Originally Posted by mollydog

.........I agree with the Transalp suggestion. With a 40 mile a day commute you need a twin mate. You'll clap out a single in a year.........

Originally Posted by tedmagnum

Im currently bikeless after getting bored with my TDM850 and selling it...

Im skint so the next bike needs to be my only bike for everything..

Thats a daily 40 mile commute involving city and motorways, some UK trips and hopefully some transcontinental riding..

I also want to do some trail riding and green laning..

Maybe even throw it on a plane back to the Americas.. who knows !

Now, I need a do everything bike. My XT600 was too lardy for anything offroad and other trail bikes are too off road orientated...

I've considered other bikes but im on a £1500-£2000 budget at the moment.

Originally Posted by mollydog

OK OK, you guys Win! So the XR400 will be just a dandy commuter and will go 100,000 miles without a care ... after all .... it's a Honda, Right?
And it'll be nice and smooth at 80 mph on the motorway too

Last time I was in the UK speeds on the motorways were FAST!! Me and my
'99 Tiger just about got sucked up and we were going 80 mph, but that was not fast enough! 90 mph is more the right pace to stay out of the way! This of course with only medium traffic.

Ted's proposed 12,000 mile a year commute may not "clap out" the XR400 but I guarantee this will induce some wear.

If one were to stay off the motorways then the XR400 would be OK, but I don't think anyone is gonna do that when they are late for work.

The XR400R Honda is great ..... I owned a '97 (street legal with a Baja kit) I found it was fine at 55 mph to 65 mph cruising. Beyond that it would be spinning pretty good. But that was ten years ago so memories do fade.
I do remember it pinging a bit on Mexican gas however ....

My next bike after the XR400 was a Suzuki DRZ400E (2001). Better in every way as my dirt bike, especially in the tough, slow, steep, knarly stuff we have here in California's Sierra and Desert's. Once I rode my XR400 back to back with a well set up DRZ, well that was it for me.
Where do I sign?

The S model does not have the "punch" the E model has as it lacks the Pumper FCR carb of the E, but as a street legal 400 the S model is reliable and pretty capable for light duty trail riding and commuting and general riding.

And since the S was designed as a street bike from the off, from the factory, it will be better all round than the XR400, which was initially made a dirt only bike. For certain markets it was adapted to be EU legal and Aussie legal. In the USA it never was, off road only.

With the DRZ-S, it really depends on the rider. A good rider can get a lot out of it. I would find it difficult, but I'm old, out of shape and not aggressive anymore. (former AMA Dist. 36 "B" enduro rider)

But given the use described by Ted, I'd still go with the Wee Strom. Put a bash plate on, TKC 80 Conti's, bark busters and go riding ..... or touring,
or commuting or two up ..... or a trip to Europe or the Americas or whatever.

Can any 400 even come close? Having "been there, done that" I'd say no.