Devon TRF Group Forum

Schoe000 · Expert

Adventure bike craze

Fowlersrs · Clubman B

Following on from my post about road biking I thought id ask you guys what u think about this;

Since having my licence (not such a long time) I've not really seen biking as a great big adventure really, more of a boys toy at the weekend that me and the lads can go and have a blast on really. Now that I've had sports bikes a while and I've started off roading my opinions are changing massively. Going fast in a straight line isn't really appealing to me much anymore and doing it round bends on the road just seems like suicide really, that basically sooner or later I'm gonna get knocked off or killed!

Up until recently I'd of never considered myself an adventure biker, I dunno you get these stereotypes don't u and it just didn't seem to fit my age bracket, but I have one close mate who I often go riding with who has a tiger 800xc and I'm finding myself drawn into the idea. They just seem so versatile, don't get me wrong I know I can't green lane them as that's what my gas gas is for, but I love the idea of actually seeing more of the world, and just can't picture myself on a sports bike doing that!

Am I just bring an old man or are these bikes really starting to make an impact here in the uk?

Harty · Devon's Best

Adventure bikes as they now call them, last year out sold all other types of bikes. It's taken a while to take off, but the last 3-4 years it's gone massive if not getting too commercialised. Pick your bike wisely though as there's a huge choice and each one has big pluses and minus's. Do your homework on other forums I.E. ABR, ADV and the HUMM, huge amount if info, just to realise confuse you!

Ads · Clubman B

You could hire a XC 800 and go for a trip, it might cost you £450 but for that you can go around Scotland back down to lands end then return the bike to the travel shop in Okehampton, you will know then if its for you, and the XC is a very nice bike and getting cheaper! any way you can enjoy an adventure on what ever bike you choose as we all know its the company that really matters.

Fowlersrs · Clubman B

Schoe000 wrote:
Fowlersrs wrote:
Am I just bring an old man or are these bikes really starting to make an impact here in the uk?
Hi Jamie nope your spot on. Go for it :)
I only started Green laning 2 year ago at the age of 49. I had never been off tarmac before that manly riding cruisers and Harley's. When I started Green laning I decided almost immediately I wanted to do more, in the last two years I have ridden 1500 miles of Spanish trails and ridden to within 25 miles of China and back home. In one week I am of to France trail riding and camping for a week with Harty and a few others from the ABR site and this summer I am off to Mongolia :) love it! :)

-- Edited by Schoe000 on Thursday 28th of March 2013 08:17:55 PM

Fantastic, if u don't mind me asking, what bikes are u guys taking?

Harty · Devon's Best

On our trip, KTM690, DRZ400, G650X Challenge, XR650L. The big secret to this is weight! Too heavy a bike limits as to where you can go off road wise, plus when you have an off, it's you who has to pick it up, so anything over 650cc is a no no for me. Also you need something with a sizeable engine to sometimes do the big roads, so something that can cruise at 75-80 mph

Schoe000 · Expert

Fowlersrs wrote:
Schoe000 wrote:
Fowlersrs wrote:
Am I just bring an old man or are these bikes really starting to make an impact here in the uk?
Hi Jamie nope your spot on. Go for it :)
I only started Green laning 2 year ago at the age of 49. I had never been off tarmac before that manly riding cruisers and Harley's. When I started Green laning I decided almost immediately I wanted to do more, in the last two years I have ridden 1500 miles of Spanish trails and ridden to within 25 miles of China and back home. In one week I am of to France trail riding and camping for a week with Harty and a few others from the ABR site and this summer I am off to Mongolia :) love it! :)

-- Edited by Schoe000 on Thursday 28th of March 2013 08:17:55 PM

Fantastic, if u don't mind me asking, what bikes are u guys taking?

I am on a an Adventureized DRZ400s (reasonable cheap bike stands me in a just under 2k ) and Harty is on a KTM 690 there are a couple on Xchallenges going and a Xr650l (least that what I think it is).

Fowlersrs · Clubman B

Harty wrote:
On our trip, KTM690, DRZ400, G650X Challenge, XR650L. The big secret to this is weight! Too heavy a bike limits as to where you can go off road wise, plus when you have an off, it's you who has to pick it up, so anything over 650cc is a no no for me. Also you need something with a sizeable engine to sometimes do the big roads, so something that can cruise at 75-80 mph

This is exactly it, there's no way ud wanna one picking up a 1200 GS, are you guys gonna do a blog? Arnt u concerned about the long highway mileage on say the ktm690? I've read there's mods u can make to give them a larger oil capacity?!

KronreifTrunkenpolzMattighofen · Devon's Best

Bear in mind you can set up a an EXC 4T to do long distance runs, I will be doing a few longer trips over the summer, hence why I have got a slightly larger tank, and wider seat

The 525 is a popular option for desert rallies, but that is mainly due to weight, not engine!

KronreifTrunkenpolzMattighofen · Devon's Best

And you can get a late 90's Tenere for under £800 to have a go on.

Schoe000 · Expert

nickpdo wrote:
Bear in mind you can set up a an EXC 4T to do long distance runs, I will be doing a few longer trips over the summer, hence why I have got a slightly larger tank, and wider seat

The 525 is a popular option for desert rallies, but that is mainly due to weight, not engine!

Hi Nick I will be interested to know how it compares to the DRZ for reliability on a longer trip say 6 to 10k. What about service intervals?

KronreifTrunkenpolzMattighofen · Devon's Best

Schoe000 wrote:
What about service intervals?

16 hrs for oil & filters if racing.

But, TBH, I change my oil every 20 hrs laning, and filters (genuine) every other oil change. On long distance runs, I would be confident with 30 hrs between oil changes, but would also change filters.

Harty · Devon's Best

nickpdo wrote:
Schoe000 wrote:
What about service intervals?
16 hrs for oil & filters if racing.
But, TBH, I change my oil every 20 hrs laning, and filters (genuine) every other oil change. On long distance runs, I would be confident with 30 hrs between oil changes, but would also change filters.

So it's okay for a weekend riding otherwise you'll be changing oil and filter every 3 days

KronreifTrunkenpolzMattighofen · Devon's Best

Harty wrote:
So it's okay for a weekend riding otherwise you'll be changing oil and filter every 3 days

Just how long is this taffy dakar!!!

Harty · Devon's Best

Fowlersrs wrote:
Harty wrote:
On our trip, KTM690, DRZ400, G650X Challenge, XR650L. The big secret to this is weight! Too heavy a bike limits as to where you can go off road wise, plus when you have an off, it's you who has to pick it up, so anything over 650cc is a no no for me. Also you need something with a sizeable engine to sometimes do the big roads, so something that can cruise at 75-80 mph

This is exactly it, there's no way ud wanna one picking up a 1200 GS, are you guys gonna do a blog? Arnt u concerned about the long highway mileage on say the ktm690? I've read there's mods u can make to give them a larger oil capacity?!

No blog, just ride wink My 690 is on 5000km oil changes, in fact the 2012 690 is on 10,000km intervals. There is no mod to enlarge the oil capacity as there's no need to.

Harty · Devon's Best

nickpdo wrote:
Harty wrote:
So it's okay for a weekend riding otherwise you'll be changing oil and filter every 3 days
Just how long is this taffy dakar!!!

You'll be fine for that as it's about 10 hours riding

Ads · Clubman B

I met up with two chaps that have done a rtw trip on XR400s and said they could not think of a better bike for a long trip, and both of them own a lot of bikes, I think its the simplicity they liked so much, saying that they did have to do a bit of welding here and there, but so did the GSs on the long way round, I have a 990ADV and a husq 610 and if i was going to Mongolia i would take the 610, the big Adv bikes are ok for road touring and frie roads etc, I think most riders in the Daker use 450s, so a DRZ350 would be good for the job.

delvey91 · Devon's Best

maggotman 3000 miles oil change intervals on his 525 haha

Hoops · Elite

If the dirt version of the 690 is anything like the road-going version, it'll be an awesome bit if kit wink Trouble is mine doesn't like long stretches of road that much!

Schoe000 · Expert

Hoops wrote:
If the dirt version of the 690 is anything like the road-going version, it'll be an awesome bit if kit Trouble is mine doesn't like long stretches of road that much!

Which one do you have the R or the E?

Harty · Devon's Best

Schoe000 wrote:
Hoops wrote:
If the dirt version of the 690 is anything like the road-going version, it'll be an awesome bit if kit Trouble is mine doesn't like long stretches of road that much!
Which one do you have the R or the E?

SMC - Supermoto

Hoops · Elite

What Harty said smile Just been out for a spin and reminded what an awesome bike it is, but really needs a steering damper

hunter-gatherer · Novice

If I was going back to ride through Africa again I'd probably use a CG125 or maybe a Yam AG200 (I used an XT600E- too big). They're both bikes used in Africa so parts & knowledge are abundant. You wouldn't be able to ride very fast or far in a day, but that's 'adventure'. You have to stop at all sorts of little villages rather than just ride through on the way to a tourist attraction or big city. People are often nicer. You get a more enriching experience. If you were going to another bit of the world, find out what's used there & get one of those.

Pete · Devon's Best

Sound advice. Ed march rode a C90 around the world without issues. Give you time to look at the scenery.

Nick Sanders says he has gone round the world so fast he saw none of it.

snasher · Clubman B

I got the bug for off road a few years ago and TRF members like Harty and Gruff were great for organising mini-green lane camping adventures around Devon and advice on DRZ's. I think the DRZ400 is almost the perfect all rounder for adventure riding.

I did the HUMM on mine and the story is on this site:-

http://devongtrf.activeboard.com/t38293543/horizons-unlimited-mountain-madness-2010-plus-part-2-3/

Harty, I was just reminiscing the other night with a mate about that weekend circle of Devon you organised in 2010 - you TTR250, me & Gruff DRZ400's etc. I will have to do another one of those.

Doing the IOM TT this year and then the VFR goes and the off roader is back in the garage. Can't wait.