testing the standard Norden in our balmy summer months . The screen is tall , but narrow at the top , so as a tall rider I felt the cold on my shoulders . Also , there are large vents around the headlight that seem to channel cold air around my torso and neck . Of course , this was riding in temperatures around six to eight degrees Celsius , so a smart rider would probably just stay home ...? The upside to this is , hot temperature riding should be very comfortable on summer gravel-roadies . Which , in fairness to the Norden , is when most riders go on their big trips . Overall , the Norden 901 Expedition is an excellent machine , particularly for tall riders who
really want to push it off-road - in that respect it is a better choice than the base model . However , the base Norden is a great machine too and probably the better option for most riders , for most uses , because it has a more manageable seat height and is still exceedingly capable . My personal feeling is that all big adventure machines , say over 210kg , need no more than 200mm of wheel travel unless one is racing . Time has proven , it is not the amount of travel , but the quality of travel that is important . With big , heavy machines a tall seat height is a greater disadvantage in general than reduced wheel travel . JOCK MCLAUCHLAN
50 KIWI RIDER