Solo touring and off road (e.g. tet), small ADV bike suggestions

[Slowboy]

Sounds great Slowboy.... I am edging toward the rally I think... Your trips this year sound ace too.

What do you find a reasonable cruising speed fully loaded, and what kind of distance (on road) do you make on a decent day?

Totally with you on the "if you drop it, need confidence about picking up" bit... That is by far my biggest concern, I have done a few days with others on ATs, and when one hits the deck, it aint a one man job getting it back up (on trail, with mud etc.)

Cheers,

Roy

Roy,
The bike will cruise at an indicated 70mph (GPS 66mph) quite happily and can hold 80 so long as there's no headwind or long hills but I am quite happy on the D roads and equivalent and hardly ever go near a motorway. (The joy of being retired is I can take a bit longer).
The handling fully loaded is totally fine, but my entire kit inc puncture repair kit &i Tools, tent, sleeping bag, clothes, trangia etc weighs under 10kg and with that I can go indefinitely. I wash clothes on my travels, I don't take a wardrobe

I have been known to top 400 miles in a day, but On a long trip I'd aim to do no more than 250, probably nearer 200. I like to enjoy the ride, stop and take it in, not roar past trying to keep to an arbitrary schedule.

This from last years ABR Rally

https://flic.kr/p/2aQYQiP

[rbailey]

Firstly, many thanks to all of those who have replied thus far.

So, I have added a bit of a summary of what people have suggested so far, compared to my original criteria at the start of the post.

To make this list, the bike needs to have been recommended by more than 1 person, and I need to be able to get the bike within budget (£5K) for one which is 10 years old or less. I may have missed the odd bike, but this is what it is looking like so far…

I have put the list in order of what I am currently thinking… As many people say, I really need to get out and test ride the top 3. Note sure how easy that will be for some of the second hand bikes though!

[WIBO]

Good morning,

I have a 2008 (10yrs old already!! ) XT660Z, now with 103,000kms on it now.....I'd say there's close to 35,000-40,000 kms off road. It's only a motorbike so I don't mind keeping it whizzing it about.

I've only carried out oil changes every 5000kms ( because the synthetic oil I get here is cheap ) and valve checks every 20,000kms...last few times needed no adjustment. Still on it's original front discs with the rear being replaced once. Also still on it's original clutch. Rear shock tired after 90K so replaced with Ohlins.



Other than that routine greasing etc. It's nimble enough on the twisties and can sit at 5000rpm (120kph) all day when I need to cover autoroute distances. I have any foibles that come with any bike ironed out...small goofy things.




Yes a bit a heavy here and there off road when stepping off my Gas Gas 300EC, but I love having the range when there's no fuel stops for two days. Can be picked up cheap enough these days and any extra within your budget could be used to dial it in to your liking.


Like most I scan and think of other bikes I'd like to buy later, but for me at present, I haven't changed yet as mine works for me and what it needs to do to the tune of 103K.


All the best







.

[onslowe]

The CFR Rally looks like a nice package for under £5000 but how substantial are the plastics that are covering the engine ? The only reason to buy a CRF is if you are going off road (much better road bikes for that money if taking into account very low miles nearly new bikes) and those nice shiny plastics look like they will be flapping in the breeze after a drop on any rocky trails. If only they could make a new XR400 with a leccy boot and sell them for say £6000 (I know air cooled are tricky to get through emissions regs) without any extra plastic etc surely that would be ideal. I think I would look for a sorted 2nd hand bike like an XR400 / DRZ that has all the mods and only light use and give it a full service (valves included) and take that instead. I really don't think they make them like they used too !!

[Slowboy]

The CFR Rally looks like a nice package for under £5000 but how substantial are the plastics that are covering the engine ? The only reason to buy a CRF is if you are going off road (much better road bikes for that money if taking into account very low miles nearly new bikes) and those nice shiny plastics look like they will be flapping in the breeze after a drop on any rocky trails. If only they could make a new XR400 with a leccy boot and sell them for say £6000 (I know air cooled are tricky to get through emissions regs) without any extra plastic etc surely that would be ideal. I think I would look for a sorted 2nd hand bike like an XR400 / DRZ that has all the mods and only light use and give it a full service (valves included) and take that instead. I really don't think they make them like they used too !!

The plastics are fine and well up the usual drops with hardly a mark, including "Rocky trails". They do provide pretty good protection on the road as well. I guess it's a compromise.

There's always the CRF250l if that's a deep seated concern.

If you're riding like an enduro rider, then you're gonna have a bigger prang and do more damage. Probably in truth you bought the wrong bike. For forest tracks, mountain tracks and the touring road sections in between the CRF250 Rally has been a good compromise for me at the price point.

Yes there are better more specialised (expensive) bikes for the "rocky trails" . It's nice we have the choice.

[Paul_C]

Looking at your chart I'd certainly be giving the CCM an oil change at least every 2500 miles. More often if you can. I now do mine about every 1500/1800. However, if you forget the filter it's a quick and easy roadside job.
It's a "marmite" bike. I'm pleased with mine after 15000 miles. I'd look for one which has been used and "proved" itself rather than a low mileage one. I'd probably avoid the SR model with the Husky engine. A few too many of those seem to have had troubles. For me the Quill exhaust fitted to some is way too loud. That said I like mine and I'd have no issues returning to the Pyrenees on it again.

[boboneleg]

The CFR Rally looks like a nice package for under £5000 but how substantial are the plastics that are covering the engine ? The only reason to buy a CRF is if you are going off road (much better road bikes for that money if taking into account very low miles nearly new bikes) and those nice shiny plastics look like they will be flapping in the breeze after a drop on any rocky trails. If only they could make a new XR400 with a leccy boot and sell them for say £6000 (I know air cooled are tricky to get through emissions regs) without any extra plastic etc surely that would be ideal. I think I would look for a sorted 2nd hand bike like an XR400 / DRZ that has all the mods and only light use and give it a full service (valves included) and take that instead. I really don't think they make them like they used too !!

I hear what you're saying Onslowe but four of us in the ABC group ride them on anything and everything and they crash quite well

Catcitrus on this forum makes carbon fibre sump guard and side protectors for them at a very reasonable price and I can assure you that they do a great job

IMG_4322.jpeg (89.61 KiB) Viewed 2568 times

[boboneleg]

Sorry, crap photo I should have washed it first

[minkyhead]

i worked the other way and took em off when it was new ..fitted a bashplate ..narrowed the rear with crf250l panels

aaaaaaaaaaaaa_edited-1 by minkyhead56, on Flickr

[gspod]

That looks really nice Minky. It’s strange that the rally is taller than the L but according to cycle ergonomics the knee and hip angles are greater on the L !