Minimalist Touring Thread (250cc and under)

Just stumbled on this thread and glad I did,I put 7000 miles on a 2005 Ninja250 a couple of summers ago and got hooked on small bikes,Had a DR350 then hit the 650cc bracket starting with a Kawi 650r and because I like to be able to hit the dirt I sold that and am now doing the KLR650 route,always someone trying to get me to step it up to a bigger cc bike but for now I have peaked out at 650.Currently using the KLR as my only vehicle(I own cages but,well you know to boring to drive)so the trick now is to not get to caught up in all the KLR farkles keep the bike simple and stock and start putting together some good rides.

I run 2 charity rides for small bikes.

First is the LakeErieLoop, a 650 mile sprint around Lake Erie in one day. This year we'll be holding LEL-X, our 10th anniversary ride, the weekend of June 7-9. The proceeds go to the Aluminum Cans for Burned Children (ACBC), a fund for pediatric burn victims. So far we've raised over $30,000 for the kids and we're not slowing down. Four classes for everything from mopeds to 200cc "big bore" bikes. Info is available at www.lakeerieloop.com or autos.groups.yahoo.com/group.lakeerieloop.

The second is a bit more ambitous, a balls to the wall run from Manhattan, NY to Redondo Beach, Ca., the same start/end points of the legendary Cannonball of the Brock Yates and Dan Gurney race of the 1970's that protested the national 55MPH speed limit of that time. Motorcycle size on this one is 250cc's for modern bikes and 360cc's for bikes 30 years old and older. It will start on May 4th and finish whenever the rider reaches the left coast beach at the Porto Fino Hotel. Billed as the Real Cannonball, the proceeds will be split 50/50 between the Wounded Warrior Project and ACBC. Entries so far are a couple 250 Ninjas, 360 Hondas, even a kitted Aprilia RS50! Go to sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/trctd for additional info.

Hope to see ya there!

Keep it stock? Not if you hang around us too much I told myself I was leaving my xr the way I bought it, nicely modded suspension/carb/filter wise, already desmogged and desnorkeled for me..I figured what else did I need right? I've since added a fork brace, full exhaust system, modified airbox, graphics, and some other things I'm forgetting.

Don't fight the Darkside, just go with it realizing as long as you don't spend more than you can afford, modding can and will happen

Been using these shoes for a week now and am loving them. They're really comfortable, and everyone here is asking about them. They don't stand out too much, and I feel comfortable going out to dinner/lunch here in Palm Springs.

So... Equally good at camp, and out on the town.

I took 50 days to do 7,000 miles across the United States in the heat of 2012.





I traveled solo & camped most of the way. You can read about it on the blog I wrote at the time. I called the my trip, The Coulee.
My vehicle of choice, a 150cc scooter.

Nice!

Thanks for the link, great story!

And a Chinese scooter at that! Nicely done! I just read your entire blog account of your journey. A great read, thanks for sharing!

I have been lurking for some time now and enjoying all the post on here. I see a lot in common of what I enjoy having to do with motorcycling and I see a lot of people in my own age group too. Like some of you here I am now more interested in a lighter bike and ease of handling. I am 65 and find that I feel more confident on my trusted 250 than I do on my bigger bikes. I have a xr250l I bought new back in 1996 and most of the time it has been a shed queen. I have 1150 miles on it now as an example. I recently took it out aand started getting it all ship shape again, The biggest problem I have always had with that bike is it has ben hard to start. I bought a xr250 carb and that did not help much so went back to the stock carb. I think I finally found two problems that caused the hard starting.The decompression lever has now been deactivated and I have done the accellerator pump fix. Now it starts much easier than before but I still dream of electric start from time to time LOL..
I just ordered a set of luggage from the walmart web site that is pretty reasonable and a tank bag. I installed a new windshield this week as well. My next project will be to research the Rack's available for next month's update.
Thanks for all the good tip's on here.

Looks like a great trip! Thanks for posting the link for your blog, I enjoy reading other's ride reports... Gives me inspiration for my own travels.

It ended kind of abruptly with an engine that "blew up." Not quite the endorsement of minimalist touring I was looking for.

I had one and it didn't like to start either. I did some searchin' and found they are very lean. Easy fix. The air/fuel screw has a tab on it so you can't turn it too far. I just dremeled that ear off so I could richen it up. Then you just have to open the carb and raise the needle using 2 little washers. Reinstall and she will kick to life with ease EVERY time.
Here's a little vid.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMlw6NlgRYA

Not exactly, but to me it was more about the sense of adventure and taking things as they come... Just buy a Chinese bike and ride the hell out of it till it breaks!

Just read the whole Coulee and enjoyed every word. Thanks for posting.

A Honda, Suzuki or Yamaha scooter wouldn't blow up

Keep looking & good luck.

It was a great ride except for the blazing heat in the Great Plains. Glad you enjoyed the Writeup. -J

Maybe not, maybe so. It sucked a valve into the cylinder and spun the timing belt off. The engine had about 28K miles on it. In the best of worlds I should have pulled it all apart before I took off and do a complete tuneup. But I didn't. I just jumped on and drove it across the USA. I'm okay with the outcome. -J

Ya rode, ya had a good time....what else is there?

nada