Adventurebike Suggestions.

Some of us love them, and haven't had to replace our GS's fuel pump/filter/water pump/vapour lock/etc etc etc.

Doesn't matter though, he's not interested.

for 5grand he'd be better off with an old airhead but the V-Strom is about the only thing he'll get worth riding. but it will handle gravel okay and you can do a 300 mile day on it. Of course the OP said this:

good on gravel, better on pavement. Not too fat (< 400#).

And we all know a V-Strom 650 is about 490 pounds wet. So there goes that idea.
Gotta admit an old airhead GS (dead simple) well maintained and high miles for 5K is a good choice.
Maybe an old Transalp?
I actually liked the Scrambler idea quite a lot.

Would anyone here recommend a 5,000 USD used KTM SE950 with 80,000 miles on it?

(has there been one made it that long?)

I have not ridden the litre bike, but there was an article a while back titled something like "do you need a litre bike". The author concluded that in most real world riding the nimbleness of the 620 is more usable than the litre's extra power. I have pilot road 3s as they are a great all around tire, haven't tried anything more aggressive but there are options out there. The bike is light, the range is not bad but not great. The stock forks are weak, but evolution suspension replace with gsxr innards or traxxion makes a kit. If I were to be in the market today I would either look for a cheap 620 as the suspension sorting is 2k or get an 1100s as that engine is sweet and everyone that has owned one talks about its amazing road manners. Check out webbikeworld.com for good info on the 620, canyonchasers.com and strada-avventurosa.com as well. Canyonchasers is particularly fond of the litre multi and avventurosa has nice off road farkles with pics. neither the multi or the strom are "off road" bikes but they have the travel to handle most surfaces. I have buddies with stroms, good reliable bike that does zilch for me. love the sound and feel of the duc, would only trade mine for the 1200 and the air cooled 620 and litre mills are quite bulletproof and not that difficult to work on. just my $.02.

Myself included.

Thanks wizz.

I think the 620 Multistrada is a clear winner here. It's apparently better on gravel than I first thought and can be made better. It's very good on pavement. It's right at 400#. OK for 2 up. Good for 300mi. days and w/ bags can do week long trips. 6 speed and fuel injected - check. Very nice examples can be had for $4k. What's not to like?

Thanks to all who took the time to respond here.

Well, I have ridden both, though just a short ride on the 620. I own an 05 1000s. The 620 mill is adequate, but I need more, hence the 1000. Twist the grip...accelerate. The 620 felt cheap, suspension, etc. It is built to fit into a lower price point, too bad Ducati never built a 620s, then I would say go for it. If you were closer, would be glad to let you ride my 1000, it feels very light, one of it's greatest attributes. The air cooled 620/1000/1100 mills are pretty bulletproof. I have had valves checked 3 times, 24,000 miles, never out. Have a friend with an 1100 hyper that runs the dogsnot out of it, never an issue in 30000 miles. Good luck, Scott.

Lets see. Good on gravel, but better on pavement. I think (<400#) means 400 lbs and down. Riding 2 up once and a while, and the ability to ride 300 mile days once and a while, and on week long trips onces and a while and a 6 speed trany, well keeping the price under $5000 or less.

It looks like it is Vespra time !!!. Just pretend it has a 6 speed, and never touch the carb so you will think it is EFI.



From Jeathrow Bowdean

There is no perfect bike. They are all a compromise in one way or another.

JB - I didn't want to let to let your post go unacknowledged. Thanks for the effort/interest.

I'm not sure how I should clarify though. I want a midsize adventurebike that's gravel road capable, nice on pavement and OK for occasional 2 up. 3 features I would like are fuel injection, 6 speeds and closer to 400# than 500#.

Seems to me a 620 Mulitstrada actually does all those things. It's weakest points (for my use) are the gravel worthiness, suspension and 2 up ability/comfort. Folks in this thread have said that gravel road performance is better than I thought and can be improved. It's also been noted that the suspension can be made better/good and it's 2 up shortcomings I can live with (different seat maybe?). The fact that nice 620MS's are available for $4k is a big plus.

The next 3 best choices (IMO) for me would be the 1000 Multistrada, Cagiva Gran Canyon and the Buell Ulysses. All of these are a little bigger/faster/more street biased than I'm after - I like light/nimble over size and power - to a point, but I don't need/want 100hp (yes, I've ridden a KTM950 and it's great bike/huge fun, I just don't want one, or something that's similar in terms of size and power. That's just my personal preference).

I don't know if all that helped at all, but if you have any more input/suggestions you'd like to make, I'm all ears.

JB - Looks like you edited your post while I was typing. If you thought it might have bothered me somehow or said to much - no worries - tell me what you think.

I think your on to something with the bikes that you are looking at SRG, and I'm sure that you will find what your looking for, I was in the same boat last year, so I add up what I needed to make things happpen, then I went out and bought two brand new units to fix the situation. I bought one Adventure bike for my 80% hyw and 20% gravel roads with 50/50 tires to help it do the all round that I need it to do.

From Jeathrow Bowdean.

I think by your description the 620 would fit the bill nicely. Mine has sargeant seat, hard luggage, skid plate, g2 throttle tamer ( a must), heated grips, storm hand gaurds, piaa lights, ak20 fork kit and penske shock. Used ones are definaty available under 5k, especially the dark (mine is not). You might be happy with the stock suspension after you ride one and skip that upgrade. All the other is standard farklization. Its a great all around midweight, and I take mine on all kinds of mixed terrain in norcal. Or keep an eye out for a ktm 690. FI and blows away the other 600 thumpers performance wise. Deals are out there if youre vigilant.

JB - Once again thanks for the input. I had a 600XL back in the day. Not going back there. I don't really see a thumper being right for what I'm after here. What is your 80/20 bike?

wizz - I think you and I see eye to eye. Ever heard of a way to fit a 19" front wheel to a MS?

If you pm your e-mail I'll send you a sweet pick of a mutley done up by Blaine at Overland Motorcycles (terramostro.com). It has spoke wheels and other bits. He would be the man to talk to about a 19" front, it certainly can be done.

All you have mentioned have pros and cons so...............buy my XR600 and build a sumo

I just bought an 08 ulysses for 6k it has 14k miles. It is an awesome bike. Super comfy. Tons of tractable power. It throws no sudden suprises. My wife sat on the back of it today and is still in awe. It currently has pure road tires currently but once they wear out im looking at dunlop d616, tkc80 or kendas. It has so much character and great features. My biggest concern is dropping the bike off roading. I would hate myself for denting the frame. It comes with pucks already on but im going to add gripster pads to add more side protection. The fuel tank frame is made by brembo, outer rim brake rotor, oil in the swing arm, the triple tail, x2 power sockets.

For the same price I could have got a new klr. I highly doubt the klr would bring as much satisfaction.

Not sure where you get your info, but the 620 has 63 bhp and 41 ft-lbs of torque and weighs in at just over 400lbs and the 1000 is 440lbs. The 1000 had 92hp and the 1100 95hp. The tank is actually the same as the 1000 with different venting. 3.9 gallons, another gallon (20litres total) if you ride a mile (to burp it) and top it off, or figure out the venting as some have done. The single front brake disk is on the dark only, and 45-50mpg is more typical in fairly spirited riding. 160-200 miles on a tank is common, 250 with the venting or burping. Forks have been discussed and if they are insufficient there are options for improving them. No offense but the xr650l (I had an r) and the dr650 are not in the same ballpark, thats not to say they aren't fine bikes.

You see them now and again, but like most Guzzi owners, they never sell anything.

I like the Ulysses too. Only a little more weight (30#?) than the Multistrsda 620 and a bunch more power. Having a Harley based motor would be a trip after all my years of dissing them. I sure as hell would like to ride one to see what they are like.

O, look there's one for sale here too - and under budget.

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=858163

Another example of a fine bike that's up my alley for under $5K. I don't understand the non-believers.

Edit - O, lookie here's another.

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=858110

Oh, I thought the horse power on the the 620 was 40 hp. Hummmm, I go back and look again. I look up the BHP and the rear wheel hp, and I bet I'm pretty close I see that we agree on the tourqe thing, so some thing is not adding if we have the same in that catagory.

From Jeathrow Bowdean

dry weight is 183 kg (app 404lbs) so 450 wet is probably the max it would weigh. 6600 rpms is middle of the power band, 6750 is max torque, peak is 9500 which is 61 hp for the dark, 63 for the regular, minus 8% is 56/58 respectively. so 40 is plain wrong, my xrr put out almost 40 uncorked but not in the middle of the powerband. i agree the 620 is an entry level bike, not meant to be a powerhouse but it has good power across the powerband certainly more than my big red pig. the gas tanks are the same. no matter, get a klr

Big 10-4. I was off on the horse power and torqre, and weight on the Ducati Multistrad 620 dark 2005.

it is 402 lbs with all fluids. The hp is 63-65 hp @ 9500 rpm and 57 Nm or 5.7 kgm @ 6750 rpm.

It took me a while to find what I was looking for, and now I can apolajize for my mistake of not looking up the right info.

Sorry to you wiss and SRG for getting my program on my facts mixed up.

From Jeathrow Bowdean. PS: I will definatly watch what I put next time.