Category Archives: General

What can you do when you feel like going out with the guys but all bars and bowling alleys are closed? The answer is simple. You buy a tent, call your mates and ask them if they feel like going on a little motorcycle camping trip. The missus won’t get jealous as there won’t be many females walking around camp sites and when I asked around I received a surprising amount of positive feedback from my friends.

In this video, Motorcycle Traveler Tim Collins talks about the different animals you can encounter in North America and how to best deal with them. His entire channel is really interesting, really worth checking out! In reality when you arrived to your spot, set up your tent and started the campfire, no animals will bother you, except for insects and in Latin America perhaps some stray dogs want to become friends in exchange for some of that deliciously BBQ grilled meat.

For motorcycle camping ideas have a look here.

I would like to hear from you if/where you prefer to go camping and how you prepare for that. Please share in the comments! TIA!

This is me on my Buell 1125CR, which I owned from 2013 to 2016 (give or take).

I’ve always been fascinated by Buell motorcycles. I think it’s because they are just a bit different than the rest. You don’t see many of them riding around (less than 150,000 were made in total), so they are special!

The 1125 CR was (and still is) a beast. It’s got 146hp and because of the short wheelbase it’s nimble as heck. A true pleasure to ride. Also the 72°V-Twin engine by rotax, and belt drive is something you don’t see every day. But, although you still see them riding around, that’s all history. Two companies ago history to be exact.

Company 1

Buell started out as a company formed by former HD employee Erik Buell. Soon after the start HD bought a substantial part of the company, essentially making it a HD subsidiary of sorts. Buell Motorcycles could be serviced by HD dealers and had the HD warranty.

Their early bikes were sports bikes built around the HD sportster engine. Quite some models rolled out of the American factory. Here are some of them:

The 1125 R (racer) and the CR (cafe racer, my bike in the picture above) were the first models that stepped away from the HD 45°air cooled V-Twin engine that Buell was known for until then, but unfortunately they were also the last models to role out from the factory before HD decided to stop producing Buells in 2009.

Company 2

It wouldn’t take long to restart the company though. By late 2009 / early 2010 Erik Buell Racing (EBR) was born (the Buell brand name stayed with Harley Davidson), this time focusing on race bikes only. Later on they added street legal machines too. All of the models were based on the same 1125CR 72° V-Twin engine. But alas, in 2015 that company fell into receivership (bankruptcy more or less).

Liquidation Sale

After the receivership, in 2016, Bill Melvin acquired the assets of Erik Buell Racing LLC for a reported $2 million. From 2018 EBR continued with very few limited capacity models, this time without Erik Buell himself.

Has Buell really been gone?

So now, in the last week, EBR announced that it acquired the Buell brand name back from Harley, consequently announcing that it will revive production and has some big plans with new models and even electric bikes. Here’s the official announcement from Buell itself. Honestly, I’m skeptical. At least the first part of this announcement is nothing new. In fact, if you so some digging on the internet, this is very similar to announcements they have been doing in 2018 and 2019 as well, with the slight difference being that they are now allowed to use the Buell name again. The part about the new models is new though, so who knows, maybe this time it’s really different. As a Buell fan I truly hope so!

German simulator specialist VI-grade GmbH is developing a somewhat revolutionary simulator rig in which the rider is offered a much more realistic driving experience. The system features a real motorcycle attached to the surface with hydraulic ramps, enabling the rider to lean and pitch the bike.

But this is not the plastic motorcycle you find at your local arcade hall. Instead, the tech company has developed a system that resembles riding forces by strapping eight cords to the rider’s back. The cords pull the rider in a different direction using actuators mounted under the simulator platform. Actions such as accelerating, braking, cornering, weather conditions and vibrations can be reproduced much better in this high-end simulator, giving the rider a more real-life experience, and giving scientists and developers the data they need to develop better motorcycles.

The buyers of this kind of technology are likely to be found among motorcycle manufacturers and MotoGP teams. Manufacturers could use the simulators to test different bike designs under different terrain and weather circumstances instead of shipping prototype bikes to different parts around the world to have them test-driven by pilots.

Professional motorcycle racing teams are also increasingly interested in simulators. During the last couple of years, E-sports and simulators have become handy tools for F1 and MotoGP teams to practice off the tracks, saving time and money in the process.  

One of the things I really wanted to try on my new bike, the KTM 1290 Super Adventure R, was a chain oiler. I’ve been accessorising my KTM 1290 SAR since I got it in November 2020 and a chain oiler was high on the list.

Why a Chain Oiler?

Like anything in the motorcycling world, there are some strong opinions about chain oilers. Some are strongly against it and others are true ‘believers’. Up until now I was indifferent about the subject. I simply cleaned and lubed my chain without really giving it much thought. Until now…

People get chain oilers for one of two reasons: (1) To extend the life of their chain and sprockets and (2) convenience. My reason was convenience! After 15 years of cleaning and lubing chains every 300 mi / 500 km or so, I was willing to give a chain oiler a go. I never owned one before, and my new bike gave me the perfect excuse to finally try one.

Perhaps another reason to get a chain oiler, specifically for the KTM 1290 SAR, is that its main competitor, the BMW 1250 GS, has a maintenance free shaft drive. A chain oiler brings the two bikes more up to par from that perspective.

Chain Oiler Kinds

Playing with the idea of getting a chain oiler, I started my online research. When you google ‘Chain Oiler’ you’ll quickly find there are many brands and many different kinds of chain oilers. They all deliver drops of oil to the chain through a nozzle (sometimes a double nozzle) that’s pushed against the sprocket.

Where they differ greatly from one another is how they control the oil flow rate. In other words… how they control the amount of oil that is dispensed on the chain. Here are some of the systems, conceptually described:

• Electronic systems that use sensors. These systems mostly hookup to your bike’s battery for power and determine movement/acceleration/speed (and sometimes temperature) using sensors (GPS, accelerometer, thermometer, etc.). With that data they adjust the oil flow rate accordingly.
• Electronic systems that take data from your bike. These systems hook up to the bike’s electronics to get readings from the speedometer. They control the oil flow rate relative to the speed.
• Systems hooking up to the engine vacuum point. These systems use the engine vacuum to operate a valve which controls the oil flow rate.
• Systems using an electronic pump. These system have a constant flow rate for a set amount of time. Obviously some user input is required for this.
• Systems using a manual pump or gravity. These systems rely on you to push a button, operate a pump, or turn a knob every now and then, upon which they release some amount of oil through the nozzle.
• Systems using riding wind. These systems ‘catch’ the riding wind and use its pressure to push down oil.
• Systems using suspension movement. This is the Tutoro chain oiler… the system we’re discussing here. It detects suspension movement, which in turn operates a set of valves and chambers to control oil flow rate. It’s quite sophisticated. Here’s how it works exactly.

As there are so many systems and brands I’m not sure this list is exhaustive. If you know of other systems please feel free to leave a comment below.

Why did I chose the Tutoro Chain Oiler?

I chose the Tutoro Chain Oiler for the combination of these three reasons:

1. Easy install: It doesn’t require hookup to the bike’s electrical system or the engine’s vacuum point
2. No electronics: It’s completely mechanical (no electronics that can fail)
3. Fully automatic: No user input required once you find the correct valve position

Perhaps a 4th reasons is that it’s a relatively small company with very personal customer support. Other manufacturers might have great customer support too though. I can’t judge on that. If you have experience with other companies please let us know in the comments.

DISCLAIMER: After I made my choice I wrote to Tutoro asking if they would send me a review unit. They did. So I did not pay for this unit! I would have paid, should they have decided not to send me a review unit. (That's an easy statement to make, I know... you'll have to trust me on that.)

Installation and Review

Below video documented the entire installation process on my KTM 1290 Super Adventure R. It also documents my first test rides I did to get to the right valve setting. Don’t forget to continue reading after the video, as there is some additional information that you won’t find in the video.

Installation

Installation is quite straight forward, but I do advice not to ‘wing’ it. The very comprehensive manual that’s included in the package has quite some tips and tricks in it that you want to follow up on. A few important things:

• The reservoir should not be close to a heat source (engine or exhaust) as heat makes the oil thinner, influencing oil flow rate.
• The reservoir should not be placed where it obstructs swingarm movement
• As the oiler works on suspension movement the reservoir should not be mounted on the swingarm itself
• The hose should have enough slack to account for rear shock decompression (when you ride through a small ditch or pothole for example).

Adjusting the valve for correct oil flow rate

Adjusting the valve for the correct oil flow rate takes some test riding. The correct position depends on the ambient temperature, and the oil that you are using. Again, the provided manual has some good tips and tricks on this (which I didn’t follow and paid the price for). Here are some learning points for me:

• The manual suggest to start with the valve half a turn open. However if you are in a warmer climate I would start with a quarter open. Better to start with too little oil than too much oil, because too much oil will cause excessive fling, dirtying your bike.
• Ride about 50km with a setting. I rode only 10km, which wasn’t enough for the oil to build up. As a result I wrongly assumed the valve needed to be opened more. Which resulted in oil flinging off excessively during my next ride.

Questions / Concerns

Before and during this process I had some questions and concerns. I found some answers online and some were answered by the very kind and patient Jude at Tutoro. I’ll include them here in case you should have the same questions/concerns:

Q: How far can you go on a full reservoir?
A: A full reservoir (45ml) will last between 600 and 1000 mi (1000 and 1600 km). It’s very easy to see when the reservoir needs topping up. Tutoro also supplies a small 50ml refill bottle which doubles your range. For longer trips you can of course bring a bigger bottle or buy locally.

Q: What oil do you need?
A: The Tutoro oil that comes in the package was confiscated by Mexican customs. I had to search for a replacement oil. Tutoro has an excellent article on that, but still it was quite a rabbit hole I had to dive into to find the correct oil, up-to the point where I had to read the technical and safety sheets that oil manufacturers provide. With some help of Tutoro support I finally found a good oil. To prevent all this hassle I recommend to simply buy the Tutoro provided oil (unless you live in a country with questionable customs).

Q: How about chain cleaning?
A: The oil in the chain oiler is thinner than ‘spray on’ lube. The oil is supposed to fling off a little bit (but not excessively), taking dust and dirt with it. In my experience this works as ‘advertised’. As an example…see below picture which was taken after a dusty offroad ride followed by about 25km of road riding. No dust on the inner chain and sprocket teeth, while the rest of the bike is still covered in dust. Obviously when you go deep in the mud, sand or similar, some additional cleaning might be required, but in those cases most people will hose down their bike anyway.

Q: What happens when you drop the bike?
A: If the bike ends up on its side, the oil will run out of the breather hole in the cap, its unlikely that it will run out of the nozzle due to gravity.  In practice, as long as the bike doesn’t stay on its side for an extended period, it should still have some oil left in the reservoir and it will carry on working once you start riding again.  If the reservoir has run dry it will need to be re-filled and reprimed.

Q: The oil doesn’t seem to reach the o-rings. Shouldn’t o-rings be lubed too in order not to dry out?

A: The oil wont reach the outer faces of the chain links (all chain oilers work like this) but it will, over time, reach all the inner faces and O Rings which are all the parts which need lubrication.  You can always apply a little oil to the outer link faces with a paint brush to keep them looking nice if you wish but it won’t make any difference to the longevity of the chain.

Conclusion

I’m very happy with the Tutoro Chain Oiler. I will continue to use it and can recommend it with a clean conscience. I like that it’s relatively cheap compared to some other oilers out there, and that it’s 100% mechanical which makes it easy to install, and, in my mind, also makes it more reliable. If that’s actually true remains to be seen in time of course.

It is a bit tricky to find the right valve setting that keeps the chain lubed without excessive fling. Once you find that setting you won’t have to touch the valve much though. Only when ambient temperatures change during the year or you ride in different conditions than normal (e.g. dusty offroad or continuous rain) it’s recommended to change the oil flow rate accordingly. Having said that, to have this control on the oil flow rate is definitely a step up from the normal ‘spray on’ chain lube, which has no control at all, other than cleaning and lubing more- or less often.

So, let’s get back to the reason why I wanted to try a chain oiler in the first place… convenience! Well… the Tutoro Chain Oiler delivers on that. After the initial install and valve setting is done, the only thing you need to do is keep an eye on the reservoir, and adjust the valve if weather or riding conditions demand it. Extended chain and sprocket life is just the cherry on top for me.

So, if you’re in the market for a chain oiler, take a look at Tutoro’s website. Please keep in mind that they are a small company, and they need about a week to get an order ready for shipment.

As some of you might know, I’ve been investigating what my next motorcycle would be for many months now. Last month, in an effort to help me choose, I compared 9 of the best adventure motorcycles against each other. The result of this comparison was that the Yamaha Tenere 700 would be the best bike for me, followed by the KTM 790 (or 890) and the BMW R 1250 GS as a close second.

Well… I’m happy to report that finally, after many months of contemplating, visiting dealerships, test rides, spreadsheet comparisons, etc… I made my choice. Here’s me riding out of the dealership on my brand new KTM 1290 Super Adventure R 🙂.

Why on earth?

OK, so, this requires some explanation I guess. 🙂 Why on earth would I chose this bike, while I claimed to be looking for a lighter, middle weight adventure bike? Why did I chose this bike, when I said that I could just as wel get a BMW 1250 GS in that case? Well… let me try to explain (and rationalise it for myself as well) with these reality bending arguments that I’m about to lay out. 😉

Image and Looks

First of all, and this is, I believe, the most important reason: Its image and looks! Even while I was looking at the KTM 790 in the dealership, I found myself glancing at KTM’s flagship bike. It just demands respect because of its size, height, alien like headlight and beautiful and rugged looks. Yes, I will admit it, part of me bought this bike because of its hard core adventure image! While the 1250 GS shares that image, the BMW also has a bit of a ‘middle-aged guys with grey hair’ image. And even though I am middle aged with grey hair, I’m not willing to admit to that just yet 😃.

My riding

A very important second reason is that I had to be truthful to myself about what kind of riding I have done in the past and how much that would really change. I had to conclude that a lot of it would be pavement (even though there are plans in the works for off-road camping trips). For that kind of riding, with lots of highway stretches and fast winding roads, a big bike is just more comfortable. The 1290 gives just that, while still having the capabilities for some serious off-roading, albeit less nimble.

Price

Thirdly, and this is the reason that sealed the deal for me… KTM had a very generous discount on the KTM 1290 Super Adventure models. Basically I got the 1290 SAR for around the same price as the KTM 1090 Adv R, the BMW 850 GS, the Honda Africa Twin and probably even the new KTM 890 Adventure R. No doubt this is because the 1290 will receive a huge upgrade next year. None the less, a great deal!

Why not the BMW 1250 GS?

So finally, why did I not go for the BMW 1250 GS in that case? Well, two reasons! First, Price! A BMW 1250 GS (not the GS Adventure mind you) with similar trim level as the KTM, would be 125,000 Mexican pesos (that’s over 6,000 USD) more!!! Sure, the BMW’s fit and finish is better than KTM’s, but definitely not 6,000 USD better! Secondly, I didn’t like the way I was treated by the local BMW dealer here in Queretaro. I could have gone with the BMW dealer in Mexico City, Satelite, where I was treated very well, but that’s about three hours away, which would be a hassle with service and maintenance.

Reservations

I had one big reservation when I decided for this bike. Its weight!!! There’s no getting around it… with 240kg / 528 lb it’s a heavy bike. A bit lighter than the 1250 GS, but still a lot heavier than the T7 and the 790 I first had in mind. I was afraid of its off-road handeling and that I would not be able to pick it up by myself.

Well… I found out… FAST!!! On the first ride around the neighbourhood, on the same day I picked up the bike, I decided to confront my fears and take a small off-road stretch I knew. Maybe I should have given it some more time to get used to the bike, because, after 5 minutes off-road… this happened:

I must admit I had to laugh a bit when I dropped the bike. How did I manage to drop this bike on the first day of ownership? That would be some story to tell… some day. Luckily it was at low speed and I didn’t get hurt, but how was I going to pick it up? There was no-one around to help me, so I decided to just give it a try. I had watched some videos on how to do this so I kinda knew the theory: First, put out the side stand and put it in gear, preventing it to fall down on the other side or start rolling. Then, after two tries, I was able to pick it up using this technique that Bret Tkacs explains in his video.

I expected to be upset with myself for dropping the bike on my first ride, but honestly, I wasn’t. I was actually glad it happened. I knew I was going to drop the bike sooner or later, so why wait? 🙂.

So now I have learned that I can pick up the bike by myself, and, except for some ‘battle scars’, the bike is fine.

Still happy after 4 weeks of ownership?

I can answer this with a very clear YES. And I hear you thinking…”of course he’s going to say yes… who would say NO after just purchasing an expensive bike like that“. Well…. I would! To put it in perspective: I have owned many bikes in the past and with all of them I had some degree of regret or at least disillusion after the first weeks. Not the case with this bike!!! That being said, if you are considering this bike there are some things you need to be aware of:

Smiles for miles

Every time I ride it, it brings a smile on my face. The beastly power of its engine, the superb suspension that soaks up every bump in Mexico’s terrible asphalt, its containership-like stability at higher speeds, its demanding presence on the road, the way that cars move out of the way because of the alien headlight in their mirror, the way that pedestrians look at the bike when I ride by, the comfort that the electronics bring (yes, I even love the keyless ignition which I thought I would hate), the smooth acceleration through the quick shifter, etc. etc. In short, I finally get what every KTM owner means when they say ‘Smiles for miles’.

Height

At 5’10” (1,79m) with a 32″ inseam, I’m not the tallest guy. I’m on my tiptoes on both sides. By shifting my bum a bit I can flatfoot it on one side. This takes a little bit of getting used to, but there are some tricks for it, which all come down to anticipating. For example:

• I use the foot pegs (left or right) to get on the bike
• It’s hard to move the bike when I’m sitting on it, so what I do now is role the bike in ‘ride away’ position before I get on it. Then simply put it on the side stand, climb on the bike, shift my bum to the right and put foot on ground, kick up the stand and ride of.
• When nearing a stop sign or traffic light, or any other situation that requires me to stop, especially when it’s on an incline, I lean my bum left or right (I’ve practiced both sides) and flat foot it on that side. I make sure the bike is in first gear before I set my foot on the ground.
• If I need to switch my supporting foot (the one that’s on the ground) I can ‘hop’ from one side to the next.
• There are some more advanced techniques for shorties, as shows here in this MotoTrek video, which I’m planning on practicing

Weight

I guess we already covered the dropping the bike part. Yes, it’s a heavy bike, but it’s not impossible to pick up by yourself. At least not for someone of my size. I can imagine though, that for some folks, the weight might become a deal braker.

As for walking the bike around… like the height thing, this takes some practice and getting used to. With such a tall and heavy bike it’s most important to keep the bike as balanced as possible. In other words, do not let it become top heavy by allowing it to lean too much left or right. Keep it upright by making small and early adjustments. That way you can use most of your strength to move it forward or backward, which becomes quite easy that way.

Wind noise

Before I bought the 1290 SAR, I already knew it was notorious for wind noise. I too experience this. I’ve had worse bikes from this perspective, and it’s not unbearable with earplugs in, but to say its comfortable would be a lie. As I wrote in the past, wind noise in motorcycle helmets is influenced by many many things and in the end comes down to doing some trial and error to find the setup that works best for you. Currently I have a taller windscreen in the mail which I will give a try.

Engine heat

Engine heat is also one of the known issues of the KTM 1290 Super Adventures. I read about it before I bought the bike, and actually experienced it during my test ride of the 1290 SAS. It’s definitely not a deal breaker though and there are even some accessories that can help deflect the heat. I don’t feel I need such a deflector just now. However we are in fall/winter, so perhaps in the future I might install one.

The S or the R?

If there’s one doubt I have had, it’s that I might have chosen the wrong model of the KTM 1290 Super Adventure. The S being the more on-road oriented bike, it has electronic suspension, alloy rims and a 19″ front wheel in stead of the R with its spoked rims and 21″ front. The S steers a bit faster due to the smaller wheel. On the other hand the R is easier off-road due to that bigger wheel. So, it depends on the kind of riding you will do.

Al final

In the end I’m happy with the R. The suspension is more adjustable and if I ever feel the need (I don’t think I will), I can put a 19″ front on it. Plus, the R just looks more bad ass compared to the S 😉.

Let the farkling begin

To me, farkling my bike, is almost as much fun as riding it. I just love scouring the internets, looking for accessories that might improve comfort and usability of the bike. I don’t do performance related upgrades that much (who needs more performance with this bike anyway?), but I love to look at luggage options, lights, mounts, windshields, etc. So…stay tuned for my farkle and accessory updates in the future!

BSA was once the largest motorcycle manufacturer in the world, producing the Gold Star, Bantam and the Super rocket, but its success didn’t last, and the company went effectively bankrupt in 1972 after which it was taken over by the Norton Villiers Triumph consortium.

But after almost 50 years, the iconic Birmingham brand is about to be revived by Indian billionaire Anand Mahindra, who hopes to “resurrect the British motorbike industry”.

Mahindra has big plans to electrify the brand and start building fully electric motorbikes along with combustion engine models by the end of 2021. Mahindra’s plan is backed by the UK government, which awarded the new BSA company a GBP 4.6 million ($6.1 million) grant to develop electric motorcycles.

New BSA isn’t the first vintage motorcycle project for Mahindra, who successfully revived the Czechslovakian Jawa brand in 2018. Jawa was relaunched two years ago and already achieved more than 50,000 sales in its first full year, an achievement Mahindra now looks to repeat with the new BSA brand.

Most adventure motorcycles come with tubeless tires nowadays. There are still some models with tubed tires though, like the Tenere 700 and the 2020 Africa Twin Standard (the Adventure Sports does have tubeless tires). So, what’s the advantage and disadvantage of both systems?

For most simple punctures, a tubeless tire is much easier and faster to fix on the side of the road. By simply inserting a plug in the tire you can have a tire fixed in 5 minutes, without taking of the whole wheel. Here’s a video showing how that works:

However, if we’re talking about bigger punctures or even slices, or punctures in the side wall of your tire, a quick road side fix with a plug is not possible.

When would you use tubed tires?

So, when would you use tubed tires as apposed to tubeless tires? Good question. There actually aren’t that many advantages over a tubed system in adventure bikes. In lighter enduro and motocross bikes you’ll see tubeless systems a lot more. In off-road situations with light bikes, tubed tires are more resilient. They puncture less fast, especially when running lower pressure in the tires.

But… this advantages is actually not the main reason why tubes are used. Tubes are used on wheels that aren’t air tight. Spoked wheels to be exact. Most spoked wheels leak air where the spokes meet the rim. Putting in a tube eliminates that problem. Nowadays even spoked wheels can be airtight though, eliminating the need for a tube.

Changing / Inserting Tubes

For adventure riding, I personally would always go for a tubeless tire whenever possible. Because these give you the possibility to insert a plug whenever possible, but also keep the option of inserting a tube for bigger punctures or slices that can’t be fixed with a plug. Here’s a video on how to change a tube. As you can imagine, this is significantly more work than a 5 minute plug.

Now… above video shows you how to exchange the tube in an already tubed tire. To insert a tube in a tubeless tire is a bit more difficult. You’ll need to remove the valve stem from the tire too (because the tube obviously has a valve stem already) and tubeless tires are often a bit thicker and harder to get off the bead. Here’s another video where a tube is placed in a tubeless tire on an adventure motorcycle.

Converting to tubeless

We read above that tubes are mostly used because spoked wheels leak air, but that tubeless systems are a lot easier to fix along the side of the road. This is the reason why some people are converting their tubed tires to tubeless tires. This is mostly done by Africa Twin and Tenere 700 riders as these bikes still come with tubed tires. The conversion, in essence, is pretty simple. It consists of putting silicone on the inside of the rim, where the spokes meet the rim, effectively sealing the point where air leaks. Here’s a video:

This conversion is done with some basic materials from Home Depot, but there are also entire kits out there that contain all the materials you need, like this set from outex. From what I’ve read on fora, results seem to vary. Some get an airtight seal, while others don’t and end up butting the tube back in.

Tubliss system

Lastly, I wanted to discuss the Tubliss system. This is another system that can turn a tubed tire into a tubeless tire… well… sort of. Here’s Lemmy at Revzilla again, explaining the Tubliss system.

It seems to only be used on dirt bikes, but I was wondering if there’s anything like this available for bigger (wider) tires on adventure bikes. If you have more information on that, a comment below would be highly appreciated.

A dusty tent cloth is draped over my KTM 1090 Adventure R for lack of a better alternative. Long and sunny days are taking their toll on the bodywork as the dry season starts here in Mexico.

My recent move to the Mexican mountainside has not been fantastic for my motorbike as I lack a place to store the bike inside. A typical Mexican makeshift shelter would be the easiest and cheapest way to keep the bike safe, but browsing on the web, I just found this alternative.

If any of you has experienced the same situation, all tips would be welcome.