Newbie after some adventure biking contacts and advice

[Normlas]

Hi all,
Am a mature-ish newbie to biking (6 months and 4000km under my belt) but am really keen to get into adventure biking and travel on a bike (aka long way round). I'm keen to see if there is a group or club or someone I can contact who's also in to this in my area?

Prefer not to do pay-to-ride type tours, rather just go for a dual-sport type blast with some locals, very keen to learn and practice and I know I have loads to learn! Can someone point me in the right direction?

I'm in Auckland on the Shore.

I bought a Honda xr250 tornado because it seemed to be the tallest bike I could get in 250cc (restricted license) and at 6'4" and 110Kg all the other 250cc bikes felt like toys. So some advice on the next bike to get would be good too (3months to go and counting) , I am thinking either a dr650, ktm650enduro or the beamer G650GS or dakar, budget around 6k??

Any help would be much appreciated

[Eddieb]

Get a hold of Suzieq and check out the Auckland Gravel Riders Club.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Akd-Gravel-Adventure-Riders-Club/157663480965972

[Shewolf]

hey there - welcome to the nut house.

There is an Auckland Gravel club that's recently started monthly rides - the next one is 31st July 9.30am Westgate outside Starbucks heading North-ish. Newbs and experienced - there's a pace to suit all.

[clint640]

Welcome Mate!

There are also rides organised on this forum quite frequently & n00bs are welcome on most of them, so keep an eye on it.

Another couple of bikes to put on your list are the XR650L & the KLR650 - both of these are a better fit for a tall guy than the DR650. You might not find a KTM 650 Enduro anywhere, it's a 640 you need to look for.

Cheers
Clint

[Crisis management]

Welcome as well, as Clint said any of the rides organised here are n00b friendly, keep an eye out for a ride down the west coast which Tri-boy has promised to organise.


I'm a bit busy the next two weekends but will do a day ride soon, so watch out for that.

[tri boy]

keep an eye out for a ride down the west coast which Tri-boy has promised to organise.

The ride is still on the cards Ian, Oh, please tell Dino, that living at the new whare is fricken awesome:shutup:

[Gman71]

Hi

I'm on the shore (g'field) and ride any chance I get, often with a mate who is on a 250cc.

We head for the gravel back roads up albany, river head, puhoi, kaipara etc. You are welcome to come along anytime. Also planing a few extended trips etc

Feel free to pm me your details.

[Crisis management]

Oh, please tell Dino, that living at the new whare is fricken awesome:shutup:

What, you not talking to your mokopuna now, the white man has to run interference? :innocent:

About time for a house warming isn't it? :woohoo:

[dino3310]

The ride is still on the cards Ian, Oh, please tell Dino, that living at the new whare is fricken awesome:shutup:


What, you not talking to your mokopuna now, the white man has to run interference? :innocent:

About time for a house warming isn't it? :woohoo:

The Bastard let Kanny ride Fatty the scrambler too:crybaby:, bloody Koro Triboy got the mean as whare now bro.... CHURRRRR..... Good creek for some eels :woohoo:
nice bit of lawn for a mini track too:shutup:

hey back on topic - Welcome Normlas, take some wet gear if going on one off Crisis's rides :lol:

[Normlas]

thanks for the advice everyone - will be following up for sure, nice to see such an active community! Looking forward to becoming a part of it :)

[NordieBoy]

thanks for the advice everyone - will be following up for sure, nice to see such an active community! Looking forward to becoming a part of it :)

Just watch out for bastards with cameras :yes:

[ADVGD]

Just watch out for bastards with cameras :yes:

Like Nordieboy :shutup:

[pampa]

Hi there welcome, Buy a BM G650X Challenge one of the tallest out there mate, and one of the best adv bikes you can buy . Its better platform if you need enhancements than most others and is not expensive, maintenance schedule is 10000k.

Good luck

[Eddieb]

Hi there welcome, Buy a BM G650X Challenge one of the tallest out there mate, and one of the best adv bikes you can buy . Its better platform if you need enhancements than most others and is not expensive, maintenance schedule is 10000k.

Good luck

Unless you drop it on the gear lever huh :facepalm:

[NordieBoy]

Like Nordieboy :shutup:

You got it :yes:

[Crisis management]

hey back on topic - Welcome Normlas, take some wet gear if going on one off Crisis's rides :lol:

I saw that, I'm expecting your sorry arse to turn up whenever Brent gets organised, you have definately run out of excuses now!

[pampa]

Unless you drop it on the gear lever huh :facepalm:

not an exclusive problem of this bike tho, as its probably the only fault of the bike, also really easy to fix (and cheap). My problem was with the non-existent BM support on the matter unlike what they did on other countries.

still at 25K per litre. 53hp, 60nm torque, very good bottom end, high clearance, reliable engine ... not many bikes can beat it. Granted suspension is not great, but stock is better than DR, KLR, F650, and a bunch of others and can be enhanced too. Not for everybody but if you're tall is something to try ...

[Crisis management]

still at 25K per litre. 53hp, 60nm torque, very good bottom end, high clearance, reliable engine ... not many bikes can beat it. ...







"Cough".....ktm....."cough"





:innocent:

[NordieBoy]

"Cough".....ktm....."cough"





:innocent:

Vibes making you cough mate?

[pampa]

"Cough".....ktm....."cough"





:innocent:
Kt's are good bikes I'm sure but
reliability?, 10000K service?, 25K per litre maybe when is on a trailer ... :chase:

my point though was that Beemer is tall bike that may suit tall people

[jafar]

Hi all,
Am a mature-ish newbie to biking (6 months and 4000km under my belt) but am really keen to get into adventure biking and travel on a bike (aka long way round). I'm keen to see if there is a group or club or someone I can contact who's also in to this in my area?

Prefer not to do pay-to-ride type tours, rather just go for a dual-sport type blast with some locals, very keen to learn and practice and I know I have loads to learn! Can someone point me in the right direction?

I'm in Auckland on the Shore.

I bought a Honda xr250 tornado because it seemed to be the tallest bike I could get in 250cc (restricted license) and at 6'4" and 110Kg all the other 250cc bikes felt like toys. So some advice on the next bike to get would be good too (3months to go and counting) , I am thinking either a dr650, ktm650enduro or the beamer G650GS or dakar, budget around 6k??

Any help would be much appreciated

good luck finding a g650 for anywhere near that price:shutup:

[NordieBoy]

2nd hand DR650 to start with as it can be modded as well for under your price. Once you've decided which type of riding appeals to you more (just gravel, more trail, gnarly, 2up) then you can sell it without taking much of a hit and move on to the next step.

Or ending up keeping it as well as the XR...

[Normlas]

Hi there welcome, Buy a BM G650X Challenge one of the tallest out there mate, and one of the best adv bikes you can buy . Its better platform if you need enhancements than most others and is not expensive, maintenance schedule is 10000k.

Good luck

that BMW challenge does look the business, but also about double the budget, seems that the more run-of-the-mill BMW G650's can go for $5-7K, I like the look of this one
http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/motorbikes/motorbikes/dual-purpose/auction-392727427.htm

looks like its upto the job, the key is I got to go out and test ride a bunch and see what fits me. The xr250 I'm riding now is a bit small for me and built for neither comfort nor speed :)

[Normlas]

Hi

I'm on the shore (g'field) and ride any chance I get, often with a mate who is on a 250cc.

We head for the gravel back roads up albany, river head, puhoi, kaipara etc. You are welcome to come along anytime. Also planing a few extended trips etc

Feel free to pm me your details.

Sorry Gman, seems I am too junior to PM you! Please PM me with your details and I'll get in touch, cheers

[Eddieb]

2nd hand DR650 to start with as it can be modded as well for under your price. Once you've decided which type of riding appeals to you more (just gravel, more trail, gnarly, 2up) then you can sell it without taking much of a hit and move on to the next step.

Or ending up keeping it as well as the XR...

Given the OP's height I'd almost risk eternal damnation and suggest a KLR instead. At 5'9 I find the DR a little cramped sometimes. The KLR is a much more sizable beast.

[Night Falcon]

Just watch out for bastards with cameras :yes:


Like Nordieboy :shutup:

and Phreaky Phil/Dawn :angry:

[Crim]

Given the OP's height I'd almost risk eternal damnation and suggest a KLR instead. At 5'9 I find the DR a little cramped sometimes. The KLR is a much more sizable beast.

thanks Eddie - printed, framed and up on the garage wall

[Woodman]

Given the OP's height I'd almost risk eternal damnation and suggest a KLR instead. At 5'9 I find the DR a little cramped sometimes. The KLR is a much more sizable beast.

Not to mention the awesomeness of them, but if you are not very thick skinned then a klr is not the bike for you.

I have raising links on mine so it sits about an inch higher if they still too short. Also have tall bars and have them rolled right forward. Every other bike i ride now seems very cramped.

[NordieBoy]

Given the OP's height I'd almost risk eternal damnation and suggest a KLR instead. At 5'9 I find the DR a little cramped sometimes. The KLR is a much more sizable beast.

But with a bit of seat, footpeg and bars work...

[warewolf]

that BMW challenge does look the business, but also about double the budget, seems that the more run-of-the-mill BMW G650's can go for $5-7K, I like the look of this one
http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/motorbikes/motorbikes/dual-purpose/auction-392727427.htmAh, I see the problem. What you are talking about is an F650GS ... introduced in 1993, revised ~2000, and superseded by the next-generation G650 around 2007-ish. G650's are the new hotness, still quite rare & expensive. F650's are extremely popular and a dime a dozen.

[Taz]

F650's are soft and heavy.....

[NordieBoy]

Every other bike i ride now seems very cramped.

Most other bikes...