If you could only have one...

As the title suggests, if you could only have one bike for the rest of your life, one bike to do everything, what would you choose?

I'm going to put up some brands in the poll, but please name the specific bike and some of your reasoning in a post after you vote!




Full disclosure: I'm still a noob on a bike, currently on a beginner friendly '22 CB500X that is great for getting the basics down. I am however rapidly learning things I do and don't like and more of what is important to me and what isn't. I'm searching for my one bike to do it all because funds and space are not conducive to owning a fleet of different bikes. I'm going for the swiss army knife of bikes with a slant of my preferences.

The need to handle the crappy dirt road I live on and a desire to make longer trips with speed limits up to 80 MPH has me hunting the adventure/adventure touring segment. My preferences tend toward reliability/durability, ease of maintenance, long service intervals, established dealer networks, and not taking out a mortgage to buy the bike.

 

And yet there are no votes for Kawasaki in the poll, yet.


The ol' unkillable KLR650, eh? Anything specific that would make you choose it as your one and only forever bike?

 

I went with Yamaha and the Super Tenere (I’m biased, I know). Really, any of the middle weight or big ADVs would be ideal for an only bike for me (and sounds like for you as well)

These bikes are great for eating up highway miles while being comfortable, can take a lot of luggage, can go off-road but are still a ton of fun on twisty roads with good tires.

 

So if I could only have one bike I’d have a dual sport personally but that’s because it fits with my life style. buuuut if I needed it to eat up miles I’d get a t7 since it’s a large dirt bike that’s comfy for long rides and has actual travel in the suspension.

 

I have missed my Buell M2 Cyclone since I sold it. I replaced it with a GSXR1000… Then a DRZ400SM… Then a CBR600… Then an XSR900… All were objectively better, but there’s something about the Cyclone that makes it, “the one that got away.”

 

It would depend on HOW much dirt id be riding, more dirt Yamaha Tenere 700, less dirt more highway Honda Africa Twin, even less to no dirt super tenere.

Tenere 700 prices are definitely coming down as the new factor has worn off and there are used ones out there for cheap.

Even if its just a street queen the adventure bike platform is probably one of the best as its comfy, upright, visible with suspension travel to eat up the bumps even on paved roads. Theres a reason why I got a super tenere to replace my sport bike. Also not saying the super tenere CANT go off road but good lord shes a heavy pig to pick up and muscle around. Also, even the latest model year of super tenere is really 12+ year old bike which might be beneficial to some but its not the most modern.

 

If you are allowing "anything goes", I'd take a Yamaha 450fx converted to a street legal supermoto... keeping the set of dual sport wheels for real off-roading. Would do way more than anything I would ever need!

If it had to stay close to factory form, I'd go with a Husky 701...

 

I'd have to take my old 1988 CR125 I had so much fun on growing up. Nothing like the sound of the old 2 strokes

(not mine)

 

I’d also go with a super tenere. Love mine

 

I'd personally probably go with a Honda XL750 Transalp. But I'd likely shop the Yamaha, Kawasaki, and Suzuki competitors in that relative size before committing. Not sure why, but my preference would probably be Honda>Yamaha>Kawasaki>Suzuki.

If I started to get super comfortable on that size bike, I might consider going up to the next level of ADV bike.

 

I gotta go in a weird direction with this one. As fun as it is I really never acquired the taste for open road, so that's out. I really did enjoy trail biking, as it added something that's surprisingly different to the bicycle.

A few years ago someone showed up in my campsite on a Segway dirt bike. I was fascinated by that. All of the power and fun of a 2 stroke, none of the noise. He said that he used it mainly during deer season, and also it didn't disturb anyone when riding through camp.

That's my answer. Electric dirt bike.

 

forgot you had one lol

 

what a ridiculously hard question!
i will have to think

 

Probably a Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin since it should perform well in any condition/environment.

That said, I’ve never ridden one so maybe it’s a piece o’ junk. But it looks good to me on paper.

 

nah its a good bike @fatfurious2 has one and likes it a lot

 

Yeah i do. And now theres a bunch of T7 around at dealers i might go check out.. cuz you can never have too many bikes right?

 

What year is yours?

 

I enjoy my 390 adventure. Capable enough off road, comfortable enough on the street. Low price, not too heavy so I can still pick it up. Fairly well rounded.

Although no one bike will do it all IMHO.

 

A Suzuki GSXR600
I built my confidence on that bike.
I miss it.

My favorite of all I ever owned.