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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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  #1  
Old 22 Dec 2007
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Yamaha xt 350
I have a yamaha xt 350. not sure of the year, its been in storage now for a few years since it was last going. What are the thoughts on completely rebuilding this bike and using this as an "around africa bike".
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Old 22 Dec 2007
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Mine personally?
Firstly..... To the fountain of Knowledge of all things RTW! the HUBB.

My thoughts personally....... what is the general condition? Does it have any significant nasty bits?
Do you mean will it make it?...well, Lois Pryce went all over the place ( South America, across the USA etc) on a XT225 and others have done RTW on Much smaller machines.
It all depends on what YOU are comfortable with. How much prep YOU want to put into it, and how dedicated YOU are......... after all..its YOUR journey!

Have fun!

Martyn
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Old 22 Dec 2007
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The bike is easy to handle. I would imagine the large 1200 bmw's would be huge in sandy conditions and so on. A bike completely rebuilt, are these known for higher mileages before any type of failures? I am not a fast driver...it would only concern me if I was in places in Europe where you need highway speeds. I would imagine 50mph would be enough in most of Africa at top speeds, I wouldnt carry a lot of weight, a few spare parts ie, Tires, chains, cables and odds and ends, tent, sleeping bag, clothes, boots. I dont know if I will be even going just yet. it wouldnt be for another year or so if I did. But I hear of slower driving and so on, why would you need such a large bike unless your carrying huge loads. What about the air/oil cooling. would this bike run too hot?
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Old 22 Dec 2007
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My other thoughts of course was to buy a brand new '08 KLR 650. I hear they work really well, simplier then the BMW's, cheaper.
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Old 22 Dec 2007
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tripper View Post
I have a yamaha xt 350. not sure of the year, its been in storage now for a few years since it was last going. What are the thoughts on completely rebuilding this bike and using this as an "around africa bike".
If you are a good mechanic and you like that bike , I would say ,yes it would be a good idea to rebuild the bike and use it for an Africa trip .350 should be plenty big enough .
But if you have to ask ,then I would assume that you don't have a good mechanical knowledge .So my advice would be to buy a new or nearly new bike such as the KLR that you mentioned and take that instead .
Good luck either way .
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Old 22 Dec 2007
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xt 350 the way to go...
....awesome bikes...we rode two used 350's for 44,000 kms. from Canada to Chile with only one major problem that was pretty easliy fixed. mind you, SA is not Africa but i've also ridden xlr250s thru southern africa with no probs. lighter the better, you can't imagine how many times we had to lift them onto boats, up stairs, into hotels, etc.
plus, you drop it, you CAN pick it up.

good luck...go XT!
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Old 22 Dec 2007
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that IS a good point Todd n Christina......
Quote:
Originally Posted by Todd & Christina View Post
. lighter the better,
you drop it, you CAN pick it up..go XT!
After watching those two "Celebrities" poncing about Africa on fully loaded Beemer 1200's and needing a team of THREE to pick a bike up, I would say you have the most valid argument ever for a light bike.

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Old 22 Dec 2007
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Bike
Yeah, I have a bit of mechanical knowledge. Rebuilding the bike would make me even more familar. I didnt talk to a yamaha dealer to see what it would cost to get it rebuilt... I would probably nearly have a knew bike once I finished. I do like the KLR, as I hear they work well. Air cooling and highway speeds are my only thought. I rode around on that xt so much around here, short distances...but as hard as any pictures I have seen on these travelogues so far, except for really deep water. and I never had much trouble with it at all. If I baby the bike all the way along, day in day out, the only thing I think would bother it would be the heat. Im sure I put enough miles on it here to go around the african continent with little to no maintenance. And yes, people swear by those beemers....but my god....massively huge! and what I have seen them consider as offroad I thought was "on road" lol.
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Old 23 Dec 2007
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i met someone that used a xt350 as a daily-driver en drove more than 100.000 Km with cruising speeds of 120 km/h. the 350 is like all xt's tuned to last and not to race...

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