Quote:
Originally Posted by mollydog
I think you should stick with the Trans Alp. You've had good luck with it.
The Strom will be a bit tough in knarly off road. In super deep sand and mud...well...you ain't gonna make it. But just about everywhere else you'll likely get through. Read some of my posts to gain more insight into this.
...and I can't stress this enough....the bike is a tough bugger...much tougher than a Transalp....Its built like a tank.
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Thx Molly,
I don't currently have a Transalp and have never ridden one. I find it intersting though how many folks say a v_strom is capable of nothing more than dirt roads. The f650 gs is generally considered way more dirt worthy than the strom yet it has nearly identical geometry (clearance, wheel size, travel). It is 40lbs lighter though.
Bottom line, it will be hard to find a newer alp in the states. I've seen 05 stroms for as little as $5000 w/less than a 1000mi, Transalps are going for $3500 for a 1990 w/15000 + mi.
I guess what I struggle with is whether I should buy a strom here & store it for 8 months. Then hassle with out fitting it & finding/paying a shipper or just go to Chile & try to buy a bike there. Common sence says buy there, but I don't want to be sitting in Santiago, bikeless & hemoraging cash in an expensive city.
I also resent all the spending required to make a strom as dirty as I'd like. I cannot afford a new rear shock. I'll be looking at a $1200 in mods before even luggage. If it only came with a strong bash plate & they had moved that exhaust to provived more clearance, I'd be happy.
I'm getting the bug so I might be getting a strom soon.
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India Himal, 3mo,2x; Kazak/Krygyz/Tajik, 3 mo; Kashi-Lhasa, China 219! 6 wk; Nepal, 4 days/trekked 55; Santiago-Ushuia-Cusco, 7 mo; Peru, 3 mo; Chile-Medellin 3 mo; Medillin-Arica, 3 mo
Last edited by glasswave; 5 Apr 2007 at 17:10.
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