New to dual purpose/off road. A couple of questions

[colsan1]

Hi all, i've only been in NZ for a year and already, in that short time, i've decided the roads here are not for me.
I've been riding for around 30 years and i dont want to give it up because i've now got rid of the road bike.
I was thinking of looking at a dual purpose bike, something like a dr250/350, klx/klr250 maybe a kdx200 if i can find a road legal one at a good price.
I'd be interested to hear more experianced riders thioughts on what would be a suitable bike for a relative off road novice.
I've had an xr400 in the past but didnt like the fact that it was kick start only and i found it a bit to much of a hand full when things got a little slippery.
I know the kdx is kick only but strokers are a lot easier than an XR.
My other concern is where to ride. In the UK there were ROW's and green lanes that i could use and these were all clearly shown on any decent map.
I live in Cambridge and am surrounded by hills and forests yet as far as i can tell its all someones land and i'm guessing i wouldnt be allowed to ride on it.
So the question is if i want to ride out somewhere, do a little green lane stuff and generally mess about off road without travelling for hours to get there where can/could i ride.
I dont meen the organised trail rides, just places where i get out and bugger about

[Eddieb]

Out towards Raglan there's heaps of gravel roads heading north and south. Thats maybe an hour from you. Not far west of Te Awamutu I gather there's a few good roads round the mountain.
There's several KB members near Whatawhata and NZKTM is in Te Aroha, they'll know places to ride. There's a track up Mt Te Aroha that varies from not too bad to bloody hell! depending on the season.

I would have thought east and northeast of Cambridge there must be a few gravel roads, it's just finding them.

[buggsubique]

can't help with the locations sorry, but sounds like maybe a DRZ250 or 400 would be good for you if you're not hammering the roads too much. DR350 another option like you say if you can find a good one.

Enjoy!

[Eddieb]

Out of interest cause I've done a lot of riding over there why are NZ roads not for you?

Apart from the fact that even our larger ones = UK B roads at best and a lot (All the fun ones) would be a C road.

[meteor]

I know where there is a nice 2003 DR250 for sale for the right price :blink:
electric leg, big tank, reg & warrant to 2010.......
look at my profile album

[colsan1]

I tend to ride fast when i'm on the road.
Modern bikes are ticking over at 140-160kmh.
The road surfaces are just too poor.
Loose stone chip gravel all over the place or you get
the dangerously slippy patches where the tar seal has seeped up
giving you nice ice rink feeling when it wet.
add to that a legal speed limit that it the lowest in the world and
over zealous police, it just kinda takes the fun out it.

[Waihou Thumper]

:soon:When you get your bike, I will reveal all around your way....
There are lots of good roads in the Waipa and Waikato for adventure riding.....

[CrazyFrog]

I tend to ride fast when i'm on the road.
Modern bikes are ticking over at 140-160kmh.
The road surfaces are just too poor.
Loose stone chip gravel all over the place or you get
the dangerously slippy patches where the tar seal has seeped up
giving you nice ice rink feeling when it wet.
add to that a legal speed limit that it the lowest in the world and
over zealous police, it just kinda takes the fun out it.

I'm hearing you, story of my life. After too many run ins with the law, and constantly sitting on maximum demerit points, I decided to go down the ADV road, and discovered how much fun you can have on the gravel, or simply by exploring up dirt tracks. Yes the bike has to be ridden on the road, but have learned to behave a bit more, even though the KTM is capable of 170kmph.
It's a lot more fun blasting down the gravel at 120 then doing 200 on the highway and worrying about cops/other road users. Also, it's a great way to see the back blocks of NZ and really explore this country. There's some great riding to be done in Central North Island, just get a good detailed map and look for secondary roads, and accessable forest park tracks.
I personally wouldn't ride anything smaller than a 400 if you intend riding the road for any distance, otherwise a modern 250 will be fine.

[Taz]

I personally wouldn't ride anything smaller than a 400 if you intend riding the road for any distance, otherwise a modern 250 will be fine.

The one exception to this would have to be the new Yamaha WR250R. Took one for a demo ride and I was well impressed. 40000km valve checks too.

[Mystic13]

As for bikes DRZ400, KLX400. They're the same bike with different badges and colours.

The 250's are to small to ride there and back. The 400 is 119kg which is I think 1kg lighter than the DRZ250. The DRZ650 is the next step up and still capable.

I'm not a fan of the 200+ kg off road bikes. Just too much to pick up and too much to damage in a drop.

Good luck with the adventure riding. PM if you're looking for a really good DRZ400 road legal. I struggled trying to choose between the 400 and the 650 and chose the 400. I've now got a friend bailing on a 650. If I do a year or so with that then I'll know which one to keep longer term.

[Eddieb]

I tend to ride fast when i'm on the road.
Modern bikes are ticking over at 140-160kmh.
The road surfaces are just too poor.
Loose stone chip gravel all over the place or you get
the dangerously slippy patches where the tar seal has seeped up
giving you nice ice rink feeling when it wet.
add to that a legal speed limit that it the lowest in the world and
over zealous police, it just kinda takes the fun out it.

Fair call on all of that. I've just sold my Ducati for much the same reasons.

[MXNUT]

I've just sold my Ducati.............

Well done, you will be pleased about that :D:woohoo:

[Eddieb]

Yup. thinking about shifting one of the BMW's too. The garage is still pretty full.

[marks]

I've just sold my Ducati

at last :Punk:

does that mean a new adv bike is on the horizon?

going to upgrade to a KLR? :wari:

[clint640]

Hi Mate, I've never seen a road legal KDX200. The trouble with road legal 250 dirtbikes is that 1/2 the learners in NZ want one & they tend to be $$$.

Near Cambridge there isn't much in the way of public access to proper offroad, lots of nice gravel road routes around though. There are however lots of organised offroad trail rides on around the (south) Waikato / central North Is & over winter particularly there would be something within a 90min drive most weekends.

As a novice on these rides a KDX200 or something similarly light & small would be a good pick, but such a machine won't be much good, (or legal) on the road of course.

Cheers
Clint

[Waihou Thumper]

This is from Japan, they all had a good time by the looks of it and some of the footage is very funny indeed.
Adventure riding is similar to this sometimes.....:shit:
We all have to start somewhere and imagine doing this with 180Kg bikes....:shutup:

XiG5CkLT_9o

[Eddieb]

at last

going to upgrade to a KLR? :wari:

Upgrade to a KLR :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

Oh dear, I think I spilt my drink on the keyboard. Thats the funniest thing I've heard in years.

Would making you sit behind a open piped 950SE be teasing too much Mark, deep down in your soul could you bear it? really??

It would almost be worth it to see the expression on your face :innocent:


Anyway, way off topic. Yes there is good gravel riding to be had in the waikato.

[ttrkiwi]

Colsan mate look at a TTR 250. I have one and a great bike. Also you are not to far from Coromandel and great rodes all through there...

[andy mac]

This is from Japan, they all had a good time by the looks of it and some of the footage is very funny indeed.
Adventure riding is similar to this sometimes.....:shit:
We all have to start somewhere and imagine doing this with 180Kg bikes....:shutup:

XiG5CkLT_9o

Thanks for the great youtube video, Mark.
I think you are suggesting the lighter the bike the better. I've had a stiff & sore back all weekend. Only realised today it was caused from lifting/dragging a 200kg bike out of the sand singlehanded on Thursday. Nothing else to blame. :whocares:

[colsan1]

Ok can i ask for suggestions as to what would be a good bike.
I'm on a limited budget of around 4k.
Ideally i'd like a road legal bike as i dont want to give up road stuff completely.
Choices seem to be between
DR250 or 350
DRZ 400
XR 250 or 400
KLX 250 or bigger
Not sure if the KLR's are any good off road
I dont want anything thats gonna scare me to death ( i can always upgrade in the future)
I've though about getting an out and out off road bike (as above but not registered)
and trailering it to places but i feel i might be missing out on some gentle tootling along rides.
Thoughts and suggestions please.

[MXNUT]

Ok can i ask for suggestions as to what would be a good bike.
I'm on a limited budget of around 4k.
Ideally i'd like a road legal bike as i dont want to give up road stuff completely.
Choices seem to be between
DR250 or 350
DRZ 400
XR 250 or 400
KLX 250 or bigger


Thoughts and suggestions please.

For 4k your best bet would be a tidy low milage DR350 or may be a not quite so tidy DRZ400
Both still ok off road with reasonable cruising speed / distance / range when on road. :done:

[bart]

For 4k your best bet would be a tidy low milage DR350 or may be a not quite so tidy DRZ400
Both still ok off road with reasonable cruising speed / distance / range when on road. :done:

I second that.

[marks]

Would making you sit behind a open piped 950SE be teasing too much Mark, deep down in your soul could you bear it? really??

:no: :no: :no: :no: :no: :no: :no:

I've really thought hard about going to see that one in Wellington but the strife at home would be of cataclysmic proportions if I came home with it.:confused:

[buggsubique]

Third that. A 350 will give you more power and you shouldn't outgrow it too soon (plan to upgrade from a 250 after a year I reckon). 350 is aircooled and you won't be upset about dropping it with no radiators / plastics. Also 6 speed so less buzzy on the rd over a 5 spd DRZ400.

On the other hand, playing it safe, a dr 250 / DRz250 will provide a more gentle learning curve in the rough stuff but will bore you on the road.

[warewolf]

On the other hand, playing it safe, a dr 250 / DRz250 will provide a more gentle learning curve in the rough stuff but will bore you on the road.Only on the straight bits! Low-power bikes can be huge fun in the twisty stuff, and you can experiment with various techniques to hold your apex speed which are easily hidden by a brief throttle input on a bigger bike.

[fridayflash]

i fourth that...a dog rooter 350 is still a great bike despite its age and
a super comfy seat compared to the 400 ( for road jaunts )
i just watched that youtube vid..lmao! those poor japaneeeese
need to learn the standing attack position

[Woodman]

:no: :no: :no: :no: :no: :no: :no:

I've really thought hard about going to see that one in Wellington but the strife at home would be of cataclysmic proportions if I came home with it.:confused:

Going through the same issues, doing everything i can to put meself off it, but not doing a good job.

heavy .........So is KLR
Tyres ..........Don,t get knobblies
Unreliable .....Warewolf says ktms are reliable
break easy ...Won,t drop it
Too grunty....Impossibe

off topic but marks started it:Offtopic:

[JATZ]

Going through the same issues, doing everything i can to put meself off it, but not doing a good job.

heavy .........So is KLR
Tyres ..........Don,t get knobblies
Unreliable .....Warewolf says ktms are reliable
break easy ...Won,t drop it
Too grunty....Impossibe

off topic but marks started it:Offtopic:


Yeah get it woodman :devil2: you know you want to and you only live once
then I could have a weee go on one to see if one would suit me

[Eddieb]

Yeah get it woodman :devil2: you know you want to and you only live once
then I could have a weee go on one to see if one would suit me

It's very very tempting to go and look at it, but I think that might be a very bad thing to do.

[JATZ]

It's very very tempting to go and look at it, but I think that might be a very bad thing to do.

Look at it
If your going that far it'd be rude not to take it for a spin :shutup:

[dino3310]

Colsan mate look at a TTR 250. I have one and a great bike. Also you are not to far from Coromandel and great rodes all through there...

yes i concure, but i do recall you almost walking bowlegged from a 4x2 like seating arangement:laugh:
with an upgraded seat for the longer trips she'd be a little rippa

[ttrkiwi]

Seat all fixed now....cut down air mattress and sheep skin. Love snuggling up to that sheep skin at night....:sleep:

[Monstaman]

This is from Japan,

Classic stuff ... a lot of those guys need to learn how to ride.

[Waihou Thumper]

Classic stuff ... a lot of those guys need to learn how to ride.

Knowing you have connections with the Land of the Rising Sun....
At least knowing the Japanese, the guys would all be smiles at the end of the day and will be telling tales for weeks around the Tempura....
Bit like us I suppose, the way I ride sometimes that video was close to home....
Especially after a hard day....:clap:

[NordieBoy]

This is from Japan, they all had a good time by the looks of it and some of the footage is very funny indeed.
Adventure riding is similar to this sometimes.....:shit:
We all have to start somewhere and imagine doing this with 180Kg bikes....:shutup:

In the dry I'd try that stuff on the DR.

In the wet I'd be pootling around on the XR videoing the carnage :D

[bart]

It's very very tempting to go and look at it, but I think that might be a very bad thing to do.

Haha. Even I'm looking at that one. Pity I'm such a short arse. I'd need a ladder to get on it. :Offtopic: