Which trail bike bike is the best for my adventure?

[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

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

[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...
Great bike though - and now have it to use for the VMX season as well.
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

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 ). 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

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

[Squiggles]

I'd go the KLR (yes, from a DR rider ). 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

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

[dino3310]

Bart your starting to sound a little Bi