Expedition Motorcycles

[Scott Brady]

Well, Hltoppr's posts on Expedition ready motorcycles begged a new thread. I know he is considering an new BMW, so maybe we can follow his progress (and other thoughts) here.

The use of a motorcycle for expedition travel certainly is a compelling one. It is like backpacking (similar weight and size constraints), but being able to travel MORE distance in the same time as a four wheeled vehicle.

My favorite is the 1150GS from BMW

Though, I would in reality purchase the 650GS Dakar:

They can be purchased just a few years old for around 5k.

 

[mountainpete]

Well I'm a BMW motorcycle fan. I own one myself - an R1200C. It's a cruiser and not a GS style. Might swap it out in a few years though... I still keep my eyes open for one.

The direct drive 1150 GS and 1150 GS Adventure (GSA) are amazing bikes. Fast, absorbs well and can really take a beating. So is the newer 1200 GS, although I personally have some reservations about the 1200 vs the 1150 for serious expeditions. They are big and heavy bikes though. The chain driven 650's are a lot more nimble, but can lack power with a load on the highway. Either are an excellent choice and both have been on the hardest global touring routes with stellar results.

But if you are going to look at BMW adventure bikes, you have to looks at KTM as well. The 950 Adventure is a pretty sweet bike.

If you haven't seen these sites, check it out:

Globe Riders: http://www.globeriders.com/video_multimedia_pages/video_multimedia.shtml
650 Forums (The Chain Gang): http://www.f650.com
Adventure Rider Forum: http://www.advrider.com (a lot like this site but with bikes :luxhello: )

Pete

 

[Ursidae69]

I had a Kawasaki KLR 650 that I sold last year. I miss it. Dual sports are so much fun, I'd love to get one of these BMWs. Reminds me of the LongWayRound TV show I started a thread about last year. Still waiting for the US version of the dvd to come out. I have all the episodes from last year recorded on my DVR at home. :victory:

 

[mountainpete]

I read the book Long Way Round... never saw the TV show. Did they complain as much on TV as they did in the book?

 

[Ursidae69]

I read the book Long Way Round... never saw the TV show. Did they complain as much on TV as they did in the book?

I read the book too, no, not as much complaining in the TV show versus the book. They are a couple softies, but they sure got into some beautiful country, especially Mongolia and eastern Russia. The Road of Bones was pretty cool. :lurk:

 

[mountainpete]

I read the book too, no, not as much complaining in the TV show versus the book. They are a couple softies, but they sure got into some beautiful country, especially Mongolia and eastern Russia. The Road of Bones was pretty cool. :lurk:

Did they actually show Road of the Bones on the show? That would be really cool to see...

On the subject of books, have you ever read Who Needs A Road?

 

[Ursidae69]

Did they actually show Road of the Bones on the show? That would be really cool to see...

On the subject of books, have you ever read Who Needs A Road?

Yeah, the last episode was all road of bones, but it just didn't do it justice. I'm hoping the DVD will have a lot more content. There were several bridges out and they rode across swollen rivers in the back of this huge lorrie that was heading east. Cool stuff.

Not read that book, I'll have to look it up. Thanks!

 

[lionsbreath]

:archaeolo
What a funny thought, I was going to pose a thread on duel sports. I was in the BMW shop in Scottsdale last week looking. They have 2 nice f series for around 10k. Bang for the buck equals a KLR650 though. The KLR is 1/2 the price and hold the most fuel (stock tank 6.2gal). The after market is better on a KLR as well. But, on the other hand nothing rides like a BMW. KLRs' are hare to find my local dealer of cave creek road said no new ones until Dec. or so. Used ones are hard to come by localy as well. BMWs' are easier to find on the other hand.

 

[mountainpete]

Lionsbreath - you'll find that there is really nothing else like riding a BMW. Not only is the ride amazing, it's the best conversation starter you can imagine. Eventhough my BMW is a cruiser, I can't go into a single parking lot without someone making a positive comment or want to start a conversation. Great bike to travel on.

Pete

 

[Scott Brady]

Great discussion

What appeals to me most about the bike is the efficiency in which you can travel. Unless the trail is really rocky, a bike can travel at nearly twice the speed, and not really be pushing it.

I will probably build one at some point, but most likely after the sailboat...

 

[mountainpete]

Build one Scott? Do you mean from frame up?

You're right about the speed and ease of a bike. But I think it's more than that. It's a totally different perspective on a bike. Things smell (good and bad), you feel the weather more (a sunny day is amazing) and you see things differently. There are roads (even in the city) that I have driven thousands of times - but when you ride them on a bike, the road totally changes and you see things you never noticed before. Again, my bike is a street queen, but I can just imagine my favorite fire road on a bike - sweeping around the corners. At work, I have a poster on my wall just above my computer. It's a BMW 1150 GSA ad showing pics of Bolivia and a single tire track across a desert towards the mountains. The daydreams that poster has started for me....

Reliability though is a question for expedtion use. What is more reliable? A well prepared expedition truck or a well prepared expedition bike?

With a truck you can pack a lot more spare parts and tools. With a bike, there are less parts to break. With a truck most of the things that break are mechanical or suspension - with a bike, you are more likely to have impact damage or broken accessories like saddelbag frames.

Thoughts?

Pete

 

[Ursidae69]

Good question Pete on reliability. I think the motor and such is more reliable on the bike, but you have things like chains that are more prone to failure. Flats on bikes can be a problem too.

I never slid my KLR around a corner on any dirt road, I wasn't that good! I just got my first motorcycle ever in 2002, a Honda Nighthawk, then a few months later I sold it and got the KLR. When I get another dual-sport I intend to take a class on off-roading with bikes. Hitting sand and soft spots, I dumped the bike several times (Thankfully, neither me nor the bike were ever hurt badly). I took the MSF course for learning howw to ride, I need to fiond somethign equivalent for off-road.

 

[Scott Brady]

No, it would be a typical Scotty build. Buy a new (or lightly used) 650, and mount a bunch of cool expedition stuff to it. storage boxes, GPS, big tank, armor, etc.

Then I would need to regear it of course

 

[mountainpete]

Then I would need to regear it of course

And a snorkel... gotta have a snorkel.

 

[Hltoppr]

I've done just about 4000 miles of "expedition biking" this summer, down Baja to Mulege, and then up the West coast of Mexico and another trip from Flagstaff to Chaco Canyon New Mexico, Silverton Colorado and Hovenweep Nat.Mon. in Utah.....

Traveling by motorbike is possibly one of the best things I've experienced in my lifetime! While packing light is a must, it's a fantastic way to travel. It's really nice to have fuel costs as a secondary consideration, instead of a major expense.

I just sold my first bike, a Honda XR650L, which was a fantastic all around dual sport....if you don't mind a little less highway comfort and are traveling solo. I would recommend it greatly.

That being said...a 2001-2004 BMW GS Adventure is on the horizon for me, as I'd like the ability to travel with my wife, and have better highway manners.

As for the LWR DVD....I broke down and ordered one. It kicks ******! BTW...it will play on older DVD players (like mine) or on an XBox or computer DVD player.

I ordered mine directly from the LWR website....cost about $40.00 with shipping and worth every penny.

-H-