Which trail bike bike is the best for my adventure?

[fleebag4@]

I'm thinking of doing a 2-3 month ride with the final destination to either be through Asia (Might start in Japan) or around Europe and North Africa doing a loop back to London. Both offer totally different types of terrain though i want a bike that can take the lot as it will be used for both. Now the thing is, what bike!! I can do a basic service and thats it! So it has to be reliable and easy to fix. I've watched and read many bike travel books with almot most of them riding BMW's (Most got them sponsored by BM) along with the odd crazy guy on a R1 and a few DR650's. I've got a couple years of road riding under me and my partner will have about years experience when we plan to do the trip on June 2011.KTM is mean't to be very good, but for some reason it isn't up there. Can anyone tell me what they think of the bikes below. Oh other bikers welcomed.

Yamaha XT1200 - New, so tempted to say i can test it out :)
KTM 990 Adventure - No idea whats wrong with this
BMW 1200GS - Every tom dick and harry rides ones though i think it's more cause of the Long Way Round
Suzuki DR650 - Basic easy going bike that some have used to good effect
Suzuki v Strom 650 or 1000 - Think this may not take the hard stuff

Might be cheeky and do the Europe/North Africa trip on a bike bought from ebay uk to save on costs.:Punk:

[Squiggles]

Post in the Adv forum (http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/forumdisplay.php/67-Adventure-Dual-Purpose-Bikes). I'd pick a DR650 or KLR650. Also worth looking at what others have used over on advrider (www.advrider.com) but expect alot of brand allegiance.

[fleebag4@]

Which Trail bike to take on the world?
I'm thinking of doing a 2-3 month ride with the final destination to either be through Asia (Might start in Japan) or around Europe and North Africa doing a loop back to London. Both offer totally different types of terrain though i want a bike that can take the lot as it will be used for both. Now the thing is, what bike!! I can do a basic service and thats it! So it has to be reliable and easy to fix. I've watched and read many bike travel books with almot most of them riding BMW's (Most got them sponsored by BM) along with the odd crazy guy on a R1 and a few DR650's. I've got a couple years of road riding under me and my partner will have about years experience when we plan to do the trip on June 2011.KTM is mean't to be very good, but for some reason it isn't up there. Can anyone tell me what they think of the bikes below. Oh other bikers welcomed.

Yamaha XT1200 - New, so tempted to say i can test it out
KTM 990 Adventure - No idea whats wrong with this
BMW 1200GS - Every tom dick and harry rides ones though i think it's more cause of the Long Way Round
Suzuki DR650 - Basic easy going bike that some have used to good effect
Suzuki v Strom 650 or 1000 - Think this may not take the hard stuff

Might be cheeky and do the Europe/North Africa trip on a bike bought from ebay uk to save on costs. :Punk::love:

[fleebag4@]

Have done, thanks.

I'm expecting everyone to say BMW though i think it's more cause of the marketing. Didn't think the KL650 would hack the tough roads :0

[Devil]

Every tom dick and harry has a GS because they have a fantastic rep which pre-dates the long way round (and down).

[kevfromcoro]

Sort of how long is a piece of string post.....
You have nearlly a year to decide.. and will probably change your mind a dozen times.
All the bikes metioned are great for the trip.. duno about the v-strom 1000.. but the 650 is an excerlent bike......
you also mentioned that your partner will be riding with you,
I take it its a lady.......
I would stick to the lighter stuff...
Cant go wrong with a couple of DR 650s.....

[Devil]

If you want a bike that'll do mega road miles (whether thats dirt, gravel or seal) you cant go past a GS.
If you think you're going to get dodgier than that, i'd consider a midsized bike. DR has a good rep.

I have a 1200GS Adventure and it'll just eat the miles, it can also take a metric shitload of luggage. However! It is also a gigantic bike. If you're going anywhere dodgy you'll realise very quick how heavy they can be to pick up :innocent:

Out of the big boys, the KTM990 does offroad better it seems, but the GSA is better on road.

DL650 strom is a great midsized bike too.

Whats your riding experience and how big are you?

[fleebag4@]

I'm 1.8 with 80 kilo's to log around and my partner is smaller, so she'll get a 650 of some sort.

I just feel BMW have more bikes on the road as they seem to sponsor loads of people and i don't really have the cash for one and intersted to try something new like a KTM whihc i have no idea about. I hav no brand loyalty and this is an area of biking i have no idea epscially since i'll be in the "bush" with no one around to help me fix anything.

I would never of thought Kawasaki until someone mentioned it. This video is great and i like the set up of the panniers.:shit:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gf1dbdNJMSc

[Devil]

Trust me, people buy GS's because they're great bikes. 990 owners are generally pretty stoked with their bikes too. You wouldn't go wrong with either.

BUT, as I mentioned, depends on the terrain and how comfortable you are with large bikes.

[fleebag4@]

Thanks for your input and i'm comfortable under any bike after a couple km's.

I'll stick up a post later on to see who's keen to show me around punctures and any other bike maintenance that may need doing on the roads.

Europe will be mostly road though i'll do the rough stuff in Asia going through China , Mongolia and most of the old Russian blocks before maybe heading down India home.

Thanks again

[Eddieb]

Buy his n hers DR or KLR 650's. They will do everything competently, maybe just not as fast and smooth on the tarmac as the bigger bikes but better when you really need it on the rougher stuff unless you are an accomplished rider off road, and from your comments above neither of you have any off road experience.

If you are going offroad, especially in Asia where the bush can be thick and very wet the big bikes will be a real pain unless you are a competent rider off road on 250-300kg of machine, because with a full tank of gas and luggage thats how much it's going to weigh.

The 650 singles are a lot less complicated that the other bikes on your list, given your self confessed level of mechanical knowledge. The advantage of taking 2 bikes the same is that you can remove a lot of duplication with spares and tools that occurs with 2 different bikes, and if your partner is riding slower than you then you are only going to be traveling her speed anyway so the extra capacity and performance is wasted and will just be a burden in energy usage, both your own and in fuel consumption.

[Devil]

Thanks for your input and i'm comfortable under any bike after a couple km's.


Best to stay on top of the thing, eh! :scooter:

For simplicities sake, i'd probably go matching DR's as eddie said.

[clint640]

Not yet another which bike thread.

Buy his n hers DR or KLR 650's. They will do everything competently, maybe just not as fast and smooth on the tarmac as the bigger bikes but better when you really need it on the rougher stuff unless you are an accomplished rider off road, and from your comments above neither of you have any off road experience.
.

Go on, we love 'which bike' threads!

But yeah, x2 on the above. The big twin cylinder machines are better suited for those going 2-up & taking easier roads. Yes, people do take the R1200GSA's etc to gnarly places but they are generally quite good riders. Besides, if you are looking at 2 new bikes a couple well set up DR650's would be around $25K, a couple of 990's or R1200's would be $50K+

If your missus is small go for the DR650, they're lower & lighter than the KLR. Plan to put on a bigger tank (DR only), decent handlebars, re do the seat & amp up the suspension to handle the load.

But that shouldn't stop ya test riding everything on your list. Have fun.

Cheers
Clint

PS it's a Trail bike you need, not a Trial bike - Trials bikes have no seat & a 2L tank making them sub-optimal for RTW touring :-)

[trustme]

Kawi KLR 650 should be near the top of your list. I don't own one , I'm not biased

Simple ,reliable, good sized tank, lots of farkles & mods available to improve them, proven time & again. You are not after performance or amazing handling, just a bike that is easy & non tiring to ride at moderate speeds on any road in any condition with good reliability.

[Crasherfromwayback]

Suzuki DR650 - Basic easy going bike that some have used to good effect


Mate...I can do you an awesome deal on either a new or a used DR650. You can't go wrong with one of them.

Pete

[White trash]

CR500 with a long range tank and a shitload of spare rear tyres. Or, if you're tough enough, an aircooled KX500.

[clint640]

CR500 with a long range tank and a shitload of spare rear tyres. Or, if you're tough enough, an aircooled KX500.

The voice of reason speaks :-D

Actually, since the round the world thing has been done on all the adv bikes, R1's, Goldwings, 50cc scooters, postie bikes, vintage bikes & harleys, the last frontier really is the big bore 2 stroke MX weapon. You'd be famous :yes::laugh:

Clint

[javawocky]

CR500 with a long range tank and a shitload of spare rear tyres. Or, if you're tough enough, an aircooled KX500.

Man after my own heart, just the response I was going to give.

[Crisis management]

I'm with mid sized bikes as well if the going is off-road. Get a ride on a big bike in off road conditions and you will understand what we are talking about, I sold the 990 simply because it was really hard work for me in any sort of tight terrain.

I would suggest you get 5 to 10,000 kms under both your belts in reasonable conditions, maybe outback Aussie, before you think about Asia / russia....seriously. This will give you an appreciation of adventure riding, it's problems and your luggage and skill needs, it's a bit different to road riding.

[Bliksem]

1. Easy to maintain - try and stay away from EFi, computers, etc
2. Subframe - make sure it can handle the extra weight
3. Fuel range -
4. Comfy seat

[Crasherfromwayback]

Or, if you're tough enough, an aircooled KX500.

Fuck off Noddy. The thing would vibrate its self to bits in no time. REAL men ride RM400's.

[offrd]

If it was just me going i would take my KTM and know i would not have any roading or terrain issues, hand full of spares and rely on air freight with a deal arranged with a local supplier.

Two bikes, then DR650's for sure, no second thoughts needed on that one!

[pete376403]

Have done, thanks.

I'm expecting everyone to say BMW though i think it's more cause of the marketing. Didn't think the KL650 would hack the tough roads :0

Suggest you have a look on ADVrider.com and see what gets used. Check out the rider reports forum.

Worst possible ride I have read about was one through part of indonesia, then the Road of Bones segment of Russia/Siberia

You need something that you can pick up by yourself, when fully loaded, from a swamp.

The 1000/1200s are very nice on sealed roads and good gravel roads.

Also you need to ride a KLR on a shitty track before making such a sweeping statement.

[Night Falcon]

If you wanna grin every moment of the journey, feel ya blood coursing through (and sometimes out of) your veins, gulp down adrenalin that will make you wanna tear ya guts open and explore the depth, breadth and height of your limitations as a motorcycle pilot and all governed by your inner drive and passion to open that throttle just a bit more..... then go buy that DR man!......Na it just don't sound right...get a KTM and live the dream brother:Punk:

[gav24]

Fuck off Noddy. The thing would vibrate its self to bits in no time. REAL men ride RM400's.

Yeah we do - except at the Johnny Olds my borrowed RM400c2 shook its whole engine loose...:gob:
Great bike though - and now have it to use for the VMX season as well.:yes::yes:
As for RTW everyone knows that you need lights so a PE400 is the way to go, or a 250 if you are really determined:done:

Nah, seriously DR650's are cheap as chips, reliable, simple to work on, need bugger all to get them ready for the trip, and parts are readily available for spares, repairs, and farkling.
Buy 2 now and get out there practicing for the biggie (make all us armchair adventurers jealous!) See you round - either on wellington ride outs or kapiti coast ride outs?

[rocketman1]

If you have no experience much on any of these bikes I would not attempt a very long adventure without trying all these bikes out for a while.
You can hire most of these bikes from hire places, its worth hiring each for a day or so ride them from dawn till dusk, then make your choice.

A thousand bucks spent doing this will pay off in the long run.

I would say comfort is one of the big pluses, all the bikes you mention are reliable, some better for road than off . Make yourself a list of priority's starting from 10 down to 1 and then give each a score.
You wont find a bike that does everything. I would say that the 1200GS with knobblies is probably the best all rounder if you can afford one
But if your mainly off road I would certainly be looking at fuel range, as it is a long way between pump stations in the outback. No point in having a 1000cc when you wont be needing all the power and the 400 will do twice the range.?
You have alot of thinking to do, between now and then. Good luck

[Padmei]

I've not done any long trips so won't advise however I would say no matter what bikes you take, something at some stage will prob break. 'Wow' you say 'totally insightful statement Padmei'

If you have watched 'African Oddysey" & "THe Last Hurrah" you will have noticed that in the middle of nowhere these guys got parts mended with fairly primitive means by Western Standards. The Last hurrah was a road trip on aPanther & old Norton.The more primitive the bike, the easier they are to repair.
There was a couple of articles n Kiwirider I think of a couple that travelled thru Russia etc with DRs on the smell of an oily rag that ended up spending something like $50K ish

[bart]

I'd go the KLR (yes, from a DR rider :shutup:). Most of what you'll be doing will be on well formed roads, so the extra comfort for the long distance would be great. They're already tricked out with a big tank etc, and almost light enough to be capable in the small amount of 'off road' stuff you'd do.

My 2 c :innocent:

man....am I going to get shit for saying this.

[Squiggles]

I'd go the KLR (yes, from a DR rider :shutup:). Most of what you'll be doing will be on well formed roads, so the extra comfort for the long distance would be great. They're already tricked out with a big tank etc, and almost light enough to be capable in the small amount of 'off road' stuff you'd do.

My 2 c :innocent:

man....am I going to get shit for saying this.


<img src="http://afrocityblog.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/traitor.jpg"></img>

[dino3310]

Bart your starting to sound a little Bi

[Woodman]

Bart Bart Bart, had a feeling you knew what you were talking about.

By saying the klr won't handle the rough stuff, what do you mean? the bike will rattle apart or that they can't be ridden off road?

My 2 cents is that a klr can be ridden off road and in some pretty shitty terrain too, and while there are a few fragile bits on them its all cosmetic, and if you were doing a rtw I would assume you would grease and loctite everything anyway.

DR or KLR or whatever really.

[warewolf]

Dollars aside:

Smooth roads in Europe... litre-class twin would be best/most fun, but really there's no need for an adventure bike, pick your favourite road bike.

Back blocks of Mongolia, Russia, Africa... thumper single (esp. DR/KLR) best by far. Spend the money to get the suspension rebuilt to suit.

As well as advrider.com, see Horizons Unlimited (http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/) esp. the "Bike Stuff" section, and similar RTW sites.

[Gremlin]

owning a ktm Supermoto and having broken sump bolts, lost several bolts from vibrations, broken the rear sub frame twice, and still riding NZ roads, I can't say I'd do rtw on a ktm... I see the gs as a globetrotter, but make no mistake, its a huge bike.

[dino3310]

i stick with my original choice TDM:Punk:

end of the day mate the bike you most comfortable on will be saffice, the bike can be adjusted to suit the ride your planning

[JATZ]

end of the day mate the bike you most comfortable on will be saffice,

I think that sums it up best. :yes:

[pete376403]

Jo and Gareth Morgan, who could probably afford any bikes they wanted, choose relatively simple, relatively lightweight single cylinder bikes for their trips. Reading their ride reports suggests they have had mostly trouble free rides.
Ewan and Charlie on the other hand used the biggest, heaviest, most complex bikes available. They did however have the advantage of a full backup support team, truckloads of spares and a full time mechanic riding with them.

Personally I'd prefer the Morgan approach (but on a KLR)

[richyrich]

Jo and Gareth Morgan, who could probably afford any bikes they wanted, choose relatively simple, relatively lightweight single cylinder bikes for their trips. Reading their ride reports suggests they have had mostly trouble free rides.
Ewan and Charlie on the other hand used the biggest, heaviest, most complex bikes available. They did however have the advantage of a full backup support team, truckloads of spares and a full time mechanic riding with them.

Personally I'd prefer the Morgan approach (but on a KLR)

+1,but i would go with the dr as it is a bit more forgiving if you drop it.
coming back from the cape york last year ,met up with 3 kiwis on a couple of occasions ,2 late model klrs and a transalp and by the time they got to laura,both the klrs radiators had split open from the corrigations(sp)

just my 2c

[jafar]

interesting how this turned into the usual kwakasucki & spewzuki pissing contest :blink:

The DR 650 is a throwback to the 70's, it is an agricultural machine @ best & not the best option for long distance (RTW) riding without spending a lot of cash on getting it up to spec.:shutup:
The KLR 650 is only slightly better, a budget bike for those that don't know any better. Dohicky kinda says it all :innocent:

As it stands the BMW F650 G/S , F650 Dakar or G650 G/S is arguably the best option for what the thread starter has in mind.
Ask a simple question, why are most of the hire bikes in this size BMW & NOT Suzuki or Kawasaki ??

[Padmei]

Funny thing is - I've never been on a ride with anyone riding a BMW 650. Must be plenty around ...Where are they? Rental companies own them all?

[clint640]

i

As it stands the BMW F650 G/S , F650 Dakar or G650 G/S is arguably the best option for what the thread starter has in mind.
Ask a simple question, why are most of the hire bikes in this size BMW & NOT Suzuki or Kawasaki ??

Until the fuel pump shits itself, the electrics crap out, the back shock explodes & the forks break in half :shit: :laugh:

The beemers are actually not bad, comfy & a very reliable motor, the thing that puts me off is the weight of them, for many people, especially women, they break the golden rule: thou shalt be able to pick up yer own 'sickle. Some twin cyl adv bikes are lighter.

The reason most hire bikes that size are BMW's is cos that's what people want to hire. It is also worth noting that you are not usually allowed to take your hire bike off the tarseal.

Cheers
Clint

[Oscar]

interesting how this turned into the usual kwakasucki & spewzuki pissing contest :blink:

The DR 650 is a throwback to the 70's, it is an agricultural machine @ best & not the best option for long distance (RTW) riding without spending a lot of cash on getting it up to spec.:shutup:
The KLR 650 is only slightly better, a budget bike for those that don't know any better. Dohicky kinda says it all :innocent:

As it stands the BMW F650 G/S , F650 Dakar or G650 G/S is arguably the best option for what the thread starter has in mind.
Ask a simple question, why are most of the hire bikes in this size BMW & NOT Suzuki or Kawasaki ??

I could care less about Kawasakis or Suzukis, but I can tell you that an F650 is not an adventure bike - I owned one.

If you take an F650 beyond anything more than easy gravel, you'll find that they're too heavy (and worse, top heavy), too peaky, too easy to break, expensive to fix and simply not fit for purpose.

[Transalper]

Same here, I owned an F650GS and I can tell you even the Transalp I had after was an easier bike to ride in the rough although it was harder to pick up.
The F650 had just more mechanical and electrical faults than the rest of my bikes and it was harder to work on.

[Oscar]

Same here, I owned an F650GS and I can tell you even the Transalp I had after was an easier bike to ride in the rough although it was harder to pick up.
The F650 had just more mechanical and electrical faults than the rest of my bikes and it was harder to work on.

The fact that it was covered in torx heads was an indication that they didn't want you to work on it...

[thepom]

Africa twin or TDM ARE MY BET....AND THE MIGHTY XT600.......

[NordieBoy]

XLR125.

So easy they'll even ride themselves.

Right Will?

[trustme]

interesting how this turned into the usual kwakasucki & spewzuki pissing contest :blink:

The DR 650 is a throwback to the 70's, it is an agricultural machine @ best & not the best option for long distance (RTW) riding without spending a lot of cash on getting it up to spec.:shutup:
The KLR 650 is only slightly better, a budget bike for those that don't know any better. Dohicky kinda says it all :innocent:

As it stands the BMW F650 G/S , F650 Dakar or G650 G/S is arguably the best option for what the thread starter has in mind.
Ask a simple question, why are most of the hire bikes in this size BMW & NOT Suzuki or Kawasaki ??

There are 2 schools of thought.

1 / Beemers are the ultimate in comfortable, all roads , long distance touring motorcycles, with the best backup in farkles like Touratech to further improve their capability . True

2/ Beemers are no more reliable than anything made by most of the other manufacturers especially the Japanese. When they die [ and they do ] it will usually be in a place far from the factory approved workshop with the required diagnostic equipment to find it's way through Canbus & 3 on board computers . Without that you are pretty much buggered. Seen it twice in NZ never mind the back of bum fuck

I suspect the NZ rental market is driven by Ewen & Charlie wannabes living their dream. Nothing wrong with that , it is what it is.

In Mongolia or India, agricultural is your friend , after all they still drive Morris Oxfords because they are so reliable which really means easy fix.

[jafar]

Until the fuel pump shits itself, the electrics crap out, the back shock explodes & the forks break in half :shit: :laugh:

The beemers are actually not bad, comfy & a very reliable motor, the thing that puts me off is the weight of them, for many people, especially women, they break the golden rule: thou shalt be able to pick up yer own 'sickle. Some twin cyl adv bikes are lighter.

The reason most hire bikes that size are BMW's is cos that's what people want to hire. It is also worth noting that you are not usually allowed to take your hire bike off the tarseal.

Cheers
Clint


I could care less about Kawasakis or Suzukis, but I can tell you that an F650 is not an adventure bike - I owned one.

If you take an F650 beyond anything more than easy gravel, you'll find that they're too heavy (and worse, top heavy), too peaky, too easy to break, expensive to fix and simply not fit for purpose.


There are 2 schools of thought.

1 / Beemers are the ultimate in comfortable, all roads , long distance touring motorcycles, with the best backup in farkles like Touratech to further improve their capability . True

2/ Beemers are no more reliable than anything made by most of the other manufacturers especially the Japanese. When they die [ and they do ] it will usually be in a place far from the factory approved workshop with the required diagnostic equipment to find it's way through Canbus & 3 on board computers . Without that you are pretty much buggered. Seen it twice in NZ never mind the back of bum fuck

I suspect the NZ rental market is driven by Ewen & Charlie wannabes living their dream. Nothing wrong with that , it is what it is.

In Mongolia or India, agricultural is your friend , after all they still drive Morris Oxfords because they are so reliable which really means easy fix.

In the 2 years I owned an F650 I never had an issue with it, the bike isn't perfect, but is still a better option than the DR 650 or the KLR 650 IMHO.

[pete376403]

In the 2 years I owned an F650 I never had an issue with it, the bike isn't perfect, but is still a better option than the DR 650 or the KLR 650 IMHO.

What sort of roads was it used on? It may well be a better option than the DR / KLR for good condition paved road riding.

A 650 Dakar I used had a very nice seat, pretty average power and pretty crap suspension for a bike that was advertised as an adventure bike, especially at near twice the price of the DR/KLR alternatives

[Woodman]

The price difference between a DR/KLR and a BMW Behemoth would be a big factor to me.

You can get a lot of riding/gas/accomodation/food/russian concubines/beer etc for the $20k or so difference.

But again we's all different.

[Bass]

In the 2 years I owned an F650 I never had an issue with it, the bike isn't perfect, but is still a better option than the DR 650 or the KLR 650 IMHO.

When I went shopping before heading to Oz a couple of years back, it was with little or no bias as I knew nothing at the time (and that hasn't changed much, I know).

If I put price to one side, I would agree with your opinion until I got 500 km away from the nearest workshop and 200km away from the nearest person. Out there I think you are wrong.
So, as others have said, it all comes down to what sort of riding you want to use it for.

However, having said that and without backing away from it, we did meet a guy on an F650 who was going to all the rough places, had been on the road for over 2 years and had the most heavily laden bike I have ever seen. He estimated its loaded weight at 320 kg (before he got on).

[Padmei]

The price difference between a DR/KLR and a BMW Behemoth would be a big factor to me.

You can get a lot of riding/gas/accomodation/food/russian concubines/beer etc for the $20k or so difference.

But again we's all different.

To many people $25-30K isn't a lot of money for a toy. Look at how many flash utes there are out there worth $30 -50+K

[marty]

I'm not sure about all the statements about 'do around oz first' and 'xyz bike won't handle it'

plenty of great stories about guys and girls just getting on their bike and riding the fucking thing - russia, south america, asia, whereever.

get a simple machine that you can afford, and ride it.

[DR650gary]

I'm not sure about all the statements about 'do around oz first' and 'xyz bike won't handle it'

plenty of great stories about guys and girls just getting on their bike and riding the fucking thing - russia, south america, asia, whereever.

get a simple machine that you can afford, and ride it.

What he said.

I have spend days tooling around Thailand on scooters and step throughs from 50 to 250 cc. All were good, some were better but reliability is the key for any trip and lighter is better, especially when you are up to your axles in sludge. I know.

No best bike, I like them all.

I do envy you the trip though :yes:

[dino3310]

Decisions decisions..... fuck it mate get a land cruiser with a winch :rofl:

[jafar]

What sort of roads was it used on? It may well be a better option than the DR / KLR for good condition paved road riding.

A 650 Dakar I used had a very nice seat, pretty average power and pretty crap suspension for a bike that was advertised as an adventure bike, especially at near twice the price of the DR/KLR alternatives

The BMW was used to travel across the USA, mainly on paved & gravel roads . We got into some fairly remote places. Your right about the power, but it is adequate for the intended use. the suspension was ok for solo riding that I was doing.
BMW 650 comes with a lot of stuff as standard that the KLR/ DR bikes just don't have. That should be factored in when comparing list prices.

[fleebag4@]

You'll see me about as i ride up that way alot on my SV650 since i have a friend that way.

My choice is between the Kawasaki and DR though i know both will need better seats, shocks and fuel tank. I just seem to get mixed reviews on the Kawasaki and the DR650 is one i lean towards as we both need to have the same bikes:scooter:

[jafar]

You'll see me about as i ride up that way alot on my SV650 since i have a friend that way.

My choice is between the Kawasaki and DR though i know both will need better seats, shocks and fuel tank. I just seem to get mixed reviews on the Kawasaki and the DR650 is one i lean towards as we both need to have the same bikes:scooter:

Have you looked at the DRZ 400 ??

[fleebag4@]

Read one his books, the Silk Road and they do have a number of problems. They only mention one major one, but they admit in the later chapters to having a few issues. I think BM had them sign a clause that the book would be edited first for obvious reasons.:blink:

[dino3310]

My choice is between the Kawasaki and DR though i know both will need better seats, shocks and fuel tank. I just seem to get mixed reviews on the Kawasaki and the DR650 is one i lean towards as we both need to have the same bikes:scooter:

could be as simple as Air Head versus water cooled............. if thats at all simple:blink:

[fleebag4@]

Haven't looked at that as i think it may b to small.

Could try sweet talk Yamaha for a bike and i'll write a book to ;):yes:

[fleebag4@]

Everyone,

Thanks for your input. Looks like it's the KLR 650 or DR650. I'm leaning toward the DR650 as i get mixed reviews on the KLR650. Both would require new shocks, seats and the DR650 a larger tank. I like both as they are simple to fiddle with which is key. Saying that, this KLR video does sell it and with a nice pannier kit

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gf1dbdNJMSc

Both bikes would have to be the same since my partner will be riding and we'll only be going as fast as each other. I'll just have to do a few test rides.:scooter:

Thanks for your help :yes:

[fleebag4@]

Just found this which seems very usefull though some of it is extreme

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/tech/suzuki/dr650prep :gob:

[Crisis management]

A suggestion, I have no idea what your off road riding skills are but why not join in the NBA ride on the 25th on your SV and get to talk and see a number of those bikes in action? Failing that persuade the welly guys to take you out on a ride somewhere. First hand experience will make a big difference.

[Crisis management]

Just found this which seems very usefull though some of it is extreme

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/tech/suzuki/dr650prep :gob:

Thats not extreme, thats about right although a couple of them I disagree with, Nordie, Bass and Bart on here should be listened too about DRs.

[NordieBoy]

Thats not extreme, thats about right although a couple of them I disagree with, Nordie, Bass and Bart on here should be listened too about DRs.

Some good stuff there but also some stuff that makes me cringe.

Alloy bolts?
Holes in air box without rejetting?
Corbin seat saves weight?
Replace alternator belt?
Larger pilot jet?
Header wrap to keep the engine cool?

Good to see some Bartman info in there too.

[Ocean1]

Sealing spoke nipples slows leaks enough to be worthwhile?

Fookin' good idea if it works.

[dino3310]

Some good stuff there but also some stuff that makes me cringe.

Replace alternator belt?
.

its next to the fan belt in front of the aircon unit

[pete376403]

Haven't looked at that as i think it may b to small.

Could try sweet talk Yamaha for a bike and i'll write a book to ;):yes:

There's a thought, never considered the 660 Tenere.
Although as a biased KLR owner I cant see what the extra $5k gets you from Yamaha other than an extra disk on the front and EFI. (a bit more ugliness, perhaps)
The 1200 would have more or less the same issues as the 1200 GS - too heavy, too complex.

[bart]

Good to see some Bartman info in there too.

Don't listen to anything I say. I don't know shit. :shit: I'm amazed my bike still works. :shutup:

[pete376403]

Another good reason to use a lower-tech bike for a RTW .
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=602168&page=30. - first post on that page.

[dino3310]

. :shit: I'm amazed my bike still works. :shutup:

thats a DR for ya:Punk:

[warewolf]

BMW 650 comes with a lot of stuff as standard that the KLR/ DR bikes just don't have. That should be factored in when comparing list prices.$12.5K (per Bass) for a fully set up DR650 including decent suspension is a long way short of the $18K for a GS-D before suspension costs, and about 30kg lighter which you're never going to fix, and has less electrickery so is probably more reliable & field repairable.

Newer is not necessarily better when durability is a factor.

[fleebag4@]

Yip, some wierd sh-t in tht list :sick:

[fleebag4@]

Whats the NBA ride?

I do agree and i want first hand knowledge from owners as it's one things to read reviews and another to ride a bike in the conditions day on end that it's built for.

I'm expecting mostly rough roads though Mongolia and some other places should be tarred. Probably 30% off road though i need to confirm the route along with making sure it's away from the touristy things and out in the wild.:mellow:

[Crisis management]

Whats the NBA ride?

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php/127419-Naki-Boys-Adventure-ride-is-all-GO

[Padmei]

Everyone,

Thanks for your input. Looks like it's the KLR 650 or DR650. I'm leaning toward the DR650 as i get mixed reviews on the KLR650. Both would require new shocks, seats and the DR650 a larger tank. I like both as they are simple to fiddle with which is key. Saying that, this KLR video does sell it and with a nice pannier kit

:

i think seriously the biggest difference between a new KLR & a DR is I find the KLR very top heavy - especially with panniers etc. There may not be that much difference if the DR has a big tank tho but it may hold the weight better lower down.
What is important to me tho is wind protection with the fairing - if I ride without my front fairing now I feel buggered after fighting the wind - I wouldn't travel long distances without one. Others don't like fairings tho so that may be a consideration when you do your test rides.

BTW I've not heard of any probs with the rear shock blowing on KLRs - Not the most hitech but adequate. i've no probs with the seat either

[pete376403]

While often the thought is bigger = better, check out this ride report on advrider.
A few guys going across China on Galaxy 250s (Looks like a Chinese built Honda knock-off) plus one other on a KTM 640.

Not easy terrain by any means, yet is wasn't the 225s that broke but the 640 - water pump seal and subframe bolts.

A good read anyway, and some superb photos

http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=614181

[Padmei]

What about DR350/ 400s with better seats?

[JATZ]

What about DR350/ 400s with better seats?

Thats wot I reakon...:blink: smaller bike, less hard on tyres and chains, easier to pick up. terra circa/mondo enduro :yes:
Yes the seat could do with a little more comfort, :mellow:
If your only planning on doing 3-500 k's a day then the little bikes are fine IMHO

[Crim]

Thats wot I reakon...:blink: smaller bike, less hard on tyres and chains, easier to pick up. :mellow:
If your only planning on doing 3-500 k's a day then the little bikes are fine IMHO

Totally agree - I did a couple of thousand k down the west coast of India when I was younger (and skinnier) - the choice was royal enfields or little 125s (from memory) - we took the little ones and thank god we did, a couple of places we had to lift the bikes over obstacles, you didn't want to go too fast, we were only travelling with day packs (wash clothes every night, stay in cheap digs and rely on locals for breakdowns) - not really adventure riding - but bloody good fun and a great way to see the country off the tourist track!:yes:

[maximumhastings]

definitely KTM 990 Adventure> croosed Africa twice on it. next best an Africa twin if you can find a decent one.

[NordieBoy]

DR 650. I've crossed NZ many times on it. :woohoo: