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#11
10-15-2012, 11:36 AM
Senior Member and Montana roustabout :)
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#13
10-15-2012, 02:27 PM
#14
10-15-2012, 04:36 PM
The DR-Z400, liquid cooled has about the same HP as the air cooled DR650. The 400 is better in the woods and the 650 for over the road. The KLR 650 is a bit big in the woods but would be nice for frost heaved back roads. The KLR would be OK for something like the Puppy Dog Route but then you'd be copying Trout. lol
The V-Strom is really not an off road bike but unpaved roads it would work fine.
There is a difference between dual sport and adventure touring. My DR-Z400 I have had 15 miles off paved road, deep in the mug up to the tank. My friends DR650 had to be lifted straight up out of a 4' deep mud hole. You can't do that with adventure touring bikes.
You can find a DR-Z400 for around $2k and the 650 for $800. Neither has change since they started building them. The 400 may be to small for you but I did recover my saddle to make it wider. The DR-Z400 is the same as a KLX400, the KLX being green.
The Ducati Terra Mostro 695 is nice at 17 large.
The V-Strom is really not an off road bike but unpaved roads it would work fine.
There is a difference between dual sport and adventure touring. My DR-Z400 I have had 15 miles off paved road, deep in the mug up to the tank. My friends DR650 had to be lifted straight up out of a 4' deep mud hole. You can't do that with adventure touring bikes.
You can find a DR-Z400 for around $2k and the 650 for $800. Neither has change since they started building them. The 400 may be to small for you but I did recover my saddle to make it wider. The DR-Z400 is the same as a KLX400, the KLX being green.
The Ducati Terra Mostro 695 is nice at 17 large.
#15
10-15-2012, 05:24 PM
#16
10-15-2012, 07:24 PM
I think you need to be clear what you want to use the bike for - if it's trips to the grocery store, down the dirt roads and onto the back country tracks, all the 650's are good, but my personal choice would be the KLR, probably because I know it better than the others that are available.
If however you're planning to do more with the bike, like serious offroad stuff, or use the bike as a twin passenger bike, I may think differently and look for more capacity.
Let's be honest, serious desert riding or attempting the Baja 1000 on any standard "out of the box" 650 isn't going to work.(and serious offroad shouldn't even be on your schedule at your age, or ours) It sure as hell isn't on mine.
If you're spending somebody else's money, buy any of the 650's, nobody makes a bad bike nowadays, and buy a kidney belt
And as I have said before, on/offroad bikes do everything OK, but don't expect them to do road or bush as well as a bike designed for the task. It won't happen. Compromises in bikes, like in most things end up being a hodge podge.
If you want a road commuter, buy a Burgman scooter - the 600 Honda scooter is also wicked.
FWIW
If however you're planning to do more with the bike, like serious offroad stuff, or use the bike as a twin passenger bike, I may think differently and look for more capacity.
Let's be honest, serious desert riding or attempting the Baja 1000 on any standard "out of the box" 650 isn't going to work.(and serious offroad shouldn't even be on your schedule at your age, or ours) It sure as hell isn't on mine.
If you're spending somebody else's money, buy any of the 650's, nobody makes a bad bike nowadays, and buy a kidney belt
And as I have said before, on/offroad bikes do everything OK, but don't expect them to do road or bush as well as a bike designed for the task. It won't happen. Compromises in bikes, like in most things end up being a hodge podge.
If you want a road commuter, buy a Burgman scooter - the 600 Honda scooter is also wicked.
FWIW
#17
10-15-2012, 07:34 PM
Hear ya Pete - mostly unpaved dirt roads up north with some logging trails - nothing
real Heavy Duty as you said or alluded to saying
- not getting any younger but I
am getting in better shape to do more these days - **** have not even hit the 1/2 C yet !
Kinda thinking Versys , Wee Strom or potentially a BMW G650 GS with ABS
Something in the 6 1/2 to 7 1/2 k range
Going to be hanging with some old friends that moved back here and will have use of their
hunting cabin up in Moosehead pretty much when ever I want - not exactly Hurricane Terrain
real Heavy Duty as you said or alluded to saying
- not getting any younger but I am getting in better shape to do more these days - **** have not even hit the 1/2 C yet !
Kinda thinking Versys , Wee Strom or potentially a BMW G650 GS with ABS
Something in the 6 1/2 to 7 1/2 k range
Going to be hanging with some old friends that moved back here and will have use of their
hunting cabin up in Moosehead pretty much when ever I want - not exactly Hurricane Terrain
Last edited by Sprock; 10-15-2012 at 07:37 PM.
#19
10-15-2012, 07:45 PM
Senior Member and Montana roustabout :)
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If that's what you're going to do, go buy a NC700X and put some more aggressive tires on it. I have a friend here in the Flathead that bought one of the first ones here in the valley and that's what he did. I even ran across him on an old logging road I was riding my ATV on a couple weeks ago... Best part about his bike is he said he gets nearly 90 mpg on the highway!
It's no serious off-roader, but he said it does surprisingly well in the mountains... FWIW
Have you thought about one of these?. MSRP of $4590
I rode one in my BRC and it was actually a pretty nice bike... Kinda like a 2 wheel ATV lol
It's no serious off-roader, but he said it does surprisingly well in the mountains... FWIW
Have you thought about one of these?. MSRP of $4590
I rode one in my BRC and it was actually a pretty nice bike... Kinda like a 2 wheel ATV lol
Last edited by montana.matt; 10-15-2012 at 07:50 PM.
#20
10-15-2012, 08:23 PM
Administrator - Retired
Hear ya Pete - mostly unpaved dirt roads up north with some logging trails - nothing
real Heavy Duty as you said or alluded to saying - not getting any younger but I
am getting in better shape to do more these days - **** have not even hit the 1/2 C yet !
Kinda thinking Versys , Wee Strom or potentially a BMW G650 GS with ABS
Something in the 6 1/2 to 7 1/2 k range
Going to be hanging with some old friends that moved back here and will have use of their
hunting cabin up in Moosehead pretty much when ever I want - not exactly Hurricane Terrain
real Heavy Duty as you said or alluded to saying
- not getting any younger but I am getting in better shape to do more these days - **** have not even hit the 1/2 C yet !
Kinda thinking Versys , Wee Strom or potentially a BMW G650 GS with ABS
Something in the 6 1/2 to 7 1/2 k range
Going to be hanging with some old friends that moved back here and will have use of their
hunting cabin up in Moosehead pretty much when ever I want - not exactly Hurricane Terrain
It's cheap, reliable, looks good, and will easily take you all of those places.
TBT has a great idea with the DRZ400, too. A good bit lighter and better in the sticks. But since you aren't going to be single tracking, you might be better off with the weight/seat of the KLR.