What do you think is the best light weight adventure motorcycle in 400 CC - 700 CC category. This should be able to do intermediate level off-roading and touring. We are not counting dirt bikes because they are not suitable for carrying luggage and touring. Something that is tough and can take abuse and also easy to maintain.
donzden
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Because Rollin posted his pic. Lily the KE100 did the trip on the back of my camper van. Lily does not like gravel, and is the wrong bike for that type of road.
The 450 and 650 Suzuki singles. The 650 Suzuki twin. Everyone loves them. The 300 Honda single, the 500 KTM single and the 790 KTM twin. Weight is the enemy of most everything, especially bumpy roads.
We also need to differentiate between gravel roads, and off road. A decent 250 will work fine off road, around 220 pounds. Again it will depend on the difficulty of the terrain. Your ability to lift the bike over objects in the way, may also be a factor.
The 450 and 650 Suzuki singles. The 650 Suzuki twin. Everyone loves them. The 300 Honda single, the 500 KTM single and the 790 KTM twin. Weight is the enemy of most everything, especially bumpy roads.
We also need to differentiate between gravel roads, and off road. A decent 250 will work fine off road, around 220 pounds. Again it will depend on the difficulty of the terrain. Your ability to lift the bike over objects in the way, may also be a factor.
Attachments
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On the back of my camper van. We drove the same road as Rollin. 500 miles, one way, of very bumpy gravel and slush and sticky stuff. Destroys small cages. Makes things seize in place. Causes many crashes.Krusty, did that arrive there via your Sailboat???? 😁
Sam
Since returning I have been doing a lot of work on my van. Will be mostly paved roads from now on. Wyoming in 024.
An after thought. The boat motor quit early this year. It is on my list of things to do and fix.
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When did it become an adventure, to ride a motorcycle?
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Off pavement is a good description, as opposed to off road.
I usually say gravel roads, and the jungle. Bush in NZ. Of course some places have impossible jungle areas, and some places have easy to ride off road areas.
We used to ride street bikes on gravel roads. But the bikes weighed a lot less. The GS1250 BMW was too heavy IMO, for the gravel; road to the Arctic. They crashed a lot. The faster bikes were a 300 Honda dirt bike, the KLR650 Kawasaki, a KTM500, and bikes like yours, the 650 twin Suzuki.
Many opted for larger bikes for the pavement part of the journey, then regretted it after crashing. A KTM 790 went well, ridden by a local cop. But he is not an average framed guy.
None of the bikes I have mentioned, would be good for serious off road riding, IMO.
Rather than an adventure, or fun, I would describe a tough cross country race of fifty miles, as the hardest thing I have ever done. It does get easier with experience. But it can be very hard on the body.
I usually say gravel roads, and the jungle. Bush in NZ. Of course some places have impossible jungle areas, and some places have easy to ride off road areas.
We used to ride street bikes on gravel roads. But the bikes weighed a lot less. The GS1250 BMW was too heavy IMO, for the gravel; road to the Arctic. They crashed a lot. The faster bikes were a 300 Honda dirt bike, the KLR650 Kawasaki, a KTM500, and bikes like yours, the 650 twin Suzuki.
Many opted for larger bikes for the pavement part of the journey, then regretted it after crashing. A KTM 790 went well, ridden by a local cop. But he is not an average framed guy.
None of the bikes I have mentioned, would be good for serious off road riding, IMO.
Rather than an adventure, or fun, I would describe a tough cross country race of fifty miles, as the hardest thing I have ever done. It does get easier with experience. But it can be very hard on the body.
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