The Ultimate Adventure Bike

[BMWST?]

see you are already running into trouble....dirt bikes are the ultimate adventure bike.....until you want to cover some distance.....then the bike you need is too big/heavy/complex in the dirt....i think the best compromise are the early honda/yammie/bmw attempts,but updated in the suspension,accessory,electrical depts...

[Paladin]

That TerraMostro seat looks bloody appealin after my KLX's plank!
That's a mad lookin bike and weight/power wise prob great fun when trailered to a fun spot but if ya gonna do a REAL adv ride involvin distance/overnighter it doesn't look like it wants to have panniers hangin off it does it?!!!!

[Mystic13]

Your not off to Boyds this weekend cause I'm going to win lotto and by that bike or an KTM Adv.



That sounds like a CCM 644. Pitty they never made it to NZ. Sort of a DR motor in a KTM chassis, possibly better than a 640 E.

Another parts bin special bike (except for the chassis) is the Weber Rally Twin. Sounds like a very cool bike but pity about the US$68,000 price tag.

I like the idea of the bike but it will be quite a challenge and possibly cost far more than a production bike.

Cheers R

I thought there was a CCM for sale a few months ago at Mt Eden Motorcycles. It looked impressive.

[Mystic13]

Yep, it's a nice bike.
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...ht=terramostro

and the moral would be use search before posting... thanks Nordieboy

I agree with the poster on using a Ducati... I wonder how reliable that would be. Never owned one of them.

I see there is already a diverse range of opinions on what makes the best bike.

Sticking a bigger engine in a TM frame sounds like a great idea. I'd already thought about it because a TM a few years old is pretty cheap to own and comes with good suspension and USD forks.

Hospitalfood, there is no problems cooling the DR650 in hotter climates i thought they already do that in Oz with bigger coolers being an aftermarket mod.

Triboy, sounds like you've been thinking similar things. Pity you can't twist the bosses arm to let you play sooner. They letting you play makes you happier. You being happier means you'll work better. Sounds like a win-win to me. ... Okay, i'm biased but it did sound like a good story when i typed it.

[Ocean1]

DR800 motor ?

Yes. I was very tempted to acquire that one on TM last week (did it sell?) for a wee project exactly like that. It was in better nick than any donor bike should be though.

Heavy engine, but I think a design target under 140kg for a straight dirt bike is do-able. P'raps 150kg for an adv version...

[Mystic13]

So, there are a few of you around doing project bikes.

You can go out and buy a kit car and put together an individual performance machine. Why can't you buy a kit bike, buy the frame and a list of donor parts and away you go. Usually kitcar people have two options, you buy the frame and bits that they make and a list of bits you'll need or you buy the thing built up.

It would take a bit of mucking around to get number 1 sorted but after that it would hopefully be easier.

Of course like kit cars the aftermarket could be a bit thin but the bike would be more a keeper.

[NordieBoy]

My project is a 1981ish 250cc adventure bike

[marks]

its interesting that comfort hasn't been mentioned much and the focus is toward the 'knarly bits' of any adventure ride.

Given that most of any adventure ride is on tar seal or easy gravel - road comfort/enjoyment should rate highly.

My DT230 is a much more capable adventure bike than my klr but I would rather take my klr and be more comfortable 90% of the time (and more terrified 10% of the time - cant have it all).

really for a typical nz adventure ride a modified DR/KLR is pretty close to the mark as an ideal economic option for the average rider who rides solo.

[thepom]

I love my africa twin...pity its so heavy...seem s to me there are more about as I have seen two more in town lately...

[MXNUT]

its interesting that comfort hasn't been mentioned much and the focus is toward the 'knarly bits' of any adventure ride.

My DT230 is a much more capable adventure bike than my klr but I would rather take my klr and be more comfortable 90% of the time (and more terrified 10% of the time - cant have it all).

really for a typical nz adventure ride a modified DR/KLR is pretty close to the mark as an ideal economic option for the average rider who rides solo.

Remember we are talking about the ULTIMATE ADVENTURTE BIKE here, and comfort certainly has to come in to it as well as decent fuel range and reliability.

But as the ULTIMATE it should also be light and have enough power to SCARE

[CrazyFrog]

A KTM 950 SUPER ENDURO WITH A 30L SAFARI TANK.

BOYD MOTORCYCLES HAVE GOT A NEW ONE ON SPECIAL FOR $18995.00 AND WHEN I WIN LOTTO THIS WEEKEND I AM GOING TO BUY IT.

I'm with you there, buy one off the shelf and you don't have to piss around bodging something together ending up looking like a variant of Frankenstien.
Anyway, building a bike from scratch that goes like that clappers and handles well, is best left for the likes of John Britten. Few of us mere mortals are capable of engineering feats such as his.
Mmmmmmm, KTM 950 Super Enduro, mmmmmmm, Goes fast and made for the rough stuff.

[marks]

as the ULTIMATE it should also be light and have enough power to SCARE

690 Enduro with a few minor mods.

[Paladin]

690 Enduro with a few minor mods.

Haha! Was just lookin at that on TSS's website a few mins ago LOL! DOES look nice! I take it by the comments on this thread that the KTM 690 Enduro vs BMW F650GS Dakar is a no contest hands down win for the KTM then???? The BM does look sexy but everytime I see the pics of it I think those spindly front suspenders look like damage waiting to happen! Not that I'm any expert and they're real popular so presume they don't get problems in that area!

[NordieBoy]

SV650 Adventure bike

33L underseat tank

[Paladin]

SV650 Adventure bike

33L underseat tank

33L sounds lush! Nice lookin bike Fran. That's a meaty lookin frame on that sucker too. Looks like it would need some serious underside protection added tho!