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Which Bike? Comments and Questions on what is the best bike for YOU, for YOUR trip. Note that we believe that ANY bike will do, so please remember that it's all down to PERSONAL OPINION. Technical Questions for all brands go in their own forum.
Photo by Marc Gibaud, Clouds on Tres Cerros and Mount Fitzroy, Argentinian Patagonia

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Photo by Marc Gibaud,
Clouds on Tres Cerros and
Mount Fitzroy, Argentinian Patagonia



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  #1  
Old 2 Feb 2011
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xyelkenli1

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mercenary View Post
Hey folks.

I am currently searching for a street type motorcycle that I can use on dirt roads and fire roads. I want the comfort of a "Street" type bike with some ability off highway. Now I'm not talking tight single track and muddy trails, rather good dirt roads and trails.

Any ideas?
2011 Kawasaki KLR 650 good for what you looking for. if bike is too tall for you, you can lower the suspension or an after market seat or both will do it.
Kawa brand new is cost 6000$ in USA cheap enough and dress up parts are planty and cheap also.
bike is street oriented dirt capable rough enough for both worlds. and 6 gal tank is plus. comfy too
also suzuki dr 650, or 450 or vstorm 650 will do
  #2  
Old 2 Feb 2011
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Quote:
Originally Posted by xyelkenli1 View Post
2011 Kawasaki KLR 650 good for what you looking for. if bike is too tall for you, you can lower the suspension or an after market seat or both will do it.
Kawa brand new is cost 6000$ in USA cheap enough and dress up parts are planty and cheap also.
bike is street oriented dirt capable rough enough for both worlds. and 6 gal tank is plus. comfy too
also suzuki dr 650, or 450 or vstorm 650 will do
Did you notice that the OP´s ´currently´ was over 7 years ago?

For a street-oriented bike capable of doing some (but not much) dirt, I would go for a twin-cylinder bike. It is simply so much better on tarmac.

I have a V-Strom (well, 2 in our family actually!) and did almost 20.000kms around southern Africa on a rented KLR almost a decade ago. I don´t believe the Kawi has changed that much. Both surely CAN be ridden on the highway, but there´s no question about it, the V-Strom is totally superior there. Especially, if you´ve got a lot of load on board. And, of course, the Kawi (or DR650, or some 450), is better for more off-road stuff, but that probably should not be your priority, if you´ll be spending 90% of your time on the street. It is, and always will be a trade-off between things, one bike won´t be perfect for everything.

Last edited by pecha72; 2 Feb 2011 at 09:09.
  #3  
Old 2 Feb 2011
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My GS500 was taken to some places it should have never been but it is still working. Just today it took a beating on the Mali roads, the suspension bottoms out pretty easily when the bike is loaded... but it never breaks. With BT45's it can go on hard surface dirt, gravel or whatever. Deep soft sand is out of limits for it.
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