Our design team has decided to use a lightweight aluminum Frame, 21" front tire, 18" rear tire, all the same features, 5 speed transmission and a single cylinder 10 hp DIESEL engine.the fame is close to the size of a crf 250 or klx250.
the price will be right around 6,000$
What does everyone think?
Since this is the Expedition Portal, I'm making an assumption on the type of riding the vehicle is designed for, and your location in Hesperia, CA. Important criteria on selection of a 2-wheeled Expedition Motorcycle.
Cost: How much is the consumer willing to loose or pay in replacement or damaged body parts? This video makes a succinct point:
The reality of cross-country travel off the pavement result in a high probability of dropping the motorcycle. On a recent short single day ride of less than 160 miles., a fellow rider with only 140 miles on the odometer, dropped his Triumph Tiger 3 times while off-pavement. Needless to say, due to the thought of repair costs, he was psychologically destroyed within 4-hours. If the rider's plans include travel outside of the Americas on Europe, many countries require a Carnet de Passages en Douane (CPD) equal or much more than the value of the vehicle (A USD$20K BMW R1200GSA may require a CPD of $USD$100K?) . Can you afford a total loss due to accident in a country not covered by insurance ? Large multi-cylinder models not sold in the local markets attract unwanted attention from theives, or corrupt officials at border crossings. Flat black is a popular option to 'camouflage' bikes to detract theives and vandals.
Size: Max weight 400 lbs.? KLR650s are a pain to pick up. Can you pick up the bike alone... if dropped in mud or sand? Even if a trek from Prudhoe Bay to Terra del Fuego may be over 98% paved, you may have to traverse some less ideal routes through the Equatorial jungle (and avoiding the Darien Gap). Yet the bike has to have the capacity to haul your gear at moderate freeway speeds (75 mph). Many motorcycle travelers that have done transcontinental or RTW trips, when interviewed after the trip, tend to make recommendations against taking a complex multi-cylinder Adventure tourer.#1 reason: excess weight. Re: winch? shovel? AKA 'Pioneer gear' - We don't mount on military motorcycles: excess weight.
Comfort: From wind, engine vibrations and your weight on you seat on 10-hr+ rides over 500 miles/day. 12V auxilliary power outlets for electric heated riding gear, GPS, 12V air compressor is highly recommended.
Durability: High mileage over rugged terrain (potholed roads, gravel, etc.) quickly overwhelm the suspension on a heavy motorcycle further laden with gear. The chassis and suspension must be able to withstand heavy loads under long periods of rough conditions. Can a cracked or broken frame be easily repaired: maybe best to stick to mild steel rather than aluminium frames. Can the bike be easily recovered if submerged in water? (are the spark plugs and air filter easily accessible? Is the vehicle light enough to turn over? Is there a way to cycle the motor manually?) On a
recent pavement ride within 1 hour of San Francisco, we almost had a BMW R1200GSA slide off a concrete bridge that had water flowing 2" over the surface, into 5 feet of water. Additional investment in engine guards, bash plate, hand guards, etc. are essential, and with some of the new models or less mainstream models (Moto-Guzzi, Benelli) the parts are dificult to source. Protective equipment should come standard on a vehicle designed for expedition. Is long travel suspension really necessary? There seems to be a fad with CCM S-40 and Triumph Scramblers.
Reliability: Does the engine have a record of reliability over many years of use with many examples with over 100K miles? Will the bike run 5000 miles between oil changes (translate as oil capacity and level of tuning) General criticism of 'plated' highly tuned dirt bikes (ie. Husaberg, Beta, GasGas, Aprilia, Husqvarna) are: 500 mile oil change intervals, ~100 mile fuel range.
What mechanical/electrical failures are the model most prone to? The first 2-years of KTM990 EFI are notorious issues. Some KTM990 owners replace the EFI with the KTM950 carburetors. Despite a 19-litre fuel tank, we've had issues with Triumph Tiger 800s fuel capacity, when cruising at higher speeds with other Adventure bikes. A 250-300 mile fuel range (5 gallons +. and double if crossing large Australian, South American, Central Asian, North African deserts) would be critical, which brings up the following: Having a 6-speed wide ratio gearbox is desirable. A criticism of the Suzuki DRZ400 that replaced the DR350 is the loss of a 6-speed transmission. Can you access the countersprocket easily to change final drive rations? Although riding at night is discouraged, the lights should be powerful enough for off-road treks; and have a manual switch off as not to alarm areas where night driving is done with lights off (Egypt?)
Simplicity: Can you perform emergency repairs alone under austere conditions? My vote goes to air-cooled carbureted engines with a well sorted tool kit to: Set on a well-ballanced centerstand, remove axles, use side stand to break tire bead, repair flats; access spark plugs, and air filters; maintain fuel system. Can you repair or bypass a punctured coolant radiator or oil cooler? Even with engine guards, I punctured my
oil cooler (Triumph Tiger) on a pavement ride through the Sequioas. Are spare parts available through your intended route? The closest Triumph dealer was 112 miles away, but the replacement part had to be shipped from the UK. What if the EFI mapping or fuel injectors fail? Can local mechanics repair your bike (probably if it's a <250cc Japanese (based) model)? Is there a probability you will need to disable ABS to ride downhill in slippery dirt/gravel conditions? If the electric starter fails: can you kick start or (heaven forbid) at least bump start the motor (Yes, with the help of a manual decompression lever)? Will it run if high octane fuel isn't available (Yes, if Diesel?)? The availability of tyre other than 21" or 19" front and 18" rear in many countries is difficult, good luck with sourcing a 140/80-17 for your BMW F650.
winch? shovel? AKA 'Pioneer gear' - We don't mount on military motorcycles: excess weight.
If your requirements are to stay within North America, within support of the mandufacturer's dealer network many of these issues may be irrelevant; but if your plans include travel to isolated areas; even if local: California 'Lost Coast', Death Valley, or the Alaska Highway through Yukon territory, you may want to reconsider your criteria. Cannondale Motorcycles would be a good business case study.
Solutions: Unfortunately the practical and realistic selection criteria narrows down the candidates to only a handful of brand/models: all but a few are no longer offered by their manufacturers for the US market. Maybe a detuned Rallye bike?
