Here are some prices I got yesterday1
The thing is that bikes are very many much extremely more expensive here than in South Africa!
These are new bikes! (I hope the formatting works!)

Bike SA Price Mkar Price
BMW 650 GS Dakar (2003 Model) $10 400; $18 300


BMW G650 Xcountry (2007 Model) $10 100; $17 700


BMW G650 Xchallenge (2007 Model) $10 450; $17700

Yamaha XT660R (2007) $9400 Out of stock, maybe early 2008?

KTM 400 EX Not in SA $13 800

KTM 640 ADV $11 400 $14600


KTM 690 SM Not in Sa $14 400

Honda Falcon NX4 (2005) Not in Sa $7400
Unavailable in many countries, looks to fancy! ie Roady!
HONDA CRF450X7 $8900 Not in Mcar!


I do not understand why the bikes are so much more expensive. Vehicles are cheaper here. A Toyota RAV is apparently $5700 cheaper in Madagascar!

Obviously secondhand bikes are myuch more expensive as well.

A second hand 650 GS is $14 300 I havent seen it just heard
A XT 600, without a model $5100


Somebody please tell me more about this Pan African warranty!

Lambda sensor: I will probably be looking at a 2007 XT660!

Local riders. I know of two Frenchies who use XT660, 2006? 2005?. And the one guy has gone offroad. That was the Saturday he pushed the bike onto the lawn to wash it! SO they know nothing about its performance wrt leaded fuel.

WRT carrying a passenger. It will probably be relatively short distance, less than 200/300km BUT on BADD roads!

Advice on GPSs?

Thanks once again for your support, advice etc!
J

Uhhhhhh! Im in love!

The 2008 Tenere is absolutely beautiful! But can I wait that long? Im contacting SA on Monday to find out WHEN! And how much.

But there is that worry about being the"1st" to buy a new bike?

ClrScr

Yes, that is something that I have never done, up to now - but I could be tempted next year; maybe by the new BMW 800GS or maybe by the XTZ660 or maybe by the KTM 690 Adv or what?!
There are a lot of good bikes on the horizon for 2008.

XTZ660: the engine is already well proven in the XT660 and other bikes, such as the Aprilia Pegaso. It has a fuel tank that is big enough compared with the XT, so few extras will be needed (and they are the cheaper ones, such as handguards).

__________________
Dave