That bike was never available in Canada. That's why the Tenere 700 is on my list.

Mike, be sure to go to your User Options / control panel and put in your home country so people have an idea what's available to you.

As has been noted, WEIGHT MATTERS. In other parts of the world than Canada / USA and Europe, and to some extent Australia - unless you go off-road, then it MATTERS again.

Personally, if I was going RTW again, this time solo - it would be a DR650. CHEAP, easily modified to become the perfect bike for you, relatively light compared to the 800 up bikes, CHEAP, lots of them around, though used they're pricey - guess what they hold their value for a reason, and they're relatively CHEAP, and also important, super reliable, easy and simple to fix, will cruise at highway speeds forever, and still do well off-road. Oh and did I mention they're CHEAP? And there's LOT of mods and tweaks to make them YOURS. And no shortage of power for everywhere but here, and they're adequate for here.

I've got several days riding two different ones hard off-road, and a long fast days haul on the freeway on one, and although it's sure not my 1200GSA, it's ok, when you remember what it is and what ELSE it can do beside pavement. It's a great all-round bike.

Remember, what you've come to understand is "the perfect bike" is hugely coloured by riding in North America - and the culture here of "if it ain't a 1200 it's crap". And, you might want a different bike entirely for North America, and that makes sense. Until you want to do the TAT or TCAT. Then we're back to a DR650 or similar smaller bike. I wouldn't do a KLR, I personally hate them, but lots of people love them. They're probably a slightly better street bike than a DR, but the KLR is far worse off-road.

FWIW - I ride a 1200GSA off road and on road, but for real off-road I now have a 2002 DRZ400E, and love it off-road. Makes the 1200 look and feel like the tank it is. A friend rides off-road with me on his DR650, and it works really well at both street and dirt. The DRZ is small, and very light, over 50 pounds lighter than his DR, and we REALLY notice the difference dragging them around. We've also both had to pick up my 1200 when it rudely managed to fall over, wheels way up in the air and bars in the ditch. Darn near killed us both. Yup, weight matters.

Finally I'd suggest a whole lot less time in North America. My mother said to us when we left in 1987 for our RTW, "why don't you see our own country first?" Our answer, "We can do that when we're old in a motorhome - but we won't be touring Africa then." My advice: ride due south and keep going - by the time you get to Mexico, you'll have worked through any surprise teething troubles and be good to go. Of course you have lots of time before then to get a bike, and spend a lot of time getting it sorted to perfection before you leave - just remember to test WITH A FULL LOAD!

Best of luck deciding! Always remember, you can do it on any bike. See the Achievable Dream Video series on Vimeo!

Well that was a long post, but this topic seems to be generating long posts!

__________________
Grant Johnson
Seek, and ye shall find.
------------------------
Inspiring, Informing and Connecting travellers since 1997!
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

First year bike - pass!
Second year it could be THE bike to have - we'll see. Let someone else sort the teething troubles.

__________________
Grant Johnson
Seek, and ye shall find.
------------------------
Inspiring, Informing and Connecting travellers since 1997!
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

I looked at the 700: very nice power! As much as my TDM and "only" 200kg!

So basically TDM power at Transalp weight and decent looks!

But then I had a look at the DR650: 147kg, dry!! That is AMAZING!! And a 650 to boot!

Yep! Definitely see the benefits in that.

I toured Sweden (painfully) on a super moto XR400R. Excellent economy, surprising handling, fun performance, and 116kg dry: so easily to wheel about and lift.

It had a Dakar tank meaning about 20 litres of fuel and also meaning that I needed to get off an massage my backside 7 times between fill ups instead of just 3.

But the DR: I just know I'm gonna start looking at the used bike ads now, not that I need another bike!

__________________
Adventure: it's an experience, not a style!
(so ride what you like, but ride it somewhere new!)

If the idea is to spend the first year travelling around the US and Canada then your bike choice may not be as critical as it might be if you were heading straight to Africa for example. You'll be fine on something bigger and heavier and more complicated in North America than would work elsewhere and after a year you'll know whether that bike works for you. Having said that I've ridden across a lot of the US on a variety of bikes from 200cc to 1800cc and for solo use my pick of the lot would be a KLR650. Like Grant's DR650 or Mika's XT600 Tenere (neither of which I've ridden so I can't comment on them) it's a middle of the road bike that hits the sweet spot between weight, power, complexity, reliability longevity, comfort, fuel range, parts availability etc.

And, believe me, on a really long trip a bland bike that just works and gets you where you want to go without fuss is what you want. If it doesn't blend into the background with time whatever its downsides are will drive you crazy. You don't need it to be the fastest or the flashiest or the most sophisticated or even the newest. What you need is that it starts and runs and gets you to where you want to go. Ultimately it's a two wheel pack animal. It might be boring but a donkey does that job better in the long run than a racehorse.

Wouldn't an older, cheaper bike be better for country import duties/carnet de passage etc ? Or am I out of date ?!

I think the common notion that older bikes are problem magnets is rather false (general observation. No reference to the OP, here).

Take my Transalp. It is now in its 24 year! That is old and I'd probably be concerned about buying a bike of that age and yet, it also only has 46,000 miles on the clock and the XL600V lump is one of the most understressed engines out there.

After a winter indoors, it usual starts within 5 seconds of pressing the starter. Even a weak battery can often still get it to chug into life.

Admittedly I had to replace the clutch on mine, do a swingarm rebuild and the headrace bearings, but otherwise trouble free.

Insurance is negligible, and indeed, value-based border entry fees will be far far less. The only issue now is availability of OEM parts.

In other words, if the bike has been well-looked after and the mileage is not excessive, it's probably a perfectly good bike.

__________________
Adventure: it's an experience, not a style!
(so ride what you like, but ride it somewhere new!)

Great posts! Thanks all. I updated my profile. That may help. A few things....Yes, I am going to cross my country one last time from the East Coast, then to Alaska, then south....doing a RTW means RTW - and being in my own country for the first 5 or 6 months lets me shootout my systems, gear, the bike, everything and makes more sense than heading straight into the fray.

And second - after riding a DR650 - I understand the arguments, but I am not spending 6 or 7 years on that bike. It may be a 650 but has 46 horsepower. The Tenere - 72....these are very different bikes - and people, comfort counts. With a full load on - the DR will bog on climbs, wait to pass 18 wheelers.....all the reasons stated make sense - but this is not a bike for me or this trip.

I have ridden in India and have some idea of at least one different and beautiful country that is not North America. Smaller bikes. Terrible roads. Crazy drivers. Where the horn is more important than brakes.....

So the bike issue goes around and around and is indeed an important decision. I have seen everything being used....sport bikes, Honda C90 scooters, to huge touring monsters....My brother rode from BC to Ecuador on his GS 1200 - loves the bike, but wished he had a smaller bike for the trip.

Each of us is unique. Riding style/plans/expectations/ and an important one for me is that I will not be returning to Canada. Part of this trip is to find a place to retire, where I don't have to shovel winter, and the rents are not $2000/month....

And I want to say goodbye....Newfoundland is a unique place and there are a few areas I have yet to see. The Labrador hiway calls my name - and Alaska is a must. The Dalton.....then I can go south.....all the way south...Patagonia.