Originally Posted by
Zapf
Got given a 250 Honda to ride at Wood hill.
A bit unnerved riding out the car park into the soft bits of sand.
Under GREAT instructions from Broxy, like seating forward and leaning back... and a suitable bike & (NOBBLEY tires which are new to me) I find that I can ride over loose surfaces and still have traction (more gas helps too).
Fell over 1/2 dozen times
Ripped my Goretex pants at the Knee...!!!
Gave me a good taste of what it is like riding in Sand... (literally... sand in teeth)
Today I am damm sore from the workout...
I hope riding on other surfaces are easier... and now to get a suitable bike myself to do more practice.
Felix,
Way back in this thread, Alan indicated that some gentle to moderate gravel is the probable first step that you are aiming for and may in fact be as far as it goes long term. If this is true, then just about anything with knobs on will do. The last time time I did The Long Way Round (Taupo), one guy (a very experienced one I admit) did it on a Scorpio with knobs, including all the challenge sections. Sure, a bit of extra suspension travel helps but really doesn't make that much difference until you get into the rougher stuff.
So why knock yourself around (if the foregoing is true that is)?
Sure the 250 is easier to handle but in the going we are discussing, not by a huge margin. It's real advantage is in the knarly stuff. On top of that, it will have a lower cruise speed, limited fuel range and limited luggage carrying capacity compared to any of the 600 and up machines. This will make overnighters, not impossible but certainly more spartan.
I was in the same boat as you a couple of years back and say just go get a DR, a KLR or the Beemer 650 you mentioned and just do it. I did and 5 months later did 18,000 km around outback Australia.
I'm a no talent old fart so it can't be that hard. I'm also 1.78 meters tall too.
I may not be as good as I once was, but I'm as good once as I always was.
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