I've been driving myself bonkers thinking what to do for the best with regards to a travel bike, when I already have an 'older' cbr600 parked outside already.

I know its been done on sportsbikes already, but would somewhere like Mongolia leave me screwed, or is it doable, albeit a bit more difficult ??

Thanks in advance

If I had the choice between a cbr600 and the plethora of faux "adventure" bikes that are clogging up the market segment to which many hubbers are attracted, I'd go for the cbr600 every time. The only reason I've never bought a 600 cc 4 cylinder Japanese sports bike is that I'm too tall to fit on one.

Check Sjaak Lucassen

Also Google: Nick Sanders

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Now theres a quick reply

I only bought this bike as a sacrificial lamb for the winter, but what with the proven reliability and the fact it makes me grin, I figure f**k it, just use it. But I'm also a realist and know it aint an offroad legend, so thought it worth asking, especially as mongolia really appeals, and the term ' Roads' does seem a bit optimistic for this part of the world.

99% of what I rode in Mongolia would have been as easy or hard on a sports bike as on the 600 cc Transalp I used. In one or 2 places a Trannie might be faster. In others a sports bike.

Also, in Mongolia the Chinese are now paving a lot of tracks.

Clearly things would be a great deal easier on a light weight dirt bike but a sports bike is just as suitable as the huge sheds with substandard suspension that pass as "adventure bikes".

And your cbr makes you smile....

Pics of Mongolia in sig below.

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Funny, Transalp was my first choice of travel bike !!

Cheers pal.

Ride what you have, but RIDE.

The longer you spend here on the HUBB, the more you will learn that you can ride any bike to Mongolia. But the longer you spend here, the less time you have to ride ... so take the CBR ... I crossed the Ural mountains last year Mid of May and did not have any snow on the main roads ... so time to tell good bye to your wife/job/mates at the pub and hit the road.

Saludos from South America
mika

Perhaps factoring in off road experience may be helpful in choosing to go CBR or not? So what off road experience have you? I've owned four 600 class sports bikes, a 750 and a 1000. I've ridden Sports bikes off road but it was, in my experience, NOT MUCH FUN.

I'm a former expert level Enduro rider (former AMA B rider), so I know how. In anything "loose" the 600 would be all over the road, I could never relax. The more you tense up, more likely a crash will occur.

It's all good flying down a nice, fast hard packed dirt road ... until it isn't. Hit deep gravel or mud (which may surprise you!) at 70 mph and you may shit yourself and be OFF in an instant, Ass over Tea Kettle. You WILL travel fast on these endless roads. Don't get cocky!

Seen it happen to experienced riders on several occassions. Even more likely once the bike is loaded up for travel ... or if it rains. A true PITA.

Any sort of small to medium sized (250 to 650cc) Dual Sport bike with a 21" front wheel (or even a 19"), wide bars and more upright seating position gives you huge advantage off road. That deep gravel can be powered through with confidence, the mud may send you swerving, but you have a better chance saving a crash on the dual sport bike than a Sports Bike.

Main point is, you can relax and have FUN on a Dual Sport with 21" knobby tire. On a sports bike you have to pay attention all the time.

Another element is crash damage. Full bodywork sports bikes are covered in expensive plastic. Once that bike hits the ground it will explode into bits. Doesn't mean a trip ender, but if you crack a radiator ... could be a delay. Sports bikes aren't designed to survive a crash, Dual Sport bikes ARE.

TransAlp would be a fair choice. Slow but steady and pretty reliable if set up pre trip. If you're an expert level Flat Track racer then riding the CBR would be Child's play for you. But if not ... think twice. CBR is a great road bike .... off road? Not so much.
Take you CBR off road for a few hours and try it out. See how it treats you.

Lots of guys have taken such bikes. I think they're mostly one brick short of a load. Have fun, be safe, relax. Dual Sport.

Tyres can make a big difference to the most unlikely choice for off road fun.

https://youtu.be/ERSgFbURRNQ

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Regards Tim

Learning my craft for the big stuff, it won't be long now and it's not that far anyway

No off road experience whatsoever, but more common sense than enough.
Plastics wont cost a lot on this, probably less than it would to change bikes. But I do appreciate your opinions, and you're probably right

I second Mr. Mollydog's words of wisdom concerning the unsuitability of sport bikes off pavement. My Kawi ZR7-S was squirrely as hell on dirt and gravel and that's a bike that is less sporty geometrically than a CBR. Small front wheels, fat tires and difficulty standing up for any distance just don't seem to mix with unstable surfaces. There may be the odd person who is talented enough or lucky enough to get away with it. For the rest of us, in my opinion, it's a tense and not very safe way to go.

Excellent advice. Life is too short to sit at home and listen to the nay sayers who say it can't be done. Adapting the strap line from a well known sports shoe brand: Take your bike and just do it. I'm surprised nobody has yet said that you need a big fat German/Austrian shed. The nay sayers obvious didn't get through to Peter and Kay Forwood (every country on the planet 2 up) on their HD Electraglide either.

Ask Sjaak what mods he did to his bike, sort your visas and just go.

Ps. I recall in 2013 seeing 3 Belgian Yam xj600s in Ulan Baatar who had ridden from the western border across the entire country (and, of course, from Europe across Russia), without a problem. Just normal blokes... You can do it too.

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I've travelled long distances on both a 95 CBR600 and a 2005 R1200GS. So I tell you from experience that it can be done. Molly makes good points, in that off road was much harder on the sport bike, but I'm sure a lot of that was due to me being surprised to be on dirt roads and not having developed or practiced the skills I needed at those times. I ride the GS now because that's the ride I want.

In the end, your decision boils down to the same question: what ride do you want? If you want to do Mongolia on the sport bike, go for it (and be sure you post pictures of the trip).

If I were to offer advice, I'd suggest two things:
1) Practice for the terrain you expect, and
2) Mika was right. Do it quickly, because you aren't getting any younger.

I have had the 1200GSA and the 800GS and they are great for eating up the miles on the tarmac. I now have a XT600E. But would I have taken the BMWs where I ended up going on my Balkans trip and on my Thailand and Laos Trips (if i flew them over), Not a chance. I travel on my own and it was hard enough picking my XT up never mind the 1200GSA. I will stick with the XT or smaller and doubt very much if I will ever get another BMW, I never had a problem with them but there are better bikes out there that do a better job.
As for taking the cbr600 off road, go for it, it will do it...Nick Sanders (think i spelt it right) has been all over on his R1

All the best with whatever you decide

Wayne

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The Balkans
https://new.horizonsunlimited.com/poi_entity/8417

I'm with Tim at post #8.

Fit the knobliest tyres that will fit and go in the knowledge that there will be roads that aren't fun and others that are impossible. I've taken Triumph Bonneville up tracks that kids on 125 trail bikes said were impossible. The knowledge that I could keep Thailands best British bike going weighed nothing.

Andy

I've long been of the view that we tend to obsess over the technical nature of our machines. Too many people are inclined to say you can't do X without Y. No 21" front wheel? Go home. No long travel suspension? Give up now!

These things surely help, if you want to ride at some kind of competitive Dakar pace they may even be essential. But if you're willing to take it slow, waddle (should be easy on a sports bike, compared to a big tall ADV?) or get off and walk when needed all you really need is a wheel that goes round.

If you can go around the world on a C90, R1 or Harley you can do it on just about anything.

You'll have a rougher time on the rough stuff but on the road you'll be able to hoon around like a mad thing.

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