Am I crazy to want to try Adventure Riding?

[Crisis management]

You should fit in well, sounds like you ride like most of us more mature riders! I don't have much to offer on 250cc bikes as I have no experience with them as adventure bikes but would be concerned with their lack of speed and comfort for longer rides, something to consider would be whether or not a rear hub cush drive is fitted, they make a huge difference to rideability.
DT230 or WR 250 are the only two I can think off that suit adventure riding (wait for more expert opinion on those, I've only trail ridden the WR).
If you want off road, look on Silver Bullet web site and do the farm rides, Rodney club has a clay based track at Dome Valley, don't ride Riverhead unless you wish to experience frustration but the Waitemata club will be starting it's Woodhill (Muriwai end) trail rides shortly and they are great fun, not as sandy as The Sandpit.
If you can perserve with The Sandpit you will become a good rider, once you learn to carry some speed the sand is far less problematic and it's a skill that transfers to most other surfaces.

[george formby]

I can vouch for the DT, absolutely adore mine, er, my girlfriends. I have not done any big tarmac miles on it & imagine it would get a bit tiring. Perfect for doing a couple of hundred k's with a trail ride in the middle. Small tank though, the gf gets about 160 km, I get considerably less.
Thing is, if another one comes up for sale it's mine! Gottit? Mine!!!!!

[Padmei]

I can vouch for the DT, absolutely adore mine, er, my girlfriends. I have not done any big tarmac miles on it & imagine it would get a bit tiring. Perfect for doing a couple of hundred k's with a trail ride in the middle. Small tank though, the gf gets about 160 km, I get considerably less.
Thing is, if another one comes up for sale it's mine! Gottit? Mine!!!!!

They go for good money tho. Struan was on at me about getting one instead of the DRZ & he may have been right- they go alright.

[dino3310]

along the lines like the crf230 i'll put the XT250 in the pot, small light and after watching Nic getting around as fast as the next bloke (and faster than some) i know its got the herbs.... lecky leg too

[NordieBoy]

The Honda CRF230 would be a nice option but its not road legal in NZ.

CRF230L is road legal. The CRF230F isn't.

A DR350 would be a very good start.
A DR250 would get you an electric start though...

[george formby]

They go for good money tho. Struan was on at me about getting one instead of the DRZ & he may have been right- they go alright.

In all fairness I think a DRZ or WR or XT etc would be easier to live with for parts availability.

[pete-blen]

There yer go....
bloody good bikes...

http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/moto...-472790937.htm

[_Shrek_]

a WR250 would suit you well, light & gets along on the HW not to bad, I have a mate that sold his 650 & got a WR250 & he does both off & on ride & the back & beyond
& adventure riding is alot more fun than up & down the tar seal

[GerryAttrick]

What about a DR350? There is one on TM but, although it looks ideal its a fair bit more than I want to pay.

Its also a bit bigger than I planned but by all accounts it seems a pretty solid bike and can probably take the odd knock which its likely to get from me. Ideally I'd like to get one for under $3k (say $2700) but I don't know if thats realistic. I don't mind if it need some work to get halfway decent. The budget won't stretch to a WR/DRZ unfortunately.

[george formby]

What about a DR350? There is one on TM but, although it looks ideal its a fair bit more than I want to pay.

Its also a bit bigger than I planned but by all accounts it seems a pretty solid bike and can probably take the odd knock which its likely to get from me. Ideally I'd like to get one for under $3k (say $2700) but I don't know if thats realistic. I don't mind if it need some work to get halfway decent. The budget won't stretch to a WR/DRZ unfortunately.

I've never ridden one but as the precursor to the DRZ they are heavier, less powerful & less well suspended. On the plus side, bullet proof, comfortable (relatively) & still a good bike for road, gravel & trail. If your not planning to do Erzberg any time soon it's a good option.
I'm in the same boat as you & the 350's are on my list. Comparable to XT's & XR's at a guess.
I had an XT 350 many moons ago & it was a great bike, went anywhere, economical, indestructible, low seat, etc. Had an XR 400 too, same kind of thing but more grunt, not as good on technical trails, though. The front end had a mind of it's own.
If you could find a well loved one of these for beer money you would be laughing.

[george formby]

El Cheapo

If I had the coin gasgas

Not sure if it's registered DR 350

[NordieBoy]

I've never ridden one but as the precursor to the DRZ they are heavier, less powerful & less well suspended. On the plus side, bullet proof, comfortable (relatively) & still a good bike for road, gravel & trail. If your not planning to do Erzberg any time soon it's a good option.
I'm in the same boat as you & the 350's are on my list. Comparable to XT's & XR's at a guess.
I had an XT 350 many moons ago & it was a great bike, went anywhere, economical, indestructible, low seat, etc. Had an XR 400 too, same kind of thing but more grunt, not as good on technical trails, though. The front end had a mind of it's own.
If you could find a well loved one of these for beer money you would be laughing.

The DR350 is better suspended (adjustable compression and rebound front and rear) and braked than the XT350.

The single carb is easier to work on too.

It's more in line with the XR350 and TT350.

The XT/TT are more revvy than the DR.

You can get big fuel tanks for the DR too.

If I didn't have the TT350, I'd have a DR350 in a heartbeat.

Unless I was given a Freeride 350 that is...

[NordieBoy]

El Cheapo

If I had the coin gasgas

Not sure if it's registered DR 350

The DR380 is quite nice. He had the auction pulled by TM for some reason last time. He was selling it as a Yamaha DR350...
The XR is a good deal and a real do-anything bike. Including a bit of racing.

[awa355]

Gerryattrick, Did you get a bike in the end? I'm in the same boat, hitting 60 years, currently got the cruiser on Turd me ( along with 1312 others).

I've decided I've gone past too many gravel turn offs in the Waikato/Waitomo and its time to go looking. I'll get a smallish ( 200-400) DR, XT type. Have advertised the 650 to sell or exchange for a trail bike same value.

A while ago a mate and I turned off at Maracopa onto the Mangatoa rd, then left onto the Pomarangai goat track, came out via Ngapaenga rd. Was great fun except a CBF 250 and a K1100 probably weren.t the best suited bikes.

Most of my riding will be on gravel roads. rather than 'off' road trail riding.

About bikes, Are the KTM's high maintanance machines, or do they goes for years like the DR's etc. ( with regular maintanance obviously ).

[george formby]

Gerryattrick, Did you get a bike in the end? I'm in the same boat, hitting 60 years, currently got the cruiser on Turd me ( along with 1312 others).

I've decided I've gone past too many gravel turn offs in the Waikato/Waitomo and its time to go looking. I'll get a smallish ( 200-400) DR, XT type. Have advertised the 650 to sell or exchange for a trail bike same value.

A while ago a mate and I turned off at Maracopa onto the Mangatoa rd, then left onto the Pomarangai goat track, came out via Ngapaenga rd. Was great fun except a CBF 250 and a K1100 probably weren.t the best suited bikes.

Most of my riding will be on gravel roads. rather than 'off' road trail riding.

About bikes, Are the KTM's high maintanance machines, or do they goes for years like the DR's etc. ( with regular maintanance obviously ).

"Wonder whats down there?" disease, bloody infectious & almost impossible to cure.