Make your own

[rok-the-boat]

I like adventure bikes and wonder, why not make/convert some - we can't all afford shiny a $20,000 KTM or Beemer. I think there are plenty of old twins out there waiting to be converted. And why not triples or fours? Probably the best 'candidtates' would be using engines from V-twin cruisers. Or an old Harley sportster! With a little effort, you could probably make yourself a really good adventurer. What would be a good base to start from in NZ? Could start a new trend here ...

[Motu]

If you can't afford a $20,000 bike.....you could buy a $2,000 street legal dirt bike....or a $200 bike.

Make your own adventure bike? Check out my avatar.....been there,done that in 1975.

[Steam]

I heard some guy cut up a GN250 and put on knobblies and it worked quite well.

[NordieBoy]

With a little effort, you could probably make yourself a really good adventurer. What would be a good base to start from in NZ?

A good start point would be a DR650.

[clint640]

Probably the weight, the width of the engine & the weakness of the frame & suspension would be the main drawbacks of building something out of an old road bike.

If you just want to do mild gravel then almost anything could be used, slap on some dirtbike bars, stiffen up the suspension & maybe chuck on a 19" front wheel with some suitable rubber. Of course by the time you've done all that you might as well have just gone out & got an old R80GS Beemer...

If you want to go the places a KTM 950 can on a budget, I'd be going with an old thumper like an XT/TT500, XR/XL 500/600 etc you just have to learn to kick the beast.

Cheers
Clint

[warewolf]

Yeah, definitely agree that any dirt-biased bike would be a good start point.

Sprotbikes seem to be unduly popular in this rugged land.

[Wolf]

My current starting point is an XT225. The range of rubber available for it is staggering - from full non-DOT knobbies to Sport Demons and everything in between.

Just needs a tail rack, pannier frames (I've already made the bags for it) and something to soften up the plank - ahh, seat. Even on my crap budget, that's "do-able" (and it's economical enough that I can also afford to go places on it on my crap budget.)

[Henk]

If all you want to do is a bit of gravel bashing anything will do. I used to ride plenty of gravel on a GS1000 suzuki, know a guy that has riden a 1400 virago out to Fletchers bay, and another who regularly did the gravel loop around Tuateawa point on an NSR250. Just bought a GSX750F and you can bet I'm not going to turn around and go home the first time I see a gravel road. I'd go as far as to say that if you are budget minded anything with wheels bigger than 16 inches and not too much plastic will do. You just may have to adjust your speed a bit.

[Wolf]

Narrow wheels and tyres help, too, on gravel.

Roj's old CB750 with its damn-near razor-blade tyres seriously owned Lias' Marauder on the track up to the Cold Kiwi camp site - Roj's wheels were digging in and giving him control while Lias' wheels were slithering across the top of the gravel like he was riding on marbles.

Even strayjuliet's Hyosung Aquila 250 has tyres that are too wide for gravel. I'm so used to the way the XT handles on gravel that taking the Hyosung through some road works was a bit of a shocker - I'd forgotten how treacherous wide tyres can be on gravel. Front and rear were both breaking loose and I had to reduce speed to a crawl - it made the more slippery sections of Kimmy's Enduro track seem stable.

Give me tyres that sink in and bite any day!

Shows how I've changed over the years - I used to hate the "razor-blades" on my RX125 in the wet and on gravel. Now I'm putting my problems with that bike on gravel down to total lack of experience and confidence on my part and count myself lucky that I was riding something like the RX and not something with fecking "car tyres" front and rear...

[rok-the-boat]

Yeah, that's more like it - GS1000, with nobblies. That's the way to make new type of adventure bike, not just from a trial bike.

[clint640]

Narrow wheels and tyres help, too, on gravel.
...

Fer sure, my old RZ350 was a good gravel rig, the VFR400 that followed it had similar power & weight but an extra 20mm of rubber at each end & it was shite off the tar.


Cheers
Clint

[Eurodave]

Well.... funny you should mention that..... cause Im doing just such a machine at the mo'
At the risk of being laughed at etc Im using a GL400 [looks like a CX500}as a base
Ive added a DT200 front end,longer back shox , dirt bike footpegs,adventure tyres ,a 2 into 1 pipe,crash bars & Givi rack/hard luggage amongst other things thus far
Its getting a cosmetic makeover using a mixture of BMW Paris Dakar ,Ducati 900SS & Guzzi NTX 750 bits & pieces
Its now got miles of ground clearance & may well turn out to be the next best thing to an R80G/S??
It should also have a decent sealed road cruising speed too

[avgas]

RG was a good off road bike, was perfect for the gravel roads round kati. Didnt put knobbs on it though - just 10mm deep shinko's.
If i were to do it all again i would either get another ts185 (80's with big round crome light) or i would get an sl230.
fazer handles good off road - but stuff throwing around a big bike - im not going to do more than 120 anyhow

[Eurodave]

Why a GL400/CX500 plastic maggot I hear you ask?
Its my 'cost effective' answer to Transalps/Africa twins, Beemer GS's etc
Well.... its a V twin, so good low down torque, has narrow tyres; good on the gravel, is water cooled , high revving & has shaft drive.
Parts seem to be plentifull & cheap & I make all my own figlass bodywork anyway
Why wouldnt ya?
Down side is that its probably too heavy & the gearing may turn out to be wrong

[CM2005]

Why a GL400/CX500 plastic maggot I hear you ask?
Its my 'cost effective' answer to Transalps/Africa twins, Beemer GS's etc
Well.... its a V twin, so good low down torque, has narrow tyres; good on the gravel, is water cooled , high revving & has shaft drive.
Parts seem to be plentifull & cheap & I make all my own figlass bodywork anyway
Why wouldnt ya?
Down side is that its probably too heavy & the gearing may turn out to be wrong

Hey Eurodave, I reckon that looks pretty cool.
Dad and i are putting together two KLR600s, and were going to put a gGPZ500 motor in one. can't beat a good dirt/tourer. Especially if you're a Dakar fiend.