What bike / BMW or Vstrom/ to start with?

[logicnz]

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Hi all

what advice can you give me?

i am looking for an all rounder bike, like

Gs 650 bmw

DL 1000 / 650 vstrom

or like but am unsure what other choises are out there?

can you guys give any advice?

thanks

[ManDownUnder]

Heaps of advice in here... but a few q's to start with

How tall are you?
What do you want to do (road,trail,dirt, all, etc)
Commute or fun bike?
Budget?

edit - I am assuming the licence and experience side of things means riding a bigger bike is safe and legal....

["D" FZ1]

Yamaha XT660X Motard is a good fun all round bike.

[Bartman10]

What are you going to do?

If you really want the option to go anywhere, consider more of a dirt bike, eg DR 250/400/650

If you want to do mostly on road with the odd off road bit the BMW650 Dakar seems pretty good. Quite a number of adventurers have had problems with the ABS and electrics though.

In my opinion the DL v-strom is really a road bike. Good for long hauls down the main line, but not much good for getting dirty. It's far too big and heavy. Same with the 1100 GS.

I've stepped off a GSX-R750 onto a DR650 and I'm really enjoying it. It's quite slow (1000-120 kph typical cruising) but very capable and ultra simple mechanically, which is an important feature of any adventure bike.

Honda make an XL and Yamaha the XT equivalent of the DR

The Honda transalp is also worth considering.

Go for a test ride and find out. Also check this thread:

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...ad.php?t=33922

[sels1]

It depends on what your prime useage is. If you want a comfortable road bike that you can take on gravel roads and tracks, then the F650BMW or Vstrom or Transalp are all good. If you want a compentent trailbike that is street legal then go for the DR Suzuki/XT Yamaha/XR Honda etc

Test as many as you can find....see what one fits best

[XP@]

My vote is for the Transalp, check my profile.

They can hold their own on the road, long distance they rock!
Gravel = Fun.
I wouldn't want to learn off road riding on one, but given some experience and some chunky rubber they can get you there just as easily as any of the other bikes you mention.

I was torn between the DL650 and Transalp deciding factor was the TA's proven design

[logicnz]

Thanks Chaps

I am 6' 3" tall

I am mainly looking for a bike that will do 85% road and the rest just messin about.

I took the DL1000 for a ride in rotorua and I thought was excellent. still going to give the transalp a go.

Also KLE 500 looks like it could be good off road

am riding a GSX 400 F at the moment but like the idea of a more upright riding position as I fancy touring around the south island and I could sit on the DL1000 all day

The only thing I can see on the vstrom is the ground clearance is not huge, but saying that, I am not a real off road rider, I just like the idea of having a bike that can do most things.

Will let you know what i get

have about $12K - $15K for xmas

Thanks again

Andy

[Jantar]

I am mainly looking for a bike that will do 85% road and the rest just messin about.

Ok, Now that you have elaborated on your riding style I feel more able to comment.

Either the VStrom or the BMW will comfortably handle 85% road. I have a 1 km long gravel drive to negotiate during my 10 km commute to work, and I like getting up in the Central Otago hills on the dirt roads and tracks. So I tend to be around 80 - 85% sealed roads 10 - 15% gravel roads and around 5% dirt. My VStrom handles the sealed roads almost like a sports bike, takes the gravel really well, is slightly difficult in rocky terrain, is very difficult on a muddy surface, and almost impossible on sloping wet grass.

However I am riding on Bridgestone Battlewings which are very road orientated. Changing to a chunkier tyre would help with the off road riding, but would make the bike less stable for high speed road cruising. I have owned over 20 bikes (road and dirt) and the big Strom is the most versatile of any I've ever ridden.

[NordieBoy]

Go have a ride on a DR650.

[White trash]

650 V-Strom. If you can get past the looks. Fucken cool bikes to ride, comfy for touring, fine for gravel roads, handle well enough to "scratch" on.

Wicked fun!

[Devil]

Yeah, what he said. I thought the 650 Strom was an awesome do-it-all bike. Haven't ridden the 1000 yet, but it's still in the top spot for the next bike.

[Ruralman]

To me (I'm about 6ft2") the Transalp has been a very good all rounder in much the same way that Jantar sums up his V Strom. Sometime soon Honda must be due for another reincarnation of the Transalp which will update it in all the ways that the Suzuki has crept ahead - fuel injection, 6 sp box and possibly better wind deflection (but that ones pretty debatable as to whether the V strom Standard screen is much good) with an adjustable screen. Other than these things the T/A is a superb bike.
I personally have reservations about whether the 90 degree twin is the right configuration for an adventure bike due to the bits hanging out the front down low which could be vulnerable on a rocky river crossing. There are plusses and minuses to the alloy wheels - the pluses being tubeless tyres than a temporary fix can be done using those push in thread things - great in a remote location. the down side is possibly a spoked wheel is better in continuous jarring conditions as it provides more give (and why trail bike all use them).
The Transalp is a well proven unit with a global fan club of happy users and the reptutation of being one of the most reliable bikes you can buy. I am really looking forward to seeing what Honda do to update it and when.
The other big decider for me is how often you will have a pillion or heavy loads of luggage. If this is going to be reasonably regular, or you have a long two up trip planned then the 1000 cc would have to be a big consideration as it just makes it so easy. The 650's, either V Strom of Transalp will do it OK, but you notice the load when passing or pulling up the big hills etc. If you are almost always solo then the 650's the way to go unless you also want to keep up with your sportsbike mates - license risks are a big factor nowadays!!
If Santa Claus gave me a big cheque to spend on a new one - well it actually wouldn't be either of these it would be a KTM 950

[Hillbilly]

As an option there's also the Cagiva Navigator which has the same TL1000-based engine, the Cagiva Canyon 600 if you like singles, or the Kawasaki Versys with the ER-6 engine.

[NordieBoy]

That Cagiva Canyon does look nice.

[logicnz]

Thanks again

I am off to Auckland this saturday to have a look around, the KTM Adventure is cool, but its a sh1t load of money. $22k new and second hand ones are like rocking horse pooh to find

I also looked at a XL1000, this bike is huge, nearly a GS1200

Can you chaps surgest any bikes to look at and in what shop?

i have a friend also looking for a new SV1000.

on another note,

do you know of any DVD's or books i can get to learn how to do repairs? just general stuff, flat tyres etc?

you guys have been a great help

many thanks

have a great safe xmas