@@MADDOG100ful heck yeah! I’m sitting on about 11,500 miles now and about to do the first valve check which is supposed to be done at 9,500. Oops. Didn’t realize it. It’s been everything I could want and I ride it all over the place from single track to 2 up moto-camping with the GF. We are blessed! Enjoy! 🏍️💨
look, if people can't find the 'perfect' bike now in this day and age then they don't know what they want, easy as that in fairness, we have all options covered. Pick one or two and GO RIDE - you fell in love with bikes for riding, not for the new shiny bike that promises you stuff that is not realistic by some educated marketing squad - you are not Tarres, you are not Riemann and so on - you are you, buy a bike and learn it, love it and grow with it. God damn we are so far from the bikes i started on that never ran properly, heavy, slow, useless suspension, drum brakes and so on. Life is great on two wheels nowadays so please, stop searching, do yourselves a favour - ride and ride more, buy less from the machine that feeds your desires and be happy 🙂 as for Norden, a total beauty, i am sure it is amazing to many owners and you who are not happy are just not the target - accept it and move on, same with 690/790/transalp/AT, 500 exc and so on.
Awesome comment. Completely correct. Reviews are helpful for consumers but good lord, most of these bikes are way more capable than anyone who will ever throw a leg over them.
I 90% agree with that. One should just ride more. I did my first Offroad trip with my fathers old XT 500 and it was amazing. BUT a KTM 500/Fe 501 with a 2nd engine balance shaft, less vibrations and maybe some usefull electronics would be a dream come true
AMEN !! well said !! 100% agreed here ! and id add the "perfect" bike changes for each of us as we go through our own journey in my opinion , well im a 55yr old life long dual sport and now adventure bike guy mine sure has !! today is the golden age for dual sport and Adv bikes as 25 years ago we got the leftovers and not the best technology so we kind of had to 'build' our own bikes , now there are soo many choices you can find the right bike/compromise for anyone .. "Compromise" being the always present word , it is always a compromise between on road vs off road abilities and that ideal compromise has changed for me many times over the years
I have the 901 Expedition, I come down from the Tiger 1200 Rally Explorer, which I was also riding offroad (hill climbs, small jumps etc). Gotta say they nailed it. Only things I have done is added bigger pegs, bark busters and swapped the pannier rack to the outback motortek ones. I am looking for a screen thats the same height that doesn’t sweep back, instead being pretty much vertical. I have hit my helmet on the stock Expedition screen a few times when jumping. Personally if you are close to 6ft, am confident offroad, average fitness and can deadlift maybe 120kg (its not as heavy as it sounds) the bike is amazing. I am sitting here hoping they follow the KTM lead and release a limited edition “rally” version. I will lower the expedition for the Mrs to use mostly onroad/dirt road and get another 901.
I have my ideal adventure bike. It is small, low seat height and low power. It will do highway speeds all day here and the countryside will not go by too fast. Perfect is 100% subjective.
For me, the Husky 901 is THE adv bike right now. It has the looks, the grunt, the comfort. Even the pricerag us good. At least for the basemodrl which is what I’m interested in, as i ride a lot of oaved road.
I'm very happy w/ my Aprilia Tuareg 660. Sure it would be nicer to have it a little lighter, but in its class it's pretty much an all around winner - the jury is still out regarding long term reliability and dealership support - but as time passes, the reliability factor has few complaints. Thanks for the discussion.
i wish i had an Aprillia dealer near me id sure like to try that bike out ! spec sheet wise it seems to hit a sweet spot and the reviews say its got loads of character
kawasaki had twin paralel engine 650cc engine, that used on Versys/z650. but they never make "a Rally version" of it. could it be make sense if Kawi enter the market too(?)
Great story telling providing good perspective. Its definitely an appealing bike, but for me, it just doesn't move me and I still cling to my beloved 990S.
Maybe you made this video before the Kove 800x was announced. Basically hits every perfect adv bike spec...except being a reputable brand haha. Around 400lbs wet, 799cc twin, 95hp, 5g fuel, 21"/18" tubeless spoked wheels, all led lighting, riding aids that can be turned off, $10k usd price for the base and $14k usd for the lighter rally version.
Yeah, I did write it before the kove was officially announced. I’d be thrilled if they hit all their specs, but I’m a bit skeptical still. Let’s hope I’m wrong though :)
Ummm...not sure how quite to respond to this vid but feel the need to exercise my opinion! 🙂 The article should be titled... "Husqvarna Built the Perfect Adventure Bike...for those looking for this type of adventure bike"! As you state there is no perfect adventure bike and what the Husky does is provide one you can take around the world straight from the dealership (after you've done 1000KM's and had the first service completed!). It is comparably cheap compared to the mega-adventure bikes but with the bigger bore and capacity more rideable than the middle-weight wannabe's. I ride from Poland to the UK on it and it was a dream to ride (no off-road was done...just like 99% of adventure rides on adventure bikes). The included aspects of heated seats, cruise control, quick shifter etc. just made the ride so much more fun. I really think, personally, there is no better adventure bike on the market that has a strong engine, included accessories, great fuel consumption, comfortable ride and excellent looks!!! This is the perfect adventure bike.
You kind of picked up on it, but yes, the main focus of the video is not actually the Norden. I'm sure it's a terrific bike. The Norden story is more of an entry point to address the "perfect" adventure bike conversation.
Klr600 in 1984, weight 130 dry, 145 wet. A very good bike, shame it's got so havey with time. It was very good even tooday. The engine has 2 counter balance. And lot of features that makes it the almost perfect bike for today's market...
I got the adventure bike bug at 52 years old, traded in my KLX 300 and '22 MT 09 SP for a '23 Norden 901. It's just turning to winter here so only 200 miles on so far, but I love it!
You need to be honest with your skills and the terrain you like/can ride then you choose your bike. Ideally a garage with 2 bikes is best. Bring the right tool for the job. In my case a 500, 690 & 890. Happy so far (maybe the 690 is on its way out) 👍
You've got a lot of basis covered with that trio... The issue is a lot of people can't have multiple bikes, that's where the "ultimate ADV bike" discussion comes into play
@@KRANKiT I've got a 300, 690 and 990 and love each one. My reasons were emotional, backed up by logic. I've been fortunate to have the space to keep all 3. As bike medic, each has its application for different bike events to allow me to 'bring up the rear' to get to a fallen rider. I also have the luxury to enter different bike events and choose the most suitable ride for the terrain. As a father of two mature boys, when one of them visits, I can hit the dirt with the two smaller ones or go overnight camping with the two bigger ones. If I had a gun to my head to choose only one, I'd probably take the 990S.
Husqvarna did a wonderful job with the Norden 901, balancing performance, weight, usability and price point. However, the Chinese manufacturers (Kove, CF Moto to name a couple) are going to disrupt the market with models that are up there in quality and performance with the European and Japanese brands, at a lower price point.
I think KTM (including Husqvarna) have got this segment just right. Three flavours: most sport focused 890AR; most everyday practical 890A; In-between the two is the 901. I expected the 901 to be the natural replacement for my 2004 950 Adventure, but ended out buying the 890AR. My short legged brother went for the 890A. So maybe you're right. I don't know anyone who went for the 901! The main problem is the perceived unreliability. If KTM get this sorted, everyone will be riding a KTM (or a Husky). The Yam T7 is deeply flawed, but sells well because it's perceived as being reliable (and is), but it's gutless, too heavy and has lousy suspension. It's top-heavy and yet has poor ground clearance - normally the compromise is between the two, but the T7 does badly in both.
agree'd !! i went Husky901 instead of ktm right here but truth be told i would way rather have started with a 890'R' but my local KTM dealer service department sucks balls bad and the next dealer is 3 hours and 2 major mt passes away but the other motorcycle dealer here in town sells honda and husqvarna and they have service dept techs that have been with them 15 and 20 years that are awesome , thus i wound up with a 901 instead and proceeded to fix the disappointing stock suspension and do the rest of my own usual mods .. after considerable investment this bike is pure magic
That's a real shame. I have it the other way around, but I think if I'd purchased a 901, my KTM dealer would have been able to carry out the servicing. Actually, I do my own servicing because I've been let down by dealers every time I've used them. I'm struggling to get the 890AR's suspension to my liking, despite shelling out for a TracTive shock and cartridges. What have you done about your 901's suspension?
@@RedRupert64 when i bought there was not even a rumor about the 901 'Expedition' with the far superior "R" spec boingers or id have ridden my 1090r 1 more season and waited for it so i knew buying a standard 901 id have to upgrade suspension , i looked hard for options and this one was the best available for me at the time
@@RedRupert64 for starters adjust the damping clickers to the stock recommended settings to start , set the proper level of rear sag and go from there , if you are over 180pounds or under 160 you may need to have it re-sprung for your weight , im 240 so i always do , if i couldve started with the "R" spec bike id just had the stock boingers re-sprung and probably re-valved for my weight
Of course the first thing I tried was to get the suspension dialed in via the clickers, but that brought no improvement. Currently I have gone from the stock 6.7 N/mm springs to 4.8. still the sag is less than I would like. I've started experimenting with the valves, but still there is far, far too much compression damping. Both the OE and TracTive forks are way off what I need. Please note that I use the bike for minor roads and gravel tracks, and am a fast and smooth rider. The rear spring is now 80 N/mm from the OE 95 N/mm. The spring rate is correct for me, but I need to soften the damping beyond the clickers.
It looks so good... Honestly, I think the T7 and Norden buyer are two completely different people... They might be similar engine sizes, but as packages they're pretty different
I dream for Moto Guzzi V55 TTR whit 55 h.p Scramblar style but whit good windshield and protection... This V-twin engine prosuce suche a power in low revs, like a diesel tractor. And it will weigh about 175 kg. Like Fantic Caballero 500 but more classy and good material, and engine. I now that Piaggio group never makes this bike... But I expect Aprilia to produce Tuareg 457 after they presentet RS 457 this year. But yeah, im inlove my Moto Guzzi V85TT and low torque engine, and underrated offroad capabilities... This V-twin engine is superb disel for my. But heavy weight, soft suspension... Yah... I will wheith my small unicorn from Mandello del Lario :D Since then i testet Cabalero again, and the new RE Himalayan 450,for second bike :)
First of all, the perfect bike for everything doesn't exist. That being said, my honest point of view is that the market has already solved that issue. A person who loves offroading has very good options with bikes like 690/701 while still, unconfortably, can travel around with their bikes. If you're only doing twisty roads and no dirt at all, you have brands that give you a 19 inch front wheel and 17 back. Back in the old days, there was a concept with "trail" bikes. Dr650, Dominator, XT600... single cilinder, soft suspension with long travel, weight around 170 kg and enough comfort to make the road travel... not as bad as the 690/701. That was the closest we've been to a perfect adventure bike. If you want to go faster, need more weight and bigger engine (twin). If you want it more agile you need more "road focused" wheels and suspension. The thing is, there's enough variety of bikes in the market for your specific use. No one does it all with the bike. But people really need to chill, sit down and think "what do I want this bike for". The 890 ADV R Rally is the best bike for an extreme offroad use while having tons of confort and capabilities on the road... at the expense of the gigantic price of this beast. Yeah, its heavy but it all remains on skill... until some point. But for that specific purpose buy a freaking enduro bike. Guys like Pol Tarres, Kirian Mirabet and Endurak666 has put on our heads that you can do "enduro bike things" with a gigantic ADV bike like Tenere 700, KTM 990 ADV or an Africa Twin. Yeah, with years of practice and lots of courses and falls... which are expensive on these bikes... Just think about what do you want the bike for and you'll find the ideal bike for you.
Great vid man! Even as an A class off road racer, I find the 890R to be way too heavy for anything harder than intermediate level trails- it can get stuck or slide off the trail and you’re doomed 😂 at the same time, it’s too high and vibrates a bit on the highway. It’s more of a 80/20 road/off road. I’ve simply changed my expectations in a way to validate my $15,000 (BEFORE taxes 😢) purchase.
Sounds like your ideal bike is a Tenere 700 Rally edition. If you want a KTM 500 CC adv bike then look at the CFMoto 450-MT since that uses the cancelled KTM Duke 490 motor.
I want to share my experience. I used to have a mighty husky te 510, awesome bike!!! Still to this day miss it’s grunt, sound, the way it delivered the torque to the wheel. Also had a Husaberg after, another awesome machine. And now we have this husqvarna, just a name, just a different color from a KTM. So sad for a company that used to be great and now is just a memory. Just a division within the corporate world. Well… I maybe a romantic, I will always love what Husky was and I will try to forget that it’s name even exists.
@@KRANKiT Man, your videos are top notch!!! I just subscribed to your channel. Keep the good work man! I hope you get hundreds of thousands more subscribers.
Expedition model? Weight and seat height potentially problematic.... BTW, I have a standard Norden and redid suspension. Compared to my old Africa Twin, a turd, and my GSA, utility knife, it's a real scalpel. And the weight is minimal on the trail and imo less top heavy than the T7. The 690 feels like a big dirt bike that is not one and highway work is miserable on one. So right about $$$ and the min. Weight problem! ADV expections are unrealistic and what most guys actually ride is usually quite different than what they actually ride. Love your videos!!!
what suspension did you go with ?? i went Tractive Extreme at both ends from Ted Porters Beemer shop (who were awesome) and i am very happy with the results ! but i will always wonder how much better that higher $ WP-PRO longer travel set up from the Rally bike might have been
I have got sick and tired of the the ADV manufacturers calling 200+ kg cows as middle weight adventure bikes, this is why I am on the waiting list for a KOVE. They have produced a bike which is finally a breath of fresh air and finally a bike which makes offroad oriented riders excited again after very long time.
Can't agree more. So many heavy ass bikes on the market. How about we get something like the G310GS, Versys X 300 or 390 Adventure but with just a little more power and upgraded suspension. They would sell so many.
@@tornero5898great bike in many ways but too heavy because most parts made from pig iron and the suspension is absolute junk and it’s biggest failure , even for the road is sh1t , why can’t premium brands produce decent suspension - it costs very little more , they are too obsessed on price points , make it a 600 with high spec suspension and lose some weight and it would be a winner
And it’s based on the KTM’s 790 engine, which is probably their worst engine in terms of reliability… I was hyped as hell for the 800x but I’m definitely not going to go that way.
china slave child labor assembled copy of what might be ktm's least reliable engine ever?? yeah total game changer what could possibly go wrong i wonder ?
I would love to have a ADV with around 70-80HP and a weight around 200kg. My F650GS Twin is kinda there, but it's getting a bit old and the lacks some Adventure Stuff. I kinda like the T7 (or a bit bigger F800GS) but for me, I would travel a lot of Highway to get to the Offroad Streets, so I kind of want a cruise control. But I also don't want to much stuff that can break. So you see... I should just keep my small GS and hope, that it will never break :D
I wish KTM would allow Husky to build a Norden 401 and/or 701 based on the Enduro R platform (new coming in 2025). About 155kg for the 401 or 170kg for the 701. As you pointed out, lightweight and twin are incompatible. Take the new CF Moto 450, ok yeah it's built to a price so it's heavier at 193kg wet. KTM was likely going to use that engine in their canned 490 ADV, but even a top notch build would probably only be 5-7kg less. Sub 180kg twin is a pipe dream.
The deal is this. Husqvarna is ktms ‘lexus’, so the hype for the norden 901 (i had one) was supposed to be better than 890 ( maybe because of all speculation). But norden is touring and 890 r is offload focused. I switched to 890 R and im at home… if the norden explorer would have come out first, i would still have it, my switch was because of suspension, i didnt like 890 design amd still drool over nordens design
I think its funny that the Chinese are bringing the 450 mt and no one has done it til now and the Chinese had to do it. They are also bringing to kove 800x pro with almost 100 hp and lighter than the tenere. Again, the Chinese are bringing it no one else. It's funny how these really are the bikes people want, but none of the reliable companies could manage to do it.
Well, the kove 800x should be the closest to tick all boxes. Surprisingly it does not come with the price but opposite. But that bargain may be hidden in reliability and/or some morally disputable nuances as stealing intellectual property. Time will tell, but nevertheless chinese brands will eventually shake well established brands and get them to work on bikes not their profits..
Let's see... I don't like getting worked up about untested bikes usually... I hope the KOVE will be a great machine, but I doubt it'll be the one to "rule them all"... But maybe I'm wrong. We'll wait and see :)
She was an old lady that was passing by, we spoke for awhile and then we parted ways. After I started filming, I had no idea she stuck around for like half the time :)) only realized it when editing the video
The perfect ADV bike platform already exists, its the ktm 690 enduro. Create a bare bones version that just has ADV fairings and a better seat, sell it for $1k more than the enduro and problem solved. You have an ADV 50 pounds lighter than the T7 with better off-road capabilities.
Why have adventure bikes become so popular, all i see is these bikes everywhere. Everyone copies each other all the time, get something different for a change.
There was/is/will be no perfekt bike for masses. It all depends on what the rider wants from bike. I personally miss models like DR, XR, TT, etc. Simple, light, one cylinder dualsports with some reasonable price tag. I have a 20 y.o. XT660R, with some minor modes, it is pretty flexible bike for all kinds of stuff - sure, with sacrifices on my side, I'm aware of its pros and cons(would be nice to have 6th speed...). But I can do some off road, commute or go for trip around europe. I just started to looking for some new bike, but I can find anything similar to XT. The only option I see barely fit for me is 701, but the seat and fuel capacity is really bad, plus the price. And new CRF450l is a joke in europe(only 20 smth HP for lot of money).
Buy a 1988 Ténéré 600, slightly modify it and you get all the specs, asked for in the video: 23L fueltank, 255/225 mm of travel, 600cc engine and only roughly 180Kg ready to ride;)
tubeless on a adventurebike is actually kind of stupid. for a gs rider or africa twin etc yes its good, but if you put this on a real offroad adventure bike put a tube or for hard offroading even mousse in it. if you have tubeless and then you ride low air pressure for hard offroading it could happen that the tire get pressed in the middle of your rim and yeah thats it with your adventure 😂
i dont understand where you are saying all this hype came from i never saw any ?? i & anyone even casually paying attn knew it was a ktm890 with a few changes from the jump , fix the standard models disappointing suspension or buy the Expedition model and go put some miles and smiles on it ??!! ive been financially irresponsible enough to have had a few well farkled and well set up adventure bikes but this 901 blows them all away by every measure hands down , after the suspension was fixed and the rest of my normal mods its magic
Kove 450 Rally EX is gonna take KTM's cake and eat it at 60+ HP AND sub 130KG (282lb) imho... PS, i couldnt care less about one less cylinder or 10 less ponies when i can deadlift the whole bike...
wind buffetting issues and Not-KTM suspension on the Norden. The 890 is the better choice. Both are built in China. So, buyer beware. Its a pig off road, just like every bike in its class, mostly due to the weight. True weight breeches 500 pounds, loaded up and ready to ride. KTM/Husky do not publish bike weights for a bike you can actually ride.... I imagine we will see a flood of these in the used bike market in the coming years. If you like it, get the Expedition model. But, the public still waits for the perfect unicorn bike.
Switzerland is not in Scandinavia. Only the name is, but is just a name. Actually is more chinese than Scandinavian or Swiss Would you make a review not a press PR manifesto?
I got bored with the hype and teaser videos much as I did with the T7. In the event, just a reclothed 890. It didn’t even get the adaptive cruise control the supposed reason for all the delays. Plus that dreadful luggage which looks cheap (it isn’t) and sticks out way too wide looking like the afterthought it clearly is. Doubtless designed to accommodate the dustbin sized silencer. I was massively disappointed. I bought an 890 Adventure (non R) and love it not least having saved around £3.5K for the spec that mine actually is. Pretty bike, maybe, but expensive tinsel.
@@KRANKiT In fairness got a great deal on my 890 that made it a no brainier. I like the Expedition but why only 19 litres of fuel? Makes no sense when BMW, Honda, Triumph etc offer larger range bikes. Even the Husky 701 Enduro has a long range version. We’ll never know….
@@ianross225 can carry roto paks but i can count on 230 miles out of my stock tank as it is , ive run the IDBDR , WABDR & ORBDR + some of Montana and Colorado's remote USFS roads and never needed more range
You do such good reviews and throughly deserve far more subscribers views and likes. My opinion on this subject for what it’s worth; is yeah I agree with you. But the manufacturers also really don’t want to make the perfect bike. I am convinced that they go to extreme lengths to avoid making the perfect bike in any segment. Even if we dived the adventure segment into several sub categories they still wouldn’t do it. That said they do a good job at balancing costs with innovation and quality and weight and the increasingly very difficult to meet emissions regulations. Personally I’m old school and want something very simple and reliable, which is why I own a 2011 VStrom 650. But a very large part of me wants a much lighter bike. If anyone here has seen the Ktm 2024 390 duke you will have to agree that when they create the next 390 adventure based on this model it should be a nice step up from the current model. It’s this as yet not available bike that I am seriously considering. Light enough to be able to pull out of a bog or turn around on a trail on the side of a hill. Comfortable and powerful enough to go long miles onroad. Good mileage, should be no worse than 4L per 100km. Reliability 🫣😬, let’s just say I won’t get it in the first year of their release. 😅
You got the wrong model. 😉
I’ve got 8;000 miles on my Norden 901 Expedition and it’s unreal.
🏍️💨 couldn’t be happier
The Expedition is a pretty sweet bike
Agreed !! 6000 miles on mine'
@@MADDOG100ful heck yeah!
I’m sitting on about 11,500 miles now and about to do the first valve check which is supposed to be done at 9,500. Oops. Didn’t realize it.
It’s been everything I could want and I ride it all over the place from single track to 2 up moto-camping with the GF.
We are blessed!
Enjoy!
🏍️💨
look, if people can't find the 'perfect' bike now in this day and age then they don't know what they want, easy as that in fairness, we have all options covered. Pick one or two and GO RIDE - you fell in love with bikes for riding, not for the new shiny bike that promises you stuff that is not realistic by some educated marketing squad - you are not Tarres, you are not Riemann and so on - you are you, buy a bike and learn it, love it and grow with it. God damn we are so far from the bikes i started on that never ran properly, heavy, slow, useless suspension, drum brakes and so on. Life is great on two wheels nowadays so please, stop searching, do yourselves a favour - ride and ride more, buy less from the machine that feeds your desires and be happy 🙂 as for Norden, a total beauty, i am sure it is amazing to many owners and you who are not happy are just not the target - accept it and move on, same with 690/790/transalp/AT, 500 exc and so on.
When you put it that way, yeah... the old carburettor days weren't so long ago in the grand scheme of things
Awesome comment. Completely correct. Reviews are helpful for consumers but good lord, most of these bikes are way more capable than anyone who will ever throw a leg over them.
I 90% agree with that. One should just ride more. I did my first Offroad trip with my fathers old XT 500 and it was amazing. BUT a KTM 500/Fe 501 with a 2nd engine balance shaft, less vibrations and maybe some usefull electronics would be a dream come true
Exactly get on whatever you like or can afford and get out there and enjoy it. Different strokes for different folks 👍🏻
AMEN !! well said !! 100% agreed here ! and id add the "perfect" bike changes for each of us as we go through our own journey in my opinion , well im a 55yr old life long dual sport and now adventure bike guy mine sure has !! today is the golden age for dual sport and Adv bikes as 25 years ago we got the leftovers and not the best technology so we kind of had to 'build' our own bikes , now there are soo many choices you can find the right bike/compromise for anyone .. "Compromise" being the always present word , it is always a compromise between on road vs off road abilities and that ideal compromise has changed for me many times over the years
I bought a Norden this year and love it. As I learn and push it more, I’ll make adjustments
standard or Expedition ??
@@justsomedude445 I have a standard, the expedition was just starting to see deliveries Feb 23
I’m still waiting for the “Norden 501”
I was thinking of you when I mentioned the KTM 501 :))
The most complete and beautiful bike ❤
690/701 is my ultimate bike, my "unicorn".
I have the 901 Expedition, I come down from the Tiger 1200 Rally Explorer, which I was also riding offroad (hill climbs, small jumps etc). Gotta say they nailed it. Only things I have done is added bigger pegs, bark busters and swapped the pannier rack to the outback motortek ones.
I am looking for a screen thats the same height that doesn’t sweep back, instead being pretty much vertical. I have hit my helmet on the stock Expedition screen a few times when jumping.
Personally if you are close to 6ft, am confident offroad, average fitness and can deadlift maybe 120kg (its not as heavy as it sounds) the bike is amazing.
I am sitting here hoping they follow the KTM lead and release a limited edition “rally” version. I will lower the expedition for the Mrs to use mostly onroad/dirt road and get another 901.
That's a good excuse to buy more bikes :)
now your talkin' !!
I have my ideal adventure bike. It is small, low seat height and low power. It will do highway speeds all day here and the countryside will not go by too fast. Perfect is 100% subjective.
For me, the Husky 901 is THE adv bike right now. It has the looks, the grunt, the comfort. Even the pricerag us good. At least for the basemodrl which is what I’m interested in, as i ride a lot of oaved road.
I'm very happy w/ my Aprilia Tuareg 660. Sure it would be nicer to have it a little lighter, but in its class it's pretty much an all around winner - the jury is still out regarding long term reliability and dealership support - but as time passes, the reliability factor has few complaints. Thanks for the discussion.
I'm glad you're enjoying yours!
i wish i had an Aprillia dealer near me id sure like to try that bike out ! spec sheet wise it seems to hit a sweet spot and the reviews say its got loads of character
kawasaki had twin paralel engine 650cc engine, that used on Versys/z650. but they never make "a Rally version" of it. could it be make sense if Kawi enter the market too(?)
That engine would need some spice though to be really competitive... At least in my opinon
that engine has only 59hp ?? no , just no
Great story telling providing good perspective. Its definitely an appealing bike, but for me, it just doesn't move me and I still cling to my beloved 990S.
Maybe you made this video before the Kove 800x was announced. Basically hits every perfect adv bike spec...except being a reputable brand haha. Around 400lbs wet, 799cc twin, 95hp, 5g fuel, 21"/18" tubeless spoked wheels, all led lighting, riding aids that can be turned off, $10k usd price for the base and $14k usd for the lighter rally version.
Yeah, I did write it before the kove was officially announced. I’d be thrilled if they hit all their specs, but I’m a bit skeptical still. Let’s hope I’m wrong though :)
Ummm...not sure how quite to respond to this vid but feel the need to exercise my opinion! 🙂 The article should be titled... "Husqvarna Built the Perfect Adventure Bike...for those looking for this type of adventure bike"! As you state there is no perfect adventure bike and what the Husky does is provide one you can take around the world straight from the dealership (after you've done 1000KM's and had the first service completed!). It is comparably cheap compared to the mega-adventure bikes but with the bigger bore and capacity more rideable than the middle-weight wannabe's. I ride from Poland to the UK on it and it was a dream to ride (no off-road was done...just like 99% of adventure rides on adventure bikes). The included aspects of heated seats, cruise control, quick shifter etc. just made the ride so much more fun. I really think, personally, there is no better adventure bike on the market that has a strong engine, included accessories, great fuel consumption, comfortable ride and excellent looks!!! This is the perfect adventure bike.
You kind of picked up on it, but yes, the main focus of the video is not actually the Norden. I'm sure it's a terrific bike. The Norden story is more of an entry point to address the "perfect" adventure bike conversation.
Klr600 in 1984, weight 130 dry, 145 wet.
A very good bike, shame it's got so havey with time.
It was very good even tooday.
The engine has 2 counter balance. And lot of features that makes it the almost perfect bike for today's market...
I found specs for that bike to be 42 hp and 163 kg wet. That's essentially a dr650.
I got the adventure bike bug at 52 years old, traded in my KLX 300 and '22 MT 09 SP for a '23 Norden 901. It's just turning to winter here so only 200 miles on so far, but I love it!
I can’t wait for spring too!
You need to be honest with your skills and the terrain you like/can ride then you choose your bike. Ideally a garage with 2 bikes is best. Bring the right tool for the job. In my case a 500, 690 & 890. Happy so far (maybe the 690 is on its way out) 👍
You've got a lot of basis covered with that trio... The issue is a lot of people can't have multiple bikes, that's where the "ultimate ADV bike" discussion comes into play
@@KRANKiT it does not exist as you demonstrate and again riders need to be honest with what they can ride and don’t follow the marketing hype.
@@mototrailz for sure! knowing exactly what you want might mean one would need to go through a couple bikes though
@@KRANKiTisn’t that what we all go thru in our rider’s life. Again key is to be honest with ourselves
@@KRANKiT I've got a 300, 690 and 990 and love each one. My reasons were emotional, backed up by logic. I've been fortunate to have the space to keep all 3. As bike medic, each has its application for different bike events to allow me to 'bring up the rear' to get to a fallen rider. I also have the luxury to enter different bike events and choose the most suitable ride for the terrain. As a father of two mature boys, when one of them visits, I can hit the dirt with the two smaller ones or go overnight camping with the two bigger ones. If I had a gun to my head to choose only one, I'd probably take the 990S.
Husqvarna did a wonderful job with the Norden 901, balancing performance, weight, usability and price point. However, the Chinese manufacturers (Kove, CF Moto to name a couple) are going to disrupt the market with models that are up there in quality and performance with the European and Japanese brands, at a lower price point.
I'm curious what these other manuacturers can do in the future too
I think KTM (including Husqvarna) have got this segment just right. Three flavours: most sport focused 890AR; most everyday practical 890A; In-between the two is the 901. I expected the 901 to be the natural replacement for my 2004 950 Adventure, but ended out buying the 890AR. My short legged brother went for the 890A. So maybe you're right. I don't know anyone who went for the 901!
The main problem is the perceived unreliability. If KTM get this sorted, everyone will be riding a KTM (or a Husky).
The Yam T7 is deeply flawed, but sells well because it's perceived as being reliable (and is), but it's gutless, too heavy and has lousy suspension. It's top-heavy and yet has poor ground clearance - normally the compromise is between the two, but the T7 does badly in both.
agree'd !! i went Husky901 instead of ktm right here but truth be told i would way rather have started with a 890'R' but my local KTM dealer service department sucks balls bad and the next dealer is 3 hours and 2 major mt passes away but the other motorcycle dealer here in town sells honda and husqvarna and they have service dept techs that have been with them 15 and 20 years that are awesome , thus i wound up with a 901 instead and proceeded to fix the disappointing stock suspension and do the rest of my own usual mods .. after considerable investment this bike is pure magic
That's a real shame. I have it the other way around, but I think if I'd purchased a 901, my KTM dealer would have been able to carry out the servicing. Actually, I do my own servicing because I've been let down by dealers every time I've used them.
I'm struggling to get the 890AR's suspension to my liking, despite shelling out for a TracTive shock and cartridges. What have you done about your 901's suspension?
@@RedRupert64 when i bought there was not even a rumor about the 901 'Expedition' with the far superior "R" spec boingers or id have ridden my 1090r 1 more season and waited for it so i knew buying a standard 901 id have to upgrade suspension , i looked hard for options and this one was the best available for me at the time
@@RedRupert64 for starters adjust the damping clickers to the stock recommended settings to start , set the proper level of rear sag and go from there , if you are over 180pounds or under 160 you may need to have it re-sprung for your weight , im 240 so i always do , if i couldve started with the "R" spec bike id just had the stock boingers re-sprung and probably re-valved for my weight
Of course the first thing I tried was to get the suspension dialed in via the clickers, but that brought no improvement. Currently I have gone from the stock 6.7 N/mm springs to 4.8. still the sag is less than I would like. I've started experimenting with the valves, but still there is far, far too much compression damping. Both the OE and TracTive forks are way off what I need. Please note that I use the bike for minor roads and gravel tracks, and am a fast and smooth rider.
The rear spring is now 80 N/mm from the OE 95 N/mm. The spring rate is correct for me, but I need to soften the damping beyond the clickers.
I like the Nordens look.. never rode one but if I ever plan to buy an adventure bike I’d lean more towards a T7
It looks so good... Honestly, I think the T7 and Norden buyer are two completely different people... They might be similar engine sizes, but as packages they're pretty different
I sat on a Norden before getting my 890R, and wow, the Norden was plastic from nose to tail. Not very off road oriented.
I dream for Moto Guzzi V55 TTR whit 55 h.p Scramblar style but whit good windshield and protection... This V-twin engine prosuce suche a power in low revs, like a diesel tractor. And it will weigh about 175 kg. Like Fantic Caballero 500 but more classy and good material, and engine. I now that Piaggio group never makes this bike... But I expect Aprilia to produce Tuareg 457 after they presentet RS 457 this year. But yeah, im inlove my Moto Guzzi V85TT and low torque engine, and underrated offroad capabilities... This V-twin engine is superb disel for my. But heavy weight, soft suspension... Yah... I will wheith my small unicorn from Mandello del Lario :D Since then i testet Cabalero again, and the new RE Himalayan 450,for second bike :)
That does sound like an interesting riding experience!
First of all, the perfect bike for everything doesn't exist.
That being said, my honest point of view is that the market has already solved that issue. A person who loves offroading has very good options with bikes like 690/701 while still, unconfortably, can travel around with their bikes. If you're only doing twisty roads and no dirt at all, you have brands that give you a 19 inch front wheel and 17 back. Back in the old days, there was a concept with "trail" bikes. Dr650, Dominator, XT600... single cilinder, soft suspension with long travel, weight around 170 kg and enough comfort to make the road travel... not as bad as the 690/701. That was the closest we've been to a perfect adventure bike. If you want to go faster, need more weight and bigger engine (twin). If you want it more agile you need more "road focused" wheels and suspension.
The thing is, there's enough variety of bikes in the market for your specific use. No one does it all with the bike. But people really need to chill, sit down and think "what do I want this bike for". The 890 ADV R Rally is the best bike for an extreme offroad use while having tons of confort and capabilities on the road... at the expense of the gigantic price of this beast. Yeah, its heavy but it all remains on skill... until some point. But for that specific purpose buy a freaking enduro bike. Guys like Pol Tarres, Kirian Mirabet and Endurak666 has put on our heads that you can do "enduro bike things" with a gigantic ADV bike like Tenere 700, KTM 990 ADV or an Africa Twin. Yeah, with years of practice and lots of courses and falls... which are expensive on these bikes... Just think about what do you want the bike for and you'll find the ideal bike for you.
Great vid man! Even as an A class off road racer, I find the 890R to be way too heavy for anything harder than intermediate level trails- it can get stuck or slide off the trail and you’re doomed 😂 at the same time, it’s too high and vibrates a bit on the highway. It’s more of a 80/20 road/off road. I’ve simply changed my expectations in a way to validate my $15,000 (BEFORE taxes 😢) purchase.
Thanks! I mean hey, can you put a price on happiness? Apparently you can, and it's about 15k :))
Sounds like your ideal bike is a Tenere 700 Rally edition. If you want a KTM 500 CC adv bike then look at the CFMoto 450-MT since that uses the cancelled KTM Duke 490 motor.
I want to share my experience. I used to have a mighty husky te 510, awesome bike!!! Still to this day miss it’s grunt, sound, the way it delivered the torque to the wheel. Also had a Husaberg after, another awesome machine. And now we have this husqvarna, just a name, just a different color from a KTM. So sad for a company that used to be great and now is just a memory. Just a division within the corporate world. Well… I maybe a romantic, I will always love what Husky was and I will try to forget that it’s name even exists.
It’s funny how us humans can get attached to brands and bikes ... I’m guilty of that too :)
@@KRANKiT Man, your videos are top notch!!! I just subscribed to your channel. Keep the good work man! I hope you get hundreds of thousands more subscribers.
@@FMQ-Tech Thank you!
Expedition model? Weight and seat height potentially problematic....
BTW, I have a standard Norden and redid suspension. Compared to my old Africa Twin, a turd, and my GSA, utility knife, it's a real scalpel. And the weight is minimal on the trail and imo less top heavy than the T7. The 690 feels like a big dirt bike that is not one and highway work is miserable on one.
So right about $$$ and the min. Weight problem! ADV expections are unrealistic and what most guys actually ride is usually quite different than what they actually ride.
Love your videos!!!
Thanks! I sat on the Norden expedition, my first reaction was "wow this is tall" :)) Haven't rode one yet though
what suspension did you go with ?? i went Tractive Extreme at both ends from Ted Porters Beemer shop (who were awesome) and i am very happy with the results ! but i will always wonder how much better that higher $ WP-PRO longer travel set up from the Rally bike might have been
So you just built a Honda Transalp.
Time for a well suspended truly lightweight adventure single with the gas carried down low. Maybe Ducati will do it?
Mmm!! They Will have to build a new model to fight against the new Ducati DesertX " RALLY" !! !!
They inherited low quality DNA from KTM.
I have got sick and tired of the the ADV manufacturers calling 200+ kg cows as middle weight adventure bikes, this is why I am on the waiting list for a KOVE. They have produced a bike which is finally a breath of fresh air and finally a bike which makes offroad oriented riders excited again after very long time.
I guess "middle weight" is really subjective these days :)
It's not subjective. It's just completely wrong.
Can't agree more. So many heavy ass bikes on the market. How about we get something like the G310GS, Versys X 300 or 390 Adventure but with just a little more power and upgraded suspension. They would sell so many.
@@bena3341Honda CB500x?
@@tornero5898great bike in many ways but too heavy because most parts made from pig iron and the suspension is absolute junk and it’s biggest failure , even for the road is sh1t , why can’t premium brands produce decent suspension - it costs very little more , they are too obsessed on price points , make it a 600 with high spec suspension and lose some weight and it would be a winner
Sounds like what the fans want just a ktm 640 Adventure but with the cp2 engine in it. Couldn’t be that hard to make.
So you have never ridden it? Love your review of nothing!
Im really looking forward to the Kove 800 x Rally
The bike you wanted is here and it is called Kove 800X and it's not $$$ 😄
I'll wait to see it in the flesh before judging :)
And it’s based on the KTM’s 790 engine, which is probably their worst engine in terms of reliability… I was hyped as hell for the 800x but I’m definitely not going to go that way.
china slave child labor assembled copy of what might be ktm's least reliable engine ever?? yeah total game changer what could possibly go wrong i wonder ?
At which lake did you film this?
I’m born and raised in Huskvarna but couldn’t really tell.
Bunn? 😂
Some shots are next to the Vattern lake, and some others are next to a lake in some park that I can't remember the name of :)
I would love to have a ADV with around 70-80HP and a weight around 200kg. My F650GS Twin is kinda there, but it's getting a bit old and the lacks some Adventure Stuff. I kinda like the T7 (or a bit bigger F800GS) but for me, I would travel a lot of Highway to get to the Offroad Streets, so I kind of want a cruise control. But I also don't want to much stuff that can break. So you see... I should just keep my small GS and hope, that it will never break :D
Whatever fits you best :)
kove 450 rally ex. 128kg, 60+ HP. 2024.
Get an Aprilia Touraeg
My question is how to convert current model to look exactly like the concept?
the Norden is such a great design the expedition is the standout bike, KTM just dropped the ball on reliability and priced them too high.
i just want a husaberg fe570....
Honda CB150X. For lots of places in the world, this bike is enough.
no the problem is that the ktm group wont allow anything to change
I wish KTM would allow Husky to build a Norden 401 and/or 701 based on the Enduro R platform (new coming in 2025). About 155kg for the 401 or 170kg for the 701.
As you pointed out, lightweight and twin are incompatible. Take the new CF Moto 450, ok yeah it's built to a price so it's heavier at 193kg wet. KTM was likely going to use that engine in their canned 490 ADV, but even a top notch build would probably only be 5-7kg less. Sub 180kg twin is a pipe dream.
I'm sure if the CF MOTO gains traction, KTM won't sleep on it. I hope at least, having a "premium" twin 450 could be pretty sweet
The deal is this. Husqvarna is ktms ‘lexus’, so the hype for the norden 901 (i had one) was supposed to be better than 890 ( maybe because of all speculation). But norden is touring and 890 r is offload focused. I switched to 890 R and im at home… if the norden explorer would have come out first, i would still have it, my switch was because of suspension, i didnt like 890 design amd still drool over nordens design
I think its funny that the Chinese are bringing the 450 mt and no one has done it til now and the Chinese had to do it. They are also bringing to kove 800x pro with almost 100 hp and lighter than the tenere. Again, the Chinese are bringing it no one else. It's funny how these really are the bikes people want, but none of the reliable companies could manage to do it.
Well, the kove 800x should be the closest to tick all boxes. Surprisingly it does not come with the price but opposite. But that bargain may be hidden in reliability and/or some morally disputable nuances as stealing intellectual property. Time will tell, but nevertheless chinese brands will eventually shake well established brands and get them to work on bikes not their profits..
Let's see... I don't like getting worked up about untested bikes usually... I hope the KOVE will be a great machine, but I doubt it'll be the one to "rule them all"... But maybe I'm wrong. We'll wait and see :)
That girl in the background (about seven minutes in), do you know her? Did she know she was going to be in your vid?
She was an old lady that was passing by, we spoke for awhile and then we parted ways. After I started filming, I had no idea she stuck around for like half the time :)) only realized it when editing the video
The perfect ADV bike platform already exists, its the ktm 690 enduro. Create a bare bones version that just has ADV fairings and a better seat, sell it for $1k more than the enduro and problem solved. You have an ADV 50 pounds lighter than the T7 with better off-road capabilities.
The perfect bike? KTM 690. Or maybe a new KLE 500 Kawasaki?
Why have adventure bikes become so popular, all i see is these bikes everywhere. Everyone copies each other all the time, get something different for a change.
It’s like SUVs ... they do a lot, just nothing particularly well
Tf? Adventurebikes does not need 100hp. Maybe 60-70 for weight and reliability.
There was/is/will be no perfekt bike for masses. It all depends on what the rider wants from bike. I personally miss models like DR, XR, TT, etc. Simple, light, one cylinder dualsports with some reasonable price tag.
I have a 20 y.o. XT660R, with some minor modes, it is pretty flexible bike for all kinds of stuff - sure, with sacrifices on my side, I'm aware of its pros and cons(would be nice to have 6th speed...). But I can do some off road, commute or go for trip around europe. I just started to looking for some new bike, but I can find anything similar to XT. The only option I see barely fit for me is 701, but the seat and fuel capacity is really bad, plus the price. And new CRF450l is a joke in europe(only 20 smth HP for lot of money).
Yeah, the CRF in Europe needs a lot of money into it just to return it to a usable state IMO
Buy a 1988 Ténéré 600, slightly modify it and you get all the specs, asked for in the video: 23L fueltank, 255/225 mm of travel, 600cc engine and only roughly 180Kg ready to ride;)
Good idea Noraly!
tubeless on a adventurebike is actually kind of stupid.
for a gs rider or africa twin etc yes its good, but if you put this on a real offroad adventure bike put a tube or for hard offroading even mousse in it.
if you have tubeless and then you ride low air pressure for hard offroading it could happen that the tire get pressed in the middle of your rim and yeah thats it with your adventure 😂
i dont understand where you are saying all this hype came from i never saw any ?? i & anyone even casually paying attn knew it was a ktm890 with a few changes from the jump , fix the standard models disappointing suspension or buy the Expedition model and go put some miles and smiles on it ??!! ive been financially irresponsible enough to have had a few well farkled and well set up adventure bikes but this 901 blows them all away by every measure hands down , after the suspension was fixed and the rest of my normal mods its magic
Kove 450 Rally EX is gonna take KTM's cake and eat it at 60+ HP AND sub 130KG (282lb) imho...
PS, i couldnt care less about one less cylinder or 10 less ponies when i can deadlift the whole bike...
go get look on new CFMoto 450 twin adv
wind buffetting issues and Not-KTM suspension on the Norden. The 890 is the better choice. Both are built in China. So, buyer beware. Its a pig off road, just like every bike in its class, mostly due to the weight. True weight breeches 500 pounds, loaded up and ready to ride. KTM/Husky do not publish bike weights for a bike you can actually ride.... I imagine we will see a flood of these in the used bike market in the coming years. If you like it, get the Expedition model. But, the public still waits for the perfect unicorn bike.
You want a tuareg 660 then.....
We want more reliability not less.... aprillia has a very poor reputation
Switzerland is not in Scandinavia. Only the name is, but is just a name. Actually is more chinese than Scandinavian or Swiss Would you make a review not a press PR manifesto?
Typical for Ktm, selling Husqvarna as a premium brand when, in fact, is at best a Ktm with different colors.
It is much prettier though :)
Exactly so is gasgas just a red KTM, they've just ruined the original brands 😢
Its called "platform development", stop whining 😅
I got bored with the hype and teaser videos much as I did with the T7. In the event, just a reclothed 890. It didn’t even get the adaptive cruise control the supposed reason for all the delays. Plus that dreadful luggage which looks cheap (it isn’t) and sticks out way too wide looking like the afterthought it clearly is. Doubtless designed to accommodate the dustbin sized silencer. I was massively disappointed. I bought an 890 Adventure (non R) and love it not least having saved around £3.5K for the spec that mine actually is. Pretty bike, maybe, but expensive tinsel.
It's crazy the price difference you would have had to pay where you're at... That can definitely differ a bit between countries
@@KRANKiT In fairness got a great deal on my 890 that made it a no brainier. I like the Expedition but why only 19 litres of fuel? Makes no sense when BMW, Honda, Triumph etc offer larger range bikes. Even the Husky 701 Enduro has a long range version. We’ll never know….
@@ianross225 can carry roto paks but i can count on 230 miles out of my stock tank as it is , ive run the IDBDR , WABDR & ORBDR + some of Montana and Colorado's remote USFS roads and never needed more range
Never liked it, looks like your slightly large next door neighbor. You'll ride it but wont brag about it. Norden looks like a big girl to me.
You do such good reviews and throughly deserve far more subscribers views and likes. My opinion on this subject for what it’s worth; is yeah I agree with you. But the manufacturers also really don’t want to make the perfect bike. I am convinced that they go to extreme lengths to avoid making the perfect bike in any segment. Even if we dived the adventure segment into several sub categories they still wouldn’t do it. That said they do a good job at balancing costs with innovation and quality and weight and the increasingly very difficult to meet emissions regulations. Personally I’m old school and want something very simple and reliable, which is why I own a 2011 VStrom 650. But a very large part of me wants a much lighter bike. If anyone here has seen the Ktm 2024 390 duke you will have to agree that when they create the next 390 adventure based on this model it should be a nice step up from the current model. It’s this as yet not available bike that I am seriously considering. Light enough to be able to pull out of a bog or turn around on a trail on the side of a hill. Comfortable and powerful enough to go long miles onroad. Good mileage, should be no worse than 4L per 100km. Reliability 🫣😬, let’s just say I won’t get it in the first year of their release. 😅
If you want reliability, the first year of any bike would be a pretty bad idea :))
These guys tried to make a Fortnine type video and horribly failed... Couldn't finish the video...
Maybe you are the problem and not Bike
More KTM fail....
Typical KTM interference with stylists.. that's why Italian design is always in front.. I hate CEO's get too involved..
Completely agree, aprilia, swm, Ducati, older Benllies and MVS are the best looking bikes 👍