Hi everyone hope we are all keeping well I've bit the bullet an advertised my brigade blue rd250c for sale to chase my dream of riding to Norway an Denmark where my mums family are from.

6'2 32 inch leg an about 14 stone in my early 30s.

Not quite sure on the route yet as I'm starting to research that.

Previously I've had a 1200 gsa te (reliability issues) 1000xt an a f800gs.

I should have about a healthy budget of about 5k once the RD250C is sold.

So been thinking about getting one of the following bikes.

Cb500x vs Himalayan

Just wondering if anyone has done a similar trip what bike did you choose an why. Anyone had any of the above bikes if so how did you get on with it.

Thanks in advance

Thats quite a spread of bike models you have there, nothing inbetween 400 and 1150-1200 ccm...? There are some interesting models of 500, 650, 800 etc ccm too you know.... ;-)

After doing a 5 year/250 k kms RTW trip I have learned from experiences and come to the conclusion that lightweight and small is the way to do it and it what suits me best. But each to their own of course. If youre going mostly on paved roads any of these bikes will be fine. If you plan to do some of the TET maybe or other gravel roads I would definetively gone lightweight. Those tanks - SuperTen and 1150 GSA - will be a PITA to handle on the really rough stuff.

Anyhow - as mentioned above, there are bikes inbetween 400 and 1200 ccm. A V-Strom 650 is imo a great travelbike, so is the CB500X. Kawa Versus 650, some of the 800s would be great too.

__________________
In the end everything will be fine. If its not fine its not the end....

Hi snakeboy thanks for the reply

Yeah I guess saying I've been a bit indecisive is the understatement of the year haha.

The cb500x caught my attention to being a twin an similar to my 650ss in some ways not seen one in the flesh yet though.

I've been running my Norton 650ss in some rubbish conditions weather wise fog snow etc for the past 2 years as a daily an I must admit it has been a bit of a revelation compared to the big gsa 1200 I had.

Had a nightmare on that GSA once off road when the track went down to the width of the bike haha on my first go off road getting sat naved' was fun backing it all the way up downhill.

Hated as well when the off road resembled the surface of the moon trying to put my foot down with an 880 ish mm seat height an keep it upright + a few moments on really off camber roads even hanging off the seat. Having said that though I have missed the wind protection an the smoothness of the engine just not missed the reliability issues which is why the s10 caught my attention.


Thinking alot of the 800's would be out of reach unless I revisited a f800gs which I didn't quite jell with. I still have my own hesitancy over what happened with the 1200 an bm' I think which might have coloured my opinion on the 800 while I had it.

Funny you should mention the v-strom 650 very nearly bought the xt earlier in the year but I got distracted with a ww2 Norton WD restoration

Would like to do some gravel/unsealed roads from time to time an maybe alot more if I grew into it which is why the Himmy an 390 adv caught my eye as you say the s10 an the 1150gsa are big ol gal's so would have to do some thinking on that.

It's great to hear from you guys that have actually done the stuff I'm dreaming of doing at the moment.


Hi Cholo yeah that's the main thing that's concerned me with the Himalayan love the idea of it from a back to basics bike but a 25hp 4 stroke that's slower than my rs125 I had when I first started riding concerns me slightly. Having said that my ww2 Norton has 12hp although I've not rode her yet.

An the need to do motorway work back an forward to both Scotland an Cornwall from Manchester after the Norway trip could be a stickler on the Himmy which is what led me to looking at the 390 adv although that's right at the top end of my budget if not a little past it.

I had a 1150 GSA myself and what shall i say, I loved that bike.

The engine is smooth, the brakes are awesome, huge fuel tank, wind protection, comfortable, capable of everything and good relibility, just check the ABS before you buy one
Sold it at the end with over 100k km with no issue and the new owner is still riding it.

Of course it is a heavy peace of metal, hardly comparable with a 390 KTM or a himalayan but also a different riding.

Reading my first lines you are probably able to predict that I would go for the big engine, especially considering the route you will take (but i also do not like small bikes, even my 400 DRZ was awesome in curves, there was always something missing).
I have done the trip from germany all the way up north, riding as much gravel as possible through sweden and finnland and even the 1150 gsa is heavy, it is a lot of fun sliding in and out of the curves and also possible with such a big machine.

At the and it doesn´t matter which bike you will choose. The trip itself will create great memories riding any bike.

Hi
I haven’t ridden up north yet but have lots of friends who’ve ridden to Nordkapp.
It’s a long way - are you really going to take the time to do knarly off road stuff?
It’s a long way - comfort for me is paramount.

People have mixed feelings about the GS - often through experience.
I’ve had an 1100 for 180K miles and now have a 1200TC for 40K miles - both very reliable.
For long road miles and dirt tracks I’d chose the GS. Of all the big adventure bikes I’ve ridden it has the lowest centre of gravity and is the easiest one to ride and pick up off road.
My wife had an 800gs and it was a pig off road she now has a 1200LC and loves it.
S10 also excellent, just a bit more top heavy.
Himmy - great, low COG, reliable, frugal and chugs along but the seat height will be too low for you IMO.
CB500x - too small for you.
Again if you go KTM I’d say something like a 1050 for comfort and GFM.

If you go 1150 avoid servo ABS and the Adv - my opinion is the GS best feature is the LCG, why loose it?

Don’t forget you can sell your bike after this trip and get something more suitable for your next trip. A GS will hold it’s value.

Good luck with your choice and trip

Thanks GukM an flipflop that's really good information and some great points, I must admit I never thought about the 1150gs as I fancied the fuel range on the GSA.

Yep that was my thought's on the 800gs.

I guess doing light gravel an roads could be the way to go as I wanna see as much as possible while I'm over there redundant after we lost the family print company so one thing I have got is time on my hands.

One thing that did cross my mind was the last time I'd looked at 1150s an owner kindly insisted on me having a go on his gsa with lowered shocks from a gsa so I could see what the servo brakes were like. From memory was a few years ago the cog seemed really nice although I didn't like the servo brakes which put me off it, on hindsight I should have just removed them an bought the bike but things happen. That was a twin spark as well so been leaning towards the single sparker with the earlier abs system.


really appreciating all the replies very helpful.

Riding from where? UK? South Africa? Australia?

Norway and particularly Denmark are going to be pretty much all sealed roads. You can do it on a Gold Wing or a Super Cub.

5k GBP/EUR will get you a lot of Versys 650/V-Strom 650, and a very respectable CB500X. I'd also look at the NC750X - best for fuel economy, better wind protection than the CB.

As AnTyx points out a lot of bike can be had for 5k.

The likes of the Versys/V-strom/Transalp can be had.

Now for a pitch of my own: the Yamaha TDM 900 (or MT-09 if funds stretch that far).

I have no experience of the -09 triple but presently own a TDM900. It's an excellent bike, and a great tourer IMHO. Comfortable, upright, fun handling, decent range/economy, reliable.

No longer made but the last models were in 2012, I think, so newer than the 1150.

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

Thanks guys really appreciate the information had heard of the Hall sensors but wasn't fully aware of all that, really good point on doing it before I set off if I go the 1150 route.

Ruled the Ktm's out for now as they are just a smidge outta budget an weirdly the insurance was more than the 1150 an the himmy. Probably due to it being a new bike.

Actually in the UK pretty much near the Cat an Fiddle as that's my usual haunt.

Ended up looking at 1989 era 100GS bikes last night I've got a bit of a classic bike habbit trying to remind myself though that I've got enough classic bike projects at the moment. Absolutely love the look of the R80GS PD's although those are totally outta my budget.

Keep wondering if I had the Himalayan would I be more adventurous in some of the routes I've been wanting to do lots to think about

Although as you guys are saying the roads in Norway an Denmark are sealed an most are in the UK so a GS/GSA can come into play well for what I'm after.

Thinking at the moment the choices are a 1150GSA an drop the suspension with GS Shocks so it's a bit more manageable or a low seat.

Himalayan

Or an outside possibility of an airhead gs although I'd have to do some more reading up.

Getting really excited though just been looking at Route 1 in Iceland as a jumping off point for some f roads.

If the Himalayan will put a grin on your face, then do it.

If you think the Himalayan will open your horizons as far as the places you're willing to consider visiting, then do it.

However, (and I say this without even having sat on one, let alone ridden one) it is a 25bhp motor in a 220-odd kg wet weight bike.

On your planned trip there will be a lot of more open roads to navigate: long sweeping bends, dual carriageway etc.

Just think about how the bike will make you feel when you are NOT following that lightly beaten trail who-knows where.

If none of that daunts you, then why not?

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

Just a thought, but $5K or so will also probably get you a good 1150GS with medium mileage (might not be enough for a 1150GSA however). Probably with enough left over to do some upgrades, maybe change the hall sensor (if it hasn't been done), and some other things.

If you feel you need to, I would get the lower seat rather than lowering the suspension. My 1150 felt tall as long as I had it, but my 1200 has the lowered seat and it is much nicer for me.

You will have a great trip no matter which way you go.