Thanks Snare, that's some pretty good advice (Partially cos that's what I wanna hear )
Only problem is, I haven't found a singe lone for sale here in Germany, apart form blow-the-budget expensive ones

There seem to be loads of Honda NX 250s around though. Rear drum brake, liquid cooed and the odd 16in rear tire.... but otherwise seems a good bike... Anyone got any experience with these?

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I have no experience with NX250s.

Have you seen this thread on ADVrider? Lots of nX250 info, including a 17" rear wheel swap.
NX250 Thread -- official ADV owners manual - ADVrider

NX250's are rare as Hen's Teeth here in USA, but the Super Sherpa's are around, quite few came up searching Craig's list nationwide, best on is this newish on in New Mexico:
https://lascruces.craigslist.org/mcy/4919701138.html

Some older, cheaper ones listed too. Great little bike! Worth investing in as a few smart mods really make it a great travel bike!

Thanks yeah. I'm in Germany though and no Super Sherpas around here.... been looking on all the used bike sites..... If you have one in Germany, let me know

Been reading around that thread. Lots of technical stuff how to fix things or to change them.... And lots of people say they are a great beginner bike and great around town. But not much on how people generally find them or what they are like on a bigger trip...?

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Can't think of any RTW Rides on the NX (probably some out there) but the most famous guy riding a Super Sherpa is John Downs. He's off the road now ...
but WILL BE BACK. His ride report is one of the best ever posted on
ADV Rider. It's not super tech heavy but you can learn a lot about the bike and it's a great story. Highly recommended reading and a GREAT tutorial on traveling S. America.

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=831076


Good luck on your bike search!

I just found this one next to Berlin:

Honde Nx250 Dominator in Brandenburg - Eberswalde | eBay Kleinanzeigen

Just search for the town "Eberswalde" in google-maps.
Seems to be close to your place in Berlin.

http://www.nx250.de

i hear that you cant find any Sherpas in Germany.

wanted to share this about a couple of aussies riding the world, one on an airhead bmw and the other on a sherpa:

ADVrider - View Single Post - Super Sherpa thread

and as of their last post in july, 2014, that Sherpa had gone 212,000 km !! with an untouched engine :
ADVrider - View Single Post - Super Sherpa thread

epic

(that is about 132,000 miles)

Snare,
Wow! yet another epic report starring the little Super Sherpa! Wow! this bike has some serious Cred! nearly 200,000 miles kind of blows the doors off just about any other 250 I've ever heard of!

Put 20,000 miles on a 175cc 2 stroke. 50mph cruising (just). Original bore, rings .. still going strong .. traded it in ... the guy was VERY surprised with the running strength .. then looked at the miles and asked how many re-bores. Failures? Exhaust cracked. Main seal failed twice - leaks onto points and stops bike. The usual tyres, chain, sprockets, hand grips...

The problem with the smaller motors are;

• need to change the oil more frequently
• higher fuel consumption! A larger motor running at the same speed/acceleration gets better mpg.
• higher ware rates than a larger motor. But parts are cheaper.

Not the mighty WRR. (Except that fuel use)

__________________
Tacos Tyring Travels.com

Hi all

Haven't found a singe Super Sherpa so far, but found a Honda NX250 and its NICE!!! So zippy and easy to ride and handle with both my feet properly on the ground

So, back to the engine issue... The last NX250s were built 1995 and with an engine that old, I thought I'd do a complete engine overhaul to prep for the RTW.

But then I found one at 14500km on the clock (1995, mint condition).... That's not a lot of kms at all, so would you recommend an engine overhaul purely based on age, or would that be totally unnecessary?

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It would be a fun learning. Unless it runs rough and uses oil it wouldn't be necessary.
I would lube every pivot point though, particularly the rear. Even on new bikes. Factories don't, not do most owners.
Then just the valve clearances. Simple Saturday on a rainy day. Find a workshop manual though. Invaluable

If you do all that don't forget to write down every size tool you use and try and use smaller and the same tool for different things.

__________________
Tacos Tyring Travels.com

I agree with tmotten.

Before the big trip:
- check valve clearances
- change oil & filter (keep one for spare & the sealing)
and look for metall pieces, water and so ... in the oil
- change liqid cool fluent

May be change (because its cheap, most of this you can do yourself and otherwise can give you problems on your trip)
- wheel bearings
- front fork: change oil & seals
- rear damper ok?
- timing chain & stretcher (i hope i found the right english word *g*)
- fuel filter & gasoline-line (tank without rust?)
- airbox filter
- check fuses (take some for spare)
- check the sealings on the engine: Something dripping?
- check electronic wires. Cables ok (or homemade)? Plugs ok? or rusty?
- chain & sprockets of course
- brake pads, change fluid, brake cables ok?
- tubes & rim band ok? spokes?
- spark plug and the spark cable ok?
- ignition coil: housing ok? no water is coming in?
- cleaning caburator, if necessary change jets, floater, clean floater chamber, accelerator cable?
- the rubber (plastic) part between caburator and airbox is often broken on older bikes.
--->>The engine gets not the filtered air from the airbox. All the dirt from street is getting direct into the engine/carb. Better to replace when its broken.

I wouldn`t worry about the engine.
But old sealings, old gum, bearings, electric cables & plastics (ignition coil) are 20 years old and can stop you sometimes in the land of nowhere.

Good Luck !!! I believe it works !!!

I've just finished a 8 month trip around S.America on a stock 250 XR Tornado, made by Honda in Brazil. I put around 32,000k on the clock and never had any issues with it. Valves have not yet needed adjustment and I have had no issues with the engine at all. The bike cruises fine at 110kph all day long but personally I feel better going between 80 and 90kph. As others mentioned, a clean air filter seems to make a difference. I change the oil around every 3,000k but always with fully sythnetic, or every 2,000k with blended. For altitudes exceeding 2,500k you NEED to rejet, as well the other usual tricks (removing air filter box, etc). I travelled with around 30-40kg luggage depending on what I was doing, and that acceptable for the type of terrain and roads I took.

40 kgs.? Wow, that sort of load speaks volumes to the overall strength of your little Tornado! Impressive.

We don't get that bike here in USA, closest bike to the Tornado would be the Honda CRF250L. No idea what similarities they share other than capacity.
The CRF is made in Thailand ... many earlier CRF's were all Brazilian made and GOOD. (like CRF150, 230 et al) So far the Thai made Hondas seem pretty good.

Very nice summary of your trip.