250cc for around australia
 

Hi I'm Planning a trip around Australia with my partner . I was going to do it 2up on a 650 vstrom But my partner really wants to ride a bike as well. This creates some questions I need help on.
1. My partner is only 5.2ft so what bike would be good for highway and a bit of dirt. She also only has a license to ride up to 250cc
2. what would the top speed and fuel range of a suitable 250

So if anyone can give a novice some advice it would be much appreciated

Get the Hemma 'motorcycle atlas of Australia' - that has petrol stations where they are important .. and you can see where you'll need a longer fuel range on your planed route. If you need to, buy a plastic jerry can or two and use it only where you need too. Oh and buy it at a major town before you need the can .. and sell it afterwards .. camping grounds can be good for this .. or exchange it for clod beer, meal .. what ever at a camping ground...

Top speed is not important .. cruse speed is. The Northern Territory has a max speed these days of 130km/h .. but the road trains will probably still be doing 120 km/h .. that is a good speed to do there as then you are not overtaking them nor having them overtake you. Having said that most of the 'grey nomads' do 80km/h .. a good economical speed!


Best if you both have the same model of bike!

--------------- Read the stuff on the left side bar .. there are lots of good hints there even if they are written for round the world travel.

Check out the XT225 Serow or the new 250. Low seat height and 80mpg. Also you have those farm bikes in Oz I'm unsure who makes them but they seem to have a pretty low seat. A 250 trail bike should do 80-90kph all day on standard gearing.

Guys, the list of bikes capable of doing this seems to be endless:
XT225 Yam
TTR250 Yam
SL250 Honda
XL250 Honda etc.
You can ride right around Oz without leaving the tarmac if you want, although there are some incredible places to see by getting a little of the beaten track. A lot of these places are on good 'graded' gravel roads.

Guess it depends on the terrain...

I am in the process of setting up a TT250R a little high for you I think.
Luggage is easily carried on most of the bikes mentioned above and fuel is also readily available anywhere on most of the highways and byways.

Cheers.

Julian.

bullet proof 250's
 

Howdi there,
A Honda XR baja is great as It has a bigger 14L tank (range of up to 300km's plus on good roads), wider seat and an electric start but unfortunately they don't sell them to Australia... I know you can get them in Asia but may be a quite a headache trying to get a hold of one.

I am also quite short so lowered the suspension as much as possible along with a Korba link that lowered it even more (although, watch out for the chain rubbing into the swing arm!)

Having a smaller bike is great on dirt roads but it does struggle a little on the highways. I guess it depends on what type of roads you want to do but I wouldn't have swapped my bike whislt I was riding in sand or mud as I never rode a bike before.

Not sure how well your parnter rides but If she wants someone to talk to about all the dauntig facts about rding her own bike, just email me!

Amy

I'd suggest looking closely at a pair of TTR 250's , there are lowering kits available for your partners one. They are also pretty bullet proof

a matching pair is easiest
 

you can carry less spares ,service them at the same time they go the same speed unless you are a 6' 3" 250 pound monster ,i did 10,000 km on a 30 year old vespa so anything is possible ,just step back the pace ,stop and smell the flowers more often , those ctx 200 aggy hondas are pretty cool ,just a little shy on fuel range but you could strap a 10 litre on that funky front rack ,but most of all get out there off the main freeways and highways and hit the back roads ,oz has stacks of them and you will have more fun and meet more interesting people
cheap aussie dave
New World Honda - New Bikes - CTX200 A6 (ADR model) - Berwick, Victoria, Australia

Yamaha Motor Australia

how about one of these little suckers , a TW200E,i met a japanese girl travelling around oz on one of these solo and she was tiny you can find that on the yamaha site under trail bikes

Ag Bikes yeah!
 

I know a Canadian couple traveling the Pacific rim on two DR Suzukis. His was a 650 and hers was a 200. He said that, especially for Aussie, on the gravel roads they tried to mostly do, her bike was the better bike, and only his ego prevented him buying one the same.....

I'm also a fan of any of the Ag bikes. They are lower, stronger, have cool things like side-stands on both sides for really uneven ground, built-in handbar protection, fitted strong carriers. My pick would be the CTX200 Honda, or the DF200 Suzuki Trojan. :thumbup1:

Good luck, and look after that girl who wants to come riding. Start slow and on a small bike. Confidence is everything when your learning.

Regards

Nigel in NZ

see you must take note of a kiwi
 

he loves ag bikes cause he can fit 2 sheep on there ,one on the front and one on the back ,lol