Hammarhead Solo X

[haven]

Here's an interesting custom ExPo motorcycle: The Hammarhead Ural Solo X. Hammarhead modifies a Ural sT to reduce weight, improve reliability, and boost rough road capability, including raising the air intake up under the tank so you can splash through deeper water crossing. Yours for only $12,500. The result reminds me of the BMW R50 and R60 series bikes of the 1950s and 1960s.

http://www.bikeexif.com/ural-solo-hammarhead

The stock version of the sT costs $7200. More information here http://www.imz-ural.com/solo.aspl

 

[CaptHammer]

That build is sweet! It's nice to see a minimalist approach to the adventure bike concept. R1200GS's are cool bikes, but a rider should be able to pick up a tipped over bike without help.

 

[Paladin]

Sure. Just try riding that on anything but superslab for any length of time. Sure, R1200's are too big. But this isn't the answer either. My bike weighs 150lbs less, has 12 inches of suspension travel and costs half as much.

 

[Code Monkey]

For that kind of money, if you were really into getting a Boxer engined bike, you would be a lot better off buying an Airhead GS and putting some money into it. You get the better type 247 engine (the Urals use an earlier design that is not as good), more modern parts, but the same simplicity (in general).

That said, why would you think such a bike is all that great as an expedition bike? Because everybody and their dogs has ridden one around the world? Yeah, they have, but when the road gets rough, really rough, they wish they had an even lighter bike.

I used to own this:

and I took it some amazing places, but never once was I even for a microsecond fooled into thinking this bike was an off-road bike. It was a street bike with an inch or two more suspension travel. The latest BMW GS boxers have a lot more HP and stamina and comfort. Some special models have quite a bit more suspension travel and lighter weight. But none weigh less than 400 pounds ready to ride (the HP2 almost makes it) and weight is the great Satan off-road. If you want a road bike that can occasionally do rough roads, maybe even easy off-road, then the GS is okay - just don't drop it.

My true enduro (Husaberg 570) weighs under 300 pounds ready to ride (claimed dry weight is 240 pounds). The difference, off-road, between a bike like the Husaberg or its brother the KTM 530, and something like a BMW GS boxer - is night and day.

There are a number of 'dual sports' that are in between a 'dirt bike' and something like the GS. The KTM 690 is one. If you must have a large bike that can keep pace with other one liter bikes, but still can handle rough roads, maybe even off-road from time to time, then look at the KTM 990 Adventure - that is a dirt bike chassis with an engine that can easily exceed 120 MPH and stay there.

Hell, my Husaberg can exceed 100 MPH - it just isn't that happy doing it.

But the real problem is tires - street tire don't work well off-road, if at all. Dirt tires don't do well on pavement. There is no way around this either.

So, you find a bike that is a compromise you can live with and go from there. It took me about half a dozen bikes, but I decided I wanted a dedicated and very capable dirt bike. The Ducati will go up for sale this spring because I haven't ridden it much since buying the Husaberg and I can put that money to better use building my Expo truck to haul around my Hussy.