Horizons Unlimited - The HUBB - Small heavy/light bikes

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Yes,
there are some contries where 50 and 125 cc bikes are common.

Do you have a reference ?

But not in nothern parts of Europe.

Statististics from Sweden

1 BMW R 1200 GS/GSA
2 Yamaha MT-09
3 Yamaha MT-07
4 Kawasaki Z800/e
5 Kawasaki Vulcan S
6 Honda CRF 1000
7 Kawasaki ER-6N
8 Triumph Tiger 800/XC/XCA
9 KTM 350 EXC-F
10 Yamaha FJR 1300

Top 10 best-selling motorcycles - Motorcycle News

Actually it was an old reference I found - this latest one shows 4 in the top 10 under 300cc now, although one of the 6 is a 500 scooter.
I guess in Northern Europe the weather is not conducive for commuting on a 2 wheeler so motorcycling is a for fun - hence the desire for larger capacity bikes.
I don’t think it’s anything to do with being a man, it’s just practicalities. My wife has a large motorcycle and she’s definitely not a man, we just go on long camping holidays.

Summary from Youtube

Good overview of models.

And problems with enduro bikes
- Hard seat
- High seat
- Small fuel tank
- Low oil volume
- Short interval between services
- Large need for modifications

Only problem with DR 650 is that is not imported to Europe

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsorI76PBYc

A month ago I picked up a 2020 Suzuki Vstrom 250 (DL250) for my wife but also for some fun on the trails similar to what I understand you are chasing.

It fits the bill for me well. It may seem heavy on paper but I don’t feel the weight at all.

(I do normally ride a GSA though LOL).

Can you test ride one? Hire maybe?

That is where I started.
The weight of DL 250.
Yes, I have tested it.
I have used a DL 650 XT alot.
DL 250 is more or less a DL 650 with a 250 engine.
The only reason to buy one is if you do not have license for a 650 bike.

This about that weight does not matter and that you do not feel it.
Well,a s long as you are driving on tarmac, that is correct.
Even for a 300 kg bike.
But as soon as you need to handle it on any other way, you feel it.
I have tried all the range, from 125 kg to 300 kg.
And it mattes a lot.

A 150 kg Honda 400 cc is my choice.
For discovering Portugal. Using gravel and back roads.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Erik_G (Post 616002)

In other parts of the world, small bikes are popular.

Roads are worse, traffic is heavier...

People want something small, robust, easy to maintain.....

And that creats a market. And local production.

In Europe, you need to have a big bike to be a man.

And there is no market for small bikes.

(Myself, I have spent most of my life on GSX1100 and GSX-R1100. And my touring bike is a GTR 1400.

So I am no exception)

HD Sportster 900/120 0cc is a moped for girls.

Yamaha 535 something a beginer can use for a short time.

A 750-800 cc bike in general (GS 750, VN 800...) are also entry model.

To learn driving and get your license before you get a "real" bike.

But we will see if things change. The major companies are launching 300 cc "Adventyre bikes"

Honda in Brazil produces several interesting bikes.

E.g The Cargo.

The "Pizza delivery bike" that "Old Man" drove from Mexico to Ushaia and than to New York.( 125 cc verdion)

https://www.honda.com.br/motos/cg-160-cargo

And since I live in Portugal now, I have found one of them here.

Due to the relation Brazil- Portugal.

It is the Honda NX4, NX400, Falcon.

It was sold in Brasil, some other SA countries and Portugal !

Produced from 1999-2008.

(And a newer version 2012-2014)

https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_Falcon_NX4

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...NX4_Falcon.jpg

It ticks almost all boxes in my wish list.

https://www.motonline.com.br/guia-de...da/nx-4-falcon

Good used ones are for sale around 2 500 Euro.

https://www.olx.pt/anuncio/honda-nx-...tml#31103e59a3

When/if this period of "state of emergency" and restictions in movement ends. I will try to get my hands on one of these.

The NX4 is a great bike for South America. I have a 2003 model, still going strong.

Sent from my SM-A307G using Tapatalk

The DL650 is 220kg wet.

The DL250 is 179kg wet.

That’s a 41kg weight difference.

The 250 is not a 650 with a smaller engine.

(Edited: wrote DL650 twice)

“A 150 kg Honda 400 cc is my choice.
For discovering Portugal. Using gravel and back roads.“

I am a little confused here. Are you riding formed dirt roads or ‘off road’ like enduro riding? Places four wheel drives don’t go?

Are you having to pick the bike up - is that the weight issue?

When reading through threads about smaller bike, am nearly always surprised that the Kawasaki Super Sherpa rarely rates a mention despite the fact it would beat most others eg Serow hands down?

The Super Sherpa didn't sell all that many, so most folks are not familiar with it. I have read of them, but I don't believe I've ever seen one in the flesh.

Quote:

Originally Posted by trumpycam (Post 616256)

When reading through threads about smaller bike, am nearly always surprised that the Kawasaki Super Sherpa rarely rates a mention despite the fact it would beat most others eg Serow hands down?

Everyone I know that has owned one has loved them but they didn’t sell in big numbers - it seems to me that Kawasaki spend a fraction, on their marketing, of Honda and a lot less than Yamaha.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flipflop (Post 616264)

Everyone I know that has owned one has loved them but they didn’t sell in big numbers - it seems to me that Kawasaki spend a fraction, on their marketing, of Honda and a lot less than Yamaha.

Super Sherpa: 128kg (280 lbs), air cooled, 6 speed, 830mm seat height (32.7 inches), durable motor. Low seat height makes it super easy to handle on the roughest of goat paths. Suspension could be better for riding faster on rougher roads, but it's not designed to be a race bike. Recreation riders failed to respond to a dirt bike that was not race marketed, thus its fate. For the short inseam rider, it's one of only a couple small motor choices available.

Bikes not availible

The Kawasaki Super Sherpa (KL250G USA, KL250H in Japan, Canada, Australia, Greece and the United Kingdom) is a dual-sport motorcycle produced by Kawasaki. It has a 249 cc DOHC four-valve air/oil cooled four-stroke single-cylinder engine.

=
What a pitty. Looks lika another excelent bike that was not sold in Europe. With UK andd Greece as exemptions.

Same with Yamaha XT 250. Excellent bike. Japan, US and I think UK. That is all.

Why UK. Maybe due to some rules they had/have for 250 bikes. I know from the old days that 250 cc was very popular in UK, due to rules. When we had 350 cc of same type. Honda CB, Yamaha RD, Kawasaki S1/S2...

Nice to see some love for the good old Sherpa, loved mine and now son has one.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Homers GSA (Post 616193)

The DL650 is 220kg wet.

The DL650 is 179kg wet.

That’s a 41kg weight difference.

The 250 is not a 650 with a smaller engine.

Huw much of those 41 kg wredue to a smalller engine (and fuel tank)?
What is left for a lighter chassie ?