OK I can't cover all the bases but I'll make as fair a stab at it as I can being an XC owner. Mine is based in Singapore where I've done most of the XC riding, Malaysia and Thailand included. Covering city riding, daily commute, slogging up and down the highways, mountain twisties but only a little gravel. Loaded with luggage and two up on occasions. All of it in mostly +30 deg C and regularly in monsoon downpours, so there are direct comparisons with Australia.
I'm just a tad over 1.8m 75kg out of the shower and with about 82cm between the danglies and dessie boots. What follows is my opinion only so don't anybody get upset please. I currently own and ride the 800XC, Steamers and am waiting for the right moment to press the button on a CCM 450GP, just sold my 1050 Roadie.
Goosie 2012 Advwannabe. First hit me as still agricultural in the gearchange and engine delivery, grunty but no more so than I'm used to, felt like a was riding a camel that was trying to hump another camel going on and off throttle, hate those indicator controls with a vengance. I don't get the "it's got great balance due to the low centre of gravity" thing, I felt distinctly uncomfortable at slow speed even standing up, which I didn't like due to the width of the tank but it may also have had something to do with the lack of feel at the front end from what I'm more used to. No sale, like going on an adventure wearing a cardigan and carpet slippers :icon_wink:
Baby Goose and 800's. Nice, good balance, steering and power delivery if rather weedy, gearchange slightly notchy. Sore @rse before I could really get a good feel for the bike, felt slightly cramped, great fuel consumption although my @rse didn't let me experience that personally. A bit cramped for the pillion. No sale, Bland.
Katoom 990. Super plastic enema time
, punchy, sharp and fun, not so easy to cruise at medium to lower speeds, begs to be thrashed. The narrow seat is a bonus when trying to clench your buttocks while using those brakes
. Could imagine it being fun on the loose stuff if you had the danglies to give it some. No sale, a bit neurotic like a border collie.
Super 10. Adequately powered only, reasonably refined, feels big and heavy but no more so than the Dora as comparison, a bit tiresome in traffic, plenty of room comfy including for the pilllion. Didn't feel inspired to try one on gravel after dicing with some roadworks, good brakes but according to owner they fade quickly when pushing it in the twisties. No sale, hate the front on looks which reminded me of the scene from Beetlejuice with the guy who had his head shrunk on a normal body.
Dora. I had similar feelings to you but it was easier than I expected in traffic, getting my feet flat was very confidence inspiring, locks into corners like you just grabbed a nearby lamppost, standing I felt the bars needed to come up and back a bit. Smooth like peanut butter with added chilli, grunt and effortlessly stable cruising, once you get the hang of the cruise control. Not a knockout punch but I would happily have taken one for long distance Euro style riding, with the occasional gravel forray not filling me with foreboding, a handful in the carpark for my weedy frame. No sale, pillion felt too high but not as high as the Roadie, at least I got to order a Trophy and keep the Steamer.
800XC. I was sold (straight off a Street Triple) after the best part of a day test ride mostly in the saddle, city, highways and A/B roads, it was ordered. I've done 3k kms weekends up through Thailand alone and with mostly Goose riders, it was never embarrassed and performed flawlessly in all conditions, solo or two up. Lights are as good as the Steamers, ABS is very effective, you know it's working but it's not intrusive like some.
Most of the Goose riders weren't keen on talking to me about the XC, which knowing the local Asian culture means they were a bit shocked on how it was performing compared to more established wisdom, only my Greek GSA buddy (always forthright) told me he couldn't believe how smooth and effortless it was to ride and admitted if it wasn't for the BMW badge image and the financial hit he'd take, he'd be happy with one.
Apart from melting an indicator, my own fault for taking the baffle out of the Zard, it has had zero faults, the 2011/2's went through a spate of broken indicator stalks due to a sub suppliers manufacturing fault (same supplier to a few makes that have had similar failures), some have had small paint blisters on engine casings but not all. It uses negligible amounts of oil and returns high 40's / low 50's UK MPG and with the two year warranty and longer service intervals it's an economical beast too.
The stock tyres (forgot what they were) I didn't like, Anakee's now, I fitted 30mm risers for a little more relaxed cruising posture and better standing balance, I have an adjustable Wunderlich deflector on the stock screen which is fine for my size without going to an adjustable / high screen, I am fine with the stock seat all day long. Only a few gravel forays but I feel sufficiently in control with the back end stepping out as much as I have on much smaller trailies so I'd be happy to do more.
I am very attached to it and hope to bring it back to the UK the long way back eventually. I'm the first to admit that, probably because it is such a polished performer with no noticeable quirks, it doesn't have the same endearing qualities as the Steamer. Put it this way, if it got trashed or stolen I'd just go and get a replacement, if the same thing happened to the Steamer I'd lock myself in a dark place and cry.
Hope that doesn't come over too biased.
)