Adventure bike

[Finn]

The title is so obvious because one little mistake and the mods will fuck me over.

Okay, long story short... I want a good adventure/dual purpose bike for adventure and some dual purpose. Is there only one? GS1200? After watching Ewan McGregor and his lil bitch ride these things, either they are hidious pigs or they can't ride for shit. Perhaps something more nimble and lighter.

The scenario is that it will be towed on the boring bits and used as an explorer and milk/bread runner. Two up.

What say you?

[justsomeguy]

A BMW something or Weestrom?

But since it's for you perhaps you could make it into a trike with step ladder access to the seat?

[The Big J]

errrm, pretty well anything with 650 on the badge?
Prob V-strom 650.
Or KLR or DR, or XT
You don´t need 1200 to do a milk/bread run. If you go larger than 650 you´re looking for comfort over distances, otherwise the KTM990, god there´s millions of bikes, pretty hard to be specific.

[Taz]

Yeah get the GS1200. Might find it hard to get off road tyres for it though.

[Mr. Peanut]

KTM990, WP suspension, Brembos + V-Twin. I know a guy who just sold his GS to get one.

[Transalper]

You want to know one mans opinion of why he bought and then sold a GS 1150 go ask Mr Sensable.

[tri boy]

Height, Weight, Dollars that you have to throw at it?
New, second hand?
Type of local terrain.?
Full on thrill junky, or out for a long site seeing ride?
How often ya gunna ride it. (bang for bucks)?

[NordieBoy]

2nd hand DR650?

[cowpoos]

2nd hand DR650?

the only thing finn buys second hand are his lady boy's ....lmfao!!!!

[merv]

Mate I'm one from the light weight view as far as dirt bikes go. I can't see any point owning a bike you are going to ride on the gravel or dirt with the chance of arsing off that goes with it, then you can't pick the bloody thing up. That was where McGregor and Boorman struggled and they were lucky to have a cameraman and other crew help at times.

The DR650 is the lightest of the 650 brigade (147kg) and if you are going to trailer it on the boring bits then I might even ask why not get something lighter. I take my WR250F on the organised adventure rides and that is just a hoot, you finish the long day feeling like you want to ride around again.

However 2 up is not something a WR will do as your CRF wouldn't have very well either. So that brings me back to the DR - they are cheap even. If it wasn't for the towing thing and you wanted to go further on the bike that new KLR of Quasi's looks interesting at 175kg. The BMW's are all lardy heavy. The KTM's similar if you want a good 2 up bike because the 640 never looks as comfortable as a DR for that from what I have seen.

On adventure rides me and my Bro' have rescued many a BMW rider even on 650's (195kg) if they are riding solo and arse off we've come across guys stuck under their bikes and we've had to help them. Not my idea of fun riding so much weight in the dirt.

So 2 up day riding a bit like we do some times, we use the DR and I wouldn't buy anything heavier for dirt.

Now the heavy brigade can come and give their opinion as to why their choice is right.

[terbang]

KTM 990 Adventure

[inlinefour]

The title is so obvious because one little mistake and the mods will fuck me over.

Okay, long story short... I want a good adventure/dual purpose bike for adventure and some dual purpose. Is there only one? GS1200? After watching Ewan McGregor and his lil bitch ride these things, either they are hidious pigs or they can't ride for shit. Perhaps something more nimble and lighter.

The scenario is that it will be towed on the boring bits and used as an explorer and milk/bread runner. Two up.

What say you?

That DRZ I had with a few extras including a 28 litre safari long range tank was good. Did 500+ km on one tank. Which in this country is more than enough to get to the next station. Made the bike handle somewhat different, but still pulled wheelies, just not in every gear as it did with the standard tank on.
However, it did not have pillion pegs, but I would like to think that it could handle a pillion on the back, as long as its not a whale. Had it tied down in the van several times, never moved and never spilt any fuel, which I have come accross before with other bikes, even with the tap off.
However, seeing as you appear to like the blinged out brand of toys, maybe one of those KTMs that Ewan and Charlie wanted but KTM did not want to hand out?

[NordieBoy]

The DR650 is the lightest of the 650 brigade (147kg)

159kg with 14L fuel.

[RedKLR650]

Okay, long story short... I want a good adventure/dual purpose bike for adventure and some dual purpose. Is there only one? GS1200? After watching Ewan McGregor and his lil bitch ride these things, either they are hidious pigs or they can't ride for shit. Perhaps something more nimble and lighter. The scenario is that it will be towed on the boring bits and used as an explorer and milk/bread runner. Two up.
What say you?

Someone posted that the DR was 147kgs

The ' old ' model KLR is only 153kgs and has the advantage of a 23litre tank

An auction on Tardme has just finished for a 2007 model KLR brand new from a dealer and an offer price of $8250 ( And that's BRAND NEW !! )

Cheers, Stu

[pete376403]

Someone posted that the DR was 147kgs

The ' old ' model KLR is only 153kgs and has the advantage of a 23litre tank

An auction on Tardme has just finished for a 2007 model KLR brand new from a dealer and an offer price of $8250 ( And that's BRAND NEW !! )

Cheers, Stu

Is that an advertised dry weight or a real-world-tested-on-accurate-scales weight? I think that in days gone by, some of the weights quoted in advertising must have been taken before the engine was fitted to the frame.
I know my 08 KLR is advertised at 175 dry and is 192-3 on the Interisland Ferry weighbridge with a near full tank so maybe now Kawasaki have discovered Truth in Advertising laws.