START IN
314D 17H 34M 05S
-1000cc CATEGORY
THE ULTIMATE ADVENTURE BIKE.
Not really light.
Not really heavy.
Not built only for eating up motorway miles.
Not designed only for climbing everything in the technical stuff.
The -1000cc category is for bikes that try to do it all.
And above all…
TO DO IT ALL WELL.
The bikes in this category have a fairly simple mission on paper:
take some of the advantages of small-engine bikes…
and go after those of the big ones as much as possible.
Easy to say.
Much harder to do.
They're still much heavier than a small bike when you have to pick it up, turn it round on a narrow trail or get out of a bad line choice.
But their weight is generally far more reasonable than the big machines'.
The result:
- easier to take into the technical stuff,
- easier to save when you start doing something silly,
- and less physically demanding on long, hard days.
MORE AGILE THAN THE BIG ONES.
When the trail starts to close in…
when the rocks get bigger…
when the slope gets steeper…
or when you have to start improvising…
the kilos you've saved start to matter.
A bike under 1000cc will generally be easier to place, livelier and less tiring than a big machine.
But that doesn't make the difficulties disappear.
Because compared with a small-engine bike…
IT'S STILL HEAVY.
And in deep sand, technical sections, rocks or improbable U-turns…
you'll find that out quickly.
And that's exactly what makes it interesting. A small bike will generally be easier in very technical terrain. A big bike will generally be more pleasant when you have to eat up hundreds of kilometres.
The -1000?
It tries to stay in the middle. It accepts losing a little at both extremes to gain something far more important:
COMPROMISE ISN'T A FLAW.
In the motorcycle world, the word "compromise" is sometimes used as a criticism.
At the Trophy, it's almost the opposite.
Because a traveller doesn't need the best bike for one specific situation.
They need a bike that can handle lots of them.
And this is probably where the adventure bikes in this category find their real playground.
Not necessarily the best on the motorway.
Not necessarily the best in a boulder field.
But able to do both in the same day.
ON THE TROPHY…
Don't expect your engine size to have an answer for everything.
Sometimes you'll wish you had something lighter.
Sometimes you'll wish you had something more comfortable.
And there will probably be a few moments when you wonder why you loaded the bike so much (you can drop the "probably"! Only experience teaches you to leave out what you don't need, and trust me, you'll be carrying a lot of it!)
But in most situations…
you should be in exactly the right place.
NOT TOO SMALL.
NOT TOO BIG.
JUST VERSATILE ENOUGH NOT TO KNOW WHAT'S COMING.
THE CATEGORY IS YOUR BIKE. THE COLOUR IS YOUR ADVENTURE.
BETWEEN TWO WORLDS.
IT'S NOT THE BEST ANYWHERE.
VERSATILITY.
MORE COMFORT.
BUT NOT A SOFA.
On long road sections, bikes in the -1000 category generally have a real advantage over small-engine bikes.
- More protection.
- More power.
- More stability.
More ability to ride for a long time with luggage without feeling like you're apologising to the engine.
They let you cover the miles much more calmly.
But let's be clear:
compared with the big touring machines, they're still a notch below in terms of outright comfort.
And that's exactly where the compromise begins.
THE BIKE THAT DOESN'T YET KNOW WHAT'S AHEAD.
Road. / Fast trail. / Rocks. / Sand. / Mountains. / Motorway. / Back / roads. / Luggage. / Long days. / Technical sections.
The -1000 category doesn't necessarily need to know in advance what it's going to face.
Because that's exactly why it exists.
Even when the plan changes.
Even when the road ends.
Even when the rider makes a decision they regret twenty minutes later.
The -1000 category is for those who want a bike that can travel far without giving up the urge to leave the tarmac.
For those who want comfort…
but not at the cost of 280 kg. (well, it depends on the load)
For those who want a bike that's still playful off-road…
without spending the whole day suffering through long road sections.
For those who don't want to choose between:
travel
and
adventure.
🟢 GREEN — ACCESSIBLE TRAVEL
Mostly roads and very easy trails. To enjoy the journey, the scenery and the Trophy experience without looking for technical difficulty.
🔴 RED — TYPICAL TRAILS AROUND THE WORLD
Trails representative of what you meet when travelling the world by motorcycle. Varied terrain, with the everyday difficulties of off-tarmac travel.
🦄 BLACK — READY FOR ANYTHING
Broken-up trails, demanding navigation, or even fast, flowing trails over a very large number of miles.
So Black doesn't only mean "more technical". The commitment can of course come from the terrain, with difficult sections, but also from navigation, distance, or all three combined. You'll need to know how to ride, think, manage your energy and make the right decisions.
BEING ABLE TO GO ANYWHERE.
WHO IS IT FOR?
