2007 Adventure Touring Comparo II Photo Gallery

Our 2007 Adventure Touring Comparo takes a few old faces and introduces a new breed of AT machine. The contenders, left to right, BMW 1200GS, Triumph Tiger, Suzuki V-Strom and Ducati Multistrada 1100s

We thougth it would be easiest, and most fun, to simply take a round-about trip through our own backyard. Oregon has some unbelievable riding to go with all that top-notch scenery.

JC on the 2007 Ducati Multistrada 1100s

The first leg of our trip was a northward stint along I-5. Ultimately we would head out to the sandy beaches and beautiful lighthouses on the Pacific Coast, but first we had to endure the butt-numbing pavement pounding.

The Ducati was punishing on boring interstate riding, but once we hit the curves it was all fun and games with the ultra-nimble Multistrada 1100s.

Even with a set of hard luggage, the Triumph is a very sporty machine. We found the Tiger not only to be steady and comfortabe, but fun in the twisties as well.

Depoe Bay was our first stop on Day 2. The miniscule harbor was our last chance to stretch our legs before heading into the state capitol.

Across the street from Oregon's capitol building was a set of fountains that doused the summer heat. We wanted to splash around with the kiddies, but time constraints forced us to ride on by.

Comparo Weight Breakdown chart

When it comes time to deal with the elements, hiding behind the BMW's windscreen, handguards and Boxter engine is the most comforable place to be.

The Usual Suspects: (left to right) Robin Haldane, Joe Ramos, Tom Lavine and JC Hilderbrand pretend to be the Corp of Discovery while visiting the End of The Oregon Trail. The big question is: being the guide, will JC accept his role and play the part of Sacagawea?

One of very few out-of-state stops we made. Before hitting the Motocross race in Washington, we stopped for breakfast in quaint little Camas. It was there we noticed a problem with the Tiger's shifter.

Luckily the shift lever bolt hadn't backed all the way out of the threads or we could have been in a tight spot for the entire weekend. The errant fastner was the only problem we encountered on any bike all week.

Our testers found the notchy shifting between second and third gear to be a major flaw in the V-Strom's gearbox.

The Multistrada took top honors in our clutch/transmission category for its slick cog arrangement and consisent feel. The only problem we had was finding enough forearm stamina to work the clutch during extended stop-and-go.

The 90-degree V-Twin of the V-Strom was a perfectly willing motor. We like the way it hums up to speed without hesitation or vibration, and though it doesn't have a gear indicator, it does let you know when it is in overdrive so you don't keep searching for higer gears.

The Beemer's 1170cc Twin puts out power that is extremely usable across the board. You won't win too many outright drag races, but like the rest of the bike, the motor fits perfectly for what this machine is designed to do.

There are multiple bridges that span the majestic Columbia River, but the steel grated one that we chose was not our favorite moment of the trip. However, cruising the gorge was well worth it.

The Ducati motors past the rolling wheat fields of Wasco County with Mt. Hood in the background. We began our return trip with this mellow scenery.

The vertical cliffs of the Crooked River Gorge are no joke. Not only have many canines perished into the depths, but it was the site of a high-profile murder back in 1961.

Even with the upgrades that come with the "s" model, the Ducati Multistrada lacks a little in the Adventure department. We'd like to see how it fares in a sport touring shootout.

The Suzuki is really a do-all type of bike and there really isn't anything we didn't like about it with the exception of the gearbox issue. However, there wasn't a whole lot that we really loved about it either.

Crater Lake was our final stop before heading home. The Triumph was equally comfortable on the straight-line speeds of Hwy 97 coming into the lake and the twisty peg-draggers on the way out.

Triumph rules the power segment of our test, just like the Bonneville Dam does on the Columbia River. Unfortunately, the Tiger doesn't have quite enough to displace our now two-time champ.

Hustling through the curves isn't reserved for only the Ducati and Triumph. The BMW sliced and diced our group of Adventure Touring machines for the second straight year.

Our video man, Robin Haldane, doesn't mind the hefty price for the versatile BMW. It offers too many nice features to pass up.

Even though he owns and loves his personal GS, Tom Lavine might have to spring for the sexy Triumph.

Our photographer took a turn on the other end of the camera with one of his favorite bikes in the test. That's saying a lot considering he owns his own Beemer.

Nobody loved the way the Suzuki looks, but JC still found enough endearing qualities to help make it his 4MM choice. He thinks the 'Strom will take him on more adventures with only minimal upgrades.

After all the testing was done it was time to shake down the good and bad points of each machine. This scorecard is the combined results of our four testers' individual evaluations.

Even by Triumph's own terminology, the Tiger isn't an Adventure Touring bike. After realizing the real-world restraints that go along with this type of motorcycle, we think it fits right in.

As the only bike that retails for under $9000, hell, make that $10K, the Suzuki will be overlooking plenty of vistas with all that extra gas money.

Oregon has some great dune recreation sites, but we didn't think Ducati would like that too much. Plus we couldn't find any 17-inch paddle tires.