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21 Oct 2009
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Registered Users
New on the HUBB
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Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Uganda
Posts: 2
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Baja vs TTR
Hello - first post on the forums! I've enjoyed reading and learning, hopefully you can offer some help...
I work in Northern Uganda. A few friends and I are purchasing bikes locally and planning a tour around East Africa (Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda - then back to Uganda).
My budget and location restrict me to the following two choices:
98-2001 Honda 250cc Baja
95-2000 Yamaha 250cc TTR Raid
I am wondering if any of you can give me advice regarding these two bikes? (I realize this is a quite subjective question...)
From what I can tell - the Raid has an electric start, bigger tank. While the Baja is known for it's reliability and simplicity.
Any advice, insight would be appreciated.
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21 Oct 2009
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Registered Users
HUBB regular
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Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Scotland
Posts: 28
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Personally I'd take the honda every time but as you say it's subjective. I know hondas so would feel happier on one.
Do you see either of these bikes on the road there? If so go for the one you think local mechanics are most likely to be familiar with. Everywhere I've been hondas are more common.
Otherwise a good example of one would be better than a bad example of the other. If you can find a bike that has been well maintained i.e. has reasonably clean oil, no bad rattles and a decent chain and sprocket set then that would suggest the owner has looked after it reasonably well..
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22 Oct 2009
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Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
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Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Poole, UK
Posts: 316
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Go TTR
My wife and I took our XR250's from London to Cape Town a year or so ago. XR is a great bike but adjusting those bloody valve clearances every 2000km got a bit annoying after a while. For that reason we would take the TTR's next time. Shims are the way to go. They are much of a muchness. Both very reliable.
250 is the lay to go absolutely.
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25 Oct 2009
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Registered Users
HUBB regular
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Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Cardiff
Posts: 71
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How strange the easiest vave check should be a pain most people I know rarely have to check their valve clearance. My XR4 has done 7k kms and valves have never needed adjusting, stopped bothering to check now, will do it when it becomes hard to start
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25 Oct 2009
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Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
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Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Dorset UK
Posts: 395
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Wide Phil
How strange the easiest vave check should be a pain most people I know rarely have to check their valve clearance. My XR4 has done 7k kms and valves have never needed adjusting, stopped bothering to check now, will do it when it becomes hard to start
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If the valves get tight (which is usually the case, due to recession) this can burn the valve & seat out
Best to check regularly if you want to be safe.
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30 Oct 2009
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Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
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Join Date: May 2007
Location: Nairobi Port Alfred London
Posts: 210
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Which ever one is easiest to make work better at high altitude.
For everyone reading the Altitude range is from Sea Level to 9000ft over a two days ride. Personally I would look for something that has Fuel injection in that cc capacity, or go for a larger bike, 350/400cc Suzuki's
If you are taking a GPS, please keepa copy of the route you took, I am looking for a few remote paths, particularly Southern Tanzania, and Eastern Kenya
Enjoy. Regards Graham
P.S. I got the Juju's in Southern Uganda - camped one night in the forest, not gonna do that again.
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1 Nov 2009
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Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
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Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Dorset UK
Posts: 395
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If a bike needs adjusting for altitude variance, a carb will be more flexible - easy to change the main jet.
Injection systems vary - some may cope OK, but generally they have limited capacity to allow for large variations (such a old Triumph models) and cannot be changed with basic tools!
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5 Nov 2009
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Registered Users
HUBB regular
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Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: St Arnaud, Vic, Australia
Posts: 26
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I would definately take the XR. Easy to work on, lots of parts interchange between models and a good bike to ride. Reguarding tappets/shims. Alot easier to set tappets than changing shims especially if on the side of the road.
Ernie.
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