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28 Apr 2022
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What Bike would you use for hard core adventure?
Hi all,
I'm researching for a bike to travel to where there are little or no roads in places like Iceland, Siberia and Mongolia.
Some facts:
I'm about 5'11" (180CM) tall
I weigh 13 Stone (84KG)
I'm a reasonably good rider
I'm happy to consider a new or an older machine
I tend to travel quite light
Absolutely Necessary:- Most importantly is Light weight
- Tall trail type bike
- Street legal
- Single cylinder 4-Stroke
- Reasonably decent grunt (power) 300cc at a very minimum
Not Absolutely Necessary but preferred:- Water cooled
- Fuel injected
Any particular recommendations?
Thanks 
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28 Apr 2022
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For some 200 kilos is lightweight and for others 140 kilos is heavy, thus its all in the eye of the beholder….
-Honda Crf300 Rally, maybe not enough oumph for you? Will most probably need a suspension upgrade and some other stuff to make a decent travel machine.
- Royal Enfield Himalayan - heavy and slow and not as reliable as the best of japanese bikes but should still be given a consideration…
-KTM 390 Adv - its really a street bike with some moderate off road potential. Good value for money but on the heavy side of light?
-Suzuki DRZ400 - not the greatest gear ratio for highways, carburated and old school…
- Yamaha XT600 a much used overlander bike. Old school, carburated and maybe hard to find a decent one nowadays…
-Suzuki Dr650 - very old school, carburated and in need of some mods but a very proven overlander bike. Almost impossible to find in Europe.
KTM/Husqvarna 690/701 Enduro - powerful and relatively nimble and lightweight machines. But will need some upgrades (bigger gas tanks etc etc) and how about reliability?
-Husqvarna 701 Enduro Long Range - the perfect travel bike? Was only made 1 year or was it 2???
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28 Apr 2022
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Thanks SnakeBoy and I really appreciate your feedback. I would be thinking about 140kg weight is best
I agree with your sentiments on all of those bikes. The CRF300 is good but soft. I really liked the DRZ's but as you say they are old school. Its such a pity they haven't made a modern equivalent in the 400cc range.
What about the the KTM 690 but you like me also question the reliability.
The Husquvarnas - maybe, i'm not sure.
Let's see what others come back with.
Thanks again
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28 Apr 2022
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I forgot the BMW 310 GS - maybe not the best for hardcore offroad as it had 19/17 cast wheels and not the best range either….
The Honda Dominator - great bike but a bit old school also comes to my mind… 
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29 Apr 2022
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Based on what you wrote my options would be
1 - Yamaha XT660Z Ténéré: Fuel Injected, water cooler, single cylinder, 47 hp, 206 kg
2 - Honda Falcon NX4: Carbureted or Fuel Injected (according to the market and year), air cooled, single cylinder, 30ish hp, 151 kg
3 - Royal Enfield Himalayan: Fuel injected, air cooled, single cylinder, 24 hp, 200 kg
4 - Second generation Kawasaki KLR 650: Carbureted, liquid cooled, single cylinder, 42 hp, 196 kg
5 - Suzuki DR650S: Carbureted, air cooled, single cylinder, 43 hp, 162 kg
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29 Apr 2022
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Thanks bkm_br and appreciate your feedback. You have listed some good machines. The XT660Ten looks like a nice machine albiet a bit heavy for softer terrain. The Enfield just doesen't light my fire really. Had a gen 1 KLR and prefer to try something different. Will go and check out the Suzuki DR although I believe the DRZ400 would tick many boxes --too bad they are so old now. Thanks again mate.
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29 Apr 2022
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Honda CRF450L? There's one fully kitted out on ebay uk right now (at least last night there was...) Just the tiny service intervals to overcome.
KTM 500exc? I too am wary of orange reliability, but there are a few doing decent trips.
Both more dirt-focussed than road.
If you're ok with the weight I think the 660 Tenere will take all you can throw at it, and be stable enough on the long tar links to the fun bits!
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29 Apr 2022
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A couple of things:
First of all, be quite clear that you must not leave the road in Iceland on your motorbike. They really strongly enforce this. Of course, what they call roads encompasses some pretty wild tracks that will test any rider!
But on your main question, most bikes will get you interesting places if you try hard enough. The nature of the challenge just changes: is it your own skills, your strength to pick it up again and again or even the adventure of dealing with bits falling off!
What bike have you got? ride that one.
Then again, I’m the last person anyone should listen to about appropriate bike choice ;-)
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29 Apr 2022
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If I was going to do truly hard core adventure I'd pick whatever locals in the area use to get to remote places, something small and light enough to lift over obstacles, go in a small boat over a river, and any mechanic can coax into working after a breakdown ... and cheap and readily available enough that if it gets run over by a bus it's not the end of the world (as long as you're not on it at the time).
However, I don't do hardcore, lol
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29 Apr 2022
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BMWs single cylinder Dakar 650 or the later Sertao 650 could be alternatives as well….
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2 May 2022
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https://ukgser.com/forums/showthread...ilitation-tour
This is a write up of an Iceland trip. The organiser will periodically take a few people round Iceland, sometimes on a trip suitable for big Adv bikes but mostly a more hardcore one.
As you can see, for these hardcore trips the average bike is a midsized KTM (520 - 690). It seems that just being light is not enough, you need power for the terrain. Other popular bikes for the trips are BMW X challenge and Husqvarna.
If you’re worried about reliability then:
A- learn to do your own mechanics
B- Have a good mechanic go through the bike with a fine tooth comb before you go
It sounds like your trips will be one offs rather than round the world ie coming home after each trip - if that’s the case then long term reliability is not so much of an issue.
Good luck
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2 May 2022
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4 May 2022
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Turbofurball
If I was going to do truly hard core adventure I'd pick whatever locals in the area use to get to remote places, something small and light enough to lift over obstacles, go in a small boat over a river, and any mechanic can coax into working after a breakdown ... and cheap and readily available enough that if it gets run over by a bus it's not the end of the world (as long as you're not on it at the time).
However, I don't do hardcore, lol
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That does make a lot of sense Turbofurball. I've seen Urals operate in Siberia where imports struggled with the cold and little light Chinese bikes getting to places that the big adventure bikes struggled
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4 May 2022
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Flipflop
https://ukgser.com/forums/showthread...ilitation-tour
This is a write up of an Iceland trip. The organiser will periodically take a few people round Iceland, sometimes on a trip suitable for big Adv bikes but mostly a more hardcore one.
As you can see, for these hardcore trips the average bike is a midsized KTM (520 - 690). It seems that just being light is not enough, you need power for the terrain. Other popular bikes for the trips are BMW X challenge and Husqvarna.
If you’re worried about reliability then:
A- learn to do your own mechanics
B- Have a good mechanic go through the bike with a fine tooth comb before you go
It sounds like your trips will be one offs rather than round the world ie coming home after each trip - if that’s the case then long term reliability is not so much of an issue.
Good luck
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Thanks Flipflop - appreciated. The more I've read the more I'm erring towards the Honda CRF300Rally. Lightness and reliability are very good. Rear suspension can be upgraded although I'm only 85kg and I believe they are designed about this weight. Okay, the power is not exactly mind blowing but a lot is achievable with a good knobby tyre and a low gear given the lightness of the machine.
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4 May 2022
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rachel_norfolk
A couple of things:
First of all, be quite clear that you must not leave the road in Iceland on your motorbike. They really strongly enforce this. Of course, what they call roads encompasses some pretty wild tracks that will test any rider!
But on your main question, most bikes will get you interesting places if you try hard enough. The nature of the challenge just changes: is it your own skills, your strength to pick it up again and again or even the adventure of dealing with bits falling off!
What bike have you got? ride that one.
Then again, I’m the last person anyone should listen to about appropriate bike choice ;-)
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Hey rachel_norfolk and thanks for your post. So currently I have a GS1200A at home here in Ireland and a KLR650 somewhere in Zambia. I've done a lot of biking in Siberia and really want to take it to a new level with some projects on what they call Zimniks or winter roads. Lightness will trump all. I'm strongly erring towards the CRF300Rally right now. The GS is great 2up mopping up European Roads. The KLR is fine although a little old school and the fact that I fitted Aluminum Panniers was a lesson learned re:hard luggage which I'd never do again.
Declan
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What Bike would you use for hard core adventure?
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