Here's the deal - 6 months annual and long service leave (basically an Australian legislative requirement giving you a fortnight's leave at half pay per year of service) and travelling around Scandinavia/UK, Iceland and Canada/USA from Apr - Oct 07 (at least that is this week's plan!). The question is what bike?

My biking experience is limited - had a GPz250 as the learners bike.... for five years, had a Z500 (mid-70s) for two months riding from Seattle to LA in the early 90s, had a GSX600F (95) for 18 months when living in DK in the late 90s. Not much since then, so a bit rusty in the riding stakes...so was looking around the 650cc mark.

Like the look of semi-nakeds, although reading through HUBB adventure/dual purpose bikes seem to be the go - albeit that most of HUBB is focussed on the more adventerous Paris to Dakar and RTW type trips (call me a wuss!). However I would've thought the roads where I am going are pretty good - which means that a true road bike could be better/possible. Obviously riding the bikes before you buy is a nice fundamental, but would appreciate any comments, especially from riders that have ridden around Northern Europe/Iceland and Canada. (I'll leave the Paris-Dakar trip until there's a few more ks under my belt!)

In addition to the bike, at this stage I am weighing up what I see as the two alternatives:
1 - buying the bike in AU and shipping to EU -> CA -> AU
2 - buying and selling in both EU and US
The fantastic import laws in Australia would appear to eliminate the option of buying in the EU and shipping home....(yes I've read the numerous threads!) Current preference is option 1 (esp given some of the comments in other threads about foreigners owning bikes in various countries), but would appreciate your comments.

Anyway to the bikes:

Adventure/Dual purpose: VStrom 650 appears the best taking into account $$ (F650 and Tiger seem a bit exxy, depsite me being quite partial to the Tiger)....Versys sounds good but doesn't exist in AU.

Semi-nakeds: Z750 or SV650S. From what I can read on the net, there doesn't seem to be a huge support for the FZ6 or ER6n (maybe I could use the can of Dulux Mission Brown paint in the back shed to give it racing stripes with a true 1970s colour scheme, as I have only seen the ER6n in orange in AU).

Anyway looking forward to your thoughts.... and giving you some bikes to talk about apart from VStrom v KL650.....


Rob