I met a guy in March had been to scotland & back all for £30. he did say he found that the bike engine was not as reliable, i understand there is a desail
enfiled club
& u tume have a few on show sounds like a old trackter

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We are the Pilgrims, Master, we shall go Always a little further: it may be beyond that last blue mountain barred with snow, Across that angry or that glimmering sea.

You would be much better off with a cub ( Triumph tiger cub) any will do but the best years are 1959 to 1966 Once the engine oil is warm they will run all day at 45mph+ and return 100mpg. I toured all overthe UK on one back in the early sixties. It was equipped wit a full Avonaire touring fairing.

I would suggest that you stay away from Bantams for touring! as oldbmw says, a better choice would be the Tiger cub, but only just! if you read the blog from this link you will realise why, 20kms ridden, half hour or more to let it cool down . The journey could be very nearly measured in seizures to the mile. http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...gypt-bsa-49984




For diesel bikes try DieselBike.net The Original Diesel Motorcycle website.

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'He who laughs last, was too slow to get the joke'
Never confuse the map with the journey.

Which would logically suggest (at least to me) another branch of the family tree, MZ's. Rat bike rather than classic (although people I don't understand are doing hideous over chromed ES and RT model "restorations" now). I'd guess I've done something like 150,000 KM on MZ two strokes and had one siezure (the bike, not me). I made it home after pouring a can of coke down the bore and ran the same barrel and piston for another month . These 250/290's will run all day at 60+ mph. Efficient they are not, 40-60 MPG plus you are burning smoke oil at hideous prices. However, are we looking at the big picture:

MZ301, cost me £520 last September (only 7000 Km since new in 1995 ), has run to about £30 in spares (e-bay value if I'd sold rather than hoared) and in 7000 miles used say £800 worth of petrol and £75 worth of smoke oil. I could sell it tomorrow for £250, probably more. That's 17p a mile.

I looked at a Diesel Bullet. £3500 to buy and then does 90 mpg on a mixture of Diesel and cooking oil. Parts I guessed at the same as my petrol Bullet and £1000 less if I decided to e-bay it. Over 7000 miles that's 20p a mile but falling fast.

The break even is somewhere about the three year mark at the rate I'd use one, but obviously the distance would clock up sooner on a long trip. Diesel of course is universally available while smoke oil isn't. I think I'll be going Diesel about five years after a manufacturer introduces one as a production model.

Andy

The diesel bullets do considerably more mpg than your figures. you should be getting between 120mpg to 170mpg on a single cylinder bike.
I get 96mpg from my petrol lean burn 500 cruising at 50-65mph.

The bike:

A Royal enfield! Price: 850 euro

only a nice diesel engine and I wil be driving allong with 10 hp but cheap simple and reliable!

Me is happy

The Yanmar chinese clones are quite good. You can get all the parts you need for a conversion from PricePart Motorcycles | Royal Enfield Motorcycles | Tel: 01454 261 941 | Email: henry@pricepartmotor

Just to respond to the original post..... and sorry to hijack this thread.......

I'm not a big guy - 180cm /70kg and I am looking to own a more off road oriented bike again (I currently own 2.5 Burgmen, CT110, RD350 and am restoring another mid 80s bike), so based on travelcrazy's original post I went looking to buy a KLE500 thinking it may be a reasonable size offroader - not too big and not too small.

I found a very nice one - 2007, 15k Kms and AUD$4k - but sadly the KLE500 is way too small a bike for me.

To sit comfortably I need to sit on the passenger seat. The rider seat is scalloped out far too much and pushs you forward on to the tank, whilst the footpegs are too high and back forcing your knees and ankles to be bent at an uncomfortable angle and preventing you from using them to support your upper body.

In recent months I have also tested a GS1100 (too tall), Versys (I like it but it needs a 19" front wheel minimum), KLE650 (too tall and vibey). I prefer a twin cylinder as a single is too hard work for the long distances on the highway here in Australia - I am next going to try a wee strom, does anyone have other suggestions for a used 3+ year old offroad tourer?

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Garry from Oz - powered by Burgman

The DL650 is an excellent bike. Stone reliable, versatile, comfortable ... lots of leg room. I owned two DL1000's and have swapped with buddies on DL650 several times, off road included. So I know the Wee Strom very well.

With upgraded suspension and TKC80 tires the Wee Strom is really transformed. Quite capable off road. But once loaded up it is still a bit of a handful off road. I prefer a single when the going gets sandy or muddy or rocky, rutted or steep. Still, it may surprise you where you can get to on a Wee Strom ... if you have some skills and confidence.

But for road work the Wee Strom is very hard to top ... at any price, by any bike. I've ridden a brand new R1200GS back to back with a well set up Wee Strom and I honestly liked the Vstrom better. Feels smaller, lighter, I felt more in control. I would highly recommend using the DL1000 seat or a custom seat on the Wee Strom. This will raise you up a bit, allowing even more leg room. Did you know the Vstrom has equal leg room to a R1200GS BMW ? It's true, we measured them both.

I loved my Vstroms on the highway but I have been very impressed with my DR650's too (I've owned three) They are fine at 80 mph all day long. With a good seat (a must on the DR650) it's surprising the miles you can pull down.
With suspension up grades the bike handles off road conditions quite well ... much easier and safer than a Wee Strom ... even carrying a fair load.

Both are great bikes. Do try out the Wee, see what you think.

Steal the bike, is cheaper than buying anything else. Or do something better, swap your wife and get the bike. Then, ride as far away as you can, the new owner could soon realize how bad bussiness he made.

lifetime motorbike trip (by segments)

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www.miquelsilvestre.com

Is this a modified Bonneville? Would like to know more of this beautiful bike.

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1997 Africa Twin

it's a Triumph Scrambler, i guess.


On the original topic, one could consider one of the new Indian bikes, the Bajaj for instance. or TVS .
Brandnew, very cheap, very fuel efficient +/-2L/100km, very strong suspension (designed for carrying at least 3 adults, or idontknowhowmany bags of cement) and faster than that Enfield diesel.

These manufacturers have taken over the (booming) motorcycle taxi market in E.Africa in just a few years.

l am also interested in this topic but I would like to add a twist to the question :

what is an economical bike suited for 2up riding? Speed is not an issue ( don't mind if I under 100kmph most of the time) but confort it is.
Going both slow and cramped is not a good combination.

So between a pillion and some luggage+camping gear... do I have any change to get a 60-70 mpg ?

On my current SV I get between 50-55 mpg 2 up + luggage. Now I am pondering to change it either to a more roomy bike but I am horrified to see bikes with regular consumption less then 50 mpg. In my book this should not happen. I might be cheap I know...

The key to elevated mileage is limiting your speed. Loading actually has little affect (IMHO) unless you like to go fast.

I own 2 650's--a f.i. twin and a carburated single. Either will get 60 mpg US (100 km/gall, about 25 km/liter) with any sort of ridiculous load on any sort of terrain...as long as I limit myself to 55 mph/90 kph. Actually, either will routinely hit 70 mpg US if riding sedately. Increase speed and mileage will plummet rapidly. That's your cue.

Mark

Blacktiger:Thats a nice bike, what model is it? tiger 500?

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BMW F800GS
Suzuki DR650SE