Hi

I´m looking for advice for my upcoming bike swap.

Today Im riding a 2012 Tiger 800 XC.
A great bike but I want to try something else.

My future plan is to ride around Europe 2018.
And when I say around europe, my plans are to visit each capital(or at least a city) in each country.

My plan is not to spend hours on the autobahn/freeways.
My plan is to take the smallest, shittiest roads i can find.

So the bikes need is following.
* Easy to service (change/clean airfiltre and so on.)
* Good for offroad use
* Need to have a subframe for luggage (so no typical enduros)
* Good milage
* As light as possible.^
* quite good comfort
*electric starter

And i want the bike to be as cheap as it can gets.
Any suggestions?

Best regards
MBAY

I was talking to bloke the other day on a fully kitted out CB500X (rally raid) who had sold his Tiger 800 and built up the 500, he said it was an awesome bike and the best move he has done. The only problem is that although a CB500X is not a super expensive bike, all of the modifications end up being quite a lot of cash on top.

I did a similar trip around all of Europe in 2001 on a Yamaha TTR250, it was the perfect bike for me to get off the beaten track, but a 250cc bike is not for everyone.

If you think that one would work for you I would look at a WR250R, CRF250L or the KLX250, if those are too small then maybe look at an older Yamaha XT 600/660 which are cheap to buy and run.

I sold the TTR250 with over 75,000 kms on it, Yamaha 250's are renowned for being able to do high kms and be thrashed hard!

__________________
Cheers
Grif

'11 KTM 450 EXC
'09 Suzuki DR650
'00 Discovery Series 2 V8
'95 Defender 90 300 Tdi Overlander
http://gipperstravels.blogspot.ca

i see that you all pointing o the 500x,but i am steel confused,its a cheap bike puting the rr its close to 10k,another 2-3k to fit it up brings to a more advanced bike like te super tnere without hassling lubing the chain,another big factor here in israel we have problem with some bike using a lot of oil,200-300cc added per 600 mies and the cheap part,like 10k miles cain and sprocket,and other stuff honda save on them?another bike was he mighty africa twin(i never buy new bikes)until the sorted all the shit stuff,and again uge disapointment,spokes crodded,fraile plastik,severe welding,poor luggage,had gip failure,and i was asking myself what the hell his honda thinking,i dont mention other failure like the gear in the xtz 660 tenre,so a iaraeli fellow did a 40.000 km on a brand new super tenere and its run perfect,and if honda will take care all problem in the africa until 4-2016,i will be chossen the super tenere,to cross,the kanyons area alaska to central&and south america.iam riding dual purpse over 30 years and have them for all kind of brands.

I have done most of Europe on my AVL engined Enfield. they cheap and cheap to add stuff or service. 95mpg

In Europe a Tiger 800 actually makes sence. Will be great on any paved road and ok on gravel roads - which there arent too much off if you not very actively search for them.

But if you want a more offroad capable and cheap bike - maybe a 650 single? Not many Klrs and Drs in Europe but a Honda 650? Xr 650 or the NX 650 Dominator? Maybe even TouringTed have one overland prepped coming up for sale? Or a Yamaha Xt or TT 600 or the newer 660s?

The Honda CB500X is a great and unbeliveable capable bike - though no offroader unless you prepp it for that with the RR-kit.

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

I've got a Tiger 800 and over the last few months went through exactly the same dilemma as you are going through now. Ultimately I decided to keep the Tiger.

Here in Germany there are loads of off road tracks I could ride - but they are almost all illegal to ride. Even taking the smallest shittiest roads you can going around Europe you're probably going to do just fine on the Tiger.

If I had the big open spaces and accessibility of America I think I'd go for a proper dual sport, probably a KTM 690 enduro. But my bike is my main form of transport, sometimes I have to do a motorway haul, sometimes I like to have stacks of power and speed. For the small amount of genuine off road I do the Tiger makes it hard going, but I get through.

All that said - if I was going to make the switch I'd take the KTM 690 or Husqvarna 701. Nice modern bike, fairly smooth, got a lot of go. That or I'd put a high seat on the a G650 Xcountry, my girlfriend has one and it's an awesome bike for the price and weight.

__________________
[ Tim | History - NW Italy/French Rivera, Swiss Alps, Morocco | 2016 - Greece > Albania > Macedonia > Kosovo > Montenegro > Bosnia > Slovenia > Austria ]

Thanks for all the answers.

The main reason tho change bike is to try something new.
And the reason for a budget bike is this.

Adventure on a budget

Many of you probably seen all these around the world travellers who have following cars with camera man's, gear and so on.
You also seen these Euro-travelers who have the latest bikes, latest GoPro's and equipment to their ears.

I´m going to prove that you dont need to have a well paid job, to have plenty of money or have the latest things to do trip to remember.

My plan.

I'm going to do as much as possible on a tight budget.
Everything is going to be documented with both pictures and videos.

I'm going to start from scratch with buying a bike, outfit it with the accessories I need and navigate me through entire Europe

My goal is to buy and outfit the bike for under 3,000€.
The video equipment is going to be bought for under 50€.
For pictures I will use my phone.
For navigation i will use local tips, written plans on paper and my imagine.

For living in using a tent which I got earlier for camping (150€).
I'm also gonna try couch surfing.
For food I will cook my own food on my Trianga.

So thats my plan.

So the bike Im thinking of is
DR650
KLR650
XT600
XTZ660
TT/R600
XR650R

So the main thing now is to get up´s and down´s with these bikes.
Serviceintervalls and reability and so on.

Any suggestions or opinions on these bikes?

Best regards

Hi ,just to say I bought a 1987 Honda XL 600 last year for under 1000Euro and rode it from France to Thailand , only problem had to change steering bearings on route my fault should have done before I left .
It was the LM model with 30 Ltr tank great bike and very reliable .

Any of those bikes in good condition would be fine for your trip - the hard part is finding one that has been serviced well and looked after, Id rather have a higher mileage bike that has been ridden gently and has had oil changes every few thousand miles, than a newer cleaner looking bike with low miles that has been 'thrashed' and not serviced correctly.

__________________
Cheers
Grif

'11 KTM 450 EXC
'09 Suzuki DR650
'00 Discovery Series 2 V8
'95 Defender 90 300 Tdi Overlander
http://gipperstravels.blogspot.ca

Thats a great attitude towards bike travelling - a big thumb up from me

As Gipper says - any of those mentioned bikes will probably be fine as long as its looked after. If your budget allows you - consider upgrading suspension, seat, windscreen, footpegs, handlebars, lightening etc as to suit yourself and to make your ride more enjoyable and smoother.

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

Those things are the things i will outfit it with.
Maybe i'll skip suspension as its quite expesive.
I will not carry as much weight.
My tent, sleepingbag, sleepingmat and kitchen weight about 6kg.
Then i will have a change of clothes, camera, some electronics and shoes.

I have tried to pack the things i think i will need and it weight about 15kg.
I takes 2 60L waterproof bags to fit it.
So maybe siderack will be included in the pgrade of the bike.
or a big toprack.

Best regards

I bought a XT600 -95 now.
It was outfitted with
*windsheild
*Bigger fueltank
* Engine shield ? The plate under the engine who protects from stones
* Topbox
* High comp piston
* K&N Filtre
* Arrow can

It has done 40,000km so far and i will take it down to check the whole engine this winter.