Which dual purpose bike with sooo many choices?

**thepom** · 31st October 2010, 16:01

Bin the girlfriend and buy what you want....

**JATZ** · 31st October 2010, 16:32

Is this what your after ?
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Mo...-327019247.htm

**Baldyman** · 31st October 2010, 17:14

Originally Posted by waynzz7

Sounds like what I am after

..What rims do you have for the road? are they from an SM model or another bike?? Also how does it handle on the open road? is it comfy and fun or boring..

I have some old Katana wheels that have been machined to fit with spacers and a larger front disc with a bracket to move the front brake. Smaller sprocket makes it a bit better for road use.

It is ok for rides around 200 to 300kms in a day. The seat gets a bit much and with only a 5 speed transmission.... it could use a sixth gear.

**waynzz7** · 31st October 2010, 17:35

Originally Posted by thepom

Bin the girlfriend and buy what you want....

Until the female version of a Ducati 1098s walks in the door..I think I will keep the g/f in my garage

..She is far better than a scooter but not quite a Ducati yet...Anyway who's first bike was a Ducati 1098s..just working my way up

**oldrider** · 31st October 2010, 18:13

Originally Posted by waynzz7

Cheers..Looking for something a bit smaller that I can throw around on a trail and the road..Have the vtr1000 for the longer distance stuff..Just looking for a smaller fun machine...Anyone have a 09-10 WR250r? looked at one of these but worried it won't have the grunt to keep me excited...nothing worse than a boring slow bike..

Sorry, didn't notice vtr1000, wasn't being smart about that!

**waynzz7** · 31st October 2010, 18:15

Anyone have any thoughts about a 2002-04 yamaha TT6ooR??

**Oscar** · 31st October 2010, 18:49

Originally Posted by bart

The KTM525 is a great bike, but I'm not prepared to spend all that time on maintenance. Initial cost is about 1.5 times that of a jap bike, and the service intervals are way too short for my liking. 1500km?? that's crazy shit.

Now a 690, that could be tempting, but 17K new?????????

Stick an oil cooler on it, and you increase the oil capacity by half again.
690 - too big, too complicated.

**XF650** · 31st October 2010, 19:05

Waynzz7
This is in your home town - nothing to loose to take it for a ride.
I had a sit on it last week & it's well set up.
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/List...x?id=313290703

**Willdat?** · 31st October 2010, 19:10

Originally Posted by XF650

Waynzz7
This is in your home town - nothing to loose to take it for a ride.
I had a sit on it last week & it's well set up.
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/List...x?id=313290703

And just so he knows it's really a DRZ-400 dressed up green...

**Oscar** · 31st October 2010, 19:12

Originally Posted by XF650

Waynzz7
This is in your home town - nothing to loose to take it for a ride.
I had a sit on it last week & it's well set up.
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/List...x?id=313290703

That is cool.

I used a DRZ400EK as an adventure bike for a while.
It was very good, and that screen would make it better.

**Waihou Thumper** · 31st October 2010, 19:19

Originally Posted by waynzz7

Anyone have any thoughts about a 2002-04 yamaha TT6ooR??

OK but bigger tanks are rare! Acerbis did do them, but that was yonks ago. Safari - Nope, IMS - standard only, Just Gas Tanks - Nope.....

**Waihou Thumper** · 31st October 2010, 19:21

Originally Posted by XF650

Waynzz7
This is in your home town - nothing to loose to take it for a ride.
I had a sit on it last week & it's well set up.
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/List...x?id=313290703

Nice bike.... The front of it looks like a wizard....
Good set up and ready to go...

**Oscar** · 31st October 2010, 19:55

Originally Posted by waynzz7

Anyone have any thoughts about a 2002-04 yamaha TT6ooR??

Kick start.
I had to start one for an exhausted owner once - apparently can be difficult to start when: hot/wet/damp/cold/just been lying on side/wrong phase of the moon....

**CrazyFrog** · 31st October 2010, 20:13

I think what bike you end up buying depends on your spending budget, after all, we all want the best bang for our hard earned bucks.
I've owned a 2002 Yamaha XT600, same motor as TTR600, bulletproof but slow on the highway. As heavy as a DR650 too.

Sold that and bought a KTM 640 Adventure, great bike with normal service intervals, fantastic suspension, motor is a little vibey, but most owners see past this, and enjoy the better aspects of the 640A.
I bought a road legal DRZ400E (trail version) while I had the 640A, as an extra play bike which was still capable of moderate road km's, yes the seat is a plank, but it is fixable if you wish. These bikes are bulletproof too, 4000km service intervals, and good fun, even tho they are heavier than most enduro bikes onthe dirt (130kgs). Bloody good all rounder.

Sold the DRZ to a mate, and bought a KTM 450EXC, fuck me, what a differnce, very light, tons of power, and gear it any way you please. Yes, service intervals are 1500-2000km for adventure riding styles, more if used as enduro or race bike, but once again, it's the old horses for courses debate. Plank of a seat too, but I mostly rode it for less than 2 hours, so not an issue. Fuel range is lowish with the standard tank, but I invested in a larger tank for better range.
Which brings me to my latest, the 525EXC, only bought it because it was a good deal and I wanted a bit more torque for any possible(probable) road miles. Essentially the same bike as the 450 with a bigger donk, light as, only 110kg, so good for trail work etc. Love it.

To sum it up, look at what territory you'll be most likely to ride, and make the call, buy the bike you are passionate about.
Weight it up.... bike ability vs comfort vs weight vs fuel range vs grin factor.
After all, you already have a good road bike, VTR's are sweet. Get a trailie and have the best of both worlds.
Get the KTM! In fact, buy mine! (It's the 450 EXC-R in Nelson on TM)