Dual Purpose Bikes - Input Wanted

Nigel Allen wrote:
>
> Hi Guys
>
> My S.O. and I are looking at a pair of (identical) dual purpose bikes
> sometime this year. Aim is to do some (more) touring/rallying in Aus and
> then later some overseas long distance stuff. Big dream is one of the
> long ones. India to the UK, UK to South Africa and maybe Canada down to
> TDF.
>
> Problem is that my S.O. is a little vertically challenged (166cm) so the
> original idea of a pair of R1200GS won't work. I'm thinking maybe a
> couple of earlier R80 G/S or even the later GS might be the go.
>
> Requirements include:
>
> They have to be tried, tested and tough and not mind being bounced off
> the scenery a few times.
>
> They have to be low-tech and capable of being cobbled back together in
> somewhere like Ulan Bator by the local blacksmith.
>
> They have to have easily obtainable spares.
>
> They need to be on the light side of heavy.
>
> They have to be simple to maintain.
>
> Any input/suggestions short of taxidermy (or trading her in) gratefully
> accepted.

Well, Nigel, a few years ago now, I followed a bloke on a C90 Honda into
Mt.White cafe. He had a pommie plate on the back of the bike.

Chatted to him, and it turns out that he had done quite a few of the
trips you are dreaming of, on this C90 stepthru.

He reckoned that more or less any place, you could get bits, and keep a
wee Honda running.

Given a choice of picking up a horizontal C or CT90, or a BMW (any
model) I know which I'd prefer.

So, while it's not what I think you wanted, I'd suggest buying a pair of
postie bikes.

regards,
CrazyCam
 >> Stay informed about: Dual Purpose Bikes - Input Wanted 

In aus.motorcycles on Fri, 11 Jan 2008 08:19:50 +1100
Nigel Allen <"dna at edrs dot remove this com dot au"> wrote:
>
> Problem is that my S.O. is a little vertically challenged (166cm) so the
> original idea of a pair of R1200GS won't work. I'm thinking maybe a
> couple of earlier R80 G/S or even the later GS might be the go.
>

Do you really need dual sport?

Think about it very carefully. What roads would you be on? I have
done a lot of lousy potholed gravel with fords and sand on a 1975 Moto
Guzzi. I could flat foot that bike (I'm 5'2") and that helped a lot.

I've done serious mud on an MZ250. Light and easy, and very tough
indeed.

A DP bike gets you more suspension at the cost of being very tall.
Modern ones are quite sophisticated, dunno how easy they are to fix by
the side of the road.

Unless you are doing big desert stuff then you may find a toush old
fashioned bike like an Enfield will do better than a fancy soft
roader.

And like CC says - you can find bits for a small Honda anywhere. And
people who know how to fix it.

Neither are as glamourous or as "I'm a real adventurer" as a GS, but
for most of the trips you talk about they'll do the job. And are low
in the seat and easy to pick up.

And think of the bragging rights! "Yeah well, GS is OK if you aren't
hard enough to do a few thousand miles on a postie I guess"

Zebee
 >> Stay informed about: Dual Purpose Bikes - Input Wanted 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aaeKrqJJqm0


 >> Stay informed about: Dual Purpose Bikes - Input Wanted 

On 11/01/2008 9:57 AM, Peter wrote:
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aaeKrqJJqm0
>
>
>

OMFG!

That brought back some memories. My first bike ever was a pushrod
engined C50 I bought (very second hand) in 1969 after my dad said "There
is no way you are getting a motor bike".

I might just have to go out and buy one of these suckers just for fun.

N/
 >> Stay informed about: Dual Purpose Bikes - Input Wanted 

Zebee Johnstone wrote:

> Unless you are doing big desert stuff then you may find a toush old
> fashioned bike like an Enfield will do better than a fancy soft
> roader.

+1, that was my immediate thought on reading the original post...

Remember the scenes in A Long Way Round where the cameraman on his
Izh[1] was riding rings around Boorman and Skywalker on their BMWs???

big

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IZh

--
"Everything you love, everything meaningful with depth and history,
all passionate authentic experiences will be appropriated, mishandled,
watered down, cheapened, repackaged, marketed and sold to the people
you hate." Mr Jalopy quoting Hooptyrides (on jalopyjunktown.com)
 >> Stay informed about: Dual Purpose Bikes - Input Wanted 

Zebee Johnstone wrote:
> In aus.motorcycles on Fri, 11 Jan 2008 08:19:50 +1100
> Nigel Allen <"dna at edrs dot remove this com dot au"> wrote:
>> Problem is that my S.O. is a little vertically challenged (166cm) so the
>> original idea of a pair of R1200GS won't work. I'm thinking maybe a
>> couple of earlier R80 G/S or even the later GS might be the go.
>>
>
> Do you really need dual sport?


Wasn't there a Guzzi with front forks, but a pair of tracks at the back?

That'd work.

regards,
CrazyCam
 >> Stay informed about: Dual Purpose Bikes - Input Wanted 

"Nigel Allen" <"dna at edrs dot remove this com dot au"> wrote in message

>
> Hi Guys
>
> My S.O. and I are looking at a pair of (identical) dual purpose bikes
> sometime this year. Aim is to do some (more) touring/rallying in Aus and
> then later some overseas long distance stuff. Big dream is one of the long
> ones. India to the UK, UK to South Africa and maybe Canada down to TDF.
>
> Problem is that my S.O. is a little vertically challenged (166cm) so the
> original idea of a pair of R1200GS won't work. I'm thinking maybe a couple
> of earlier R80 G/S or even the later GS might be the go.
>
> Requirements include:
>
> They have to be tried, tested and tough and not mind being bounced off the
> scenery a few times.
>
> They have to be low-tech and capable of being cobbled back together in
> somewhere like Ulan Bator by the local blacksmith.
>
> They have to have easily obtainable spares.
>
> They need to be on the light side of heavy.
>
> They have to be simple to maintain.
>
> Any input/suggestions short of taxidermy (or trading her in) gratefully
> accepted.
>
> Nigel.


Go and buy the latest editiion of Australian Roadrider and they do a test on
about 6 of those mid sized adventure tourers and one of the stand outs was
the Suzuki V-Strom 650 which is about 20KG's lighter than the 1 ltre version
but has the same frame but the 650 is a bit lower...can mount side and top
panniers on them.
One bloke who was a BMW fan and owns Bm's actually said that he'd prefer the
V-Strom to his BMW and that he wouldn't hesitate doing a round Australia
trip on one.
You can pick them up 2nd hand from around $6,500 or new from $10,500 +
onroads. Gotta be worth a look.

Cheers
DJ
 >> Stay informed about: Dual Purpose Bikes - Input Wanted 

As somebody else said, have a look at www.adrider.com. particuarly
http://www.advrider.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=32

One bike that is popular is the Suzuki DR650SE and while seat height
is 885mm it can be lowered to 845mm



On Fri, 11 Jan 2008 08:19:50 +1100, Nigel Allen <"dna at edrs dot
remove this com dot au"> wrote:

>
>Hi Guys
>
>My S.O. and I are looking at a pair of (identical) dual purpose bikes
>sometime this year. Aim is to do some (more) touring/rallying in Aus and
>then later some overseas long distance stuff. Big dream is one of the
>long ones. India to the UK, UK to South Africa and maybe Canada down to TDF.
>
>Problem is that my S.O. is a little vertically challenged (166cm) so the
>original idea of a pair of R1200GS won't work. I'm thinking maybe a
>couple of earlier R80 G/S or even the later GS might be the go.
>
>Requirements include:
>
>They have to be tried, tested and tough and not mind being bounced off
>the scenery a few times.
>
>They have to be low-tech and capable of being cobbled back together in
>somewhere like Ulan Bator by the local blacksmith.
>
>They have to have easily obtainable spares.
>
>They need to be on the light side of heavy.
>
>They have to be simple to maintain.
>
>Any input/suggestions short of taxidermy (or trading her in) gratefully
>accepted.
>
>Nigel.
 >> Stay informed about: Dual Purpose Bikes - Input Wanted 

> Nigel.

This might fit the bill. Check out the fork repair:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=7GDu0MfnWU8
 >> Stay informed about: Dual Purpose Bikes - Input Wanted 

"CrazyCam" wrote:
> Wasn't there a Guzzi with front forks, but a pair of tracks at the back?
>
> That'd work.
>
I know about the German one:
http://www.kettenkrad.com/Kettenkrad.gif
(The "rabbit" from Saving Private Ryan)
--
Clem
 >> Stay informed about: Dual Purpose Bikes - Input Wanted 

"Nigel Allen" <"dna at edrs dot remove this com dot au"> wrote:
> That brought back some memories. My first bike ever was a pushrod engined
> C50 I bought (very second hand) in 1969 after my dad said "There is no way
> you are getting a motor bike".
>
> I might just have to go out and buy one of these suckers just for fun.
>
Are you SURE the C50 was pushrod.

I thought all the Honda scooters were OHC.
--
Clem
 >> Stay informed about: Dual Purpose Bikes - Input Wanted 

On Jan 11, 8:19 am, Nigel Allen <"dna at edrs dot remove this com dot
au"> wrote:
> Hi Guys
>
> My S.O. and I are looking at a pair of (identical) dual purpose bikes
> sometime this year. Aim is to do some (more) touring/rallying in Aus and
> then later some overseas long distance stuff. Big dream is one of the
> long ones. India to the UK, UK to South Africa and maybe Canada down to TDF.

Has anyone suggested 2 x DL650 V-stroms yet? You might need to get
one lowered a bit for her, but I think that's do-able. Buy a couple
and you will probably *almost* get change out of $20K. They'd be
alright for getting around Australia, and when you decide that you
want to do some long overseas trip, that might be a good time to
reconsider whether you want to take your own bikes, or source
something overseas instead. eg riding through india and most of asia
you'll probably really struggle to get any sort of replacement parts
for most bikes so you'll have to budget for what you may need, and
carry it, but if you ride what the locals ride (see someone elses
suggestion of a Royal Enfield) parts are easily sourced and available
just about wherever you need them.

Nev..
'07 XB12X
 >> Stay informed about: Dual Purpose Bikes - Input Wanted 

In article <4787d754$0$12016$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-
01.iinet.net.au>, Nigel Allen <"dna at edrs dot remove this com dot au">
says...
> When I talked about R80GS's I was referring to older bikes (I'm sure
> some ppl have pegged me for a friggin' yuppie or something). I was
> interested in opinions on the earlier models - airheads - pre-paralever
> - because the owners I have spoken to sing their praises about the
> reliability, ease of maintenance and low C of G.
>
> Nigel
>
Other then the exhaust falling off on a regular basis my G/S has been
completely reliable
--
t

A sufficiently advanced incompetance is indestinguishable from malice
 >> Stay informed about: Dual Purpose Bikes - Input Wanted