RogerRZ
Well-Known Member
Hi All, I love my Tenere. I really do. If it caught fire and was totaled, I'd get another one tomorrow.
But (there's always one), I'm not getting any younger, and wrestling a 600lbs bike through mud holes isn't getting any easier. See attached picture. I still plan on doing it (hey, where does this road go--oh no it's a trail, oh well, let's try), but i'd like to get something that if I intend on doing something more off-roadish, close to home, I could get on and not worry about having to phone a friend (or worse, my 70 year old father) to come rescue me and 600lbs of advbike from a mudhole i should have known to avoid.
Enter the two bike solution. Budget, less than 5K ($CDN), and something that's available (no TDR250's or Honda Reflex--remember those?). I love shaft drive, 25k valve maintenance intervals, tubeless tires. I know that only the S10 offers that, but lower maintenance is always better.
My short list looks like this-in no order of preference:
KDX200-220 (it can be plated here)
Pros: Reliable, cheap-ish. Quite competent. Lightweight.
Cons: Premix gas. Newest ones are still old.
DRZ400S
Pros: Quite reliable. Available. Low scheduled maintenance
Cons: Quite heavy. Just so-so out of the box. There's a reason such a robust aftermarket exists for them.
KTM's (anything you can hang a plate from)
Pros: Capable, light, powerful, no mods needed.
Cons: Maintenance. Reliability concerns on used ones (what did the p.o. do--or not do to it). Not too concerned with a two-stroke, but the diesels could get expensive in a hurry). Purchase cost--old ones are still expensive in this part of the world--think $7k for a 2012 300EXC.
TW200 (The fat chick)
Pros: Anvil reliable. No aftermarket, you can't do anything to them it is what it is). Fun. Available. Cheap.
Cons: Slow. Crap suspension. You're riding the fat chick.
Thoughts?
But (there's always one), I'm not getting any younger, and wrestling a 600lbs bike through mud holes isn't getting any easier. See attached picture. I still plan on doing it (hey, where does this road go--oh no it's a trail, oh well, let's try), but i'd like to get something that if I intend on doing something more off-roadish, close to home, I could get on and not worry about having to phone a friend (or worse, my 70 year old father) to come rescue me and 600lbs of advbike from a mudhole i should have known to avoid.
Enter the two bike solution. Budget, less than 5K ($CDN), and something that's available (no TDR250's or Honda Reflex--remember those?). I love shaft drive, 25k valve maintenance intervals, tubeless tires. I know that only the S10 offers that, but lower maintenance is always better.
My short list looks like this-in no order of preference:
KDX200-220 (it can be plated here)
Pros: Reliable, cheap-ish. Quite competent. Lightweight.
Cons: Premix gas. Newest ones are still old.
DRZ400S
Pros: Quite reliable. Available. Low scheduled maintenance
Cons: Quite heavy. Just so-so out of the box. There's a reason such a robust aftermarket exists for them.
KTM's (anything you can hang a plate from)
Pros: Capable, light, powerful, no mods needed.
Cons: Maintenance. Reliability concerns on used ones (what did the p.o. do--or not do to it). Not too concerned with a two-stroke, but the diesels could get expensive in a hurry). Purchase cost--old ones are still expensive in this part of the world--think $7k for a 2012 300EXC.
TW200 (The fat chick)
Pros: Anvil reliable. No aftermarket, you can't do anything to them it is what it is). Fun. Available. Cheap.
Cons: Slow. Crap suspension. You're riding the fat chick.
Thoughts?