Hello everyone!

I made a similar post a few years ago but I never went on buying another bike, mainly because my travelplans got delayed by COVID.

I'm now planning a big trip for in around 1.5/2 years. I'm planning to travel for at least a year, with possibly two years. It will be RTW and I'm going to ride offroad. I don't plan on riding the smallest of trails, but I do expect to go offroad and off the beaten path. I'm thinking 65/35 on road/off road. My weight is 85kg and I'm 1.82m.

I've done some research which yielded me more questions, hence this post. A couple of rules I set myself to:

- Easy access to parts all around the world so no KTM/Triumph/BMW.
- Under 200kg (440lbs) wet without panniers, preferably around 160kg (350lbs) because I'm going to drop it.
- Able to go on highways, considering I'll travel RTW I'll have to do some highways.
- Worth under 6k (because of carnet de passage and bike theft risk).

After the research I found a couple of bikes:

Suzuki:
- DR650 (cheap, lots of available parts and mods, but not as powerful and light as the other bikes)
- DRZ400 (cheap, light, lots of available parts and mods, but not that highway worthy)

Honda
- CRF450L (light, not as great on the highway)
- XR650R (light, powerful, not always street legal and quite pricey)
- XR650L (light, not as great on the highways)

Yamaha
- Tenere 700 (heavy, expensive, not that good offroad but has got everything except for price and weight)
- XT660Z (heavy, not that powerful and not as good offroad as other bikes)

Kawasaki
- KLR650 (tested RTW bike, not that powerful and light)

I've got a couple of questions regarding the bikes:

- DRZ400 too light/tiresome for long rides on the highway?
- XR650R: too aggressive for long RTW rides?
- I've heard some people about single cylinders making too many vibrations for long rides, thoughts? I'd rather not get vibrated of the bike.
- I don't want the most powerful bike, but I would like to be able to cruise at 100kmp/h without squeaking everything out of the engine.

Currently I'm drawn to the Suzuki's, the CRF450, and XR650R. The Suzuki's because they're quite cheap, light (especially the 400) and moddable, the Honda's because of the weight/power distribution. What are your thoughts on this? I know it's an age old question, but I hope you guys can help me a bit out.

CRF300 rally is everything you need.

If youre located in parts of the world where the carburated bikes you mention such as Suzuki Dr650 or Kawasaki Klr 650 are available both will be good alternatives. The Dr650 will need more upgrades but are much lighter than the Klr, thats worth considering. Carburated bikes will struggle more in altitudes though.

Edit: The new KLR now comes as EFI from 2021.

Crf450L? Did you check the service intervals on that one? Oil change every 1000 kms and valve check every 3000 kms. Forget it mate, you are planning the adventure of your life, not let it be ruined by spending time or money servicing the bike every other day.

Some guys have already «adventurized» the KTM 500 - and get good results(?) I still havent understood how often oil change and valve jobs are required on such «adventurized» bikes, but I hope its not as often as standard.

Tenere 660 - I have taken one rtw, 200 k kms, too heavy and to unreliable. Not recommended!

If you can live with 27-28 HP I tend too agree with the last poster - the CRF300 RALLY will be all you need. Lightweight, reliable, economic, ok range (not great) not great on highways but will do 100 km/h, but not much faster. Will need better suspension, handlebars and hand protectors, bash plate and a few minor things more. But then again - most bikes will need some improvement.

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In the end everything will be fine. If its not fine its not the end....

Start your trip in Australia and buy a new DR650 at AU$9480 on the road.

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Hear the challenge, learn the lesson, pay the cost.

@Snakeboy: I hadn't looked at the service intervals of the CRF450, so thanks for pointing that out. It's not gonna be a CRF450 then. That's also why I didn't want to go with the KTM 500.

27-28hp is just a bit too little for me, I already know that I'll get annoyed by it on the long rond.

Looks like it's gonna be the DR, tho I'm still interested in the XR650L/R, depending on the service intervals...


Thanks for the invite but I was planning on starting it from western Europe, it's a bit easier to prepare the bike while I'm still at home.

Another vote for the CRF300, one of the lightest on your list but still perfectly capable and spares available in many places.

Where are you based at? Western Europe you write..... just for your information - the DR650, the KLR and those other carburated bikes have not been sold in EU since around year 2000 where they were banned due to emmision standards. You can of course with a bit of luck find a 20-30 year old bike in western Europe of those models, but chances that you wanna take that bike on a journey to the other side of the world are not so high.

Yes some guys have imported Drs to EU from USA, but for most people thats not really an option you want to do.

Remember that you need a bike for the worst part of your trip, not the best part. A big, heavy and powerful bike is not what you need...

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In the end everything will be fine. If its not fine its not the end....

Yep, definitely a very interesting option for a rtw.
12,8L tank vs 7,8L at CRF300L.
3,1l/100km.
153kg.
Engine oil change interval 12.800km.

P.S.
Motortek just showed a video of small looking prototype panniers which can hold a 1 gal Rotopax = +500km range. Crash guards without heavy tubing are in construction they anounced.

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