Motorcycle and Scooter appreciation

Well jell. Keep us posted

....tank is almost too perfect for me really. I’ll feel rotten when it inevitably gets creased on the scenery.

Dealers can be so crap. See a bike I'm half interested in so decide to look up the MOT history online and spot the clocks have been wound back 20k miles. Instantly I'm out, but feel compelled to raise with the dealer out of principle. Their reply...

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Honest until proven otherwise...

That's incredibly shitty if not advertised as such.

Agreed.

There are also recent instances of people advertising dodgy bikes as ‘offroad’ or ‘barn find’. A number of buyer-beware posts have popped up on a few fb groups, where people have been vigilant enough to ask for the (often partially disguised) VIN numbers, and upon checking the bikes were previously reported stolen.

Ok, I very much hate valves now. New valves shims installed. Engine hand cranked, and now all exhausts are too tight and all intakes are too loose, even though only 3 in the front cylinder were out.
It's also too cold for this shit.

Does anyone know if using a Yamaha WR250F or KTM 250/350 EXC-F as a dual sport would be utter misery on the road? The Honda CRF250L seems like the sensible choice but looks pretty pedestrian. I know dual sports are a compromise, but does a lightweight (100kg-ish) bike that can sit at 70mph exist?

@jambon the guy who punishes me on green lanes has a 350 exc-f, but with a few modifications.

It’s his dirt-muppet machine and I don’t think he uses it on the road if he can help it. From what I’ve seen, it’ll move but looks super uncomfortable for road miles. Definitely a trail-destroyer though. He does road miles as well, but also spends as much time rebuilding it as riding it. More suited to aggressive rides followed by rebuild. I believe service intervals are very short, so you’d not cover much distance before getting annoyed.

Saw only one guy with a WR250 last year, and he was too busy playing Su Doku in the shade than actually riding it.

Dad bought a new 2020 CRF250L back in October and has done little more than a few road miles, and dropping it when parking (failing to lift his leg high enough to clear seat, losing balance).

The one single green lane I got him onto it had no trouble at all, but it was just a bit of mud and gravel and a few potholes. Probably very capable if driven in anger. Seems there is a big following for them as a dual sport, even Mundo Enduro himself uses them these days.

I tried it around the car park a couple of times when adjusting clutch cable, testing setup etc. Definitely wouldn’t swap my DR350 for one. However, I didn’t get to pin it down the road to try. The Rally version looked way more my cup of tea anyway.

I believe the 2021’s (if buying new) will be better suited as they’re 300’s now with some tweaks to power delivery.

Dad has barely been out, and hasn’t the mentality to give it a squirt and see what happens, but it ticks over happily at A-road speeds. You won’t be able to overtake anyone and it will feel very underpowered compared to everything.

If dad loses interest in time, and I must inherit the CRF250L, I’m sure my opinion would change.

Honestly if I was doing mostly mud, and hard, I’d suffer the service intervals (and insane parts costs) on the KTM. If I was looking to be mellow the CRF.

You know the answer is the DR350 was that bike. I think the Beta Alp was the nearest neighbour until recent years (using the Suzuki engine). I’ve hit maybe 85 or so on the DR, but it needs some stretch of road to get there. Cruising at 70 on the motorway required a fair amount of throttle control, mostly I was going more than or less than.

The KTM will go fastest and lightest, but you know that already.

Asked him about the KTM...

How about road use? Tyre wear?

They work. Hard acceleration kills the tyres mostly. Depends on how well he wants it to grip off road, if he's happy to lose grip off road, then go to a 50/50 tyre, i prefer to compromise on road grip for better off road, and pay the cost in more tyre changes, done several 200+ mile tarmac jaunts, and no excessive wear really, mousses are not so keen though so stick to greased uhd tubes.

But it’s not mellow enough for road miles?

Yes, if I'm riding with Chris, she tells me off for wheelies etc 🤣
I often use it for nipping out. I do try to stick to normal roads instead of dual carriageway or motorways if i can avoid them as it revs its tits off at 90mph

And service intervals?

I do every 15-20 hours for a 1ltr oil change, filter every other. Takes 10 minutes, could probably push it to 30hrs

That's super useful, thanks a lot. I've recently come around to the idea that motorbikes don't have to be so serious and dare I say it powerful. I like the idea of having fun at lower speeds exploring green lanes on a lightweight machine you don't mind dropping.

Everything I've read online seems to say using an enduro bike on the road will be annoying, so get something that can predominantly handle road riding with occasional bumpy stuff as opposed to the other way around. If you live in the middle of a national park, or have a van to transport your enduro bike then maybe that's another matter.

If I bought anything it would most definitely be used and cheap, personally new would defeat the point of being okay dropping it. This video is partly responsible

https://youtu.be/ljfIrdA5SGw

done several 200+ mile tarmac jaunts...I do try to stick to normal roads instead of dual carriageway or motorways if i can avoid them as it revs its tits off at 90mph...

Thanks a lot! Some road riding seems possible then.

This sounds more encouraging actually, some WR250F owners online have said they can't get past 60mph with standard gearing, or without the headers glowing red at traffic lights.

Yea the KTM “ Keep Taking Money ” 2-smoker is definitely going to give you double the power and a greater top speed, at a fraction of the weight. I believe that you really need luck on your side to get a good one and not a Monday or a Friday bike, and must be willing to throw money at it until it feels like good money after bad.

Is the weight of a CRF450 or a DR-Z400 + big Acerbis tank out of the question?

I'd subconsciously not considered a DRZ400's due to them being so popular, but there has to be a reason why they're everywhere. From what I gather the DRZ400 is heavier than a DR350 but also has more power, so more pondering required. To be fair if either was for sale locally I'd probably consider it.

Well some would argue the age of the DR350 is reason enough to avoid. Mine’s a ‘98 model reg’d 99 and so far everything I’ve needed can be sourced OEM or pattern. I have two sets of wheels + brake pads (from FB group), rebuilt the front and rear callipers with kits, new speedo cable, sourced a spare from fairing and speedo housing (from FB group), mechanics ordered me the Acerbis 16L tank, and sourced a number of small parts too. Plus other stuff too I guess. Some parts are getting expensive but the point is that almost everything is available.

Similarly, the DRZ has more power and is newer but you pay up to double for the privilege.

Unfortunately the price of any enduro/dual sport bike is rising as greenlaning gains popularity. Both the DR350 and DRZ400 have lots of versions so be careful to source a trail-worthy version and pay the right price for the right version. Probably you know this but 350 you need ‘96 or newer for E-start and ideally unmolested or else check the previous owner did the mods properly. 400, make sure it’s a trail not a supermoto, check wheelset and speedo etc.

To be honest if you’re knackered (or drop it in a river like me) the extra kilos will be an issue when picking it up, but I’d sooner ride the DR or DRZ with the right gearing (and fuel tank) than some alternatives.

Oh, and earlier after my coffee at the Portuguese shop, I pulled a sick wheelie off the kerb and down the road even with the CV carb. It was a much bigger wheelie than I expected, but it kicked in and landed beautifully. Probably looked amazing, probably impossible to replicate.

I wanted to put a pumper carb on, but have avoided so far. The pumper carb makes things like wheelies a lot easier, which means better on trails with more peppy response, but then I lose all the economy and mellow response from it on the road. It’s a real compromise, but a pumper will be fitted at some point I’m sure.

Mate has a 2008/10 WR250 and loves it, borrowed it once to do some mild trails and yeah, its no dirt bike/ 2 stroke enduro weapon, suspension is a bit basic compared to the proper bikes, has very little down low (compared to 2s) and on a roads is able to get to 70mph (75 indicicated assumed that was probably about 68 real mph), but in the same way a 125 gets to 70mph, eventually and its not happy about it!
B roads between trails/lanes is exactly what its for and is great for that.
Not very good on fuel, but then what trail orientated bike is!
He's had a lot of miles on it (north of England going to all the green lanes and general messing about) and only thing was a seized swing arm bolt. Think it also likes eating clutchs and dirtying its oil (service is in hours not miles, as is more dirt orientated).

Not sure if Beta make a trail bike with lights/reg, but would hazard a guess that it would be the best in class, every other Beta i've known mates to have, they've always raved about them.
KTM is nice, but so much money imo.

Considering this year getting rid of my overweight BMW dual sport (90's) and getting a 250L and a Triumph ST 1050. Satisfies both ends of the spectrum of things I do without spending much.
ST 1050 2005 to 2011 really don't go for very much, fancied a VFR ( 800 non vtec or 1st gen vtec) but everyone that I've been to see in the past year has been a bit of a dog, not even high miles, just very ratty for the money they are asking. Don't think Triumph's build quality is upto as much, but borrowed a mates 2009 bike and loved it, sporty (ish) AND toury AND sounds good. Win?

Despite years of thinking I'd like a fire breathing 2 stroke Husaberg enduro, when looking into it I can't see how it'd work. Like track days, the guys who are really into it are often tradespeople with a spare vans for transporting bikes which makes the enduro service intervals slightly less eyewatering. After a few days of reading online I've come to the conclusion when intervals are measured in hours (or the bike needs an hour meter) I'm out. This admission hopefully opens up some modest green lane touring.

Been playing with the idea of buying another bike this year and something with knobbly tyres makes more sense as opposed to another superbike. Think I've come to the conclusion that a Honda XR400R could be a good allrounder so will keep watching eBay and most likely annoy you all with more questions as I change my mind serval times.

Not to be a be a bad influence but thought this was quite a good deal. Also I get the point about having two different bikes that roughly cost the same as something fancier but ultimately is good at just one thing.

Dual Sport decision-making is incredibly painful. It’s not like saying you want a litre bike, or a sports bike, or a track bike, or an all-round commuter etc.

The whole concept is pivoting between two disparities; good on the road, and good on the dirt.

I’ve barely even scratched the surface of what the DR350 can do on the dirt, but I’m totally comfortable with its limitations on the road. Consistent 80mph (on the gps) is doable, so it isn’t screaming/whimpering when doing 70, and I can crawl up the revs to pass something like a lorry (albeit slower than I’d like).

On the dirt, only technique has let me down. I’m not fast and I don’t have the enduro skillset to make the most of any bike.

It’s definitely heavy with the extra rack, bags, bigger tank. On an uphill, cross-rutted turned sideways (wheel 90-degrees in each rut) it needed some asking to get out. But if I had the enduro background I’d never have got into that situation, and if I did it would have been pretty easy to get back out. But, I got out, once I recalled what I’d learned on Cross Training Enduro shorts on youtube.

If I had a lower gearing, or the pumper carb, or simply jumped straight off and gave it a squirt as I pumped the bars, it would have moved much quicker. Gearing alone would have been enough - mine is certainly road oriented at the moment.

When I first looked this time last year I wanted something underpowered. I didn’t want to have too much power that it was impossible to control (or plain scary) on dirt, and wanted to delay the inevitable endorsements from riding three times the speed limit.

Problem for you is you know what you’re doing, you’ve had big bikes. You are correct, though, ditch anything measured in hours if you travel in miles.

£3k for a used 250 just seems too high to me. But maybe it’s a good price. I’d sooner spend £3.5k on a DRZ400 if I could though. For a fun little bike I guess the 250 works, but if I had the cash I’d look at a CRF450 and suffer the consequences!

Looking for a new (to me) adventure bike.
Current considerations are :
Honda Crosstourer (VFR1200)
Yamaha Tracer 900
BMW R1200GS

Anything else spring to mind?

Including trade in on my bike, I have around £5000 to play with, but can stretch a little for the right bike.

I am leaning toward the Honda as I know how industrial the engines are, and how shit I am at maintenance schedules.
But BMW does have a "fuck off on a ride across the country" vibe to it.

I'd like a big old screen, heated grips, luggage, etc. but they can all be easily retrofitted

Edit: I am 198cm/ 6'6" tall, so need something roomy.

Not adventure but as mile muncher,Pan European? Not ridden one for years but did my bike course on the mark 1 version, seriously good bikes. If I’d had decent parking I would have bought one.

Mechanics have just done servicing and MOT on a beemer, and the guy testing it fuuuuuucking hated it. Apparently nothing feels right on them. Also the engine makes them want to do their own thing in the corners he said, which sounded awful.

£3k is that it? That's decent price right? The uk gets screwed on these new, literally more in £ than in $
New 450 is £10k and they hold their value like a house.
Expect to be bored to death on a roads, but then I would say half of all bikers purposely avoid a roads.
Ridden the a9 a number of times and each time, summer or winter fallen asleep at the bars or just been so bored and fed up that I've had to take breaks every 30 mins.

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