motorbike + new rider
 

Hello guys
i m based in belgium and aiming to pass the test in next 2 months. i have done a lot of riding before moving to eu.

i have RTW intention but i am so confused with choice of bikes. I been reading this forum but couldnt find much apart from that BMW is the solution to every RTW :)
would you recommend any mid weight bikes? ATM , i am looking at 800 GS .. but i know no other.
i am 185cm tall
Regards

Best bike
 

The best bike is the one that makes you do the trip.

And that you like.

There is no objective measeurements of "best"
But a lot of opinions

Start reading all dicussions on Which Bike.
It will keep you busy for quite some time.

No need to start all over again.

As Erik has said there is no best bike. People have done an RTW trip on everything from a Honda C90, a Vespa, a Triumph Rocket 3 cruiser, a Honda Gold Wing through to a Harley Electra glide. And all things in between. There is no right bike and no wrong bike - what there is is the right bike FOR YOU.

There are many bikes I wouldn’t fancy doing the trip on but at the end of the day it is YOUR trip and to be honest my opinion on what you should ride is just to ride the bike that excites you, that you have a passion for.

Indeed, you can do almost any trip on almost any bike. The bike you have now will probably be just fine.

That said, if you don't currently own anything, have a decent budget, and are looking for something that could do adventure riding around the world... 850 GS is a good choice, so is a Yamaha Tenere 700, or for something smaller and cheaper - Honda CB500X (you can install a Rally Raid suspension upgrade kit for very good offroad capability).

thanks guys!
i asked this question in order NOT to buy something which has proven to be a probem, repeatedly. i went through forum in detail yesterday but didnt find much..hence i posted.

The bimmer is a choice many will be happy with.

Lighter and simpler bikes seem to get a lot of tout, for several reasons. Economics being one of the most common arguments, and offroad managability being the other. People will also tell you that there is no such thing as a wrong bike - giving examples of vespa scooters, honda goldwings, honda cubs, big harleys... But, although any bike is capable, not every bike is suitable. Many suggest dual sports - and then reccomend a ton of upgrades to make it closer to a typical adventure style bike - adding costs and weight.

Now, if you plan to go two up, or carry a large load - then I'm willing to bet most will regret not going for a middle weight or larger. Going RTW and doing mixed riding, a typical adventure style bike, will suit most that don't already have a particular fetish.

I suggest you try out a few bikes - new and old. Here are some of my favorites in the middle to heavy adv bikes:

-A used BMW F800GSA - a bit overpriced in this market when you look at what the Tenere 700 costs new, but still one that I would prefer over for instance the XT660Z if I could spend the extra money

-BMW F650GS Dakar - I've owned one - and it is awesome. Where I live, these still cost as much used as they did when I sold mine five years ago. Here they are overpriced. I spendt the last year trying to find a great deal on one for my GF, but gave up in the end.

-Honda Africa Twin (in particular the adventure sports with the 2021 DCT with Wheelie control - but very expensive). Before I fell in love with the Tenere 700, this was at the very top of my wish list - now it is at number two.

Yamaha Tenere 700 (in particular the Rally) - there is one in my garage. There is no other bike I would rather want now - maybe a KTM... nah.

Yamaha XT660Z Tenere with ABS - my number one second hand choice now that the Dakar is getting a bit old. I still think they are over priced in this market. I spendt a year looking for one for myself and one for my GF. In the end I simply couldn't justify how little they had depreciated in value for something old that I would need to upgrade and repair. I ended up spending a lot more for a brand new Tenere 700 Rally

As for dual sports to convert, I like the Husquarna 701 Or the KTM 690 Enduro... but before I would get it the way I would want it, it would cost an arm and a leg, and a ton of modding-effort. I really want one!

Lighter and indestructable, but quite expensive for what it is: I really like the Yamaha WR250R. I've wanted one for so long.

KTM 390 Adventure is worth a look - it is dirt cheap. I've got one in the garage. Change the rear sprocket to 48 tooth as it has little low end torque. You get a lot of adventure-bike for your money.

I am really curious about the Honda CRF 300 Rally. To me, on paper, it looks like a perfect base for constructing a light weight RTW bike for someone who will travel light and on a tight budget.

If I was to go RTW now, I would have a tough choice between the CRF 300 Rally or the Tenere 700 Rally. I think I would have ended up with the Tenere for the following reasons:

• I would be carrying enough gear that a lighter bike's benefits would somewhat be eaten up
• I know I would mainly be riding roads and terrain that the tenere 700 would eat up like it was nothing
• I know that I would be able to manage even the extremely tough bits, although not as confidentely as with the CRF
• I know that I would really appreciate the extra power over the lighter options
• I know I would appreciate the ergonomics and comforts over the lighter options
• It is pretty much ready to go, right out of the factory
• It is extremely entoxicating to ride both offroad and onroad
• Nothing wil stop it
• It looks soooooo much better than the CRF
• Most importantly - I allready own it and have tailored it to me. I'd want to put it to the test.

The Royal Enfield Himalyan is receiving a lot of praise. I think it is a gorgeous bike, although maybe a bit too gimmickey for my liking. It is dirt cheap. It is very capable. It is very suitable. But, IMHO I think it is a bit lacking all over. I would much rather buy a used XT660Z Tenere or a KTM 390 Adventure... or dig deeper into my pockets and go for the BMW F800GS/A.

To sum up - the F800GS is not a bad choice.

And then mentioned BMW :rofl::rofl::rofl:

Google ring antennae, stripped drive splines, F650 water pump, F650 fork failure, coding ECU's to service system, R100GS subframe failure, undersized chains....

Brands are meaningless. You pick a bike you like then learn how it fails and how to fix it.

Personally I wouldn't touch a Bavarian Behemoth with somebody else's long pole, Honda or Enfield for me (and nothing over 200 kg or 60HP), but that doesn't mean they don't suit others.

Andy

Every brand gets some lemons. I've had a lot of luck with my Yamahas and I've been sticking with them - but I'm sure there are folks out there who will tell me about how they had a Yammie that was a piece of crap, etc.

In the world of covid19, and 20, 21 and 22 just around the corner, have you thought of buying cheapo bikes in the countries you are going to visit where you would need to ship?

That way you can just jump on a plane and come home.


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KLR650 if you are 6ft and above. Suzuki DR650 if you are shorter then that. The Suzuki is air cooled which is a great feature on a RTW trip.

The DRZ400 is also a good bike, but the seat height is tall like the KLR650 and the DRZ400 wont be able to go as fast on the highway.

The Yamaha WR250R might be your best bet. It has 6 gears and is a very capable 250 cc. This bike has sold extremely well. It has a tall seat height like the KLR650 and DRZ400.

Consider these few qualities:

* Reliability
This goes without saying. Breaking down in the middle of nowhere or every second day is not what you want on a long trip. Headache, waiting for spare parts, skipping planned destinations and stretches because you are waiting for repair and spare parts...etc etc

* Lightweight - going off the grid and in general of Asia, South and central America and more - roads are bad, traffic is slow - no need for a 2 wheeled walrus of +250 kilograms of weight + equipement and luggage - or +100 HP is NOT what you need in most part of the world

* Economical - some bikes need oil change, valve adjustment and general service more often than others - which make up for more expences.
Fuel efficiency - some bikes will get 35 kms pr liters, others half of that. Fuel is getting more and more expensive around the world, and fuel will be one of your largest expences for a long trip. Consider this too. Some bikes costs 20-30 000 €, others 5-6000 €. The more expensive ones are NOT the best (imo)

* Range - going off into the unknown its always reassuring having a good range. And in remote parts of the world thats actually essential too. And fuel should be carried in the gas tank, not in cannisters strapped down somewhere on the outside of the bike. These will eventually fall off, and if not they will take up space for other luggage or spare parts or water of whatever you will carry.

Have a great trip! :mchappy:

TS is based in Belgium and all those bike models you mention have not been available in Europe since around year 2000 due to european emission standards. So although all the models you mention have great overland potential - they will be hard to get a hand of and if you find one it will be at least 20-22 years old and chances its had a good bit of beating up through the years is high. Not recommended...

"Simple" technology is a relative term.

If you are a boomer brought up on carbed field bikes you are going to find changing a jet to deal with altitude simple.

If your background is apps and Windows, reading FI codes will be far more comfortable.

If you can barely charge your own mobile and rate oil change intervals by which loan bike the suited lizard tries to sell you, forget technology and get what the local commuters use.

I'd need 6 months with a DR650 to get my head round which bits were like my CL350, which like my CB500X and which totally different. I'd do better forcing myself back onto a POS F650 because I used to know which bits of Austro-Italian cheese-metal were going to break next.

Andy

[QUOTE
Brands are meaningless. You pick a bike you like then learn how it fails and how to fix it.

Andy[/QUOTE]
I agree in, somewhat. The f650gs Dakar's weak point is the water pump (50k KMS I had no issues with the bike). The part packs small, is relatively inexpensive, and is a manageable road side repair. On the other hand, some bikes have a less than stellar reputation, with high probability of impossible repairs and things that can go wrong that could get you killed. If you got instance bought one of the first royal Enfield Himalayans, don't get surprised if your entire front end breaks off. Choosing a bike with a decent to great reputation for reliability is good advice. Telling a noob who want to go RTW, without having nothing else to go by, to buy whatever bike he likes - is potentially terrible advice

It is a great bike. It is a bit pricey to start, and most would like to make some costly upgrades on dual sports that they might not feel the need to do on a factory made adventure bike. One of the more popular upgrades that are more common for dual sports, and less common for adventure bikes with +300 km range, is swapping out the tank for one with a bigger volume. Things like strengthening the sub frame, adding a wind screen, upgrading the seat adding electrical outlet or hand protectors, are all things that also come to mind on many dual sports - where the adventure bike alternative may suffice in those departments. It all adds up.

In terms of reliability, parts accessibility, access to support en route, etc. Honda is the biggest motorcycle manufacturer in the world, with Yamaha coming in at second place. Over all, both brands have a great reputation for reliability. BMW on the other hand, who coined the adventure bike, is known for advanced tech, creature comforts and performance - and decent reliability. KTM is known for "Ready To Race" with the greatest performance. KTM and BMW usually tops the price lists.

If I was to give blind advice, I'd say Yamaha or Honda.