I agree, I don't have actually a problem with bigger sizes even like super tenere or GS1200 but weight is important if something goes bad - it's physics right?
momentum = mass x velocity... I am 6.1 with 108kg live weight and still feel safer with bikes under 200kg although I could probably handle even 300kg motorcycle..

For sure the 690 KTM would be an excellent choice. 140kg, lots of power. What more could you want?

Toured Suisse on an LC4, but the vibration got me. After 6 hours or so in saddle, everything started tingling (not just my backside). I think newer ones are a bit better, but for sure not as smooth as the Honda.

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Squily

Of course the lighter the better, but also for me there is a clear MAX. That is where I can pick up the bike myself more than once in sub-optimal conditions w/o hurting myself. This may be somewhat biased by my riding style , but it is a requirement. Way too many opportunities to get stuck by yourself halfway down a slope a long way from help to have a bike that you can't move around with.

Somewhat my take on the choosing the bike for the "worst" you are going to ride, not what you are going to ride the most of. (I might tend to call it the "Best" but that depends on the bike you are riding, and how heavy it is!)

Prime reason to take a bike is to go where you really can't go with more normal transport. If I really just wanted to go easy places, I'd take the bus and not have all the worry and expense of my own transportation. I want to be able to take that dirt road into that hidden green valley that I saw out the dirty window while stuck on the bus with the goat in my lap.

But it IS amazing where Buses get to. I've been aboard Buses climbing up deeply rutted and rocky muddy nightmare dirt "roads" (liberal use of "road" here).

Small, dual wheel Bluebird Bus used super-low "Granny" gear all the way up at 3 mph whilst the Aymara women chanted incantations to themselves. Few passenger cars could make that bit, but the Buses did.

These scenario played out numerous times from Mexico to Bolivia. It took FOREVER to pass these rough sections ... on a nice light enduro bike you could blast through easy ... or on a 100cc step though!

Loose rocks, ruts and mud are what may cause riders most grief. A big, heavy, overloaded bike might struggle unless the Pilot knew his Onions well.

The answer to traveling on a bike you can't pick up solo is ... don't travel solo! Pick up a couple STRONG, YOUNG Riding buddies to help out. Also be cautious about where you go. (impossible to always know conditions)
Yes, sometimes you might have to turn round and take the pavement ... especially if solo and unsure of road conditions. No loss of honor there.


Here ... my younger (20 years younger), stronger A Enduro rider friend rides my XR250R up a steep loose grade in Baja. The pic does not do justice to just HOW steep/knarly this bit is. Another A rider buddy rode me double UP THIS on his WR450. I was stunned he could do it with my fat ass on the back starting mid hill from dead stop. SKILL.

My XR250R had seized earlier in the ride, freed up and ran but was down on power. I got to ride my buddies WR450 the rest of that days ride. WOW! Lighter than my XR and double the HP! No more problems! (yea, right)


We had to stop our friend here from attempting pick up his loaded GS1200 solo. 3 of us lifted it up 5 times this day. We had got lost in a very remote area of the Sierra Tarahumaru near Mexico's Copper Canyon. Deep Bull Dust caused the falls for this novice off road rider. No damaged backs on this trip ... but nearly did.

I just watched Long Way Round about that RWT on big GS1200 bikes and
guess what, conclusion was they're too big and too heavy for the purpose.
In addition one of the GS frame has broken, crack in two places....
260kg plus luggage that's nuts even in light offroad.

That is true. And the gazing over the side, front and rear bumper scraping the wall and rocks crumbling away on the downhill side, beautiful river 800 feet down to the river below and seeing the bus from last year's rainy season down there...

(Petunia on the way down to Death Valley...)





But the real problem it is hard to get a fully loaded bus to just turn down that road that you see. You have to know in advance, find the right bus, get the schedule, etc. And you don't know that road is there until you drive by it on the bus!!

Truth is, I fall down a lot. And I tend to ride alone.

i completely disagree...
im about as big/tall as they come for overlanders, at 6'10" i am comfortable riding my modified xchallenge (75,000+km), just because your bigger doesnt mean that you need a bigger bike.
im also very comfortable riding a honda wave in thailand with my gf behind me.

Well, there you go. X-challenge will never work for me- my knees will kill me before the 1st hour is up. I had an XR350 one, but gave up when I couldn't 'get up' off the seat anymore. But whatever floats your boat....

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Squily

[QUOTE=Squily;473595]For sure the 690 KTM would be an excellent choice. 140kg, lots of power. What more could you want?QUOTE]


How about, what's the best power to weight ratio? KTM 950 Super Enduro is the answer for me.

Size all depends on how much you want to enjoy your ride!

My knees are bent far less riding my TT250R than on my previous RT or XT660Z, so although the little yam is slower it gets me there in more comfort and I can fix it myself.

add to that most 250/350 trail bikes and you have a huge list of easy to enjoy,easy to fix light and cheap to buy bikes.

do you really need to go above 80mph if you are serious about staying alive when you have every kind of vehicle,person or beast trying to kill you?

The Honda CRF 250 must be the best incarnation of the modern RTW bike.

anyone saying it is uncomfortable has not tried changing the bars, fitting risers and fabricating a kit so you can lower the footpegs for road hauls, putting more foam in the saddle raises the hieght and makes it all day comfortable.

as for tank range a little 250 Honda can travel a long way on a little fuel so you only need either an aftermarket tank or aux tank to cover long distances.

To anyone who claims you need to have a GS to enjoy proper adventure riding - please do yourself the favour and try the same trip on something smaller and lighter, I bet you smile a lot more!

Sounds like you've made the ride down the Death Road in Bolivia. Scariest bus I ever made. Now there is a new paved road, buses no longer use the old dirt road apparently. BTW, the drop off at highest point is 2000 ft.

Both KTM's are awesome bikes. If one has the money and can afford to put money into fitting them for travel, then all good. Maintenance and reliability still a question on both. Most successful KTM RTW guys are pretty good mechanics. I think you have to be to make it on a KTM. Conversely we see Noobs aboard $500 Chinese bikes getting out there with zero bike experience. Sort of gets back to why you travel and what priorities one has. If you need a fast, sporty bike everyday on your ride to make you smile .. all good. I prefer something less exciting but more utilitarian, without the
large initial cash outlay. But's it's all good if you're having fun!

Hard to argue with those points. I can guarantee the smile part if you're talking about doing nasty mud, rocks or knarly off road riding. A well set up 250 is certainly easier to manage for most "average" riders.

That CRF Honda certainly could be The One. I wonder if it will turn out to be as reliable long term as the KLX250S and WR250R? Certainly is popular and the aftermarket is already on board with lots of good extras for that bike. I think a good seat would be paramount to comfort. Wider is the key. Enduro seats are too narrow. More foam is only a half measure, a professionally designed seat really makes a difference when in the saddle 10 hours a day, day after day.
The BIG positive for the 250 class is fuel economy. Getting out to remote areas really requires good range. We've all struggled with this. That little CRF Honda seems to "make gas"!

I think it depends on skill/experience and you're strength and the 'If you can be arsed' effect.

Lighter the bike, easier everything is. Except cruising comfortably at speed.

I think most people go for somewhere in the middle. 250kg when loaded up would be my personal limit though. You're talking a 400-650 Enduro style single cylinder bike.

The bike is only half the equation. Use lightweight luggage and don't carry too much and you're half way there.

Then again, people ride Harley's through sand and some people race scooters on drag strips...

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Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

how about this;
you sit at home in your Lazy Boy, and we send you videos of us out enjoying life on our preferred bikes, and you pretend that it is actually you...

that is, unless you prefer to continue to make up excuses as to why that bike wont work for you, without actually trying said bike....

nonsense, just because you can ride it for few minutes doesn't mean you can actually use it for a trip.

I am 6.1 and a big bike like nc750x has a little cramped space for my legs
so my next bike will be even bigger most likely.