is a good thing or a bad thing depends on what you want. I wanted a bike that kinda sucks everywhere, but in compensation for that is kinda competent everywhere and has a lot of power. The 690/701 bikes are in a class by themselves in this regard. I'm quite blessed to have a 300 XC for dirt, a nicely modded 701 for general street hooliganism and off road exploring, and a Super Tenere for longer range touring.
Thanks for the comment. I am slightly geared up in the back of the 701. Does help off-raod and is still ok on the street. Marc on the Honda certainly isn't a quitter for sure.
im on wr250r, getting either ktm 690 or the twin in the spring. seems like the twin has its limitations off road but I imagine its better than the 701 on the highway in regards to seat and windsheild. in your opinion could you see yourself doing like a week of highway travel on your 701. also, how bad is it to refuel the bike when having luggage on the back.
Haven't done and really long trips on the 701 but did cross Canada on a KLR. I would rather do it on the 701. Fully loaded the KLR was a bit weak on power. Refueling isn't bad. Unclip two straps and voila. The 701 is surprisingly good on the highway. Lots of power. Nice clean air off the front since there is really no fairing. With knobbies there is vibration but really not much more than my F800 with the same tires. The bike is small so it doesn't have the space to carry stuff like a big bike so you will have to pack light. To be honest lately I have found it much more fun to trailer the boring highway miles and get there fast. Then spend more time riding the good stuff. Saves my tires and since I'm always in a time crunch I maximize the quality riding.
(13:00) Interesting! In contrast, in the USA (at least in Colorado) I got my motorcycle license after taking a single 15-hr weekend course. We CANNOT ride the Can-Ams legally without a "trike" course, also about 15 hours.
The Can-Ams are made here in Quebec so I think they were able to lobby the government pretty easily. They did a pilot project with non motorcyclists riding them and apparently it well enough to convince the powers that be that no big course was required.
We have seen a few bears but those were farther away and not in our regular riding area. We sometimes see deer but no close calls. A few Moose but they were out in the swamp feeding. Occasionally a rabbit or small rodent will come close to getting squished.
These are the two bikes I am having such a hard time deciding between and I know they are very different. 2 years ago I drove the Pan American on a 2nd gen KLR and have been itching now for a RTW trip. I have been big about lighter bikes which led me to discovering the 701. Less things to break than the new 690 Enduro R and a little stronger frame. Lighter than the other ADV contenders but still usable on the highway and still a lot of fun(especially if I get some spare SMC wheels). Then there's the AT, beautiful bike, comfortable, really interested in the DCT. But just so heavy I see problems in the more extreme areas. It's driving me nuts and they're the same price which makes the AT in my opinion a better value. How would you compare the two with the experience you've had. Is the 701 that much better in the dirt. Does the extra 200 lbs make a huge difference? Such a hard decision!
Those bikes are really different. Off-road it will be night and day. My friend Jason did a year plus long trip across Canada and down to the tip of South America. He had an F800 but bought a KTM 640 Adventure which he rebuilt for the trip. 90% of the time the F800 would have been a better bike. But there were times he did some hardcore stuff that he wouldn't have done on the 800. Your skill level also has a huge impact as does how much you want to carry. On the Husky you will need to go ultra light. The big bikes can be mules. The long stretches will be much nicer on the big bike. If I was going I would look at the new KTM 790. Or I would buy an 800 as it it was super reliable. I've done across Canada on a loaded KLR and I would take a bigger bike and give up on some hardcore dirt.
salut à tous, c'est possible mais compliqué de monter des pentes raides et très caillouteuses avec un gros trail ( voir déconseillé de le faire seul car en cas de chute ?!!!), c'est plus simple de le faire avec une YAMAHA 250 wr r . La 701 est beaucoup plus légère que l'AFRICA TWIN mais encore un peu lourde pour du technique. Le problème des gros trails c'est qu'ils sont plus alaise sur route qu'en OFF ROAD. les marques nous font rêver avec les nouvelles moto YAMAHA 700 Téneré et KTM 790 ADV R . Belles moto mais encore très lourdes + de 200 kg avec le carburant. Le jour où tu as l'occasion d’essayer une enduro!!!! tout est facile tu passes partout. faites de belles aventures en moto. A bientôt
C'est vrai. Mais le plus important est de s'amuser et de relever des défis. Une moto est juste une moto. Une moto prise dans une aventure est une moto d'aventure.
Je ne me souviens plus quelle moto que tu avais avant, tu t'es vraiment gâtée avec le 701 cc. Tu es passé de débutant a un intermédiaire juste par changer de moto. 😉
There are a bunch of videos out there. I have the Mark Parnes balancer like this one. I prefer the weights that go on the spokes and are held with an allen key these days. No sticky mess and they are reusable. ua-cam.com/video/EF5QpXmT5o8/v-deo.html
Not really. When I bought the 800 I was also doing longer trips so it made sense. If I could I would have kept it but just licensing and insurance would be too much for a bike I wouldn't ride that much. So far the Husky has been great. Only 6500kms or so it is still a baby. It is pretty good on the highway and will cruise effortlessly at 120. Probably has more power than I will ever use in the dirt. Can actually be a bit intimidating if you really crack it open.
Thanks for posting Riley. Another awesome adventure! Question for you as you usually know all the best motorcycle tech. Recently I completed the 2018 KTM Adventure Rally in Silver Star, BC. It was great fun, and my 1st time participating in a rally. Can you recommend the best option for a Garmin off-road ready GPS that allows for both turn by turn navigation and also allows the upload of /gpx files? My take away from this event was that it's important to have the correct equipment. Thank goodness one of the guys on our team had a Garmin 'Montana' GPS or we would have been screwed. Also, the KTM GPS mount on my 1190 sucks. I'd want to replace both the GPS and the mount.
13:04 here in australia, You for some reason need a full motorcycle licence to ride a Can Am Spyder, which is absolutely ridiculous. as its a 4 year process.
We are the only province I know of in Canada that has the no motorcycle license required rule for the Can Ams. They are manufactured here in Quebec and from what I recall they did a pilot program and there was some lobbying from Bombardier. You really do see their popularity drop off as you leave the province.
i ran dunlop d606's on klr last year. they are 90dirt/10street. running continental tkc80's 50/50 now and i am going back to the dunlops. the loss of offroad performance is not worth having more road worthy tire. d606's dont care what the trail is made of. i hit some gnarley lookin stuff. washouts dont happen on the dunlops. klr's 430lb with full tank. the dunlops will suprisingly grip corners.
only accessory i run is top bag. the dunlop will seem like it's wearing hard but they last a long time once the knobs shorten up. think i got around 10k km on them(combination of driving to work and offroad) they also howl on pavement but so do the tkc80's
@@AwesomePlayers for sure sorry took so long to reply. i live in new brunswick ps :) got an 08 klr with all the mods done i could find lol- needs a rear shock now. fork brace is amazing, the bike is still too heavy to smash jumps with etc :) but sharp pot holes at 140 km h in the woods is less dangerous
@@fandomkiller I had two KLRs back in the day. Did the brace, rear shock, front springs. Sadly never really did much off-road as I didn't have a crew to ride with. Did quite a bit of touring on it including one day of just over 1300 kms.... will never forget that day!
Seems like most quad riders here in the States don’t understand people wanting to pass them. When you think it can’t get any worse you get stuck behind a side x side driver who are completely oblivious to most things in life.
You sign up foe lessons. 750$. You can only do the final road exam after having your learner's permit for 11 months! • 9 hour theoretical courses • Theoretical test at the provincial office to obtain a learner’s license • 16 hours driving courses - on closed circuit • 10 hours driving courses - on the road • 1 times 2h practice driving course on the road • 2 times 4h practice driving course on the road • Driving test on site at the provincial office
GREAT day on the trails. "Most" of the time the turn around decision is the best one! !! !!! Especially later in the day.
True. If we had been 3 or 4 guys we would have had less brain power and more muscle power so we would have tried.
That was a great video I watched every second. I am in British Columbia about an hour east of Vancouver. There are many mountain access roads and forest roads here as well of course. The rocky environment I can relate to first hand. I have a 2017 Africa twin. The second day I got the motorcycle in May I attempted a steep uphill loose rock climb and as the bike slowed down and started to lose traction the stupid traction control started to cut back the engine power just when I needed more power until it finally cut out so much the motorcycle came to a full stop on this extreme uphill and over it went. Luckily a guy in a jeep came by and the two of us manage to get it up again. From that moment on I turn off the traction control every time I start the engine. 41 years of riding I've never had such horrible intervention.
But thanks for publishing a great video.
Thanks for the kind words. Appreciate it. Marc always turns that stuff off. When I did the demo ride the Honda guy told us there was a hill we wouldn't make it up without switching the traction control off. We stopped to switch it off and I decided to go for it. Just held it wide open and it made it with the TC on. Of course I wasn't going super slow and technical. Some of the bikes now have an off-road mode that allows a certain degree of spin and sliding. I tried that on a demo BMW 1200 Rally and it worked amazing. Enough spin to climb and step out the rear but not enough to dig a hole or slide out sideways.
Some trails in ALBERTA, are narrow for one atv, I followed a group of quads on my 2stroke Husaberg. The quad in front of me, kept looking down at his motor, and his front end, finally he glanced back and threw his hands up shaking his head. We teach our boys on the dirtbikes, to be patient and cooperate with the couches. Good times offroad
Awesome video nicely narrated, I'm 65 and don't get out on trails anymore but your video brings back so many memories :)
Thanks Terry.
Wow, just stumbled on this video; this area is my old stomping grounds. I was born in Quebec, was part of the 1970’s anglophone diaspora - moved to Prince Edward Island, planned to stay here for six weeks. Married, had kids, now grandkids . . . still here. Still miss Quebec! Even though one of my bikes is an adventure ride, there’s no real decent trails in PEI - but in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, they’re fantastic. Thanks for the video - maybe time for a ride “home” . . . sigh.
I've visited PEI a few times and now that I think of it didn't see a lot of trails. Some great stuff in New Brunswick. Sign up for the Fundy Adventure Rally next year.
The 701 is doing so well.
Just found your channel today an I have to say I really like the way you do your videos! Also really jealous about the trails you guys have over there
Thanks.
Thanks for the videos, as always they are really fun to watch.
Thanks Edmon.
As a fellow qubecker and adv bike newbie thank you for bringing to my attention that you can use some of the atv trail network with that pass. Amazing!
The pass is really worth it. Check out the map here.www.fqmhr.qc.ca/sentiers/carte-provinciale/
been wondering when the next video was. Glad to see you back on the saddle! Thanks!
Cheers.
Player Marc's Africa Twin is now actually my Africa Twin ;-). Nice to see it tackle this stuff.
But the ad said never off-road never dropped!
Holy Horse Hockey Rileyman ...... Two new videos in a row.... Very Cool 😎
You been watching old episodes of MASH?
You are an engaging story teller.
Thanks Bruce.
Mark makes the crf1000l look really good.
He does. Hard to tell in the video but at one point he was really flying.
wow that 34mins went by like nothing. cheers, Mike
Love the bike video however the narration makes me feel like I'm watching a golf tournament on TV
I was aiming for more of a curling bonspiel feel.
When you have had couple of videos under your butt, you'll know Riley's narration IS the second biggest selling point of these videos ;)
Really gotta make it out there next summer to ride these trails
Awesome video as always! The 701 looks like a lot of fun, makes me want something a little faster then my KLR650. I'm looking forward to an updated version of the old KLR and since they conveniently left out a 2019 KLR on the website, perhaps we will see a replacement next month with the release of there brand new models?
I had two KLRs back in the day before I really did any dirt. I heard the KLR is no more for 2019. The 701 is like a KLR on steroids. KLR needs a little more power and the 701 really has too much. Mine is a 2016 but the 2018s are running like 71hp.
Cool video! Thank you for sharing!
Thanks for watching!
Since you have the Husky, I feel like you're going a lot quicker than with the old F800GS. I startet watching your videos, because I got one myself and I was curious whats possible with it. But right now I think I might have a look at some lighter bikes next year, e.g. Yamaha's Tenere 700. 220kg are just to much to take it seriously offroad.
My 800 weighed a lot more than that. Skidplate, crash bars, side racks, hand guards, rear rack, tools, spares etc. The T700 and KTM 790 look interesting. I just hope they actually come in light. Everyone thought the African Twin was going to be lighter than an F800 but it weighs 230 kg naked. The smaller bike is easier for sure. If you can have multiply bikes you have more options. If you really need to have one bike then you have to make some big compromises for sure.
Still plenty of fun to be had on the F bikes. If you want to be challenged the F800 can certainly provide that. If you get a smaller bike, like the 701, and do tougher trails you are right back where you started and are looking at 250 cc bikes.
Nice trail. I like the rocky sections. Hope motorcycle will be approved in all Quebec province especially in Quebec city and portneuf. Nice vlog!
That is why we join the clubs. Money talks.
A year to get a MC license ? Oh wow... why is that ?
Great fun! Thanks for taking us along. I have a KLR with a 705 kit and it makes all the difference. At 25:16 in your video you stop at an intersection and there is a clear view of your dash. I was wondering what the rectangular gadget with the four allen head screws is on the right near your master cylinder. Camera, or GPS antenna, or...? Thanks!
Hi Philip. The little box is my tire pressure monitoring system. First season with it and so far I really like it. Starts flashing if the pressures get below a preset level. From Cyclops. Had a few flats and this at least gives me some warning that things are going south.
Love your channel!!
Thank you so much!!
Great video perfect roads a bit hard for the Africa twin but it looks like the bike can handle it
Marc is also a good rider and he really enjoys getting big bikes down the trail.
Awesome Players yea I can see 👍I have crf250l Honda but I want a new bike and I can’t decide if to buy 701 Husqvarna or a bigger bike like Africa twin or KTM adventure 1090 r
Awesome video Riley!! We should get together at one point this summer and go for a ride, I don't know to much that area of St-Donat. I mostly ride around Scotch rd. I'm from Rockland, Ont. We spoke at "La Classique" in 2017 before the event...
Hey Dan. Once the snow leaves we should ride for sure. Stay in touch.
I started watching your videos 3 years ago...and bought a dr650 to start offroading !
I've been travelling and bought a Vstrom 650, went a lot offroading with it, and as I'm a bit more "expert" now I'm hesitating between a f800gs and an Africa twin (lots of long distances with passenger).
Thanks a lot for ur videos ! Wonder where the HP2 guy and DR650 guy went ;)
Hey there. Glad you have enjoyed the videos. Seems like the AT is a great deal. I found the F800GS a little more off-road feeling but that might just be me. Chris on the HP2 is still around. We will see more of him for sure. Henrik on the mighty DR bought a WR250 and since then has bought a boat. Won't see him as much till he realizes the error of his ways and gets back on land.
Ahah funny story about Henrik ! Hope to see more videos of your dream team in action ;)
Thanks for responding, I'm just not sure about confort riding with two people on the f800gs, I'll have to try !
@@cracotator put the pre load as high as it goes and a passenger makes near no difference to the 800gs. Still has enough power to hit 100mph easy enough. Where the fuel is makes little difference it's only 16ltr. Only weights around 11-12kgs and gets even lighter as you ride. Besides the 5-6kg battery is where the fuel would have been.
How do you like your Wolfman bags? They make those just down the road from where I live, but I think I've decided on the Mosko Moto bags.
I really like them. They tuck in so tight I don't even notice them. Anything bigger wouldn't work for me. Very happy to get rid of the tool belt I was wearing. I would rather have the bike carry the weight any day.
We missed you!!!!!!
Thanks Bill!
You can call me Alex
Say my name!!!!
😁
Riley I like the seat! I don't remember you mentioning the custom patchwork!
The Husky sticker fell off!
Watched the whole video hoping for a douche rope deployment. Thanks for the upload, Riley, always enjoyable to ride along with you guys.
Sometimes the douche rope stays tucked away.
Just subscribed, from Quebec too. Have a nice one ;)
Thanks Chris.
Pretty aggressive hill at 29 minutes in. I would do that on my 701 in a second, but no way on an AT. The AT rider is a stud for trying.
I'm in Colorado, I have a '23 701. While they won't turn it into an AT on the road, these mods make it much better.
1) Taller 16/45 gearing (stock is 15/46). This drops RPM from 5100 to 4700 at 70 MPH and gives the bike the feeling that it has "legs" when shifting gear to gear. The quickshifter even works better with the taller gearing. Interesting factoid - I had an '83 Honda XL600 way back when, that bike cruised at 70-75 easily. Post gearing swap, the 690/701's 1st and 6th are almost identical to the XL's stock 1st and 5th gearing. With it's hard revving top end, I suspect my good running 701 can approach 120 with the gearing change, but I'm not interested in going that fast on a dual sport.
2) Rottweiler O2 sensor delete ($40) and, if inclined to go all the damn way, add their Power Commander 6 with map, plus the slip on exhaust of your choice. The 690/701 come set very lean at part throttle and low RPM, full throttle is pretty correct, but how often do ya ride at full throttle? The low end and midrange power and response are drastically better, and the big thumper sounds awesome. The stock exhaust is hot, heavy and just plain heinous, but on the plus side the CAT goes away when the muffler gets swapped.
3) Puig windscreen. This blocks the wind off your chest which helps. It is not expensive and small enough that it doesn't get in your way.
4) Seat Concepts or Renazco Racing saddle. I went with Renazco, night and day better. The stock seat is is OK while off road, but it is hard and it becomes a weapon of ass destruction after an hour or so on street rides.
The big thumper is surprisingly smooth vibration wise. Geared up (which it easily pulls when tuned) it cruises very easily at 70-75. The real limiting factor on cruise speed is the dual sport format of the bike itself. The wind, even with the screen, can be a bit much once you start creeping past 75.
The 690/701 is heavy enough to not get blown around on the road like a real dirt bike, but not so heavy that it is unmanageable while riding off road, it really is a true 50/50 dual sport. Whether that is a good thing or a bad thing depends on what you want. I wanted a bike that kinda sucks everywhere, but in compensation for that is kinda competent everywhere and has a lot of power. The 690/701 bikes are in a class by themselves in this regard.
I'm quite blessed to have a 300 XC for dirt, a nicely modded 701 for general street hooliganism and off road exploring, and a Super Tenere for longer range touring.
Thanks for the comment. I am slightly geared up in the back of the 701. Does help off-raod and is still ok on the street. Marc on the Honda certainly isn't a quitter for sure.
Hah recognized this trail within the first 3sec of video! One of my favs to do on my Kawasaki Versys 650.
But I do it alone because I have no riding friends in Quebec yet 😢 I'd love to join ya'll on a ride sometime!
@@theSquashSH Head over to awesomeplayers.com and drop us a line. Our contact info is there. Was back in Chertsey on Monday.
As a fellow 701E owner, I'd love to know what tech/mounts/etc. you have on your bars/dash. Is there already a video detailing these? Thanks
Hio Nathan. Sorry no video on that. I use RAM mounts for everything. My GPS, mirrors even the camera sometimes. They're great.
im on wr250r, getting either ktm 690 or the twin in the spring. seems like the twin has its limitations off road but I imagine its better than the 701 on the highway in regards to seat and windsheild. in your opinion could you see yourself doing like a week of highway travel on your 701. also, how bad is it to refuel the bike when having luggage on the back.
Haven't done and really long trips on the 701 but did cross Canada on a KLR. I would rather do it on the 701. Fully loaded the KLR was a bit weak on power. Refueling isn't bad. Unclip two straps and voila. The 701 is surprisingly good on the highway. Lots of power. Nice clean air off the front since there is really no fairing. With knobbies there is vibration but really not much more than my F800 with the same tires. The bike is small so it doesn't have the space to carry stuff like a big bike so you will have to pack light. To be honest lately I have found it much more fun to trailer the boring highway miles and get there fast. Then spend more time riding the good stuff. Saves my tires and since I'm always in a time crunch I maximize the quality riding.
Hey Riley, how many km's does the group ride on the "home by noon" rides
Anywhere between 150 and 300.
(13:00) Interesting! In contrast, in the USA (at least in Colorado) I got my motorcycle license after taking a single 15-hr weekend course. We CANNOT ride the Can-Ams legally without a "trike" course, also about 15 hours.
The Can-Ams are made here in Quebec so I think they were able to lobby the government pretty easily. They did a pilot project with non motorcyclists riding them and apparently it well enough to convince the powers that be that no big course was required.
What a great ride!
I always know it was a good ride when I'm still thinking about it a few days later.
Looks real good. What tires are you using?
On the 701 I use the Dunlop D606.
Do you have to watch out for large animals or even small ones? Where I live you have to watch out day or night, specially now. Rutting season.
We have seen a few bears but those were farther away and not in our regular riding area. We sometimes see deer but no close calls. A few Moose but they were out in the swamp feeding. Occasionally a rabbit or small rodent will come close to getting squished.
my buddy hit a black bear with his DR once ! lol
@@AwesomePlayers
Nice !!!
Can u ask to your Africa Twin friend what box use rear in the bike ? Thank u !
Pelican case. Nanuk are also nice.
👍👍
Another great video.
Thanks Bill.
Good video...what is the battery pack you used in your GOPRO?
This is it. So far it works great. www.amazon.ca/Wasabi-Power-Extended-Battery-GoPro/dp/B00MFWO8YA
Don't you with a license plate legally allowed to ride them anyways?
You can ride government land but not the private trails.
These are the two bikes I am having such a hard time deciding between and I know they are very different. 2 years ago I drove the Pan American on a 2nd gen KLR and have been itching now for a RTW trip. I have been big about lighter bikes which led me to discovering the 701. Less things to break than the new 690 Enduro R and a little stronger frame. Lighter than the other ADV contenders but still usable on the highway and still a lot of fun(especially if I get some spare SMC wheels). Then there's the AT, beautiful bike, comfortable, really interested in the DCT. But just so heavy I see problems in the more extreme areas. It's driving me nuts and they're the same price which makes the AT in my opinion a better value. How would you compare the two with the experience you've had. Is the 701 that much better in the dirt. Does the extra 200 lbs make a huge difference? Such a hard decision!
Those bikes are really different. Off-road it will be night and day. My friend Jason did a year plus long trip across Canada and down to the tip of South America. He had an F800 but bought a KTM 640 Adventure which he rebuilt for the trip. 90% of the time the F800 would have been a better bike. But there were times he did some hardcore stuff that he wouldn't have done on the 800. Your skill level also has a huge impact as does how much you want to carry. On the Husky you will need to go ultra light. The big bikes can be mules. The long stretches will be much nicer on the big bike. If I was going I would look at the new KTM 790. Or I would buy an 800 as it it was super reliable. I've done across Canada on a loaded KLR and I would take a bigger bike and give up on some hardcore dirt.
salut à tous, c'est possible mais compliqué de monter des pentes raides et très caillouteuses avec un gros trail ( voir déconseillé de le faire seul car en cas de chute ?!!!), c'est plus simple de le faire avec une YAMAHA 250 wr r . La 701 est beaucoup plus légère que l'AFRICA TWIN mais encore un peu lourde pour du technique.
Le problème des gros trails c'est qu'ils sont plus alaise sur route qu'en OFF ROAD. les marques nous font rêver avec les nouvelles moto YAMAHA 700 Téneré et KTM 790 ADV R . Belles moto mais encore très lourdes + de 200 kg avec le carburant.
Le jour où tu as l'occasion d’essayer une enduro!!!! tout est facile tu passes partout.
faites de belles aventures en moto.
A bientôt
C'est vrai. Mais le plus important est de s'amuser et de relever des défis. Une moto est juste une moto. Une moto prise dans une aventure est une moto d'aventure.
Je ne me souviens plus quelle moto que tu avais avant, tu t'es vraiment gâtée avec le 701 cc. Tu es passé de débutant a un intermédiaire juste par changer de moto. 😉
J'avais un BMW F800GS auparavant. La vie est plus facile sur la nouvelle moto. Mais, je manque toujours mon vieux BMW !
@@AwesomePlayers tu devrais faire 1 vidéos de comparaison entre ta BM et le 701
Bonne idée.
Cracking video👍
Did you ever find out what was the issue with the brake?
After I bled them and changed the fluid they were fine.
Do you find that the 701 has enough fuel capacity, or do you bring along extra fuel?
Get 200 kms plus reserve so not bad. I ride with guys that have big tanks so I have a hose. So far haven't needed it.
Is this the same trail from the Players Offroad weekend vid?
Good eye. That was a long time ago.
Great Ride!! Thanks for posting Riley.
How you doing Bill?
Great Riley ,Riding the crf250 Rallye. Loving it so far!
Those 250s are selling like hot cakes.
You don't hear the word "highfalutin" enough on UA-cam. Well done.
It really is a swell word!
Nice video as always :)
i took my KLR on a hare scramble. not a good idea. very tough and fell alot. the trails we were on were very thin for the klr
KLR can do it all. Just not the best at anything except perhaps value. Heard they are stopping production?
Even before you came across the wr I was thinking if I lived there I would have a wr250r.
Lots of WRs around. I thought about getting one but wanted a little more HP to haul my, shall we say, full size body around.
You should post the hill section in a separate short vid.
Can you do a vid on how you balance your wheels please ..
There are a bunch of videos out there. I have the Mark Parnes balancer like this one. I prefer the weights that go on the spokes and are held with an allen key these days. No sticky mess and they are reusable.
ua-cam.com/video/EF5QpXmT5o8/v-deo.html
Any regrets going to a smaller bike, and hows the husky?
Not really. When I bought the 800 I was also doing longer trips so it made sense. If I could I would have kept it but just licensing and insurance would be too much for a bike I wouldn't ride that much. So far the Husky has been great. Only 6500kms or so it is still a baby. It is pretty good on the highway and will cruise effortlessly at 120. Probably has more power than I will ever use in the dirt. Can actually be a bit intimidating if you really crack it open.
Thanks for posting Riley. Another awesome adventure!
Question for you as you usually know all the best motorcycle tech.
Recently I completed the 2018 KTM Adventure Rally in Silver Star, BC. It was great fun, and my 1st time participating in a rally. Can you recommend the best option for a Garmin off-road ready GPS that allows for both turn by turn navigation and also allows the upload of /gpx files? My take away from this event was that it's important to have the correct equipment. Thank goodness one of the guys on our team had a Garmin 'Montana' GPS or we would have been screwed.
Also, the KTM GPS mount on my 1190 sucks. I'd want to replace both the GPS and the mount.
Pretty much all the guys I ride with love the Montana series and that is what I use. I have a simple RAM mount but others have fancy Touratech stuff.
13:04 here in australia, You for some reason need a full motorcycle licence to ride a Can Am Spyder, which is absolutely ridiculous. as its a 4 year process.
We are the only province I know of in Canada that has the no motorcycle license required rule for the Can Ams. They are manufactured here in Quebec and from what I recall they did a pilot program and there was some lobbying from Bombardier. You really do see their popularity drop off as you leave the province.
Motor ngono kuwi regane piro yo pak de . In java . Indonesia
Bener iku. Sepeda dadi luwih apik saben taun, nanging regane uga mundhak.
That is true. The bikes get better every year but the prices also go up.
Have you considered the 450l
Cool stuff I have looked at it but i am getting the urge to get a bigger bike not smaller.
Awesome Players kk kool, entertaining vids tho
Is the Bmw 1150 gs still going strong
I think so. It was sold off a few years ago but with almost a 100k on the clock was running great.
hi there im in riverina area off aus I ride a mighty dr it goes brmmm cheers
Looks like a lot of great riding in Australia. I follow Nerb1 and his buddies on YT.
i ran dunlop d606's on klr last year. they are 90dirt/10street. running continental tkc80's 50/50 now and i am going back to the dunlops. the loss of offroad performance is not worth having more road worthy tire. d606's dont care what the trail is made of. i hit some gnarley lookin stuff. washouts dont happen on the dunlops. klr's 430lb with full tank. the dunlops will suprisingly grip corners.
only accessory i run is top bag. the dunlop will seem like it's wearing hard but they last a long time once the knobs shorten up. think i got around 10k km on them(combination of driving to work and offroad) they also howl on pavement but so do the tkc80's
I get 2500 kms out of a 606 rear maybe. I agree about the 606. I would rather have better off-road performance and reduced tire life.
@@AwesomePlayers for sure sorry took so long to reply. i live in new brunswick ps :) got an 08 klr with all the mods done i could find lol- needs a rear shock now. fork brace is amazing, the bike is still too heavy to smash jumps with etc :) but sharp pot holes at 140 km h in the woods is less dangerous
ran tkc80 front tire for too long, it not even worn out but i'm replacing it with another d606.
@@fandomkiller I had two KLRs back in the day. Did the brace, rear shock, front springs. Sadly never really did much off-road as I didn't have a crew to ride with. Did quite a bit of touring on it including one day of just over 1300 kms.... will never forget that day!
Seems like most quad riders here in the States don’t understand people wanting to pass them. When you think it can’t get any worse you get stuck behind a side x side driver who are completely oblivious to most things in life.
Most guys here are pretty good. Some times they are in la la land and I don't think they see us fo quite a while.
Just like the freeways in the US. Slow drivers are in the left lane.
Hey! Je suis un collègue de Marc, récemment sur un 690r 2017. Hope ride together some days :)
Sounds like a plan.
you do realise the walk is about 30sec right ?
We bought bikes so we don't have to walk....ever!
What do you mean by "year long process" to get a motorcycle license? For real? 1 year?? What the heck.??
You sign up foe lessons. 750$. You can only do the final road exam after having your learner's permit for 11 months!
• 9 hour theoretical courses
• Theoretical test at the provincial office to obtain a learner’s license
• 16 hours driving courses - on closed circuit
• 10 hours driving courses - on the road
• 1 times 2h practice driving course on the road
• 2 times 4h practice driving course on the road
• Driving test on site at the provincial office
@@AwesomePlayers that is a lot.. is it the same for cars? Here in my country, I got both in a couple of weeks... At the same time ..
Not sure for cars since I got mine about 35 years ago driving a Jeep in army.
where is hidrick!
Henrik bought a boat. He thought motorcycling was too expensive!
Living with ourselves in our own little helmets hahaha
Sometimes there are still multiple voices.
Actually Mark is going on smaller bikes. I bet you he will finish on Yamaha Tenere 700.
He has been talking about it!
It's not "Ten-Air", it's "Ten-A-Ray" when trying to pronounce the bike's name. Maybe it's a Canadian thing?
Actually most guys here call it the Super Ten eh.
That hill is not as rocky as the one heading east from the Mica Mine near Mattawa.
Believe it or not I think I’ve been there.
I never saw the appeal of atvs. I suppose if you need it for work, or want to play in mud. I think bikes are way more fun
Like a jet ski I once rented.... didn't live up to my expectations and I returned it early.
:-)