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£1500 / 2000€ /$2500 Budget Adventure Tourer??? £1500 / 2000€ /$2500 Budget Adventure Tourer???
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Which Bike? Comments and Questions on what is the best bike for YOU, for YOUR trip. Note that we believe that ANY bike will do, so please remember that it's all down to PERSONAL OPINION. Technical Questions for all brands go in their own forum.
Photo by Hendi Kaf, in Cambodia

I haven't been everywhere...
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Photo by Hendi Kaf,
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  #1  
Old 29 Aug 2012
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£1500 / 2000€ /$2500 Budget Adventure Tourer???
Hi
I am scratching my head reading all the different ride reports as to what bike is best? I am planning on purchasing a bike in London, riding to Turkey, possibly around the Black Sea, up to St Petersburg and back to London in about 60 days.

-MPG is high on the agenda.

-I wont be really going too far off road, although I like the idea of being able to get off the beaten track if necessary (or just try some pretty dodgy roads).

-I'm not taking HEAPS of gear, so just a bag and tent I guess really.

I'm considering anything from a 125 VanVan to a 650 ish single. Don't really want anything heavier, and not in a real hurry to get anywhere..

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Tom
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  #2  
Old 29 Aug 2012
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Hi
we are settle in France (center) and do sometimes the kind of "sell and buy back" for long travellers in Europe like you're going to do.
Tell us your budget and type of bike and we get the bike for you registred and insured and we ll buy it back when you come back a the agreed price.
If it sounds ok or if you want more infos contact us with private message.
when are you planning to do your trip ?

laurent & Carole
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  #3  
Old 29 Aug 2012
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I used to ride a vanvan and now I have a 650 single. They are completely different bikes and the suzuki is not really up to doing the trip you describe.
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Old 29 Aug 2012
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Quote:
Originally Posted by stef25 View Post
I used to ride a vanvan and now I have a 650 single. They are completely different bikes and the suzuki is not really up to doing the trip you describe.



I think Vanvan owners would certainly disagree with you there, personally I can't see any problem at all, any bike can do any trip.
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Old 29 Aug 2012
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Yamaha WR250R (R, being the road version)

Very light on petrol and good cruising speed for a 250cc. Good service intervals too. Excellent engine!!
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  #6  
Old 29 Aug 2012
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Pumbaa View Post
Yamaha WR250R (R, being the road version)

Very light on petrol and good cruising speed for a 250cc. Good service intervals too. Excellent engine!!
Erm, budget? Wasn't sold in great numbers, and was sold at a faintly ridiculous new price (in the UK at least). Doesn't exactly lead to a glut of cheap bikes on the used market.
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  #7  
Old 29 Aug 2012
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I'd get a second hand XT600/660 or Honda Transalp for that budget.
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Old 29 Aug 2012
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I'm a big fan of the Yamaha 660 equipped bikes. Good economy, comfort and easy to work on.


If you want MPG and don't care too much about overland snobbery then check this out.. New and over your budget perhaps though..

Suzuki GB Motorcycles/ATVs: Inazuma 250: Intro


Similarly, there are plenty of small fuel injected road/commuter bikes about which I think make brilliant overland machines for those staying more 'On road'

Even saying that, Id rather ride accross the Sahara on one of those than a brutally heavy big 1200.

Check out the YBR 250

Yamaha YBR250: full review - | Motorcycle News | New Motorbikes | Buyers Guides | MCN

You might find a bargain on Ebay if you're patient.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/YAMAHA-YBR...ht_1362wt_1401
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  #9  
Old 29 Aug 2012
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I think the YBR250 is not a bad suggestion at all. I think I would lean towards something like that.
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  #10  
Old 29 Aug 2012
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Thanks all for the help. I have been tossing up between
a) transalp 600
b) Dommie
c) SLR/FX Vigor
and
d) XT 600e.

I ride a Thruxtville at home so i liked the idea of the slr but the fuel range is a bit off-putting. I think im leaning towards the XT for the strength and simplicity of the bike.

Maybe considering a smaller XT also.

Thanks again for assistance everyone
tom
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  #11  
Old 30 Aug 2012
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Dude,
u wanna check out the Suzuki xf 650 Freewind. Just bought one 2 months ago, for just 1500 swiss francs, only 12k kms. Totally long distance touring bike... and some offroad ist also just fine. Dont know how much they are in the UK. Same engine like the dr 650, just little modified.

ride safe
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  #12  
Old 4 Sep 2012
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Quote:
Originally Posted by thecoon View Post
Dude,
u wanna check out the Suzuki xf 650 Freewind. Just bought one 2 months ago, for just 1500 swiss francs, only 12k kms. Totally long distance touring bike... and some offroad ist also just fine. Dont know how much they are in the UK. Same engine like the dr 650, just little modified.

ride safe

Never seen an XF 650 before, they look perfect for the job! almost like a late model Dominator, but with a heaps bigger tank... Are there any problems with getting parts? Im assuming they aren't quite as popular/common as XT/XL/TTR or even DR's etc....

Im particularly after something that has a) a decent size tank
or
b) an aftermarket one that i can put on... Did a 1200km loop on weekend on my bonneville and stopping for fuel every 250km is bearable but there's no way I'd go any lower in range than that....
Which rules out the SLR 650! Is it difficult to put an XR tank (Acerbis etc) on a Dominator???? I need ideally 300km range per tank...
Thanks all
Tom
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  #13  
Old 4 Sep 2012
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Hi,

I have been riding a 500 Euro Transalp around Africa

Riding the rough west coast through Africa part 3

and a 800 Euro Honda CG 125 around Southamerica:

Motorbike trip around Southamerica: Chile and Argentina part 1

2500 Euro was the total budged of this last 9 months and 28.000 km trip

Travel save
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  #14  
Old 5 Sep 2012
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KTM?
There was a thread running last year about the availibility of ex-military KTM 400's from a dealer in Germany. They came with full luggage and a low state of tune, a bit dearer than what you want to pay but worth a look.
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  #15  
Old 5 Sep 2012
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Once met a couple of Aussies in Malaysia, who were doing UK to Oz with 2 Transalps they'd bought from the UK, for less than 1000 pounds each.. They had covered about 25000 kms up to that point, the bikes looked beaten, but were still running. Bulletproof bikes, but you could probably get better MPG from some smaller engine (or getting a newer mid-size FI bike, but they'll cost more).
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