Bike to compliment a S10?

RogerRZ

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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. Synton.jpgI 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?
 

RogerRZ

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KLR 650. Chain and tubes, but still pretty bullet proof. You can pick one up cheap and there a lot of accessories available.
I've had one of them (an '08), but it doesn't do anything objectively better than an S10, but many things worse. A 325 pound, 50HP KLR would be the ticket...
 

Eville Rich

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Maybe a used WR250R? Only a 250, but mine does just fine on 55mph highways. Very reliable and about 300 lbs without gear. Lots of aftermarket farkles are available. I've done multiday trips loaded with camping gear and it did pretty well.

It's a chain drive, but shaft is hard to find for smaller displacement bikes that can go off road. Better than the TW200 for most riding, but the TW200 looks like a lot of fun for some rides.

Eville Rich
2016 S10
2015 WR250R
1987 K75S
 

RogerRZ

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I have looked at the WR. I've only ever been on a brief ride with one. It seemed ok. The resale on them is really good--'09s going at the top of my budget. I'm in no rush to purchase, I've all Winter. maybe something will pop up. The pickings are pretty slim in my neck of the woods.
 

kingfisher

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oklahoma
I'd go with the DRZ 400. Mine was quite capable out of the box, and could keep up with highway 70 mph traffic well. A much better bike than the KLR that I had, off-road, and nearly as good on road. I decided to trade it off since the S10 is fine for the limited off roading that I do.
 

regder

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Toronno
I would consider a KTM 640 Adventure. Unlike say an EXC, they go for next to nothing. 50+hp, 350lbs wet. Maintenance requirements are low compared to KTM dirt bikes. 5k km oil change interval, 12k km valve check with easy screw down valves, no standard engine rebuild required.

They are repair intensive, but parts are cheap, and the motor is easy to work on. If it's a second bike, you may as well get something fun at the expense of some reliability.
 

Byron

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Saltillo, MS
The KLR and the DRZ are great bikes but limited in road travel in MHO. Look at the Vstrom 650. I have the 2014 adventure model and it is a sweet machine. It is like the S10’s little brother. I would not hesitate for a second to hop on it and drive across the country on the highways and bounce off road on the trail. You can get one slightly used at very good prices.
 

EricV

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Honda CT-125 Postie bike. You'll have to wait a bit, hopefully not too long.

Yamaha XT250. Your butt isn't getting any smaller. Do you really think you can survive a day on the RM250? 2013-on XT250s are EFI. 291 lbs. Like the Super Ten, it just does everything you want it to do w/o any fuss. Half the wight, all the fun, cheap, reliable and low maintenance.
 

RogerRZ

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I've been on a Weestrom. I like them, and agree they are a steal on the used market, but i don't feel it would be much of a compliment to my S10. It's almost as heavy (well not quite, but I still find 500lbs too much to wrestle down single track). Like the KLR, in off road stuff they don't perform objectively any better than an S10, and I would say that they don't do quite as well on the slab (I've done IBA rides on the S10).

The KTM640's look completely badass.
 

Byron

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I've been on a Weestrom. I like them, and agree they are a steal on the used market, but i don't feel it would be much of a compliment to my S10. It's almost as heavy (well not quite, but I still find 500lbs too much to wrestle down single track). Like the KLR, in off road stuff they don't perform objectively any better than an S10, and I would say that they don't do quite as well on the slab (I've done IBA rides on the S10).

The KTM640's look completely badass.
My only concern would be reliably with the KTM. While I agree KTM is making some cutting edge bikes, they are still not in the neighborhood of the Japanese bikes in that respect.
 

RogerRZ

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I think KTM's are reliable-ish, but high-ish maintenance also. The only thing not -ish about them is the performance. They are the McCoy...
 

Checkswrecks

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All of the new KTM 4 strokes are pretty reliable AS LONG AS you are diligent about changing the oil. The 350 XCFW is something like 52 hp in 236 lbs.
 

RogerRZ

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All of the new KTM 4 strokes are pretty reliable AS LONG AS you are diligent about changing the oil. The 350 XCFW is something like 52 hp in 236 lbs.
This is the flaw in the slaw. A used bike could be all ate up with awesome, or a very expensive faux pas, without really knowing which one is which before pulling the trigger, unless the previous owner is a known entity.
 

Dirt_Dad

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I haven't met a lot of TW200 riders, but the ones I have met have been really happy with their choice. The bike will go absolutely anywhere with ease. The fat, dumpiness of it does not make you think it going to be anything other than what it is...a slow, go anywhere crawler.

Can't say I'd buy one, but judging from your picture above, a go anywhere might be just what you would appreciate. Of course, it might want a slighly shallower place to cross so you don't need a snorkel for it.
 

Jlq1969

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You still have some wr 450 2018 unused on the market, for little money
maybe, with less than u$ 6000 you can get them
 

Bart

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How about a DR650, we no longer have then in the UK but have good memories of the one I bought to to the TAT a few years ago.

Must admit, I've also been thinking of getting another bike for winter and shorter trips and a Weestrom is high on the list.
 

Dirt_Dad

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I've always considered the weestrom to be the perfect " joy of motorcycling " bike. But off road it is pretty top heavy.
 

DamMechanic

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As an owner of a KTM 640 I would go with the DR 650 or the WR 250r. The 640 has been out of production for 14 years. The DR has been produced for 20 years and some great deals on loaded used ones.
 
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