Pictures of Expedition Motorcycles

[WillSucceed]

How does the XR400R do on the roads?

Kinda like a dirtbike on pavement... ? Not sure how to answer that any better. It's not made or used for many miles on road. Just a way to get from trail to trail legally without use of truck or trailer.

 

[sseaman]

Kinda like a dirtbike on pavement... ? Not sure how to answer that any better. It's not made or used for many miles on road. Just a way to get from trail to trail legally without use of truck or trailer.

Okay, thanks. I am new into the world of dual sport bikes.

 

[LaOutbackTrail]

I dual sported an XR400 and it was great. Was actually more stable than my KLR was on the hwy (go figure) and handled like a dream on the dirt. The only thing that killed me was the kick start.

Did a trip to Mexico on the XR400. Rode from McAllen, TX to the Los Ebanos Crossing (which has a hand drawn ferry btw) down to Montemorelos, NL, Mexico where we got into the mountains... About 4-5 hrs on they hwy. Did fine at 60mph droning.

Then we did three days of exploring in the mountains.... I got sick at the end of the trip (ear infection) and couldn't keep my balance and was really weak. Slept for the fourth day.

I'm seriously considering doing a similar build but with a WR450F. Large capacity tanks available, great suspension, great power. ELECTRIC START. Or, I may just go with a WR250R and do without the power... unsure yet.

Oh and I did a few roads on the XR400 that I had done on the XR650L and it performed only slightly poorer on the hwy and way better on the dirt.

 

[dhackney]

Go Small or Go Home

A couple of my all-time favorite overlanding bikes.

They were headed for Ushuaia.

Location: -42.91241500,-71.32300833

Don't think the little bikes are fit for overlanding?

Check out this bit a friend just found while doing some research.

Source: http://www.vespausa.com/vespa-story.html

RECORDS, SPORTS AND LONG DISTANCE TRAVEL: AROUND THE WORLD WITH THE VESPA

The Vespa also has a racing career behind it. In Europe back in the Fifties, it took part, often successfully, in regular motor cycle races (speed and off-road), as well as unusual sporting ventures.

In 1952 the Frenchman Georges Monneret built an "amphibious Vespa" for the Paris-London race and successfully crossed the Channel on it.

The previous year Piaggio itself had built a Vespa 125cc prototype for speed racing, and it set the world speed record for a flying kilometre at an average of 171.102 km/h.

The Vespa also scored a great success at the 1951 "International 6 Days" in Varese, winning 9 gold medals, the best of the Italian motorcycles.

That same year saw the first of innumerable rallies with the Vespa: an expedition to the Congo, which was to be the first of a series of incredible journeys on a scooter that was intended primarily to solve the problems of urban and intercity traffic.

Giancarlo Tironi, an Italian University student, reached the Arctic Circle on a Vespa.

The Argentine Carlos Velez crossed the Andes from Buenos Aires to Santiago del Chile.

Year after year, the Vespa gained popularity among adventure holiday enthusiasts: Roberto Patrignani rode one from Milan to Tokyo; Soren Nielsen in Greenland; James P. Owen from the USA to Tierra del Fuego; Santiago Guillen and Antonio Veciana from Madrid to Athens; Wally Bergen on a grand tour of the Antilles; the Italians Valenti and Rivadulla in a tour of Spain; Miss Warral from London to Australia and back; the Australian Geoff Dean took one on a round-the-world tour. Pierre Delliere, Sergeant in the French Air Force, reached Saigon in 51 days from Paris, going through Afghanistan. The Swiss Giuseppe Morandi travelled 6,000 km, much of it in the desert, on a Vespa he had bought in 1948. Ennio Carrega went from Genoa to Lapland and back in 12 days. Two Danish journalists Elizabeth and Erik Thrane, a brother and sister, reached Bombay on a Vespa. And it is impossible to count the many European scooter riders who have reached the North Cape on their Vespas.

Few know that in 1980 two Vespa PX 200s ridden by M. Simonot and B. Tcherniawsky reached the finishing line of the second Paris-Dakar rally. Four-time Le Mans 24 Hours winner Henri Pescarolo helped the French team put together by Jean-François Piot. The Vespa continues to travel: in 1992 Giorgio Bettinelli, writer and journalist, left Rome on a Vespa and reached Saigon in March 1993. In 1994-95 he rode a Vespa 36,000 km from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego. In 1995-96 he travelled from Melbourne to Cape Town - over 52,000 km in 12 months. In 1997 he started out from Chile, reaching Tasmania after three years and 150,000 km on his Vespa across the Americas, Siberia, Europe, Africa, Asia and Oceania. All in all, Bettinelli has travelled 254,000 km on a Vespa.

OK, so this part is not so impressive: "The Argentine Carlos Velez crossed the Andes from Buenos Aires to Santiago del Chile."

That particular pass is no big deal unless he didn't take the main road and went over one of the little horse trails. The rest of these accomplishments, however, are pretty darn cool.

 

[ben2go]

That GTV300 looks like it could do some overlanding.

 

[marksbonneville]

1995 dr 350

I hope my image uploads but my current "do all" bike is a DR350 and so far it does everything I ask of it.



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

 

[rokklym]

My newest expedition bike, a 2009 WR250R

 

[ben2go]

I'd really like that bike if it was aircooled.

 

[rathackman]

These are some photos of my GL1100/Ural sled that I do all my moto adventuring with...the only thing different at the moment is I have a larger Plexifairing windscreen on it...I need that when I do extended trips since I have a screwed up C-spine and too much buffeting is painful.

My little dog goes with me and I usually camp. Next big trip is Mexico this Nov./ Dec....if all goes well, down Baja and back then around the coastal plain of mainland Mexico, crossing over in the sate of Chiapas. Lots to do along the way...including checking out the coffee co-op I buy my green beans from in Chiapas and picking up some amber and a few other stones to help pay for the journey...:sombrero:

My wife will probably join me in Tulum for a week where we will rent a cabina.:snorkel:

Happy trails.

 

[WU7X]

Beautiful setup.

You're living my dream. Keep it up and post a RR or two.

Dale

These are some photos of my GL1100/Ural sled that I do all my moto adventuring with...the only thing different at the moment is I have a larger Plexifairing windscreen on it...I need that when I do extended trips since I have a screwed up C-spine and too much buffeting is painful.

My little dog goes with me and I usually camp. Next big trip is Mexico this Nov./ Dec....if all goes well, down Baja and back then around the coastal plain of mainland Mexico, crossing over in the sate of Chiapas. Lots to do along the way...including checking out the coffee co-op I buy my green beans from in Chiapas and picking up some amber and a few other stones to help pay for the journey...:sombrero:

My wife will probably join me in Tulum for a week where we will rent a cabina.:snorkel:

Happy trails.

 

[rathackman]

Thanks Dale, Nice words and I will definitely keep my blog up while on the road....

Brian

 

[AZ BMW ADV Rider]

Suzuki DR350

So tell us more about the 350 suzuki. Kinda' small for an Expo. ride, no?
Is it elect. start & air cooled? What does it weigh? Wouldn't you rather have a
- 1200cc, 600+lb Behemoth to throw around & slog through the mud??
BTW - is that the one those guys did "Mondo Enduro" on, you know -
Austin Vince, his bro. & friends rode around the world on DR350's...

 

[marksbonneville]

So tell us more about the 350 suzuki. Kinda' small for an Expo. ride, no?
Is it elect. start & air cooled? What does it weigh? Wouldn't you rather have a
- 1200cc, 600+lb Behemoth to throw around & slog through the mud??
BTW - is that the one those guys did "Mondo Enduro" on, you know -
Austin Vince, his bro. & friends rode around the world on DR350's...

Well AZ BMW good questions.
I had a BMW GS and while I enjoyed it I also was restricted to where I could go off road so I sold it and bought the Suzuki. The DR350 is a very capable bike and yes its aircooled, 6 speed transmission, will cruise all day at 65mph, 4.5 gallon tank, approx 325lbs and the best part is the 65 to 74mpg. I added a seat concepts seat and a small windscreen and now I'm able to ride all day in comfort.
I prefer the electric start as I hate kick starting a stalled bike on a slippery hill.
The Mondo Enduro team did in fact ride DR350's around the world and with only few problems (great book, every adventure bike rider should read it).

I see you are in Arizona so drop me line and maybe we'll go for a ride sometime.

Mark

 

[AZ BMW ADV Rider]

Suzuki DR350

Sounds like a very well sorted & set-up ADVenture Moto. - anymore picts?
We could ride to Crown King or Skull Valley sometime.
I'll leave the 'B'ehe'M'oth-W' in the garage-then.

 

[ben2go]

DR350 Specs for all years with pics. http://www.suzukicycles.org/DR-series/DR350.shtml