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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 Lois Pryce, schoolkids in Algeria

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Photo of Lois Pryce, UK
and schoolkids in Algeria



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  #1  
Old 17 Dec 2012
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The bike matters a whole lot less than most people think. Get something you're comfortable sitting on, ignore the self-imposed limitations on displacement, and take whatever floats your boat.

Most people thought I was crazy to move from Maryland to Alaska on a WR250R, carrying everything I owned on it, but for me it was liberating. No room for clutter, easy to handle on less than ideal terrain, good fuel mileage, superb reliability. Only time I wished to have more displacement was crossing the Great Plains running in to 35-50mph gusting headwinds, but really what I was wishing for then was a car...
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2008 Yamaha WR250R
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Old 17 Dec 2012
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I was thinking today about how I would have probably turned back this morning when I got to this jeep trail if I had been on a big BMW like I used to ride in Guatemala:



While I enjoy the light weight, fuel effieciency and ability to filter through third world cities with the pizza delivery bikes that a 250 Super Sherpa allows me, most people carry more stuff and ride bigger bikes. Nothing wrong with that.

The worse the roads, the nicer the people. You get to meet a lot of nice people on a little dirt bike.

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
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  #3  
Old 17 Dec 2012
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Hi,

Quote:
Originally Posted by John Downs View Post
The worse the roads, the nicer the people. You get to meet a lot of nice people on a little dirt bike.
Thats so true. If you travel on a small bike sometimes even the local people own a simular bike and invite you to stay but they will treet you like money on legs and start begging if you arrive on a fancy big bike...

Travel save
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  #4  
Old 17 Dec 2012
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I'm a recent convert of the WRR which is my first 250 and it still doesn't stop to amaze me. It's less vibey than my BM 650 and heaps more fun to ride. Looking back all my trips I reckon it would have been more fun on it. Less is most definitely more.
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  #5  
Old 18 Dec 2012
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bike size
For me bike size depends on continents and roads , I loved my 250XR in SE Asia ( mostly off road) but if you talk long distance in Australia or USA a 690 is more fun for me , for my next RTW I will most likely take a DR650 for Africa and some small bike for the rest of the world . My 1200GS was a superbe bike but after 7 month in South America on a 650 DL I don't see the need for big CC, what I needed was better clearance but never more power. I drove the DR350 for few hundred mile and this is also a great size for on and off roaf .
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  #6  
Old 18 Dec 2012
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I just switched from a Honda XRV750 to the new CRF250L.
We are going RTW on the CRFL's next year.
Will miss the comfort on the highway, wont miss the weight in all other cases.
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  #7  
Old 24 Feb 2013
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Quote:
Originally Posted by skierd View Post
The bike matters a whole lot less than most people think. Get something you're comfortable sitting on, ignore the self-imposed limitations on displacement, and take whatever floats your boat.
Completely agree. I like little bikes. I travel more slowly, see more, meet more people, have more fun when I am on the 250 instead of a bigger bike. I will also admit most of the advantages of the smaller bike as far as MPG and such disappear if you have to be somewhere in a hurry (though I never got less than 60mpg unless there was something wrong).

It's way better to bike a motorcycle you like to travel on, and then go traveling than worry over what bike is right, spend lots of money, and never get around to leaving.
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