The GS is an ADV bike, not a dirt bike... It excels at things dirt bikes completely suck at. Like carrying anything for a trip. Like comfort. 2 up capability, etc...
Not to be condescending or smug, just an FYI Strada(Ita)= Street(Eng), like I said just an FYI to hopefully clear the intent of the OEM for this bike.
I wish Husky would start catching the trend ,Gerlande strabe is a joke I don't like these overweight dirtroad bikes "GS" http://www.cycleworld.com/2012/05/17/ktm-690-duke-track/ now that's what They should be after
Apparently TONs of other people do, because BMW sells a boatload of GS bikes. Certainly tons more than the Duke... Dirt bikers don't like them because they can't see the bike for what it is. They want it to be a 250. It's not. It's not a dirt bike any more than a Harley is a sport bike. That doesn't mean a GS or a Harley sucks. They're designed with a different rider in mind. For the Harley, it's a cruiser. Try to ride it like a sport bike and you probably won't like it. It can't lean much, it doesn't have 190hp. It's for a different mindset, a more casual ride. For the GS, it is versatility. For those that don't ride them on dirt, they still excel at handling poor quality pavement. And we have TONs of that here in California. They can do a lot more than gravel roads, I've done greens and blues on my GS at the local OHV park and I'm not that experienced a rider. They aren't designed for catching air and riding tracks. They're designed to get you somewhere. It's a totally different mindset than dirt bikes - the explorer mindset. Dirt bikes are toys. A GS is a tool.
+1 The right tool for the job. 250/310 for trails 610/630 for dualsport GS/Tenere/990 for adventure riding, also great for 2-up. Even the 630 is not so great for hyper-miles with gear, but I have mine setup as well as can be. Works great for rougher tracks and long distance dirt road rides and camping off the bike. It's faster in all terrain compared to the big ADV bikes but loses out on the freeway. I'm debating replacing my Versys for a GS or Super Tenere for road trips and dirt roads with and without the wife onboard as either is better for long distance and for dirt roads. Going out to test ride the S10 Saturday at Malcolm's. Sat on a GS at the BMW test day, with the wife, and was completely surprised at how easy to balance and light it felt. Will ride one and a Tiger 800 before buying anything. The big GS is the standard to which all of these types are measured. They are very comfortable and capable motorcycles. But yeah, they are NOT a dirtbike.
KTM really stretched their capacity with the Dukes, knock on effect was a major drop in quality control across the whole line and financial impacts that necessitated Indian investors to prop them up. I hope our illustrious label doesn't bite off too much what with the Nuda et al.
Totally different situation. The Nuda is largely a BMW design. Husky is only tweaking it and providing style. Just like with the 449/511. Besides, Dukes are fugly and Nudas are sexxay!
How hard would it be to import. I'd imagine if it was preordered they could just throw it on a boat with other bikes? Should only need DOT tires. Heck is Canada getting it? Sorry, dreaming a little bit
there was an artical posted somewhere on this site from the power that be at BMW/Husky and they said to many hoops to jump through to make importing the Nuda tot he US worth it right now. they saw it as a losing proposition.
I'm glad you like your GS and get it off the superslab. When I look closely at most GSs that have scads of miles on them, I see little or no evidence of ever even being on a gravel road. I think for many owners they are much like the SUV they own with the big offroad tires, that has never been offroad.
You see, I read that post too wherever it was, and I was thinking what's so special about the "nada" that they got to jump through sooooooo many hoops unlike all the other motorcycles in the USofA? If that's not a wtf then I don't know what is...
homologation for the US is more time consuming and expensive. It's typical for new bikes to be delayed 1 year to the US. The F800GS was. And it uses essentially the same engine.
norton is getting close to a 2 year delay with their new 961 being able to sell in the states, europe came first, then the usa....
