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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 Andy Miller, UK, Taking a rest, Jokulsarlon, Iceland

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by Andy Miller, UK,
Taking a rest,
Jokulsarlon, Iceland



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  #1  
Old 9 Jun 2010
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cheap as economical bike
Hello!

I'm having fun with my good old kle500 but, well this may sound weard. It's quite big!

I'm a dutch guy so i'm not small but when I look at story's like lois on the loose i'm thinking "thats my bike!"

So I'm looking for a really cheap bike that I can pull apart in my shead and get ready for a RTW trip in lets say 2 years (no hurry, I'm still not a engineer, 2 years of college to go)

I've ridden a gs 500 to Irak border and had a great time. Next trip I have much more time but stil a smal budget (out of choice)

My point of interest:
simpele
Reliable
economical (I'm obsesed with this )
cheap

I't doesn;t need to be ofroad like xt 250 xl or dr. but something like 250 is the plan.

What roadgoing bikes are good for me? Let stick to single cilinders (or twins with a good reason)

Who's got a idea?

Thanks!
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  #2  
Old 10 Jun 2010
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If you really want cheap try an Enfield diesel. less than 2 litres per 100Km.
simple. and a whole new engine is about £300 although they seem good for about 100K Miles (160,000 Km).
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  #3  
Old 10 Jun 2010
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get a bicycle. you'll do the same monthly milage as a 250cc overall, but a fraction of the cost.
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  #4  
Old 10 Jun 2010
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The enfield,

I'm working on that but info is hard to find on the web!

I'ts quite cheap, can run on old deep fry fat enz.

Does somebody got info for me or a nice link?


Thanks!
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  #5  
Old 10 Jun 2010
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Originally Posted by travelcrazy View Post
The enfield,

I'm working on that but info is hard to find on the web!

I'ts quite cheap, can run on old deep fry fat enz.

Does somebody got info for me or a nice link?


Thanks!
You could look here DieselBike.net The Original Diesel Motorcycle website.

Look through the bikes to buy bit, Priceparts do a refurbished new one at reasonable prices, using the Yanmar y100 clone engine.
You can get diesel fuel pretty much anywhere, as rural areas usually have stock of tractor fuel.
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  #6  
Old 11 Jun 2010
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Hi Travelcrazy,

I think your idea is sound. A 250 is all you need for third world travel. It will get good fuel ecomomy and cruise at 100 kph. I recently rode a Kawasaki KL250 Super Sherpa ll,000 miles to Panama and back and had a GREAT time. There are plenty of great, reliable 250s out there. Suzuki DR 250, Honda XR250, Yamaha WR250R, etc. The key is traveling light. Less is more

Kindest Regards,
John Downs

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South America and back on a 250 Super Sherpa Minimalist Adventure http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=831076
Last edited by John Downs; 11 Jun 2010 at 11:00.
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  #7  
Old 11 Jun 2010
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Okay, re-reading your post I see that economical is your main concern. If that is the case then I would look at a Honda CG 125 or Suzuki en 125. 100 mpg if you cruise at 80-90 kph. You will appreciate this in Turkey especially where gas is currently 2 euros/litre.

Cheers,
John Downs
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Panama and back on a 250 Super Sherpa Minimalist Adventure - ADVrider
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South America and back on a 250 Super Sherpa Minimalist Adventure http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=831076
Last edited by John Downs; 24 Jun 2010 at 09:12.
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  #8  
Old 11 Jun 2010
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Originally Posted by John Downs View Post
Okay, re-reading your post I see that economical is your main concern. If that is the case then I would look at a Honda CG 125 or Suzuki en 125. 100 mpg if you cruise at 90 kph. You will appreciate this in Turkey especially where gas is currently 2 euros/litre.

Cheers,
John Downs
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I agree with your fuel use figures but you are NOT going to be able to cruise at 90kmh on a 125. I travelled 8,000km in China in one month in 2008 on a local 125 (Suzuki GS125 clone purchased new). Top speed (measured by a GPS NOT the speedo was 90kmh) and cruising speed was more like 60-70kmh. I was easily able to average 35-40km per litre though.
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  #9  
Old 12 Jun 2010
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Originally Posted by farqhuar View Post
I agree with your fuel use figures but you are NOT going to be able to cruise at 90kmh on a 125. I travelled 8,000km in China in one month in 2008 on a local 125 (Suzuki GS125 clone purchased new). Top speed (measured by a GPS NOT the speedo was 90kmh) and cruising speed was more like 60-70kmh. I was easily able to average 35-40km per litre though.
Hi Garry,

I was tootling along in the mountains of Mexico 2 months ago at 90 kph and a high school kid with a backpack full of books blew by me on a CG 125. It was all I could do to catch up to him on my little 250. He was flying through the hairpins and pulling away. That kid could ride! I only caught up to him on the straightaway and followed along at over 100 kph until he tooted his horn and waved as he turned off at the rancho where he lived.

Both the Honda CG125 and the Suzuki EN 125 will easily cruise at 90kph in the flats with stock sprockets. But you are comparing apples to oranges. And I can see that if your 125 Chinese clone, as is often the case, came geared down from the factory with a large rear sprocket, or you are a big fella carrying a lot of stuff, then your cruising speed would diminish.

Kindest regards,
John Downs
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Last edited by John Downs; 24 Jun 2010 at 09:08.
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  #10  
Old 19 Jun 2010
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This is the bike you need....


These bikes are built strong and will go anywhere at a moderate pace and you'll look good doing it.
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  #11  
Old 24 Jun 2010
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My personal choice would be one of the Ural's, Russan built on WW2 era technology, boxer twin motor, its pretty much a BMW clone, and absolutely simple, everythin I've read says they're dependable as gravity, and well worth it. cant say on fuel economy, but I know theres so little to go wrong, or need repair.
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  #12  
Old 24 Jun 2010
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Urals get 30-40 mpg gas mileage and require a lot of fettling. Not my first choice for RTW trip.
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  #13  
Old 24 Jun 2010
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Originally Posted by John Downs View Post
Urals get 30-40 mpg gas mileage and require a lot of fettling. Not my first choice for RTW trip.

Although the Urals have some strange sort of charisma, I have to agree with John on this one, Blacktiger's Triumph looks the 'Mutz Nutz', not too sure about weight and economy though.
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Old 25 Jun 2010
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I LL THROW this in
honda ct110 get s 85 mpg does 45 miles per hour. More then one of them have travel from england to india etc. on road and off. parts cheap still in production. People add a second gas tank to them etc and they are good to go. simple bike that can be fixed anywere . One couple did a tour 2 up with all thier stuff. If speed isn't an issue then go for one of them.
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Old 25 Jun 2010
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honda ct110 get s 85 mpg does 45 miles per hour. More then one of them have travel from england to india etc. on road and off. parts cheap still in production. People add a second gas tank to them etc and they are good to go. simple bike that can be fixed anywere . One couple did a tour 2 up with all thier stuff. If speed isn't an issue then go for one of them.
I have 'parked up' the larger machines for awhile and using a YBR 125 Yamaha, 100 plus mpg and running speeds a comfortable 45-55 loaded!


btw, trying59, I think you will find you have used the 'wrong' fun meter!!
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