Battle Ready
Adventure Motorcycle (ADVMoto)|July-August 2016

R1200 GS was first sold in 2005 and enjoys a long reign as the Gold Standard for adventure bikes. The liquid-cooled version wa s introduced in 2013, and with its feather-light wet clutch and revised frame design it approaches super-bike status on the asphalt—its comfort, power, and wind protection rival many single-purpose road bikes.

Bill Drago
Battle Ready

In 2015, the heavier crankshaft was carried over to the standard GS from the Adventure model, making it better than ever off pavement. From serving as an Iron Butt platform or RTW mount to conquering Colorado’s toughest passes, the mighty GS has done it all. But like its human thrill-seeking counterparts, the beast is better suited for pushing the envelope after a little preparation. The GS is wide and heavy, yet well balanced and surprisingly nimble in skilled hands. Finely engineered accessories help arm the machine for battle.

My 2015 GS project bike has covered 13,000 miles, many of those well off the beaten path. Every accessory has done its job without fail. Here’s why they were chosen.

FOUNDATION FIRST

Tires and wheels take a beating. Wider stock wheels on the new GS are more subject to damage than their predecessors. Woody’s Wheel Works settles these concerns with their Superlaced wheels. Spokes are .040 thicker than stock, with Excel rims and Superlite hubs to handle the roughest environments. I chose the narrower oilhead rim size, facilitating more tire choices and exposing less of the rim to potential damage.

Shinko’s 804/805 series tires have withstood everything I could throw at them and last at least as well as their competitors at nearly half the price.

ROCKS, BUGS AND MUD

Denne historien er fra July-August 2016-utgaven av Adventure Motorcycle (ADVMoto).

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra July-August 2016-utgaven av Adventure Motorcycle (ADVMoto).

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA ADVENTURE MOTORCYCLE (ADVMOTO)Se alt
Stuant Gregory IS IT AN ADDICTION?
Adventure Motorcycle (ADVMoto)

Stuant Gregory IS IT AN ADDICTION?

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4 mins  |
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INTO THE MUD
Adventure Motorcycle (ADVMoto)

INTO THE MUD

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3 mins  |
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CHASING PEAKS IN THE HIMALAYAS
Adventure Motorcycle (ADVMoto)

CHASING PEAKS IN THE HIMALAYAS

It was 2:00 a.m. on my fourth day in India. My eyes blinked open in the dark of a hotel room in Drass, a town in the Himalayas on the Indian side of the border. Yesterday was our first day riding on a six-day trip through the Himalayas, and my brain could not process everything I'd seen and experienced.

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5 mins  |
January - February 2024
Angels and Demons RIDING TWO-UP SOUTH THROUGH ALASKA
Adventure Motorcycle (ADVMoto)

Angels and Demons RIDING TWO-UP SOUTH THROUGH ALASKA

A not-so-warm welcome as we entered Hatchers Pass from Willow to Palmer, Alaska.

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6 mins  |
January - February 2024
EXPLORING THE THRILLING WORLD OF RALLY RAID
Adventure Motorcycle (ADVMoto)

EXPLORING THE THRILLING WORLD OF RALLY RAID

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January - February 2024
MOTORCYCLE MAINTENANCE
Adventure Motorcycle (ADVMoto)

MOTORCYCLE MAINTENANCE

LESSONS LEARNED ON THE ROAD

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5 mins  |
January - February 2024
White Desert
Adventure Motorcycle (ADVMoto)

White Desert

Riding Across the Frozen Landscape of Siberia

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July - August 2023
Kitti and Martha Forget Black Dog CYCLE WORKS
Adventure Motorcycle (ADVMoto)

Kitti and Martha Forget Black Dog CYCLE WORKS

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July - August 2023
Essential GROUP RIDING Tips
Adventure Motorcycle (ADVMoto)

Essential GROUP RIDING Tips

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July - August 2023
MAKING MEMORIES
Adventure Motorcycle (ADVMoto)

MAKING MEMORIES

Kevin and I initially met in the Marines. We have been riding together for a few years, and riding BDRs the entire time. Our first attempt at a BDR was in Utah, where we were completely unprepared and significantly ignorant of our capabilities. It led to some interesting moments conquering Lockhart Basin where we developed our backcountry motto: “Less Gear and More Water.” We document our rides on our YouTube channel, “Be Gone for Good.”

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5 mins  |
July - August 2023