We are in the early planning or a trip London to Cape Town, leaving 1st Nov. 2010 arriving Cape Town end Jan. myself and a friend will be on bikes with our better halves, we want to go on the same bikes and have narrowed it down to a V-Strom or the Transalp, we have ruled out BMW's due to parts issues in Africa & Sth America (Phase 2 of the Trip) I am about 5'5" and weight about 75kg the misses is 5'2" and 50kg, The other Bloke is 6'1" and 85Kg his wife is 5'6 and 65kg, now you have the statics (wives will be pleased) the Transalp is only a 680cc will my mate & Co be to big for it, if so we will have to go for the V-strom 650 for us and the 1000 for them. Opinions appreciated.
I ride a Triumph Bonneville but have ruled it out of this sort of trip.

Thanks
Pauld

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....rather Die Living.....than Live Dying !
www.globetrekkers.net.au

My current ride is a DL1000 and in a couple of days we are heading down for a slow lap of Tassie. A great bike but I know feel I could live with the 650 version. These bikes are excellent value for money and have had no known faults that will leave you stranded. I have just completed a trip to Cape York on a CT110, that's probably why the step down to a 650 from a 1000 now appeals to me.

I seem to remember the Transalp has a small capacity fuel tank? Just checked 17.5 litres! $12000 +ORC
Honda have only recently started to import the XL1000V Varadero again, looks the part but would need to check the overall weight. Fuel capacity 25 litres, $18000 + ORC
DL1000 22 litre capacity $13500 + ORC
DL650 22 litre capacity $9990 + ORC

That's my 2 cents worth!

Glen

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Feb 2014, currently travelling the America's on a Tiger 800XC

Live every day like it's your last, one day you'll get it right!!!

My friend is doing a RTW 2 up on a 650 with luggage and he seems to like it, the only issue were room for the leg of the passenger and a small tank( no option to upgrade)OK for South America but for Africa I am wondering if you will have to carry couple gallon as reserve. The clearance is smaller on the Vstroom but in the US many rider are doing very well with the bike off road, with a passenger you will certainly stay on good road or gravel piste.
Good luck

I do know Vstroms quite well ....

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Patrick passed Dec 2018. RIP Patrick!

If you were going 1-up, there would be many very good options. But when going 2-up, that narrows it down considerably. Personally, I would put the DL650 (or 1000) in front of the Transalp (and I own a Wee, so I am biased!)

All 600/650-versions of Transalp felt very exhausted, when having that much weight on board (never even tried with the amount you´re likely to carry on a trip like that, but didnt feel like its made for that!)... and even the new 700 is about 10hp down on power compared to the DL650. And when both engines run as smoothly as they do (the Transalp vibrates a bit more in higher revs, though), use about the same amount of fuel, and are both as bulletproof as they get, the Transalp´s engine doesnt really offer anything the DL650 doesnt (ok, it maybe runs a bit smoother at very low revs).

The Vstrom frame is another thing that suits 2-up so well. Many allround-bikes, when loaded to the limit or beyond, feel like they´ve suddenly got a hinge in the middle, but the Vstrom doesnt. Take the tank off, and you´ll see, its almost like a GSXR frame. May not make it a perfect offroad-bike, but helps a lot, when carrying a lot of weight.

The Transalp 700´s fairing is okay, not perfect, but neither is the DL650. Transalp´s stock seat was better than DL. And its headlights were a joke compared to the DL (which is known to have one of the best headlights in the business).

Me, I would choose the tubeless wheels of the DL over the Transalps spoked wheels&tube tyres, too. Quicker to fix flats on the road, and DL´s cast wheels, while not unbreakable, are still very tough. Your pillion probably doesnt want to ride with you, if you try to go at such speeds, when its possible to dent them.

Both are good choices, though, very reliable, and one of the few bikes I´d consider taking on a trip like this, 2-up. The decision really comes up to your personal preferences.

Hi Paul,
Did you look at the fuel range situation, the DL1000 look like less frugal that the DL650 and while loaded two up carrying fuel maybe a bit of a problem.In Africa fuel range is a very important factor . I am myself preparing a RTW 2 up and after looking at the DL I couldn't find anywhere online selling a bigger tank , I went to see a HD maker and he wasn't very hot in building a tank for the bike, still consider the DL but the older 1150GS are with less electronic and bigger tank,maybe a good option. I still didn't buy my bike for the trip due to the only fact that I can't yet made up my mind, now if you are in europe ,there you will find more option .