450cc ADV bikes

This BLOG (current as of today, and reading like a real adventure) is pushng me harder toward another DRZ-400-S... good read and great pics as well. Makes the Long Way 'Round read like a trip to the park.

Another current model bike really has my attention as a potential "Adventure" bike, a complete departure from anything else duscussed in this thread. Bigger motor and definitely heavy (500+ lbs) but chain drive and reasonable wheel sizes say "Go Anywhere" (and so does Honda's hyperbole: "...the Shadow RS will transport you anywhere you want to go, and you’re going to have a blast getting there.

Anyhoo, the old school boys used to ride desert and enduros on such,,, think about, the BSA 441 Gold Star was a "small lightweight" back then, even the Triumph and BSA twins were small compared to the Indian and Harley post WWII surplus stuff. Bobbers and choppers were an attempt to get the weight down for increased functionality and speed. This bike already has that done for ya... small tank tho, the larger tank from the shaft drive models would be a good farle, plus adding a bash plate made from a grain shovel...

I really like my DR435. I suppose I'd replace it with a DRZ400 if I had to get something new. I like a little torque down low.

I've always enjoyed Nicks report. http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=358010 If this doesn't qualify as adventure I'm not sure what does.
Granted, he changed the oil frequently but its not hard, takes 10 minutes, and is inexpensive piece of mind.

I would also like to point out that pretty much every TAT report I read has a broken down bike, whether it be sprockets and chains, electrical gremlins on a DRZ, CDi's on an XRL, etc etc. No one bike, orange, blue, red... is going to be perfect and never break down, so ride what makes you happy, fits, and puts a smile on your face. My 04 orange 450 with 11,000 miles does that for me.

There is hope (not much but I'm keeping fenders crossed for a license worthy production model):

http://motorsportsnewswire.wordpres...e-fair-10031211/121003-honda-dakar-bike-2013/

1. Won't make commercial production
2. If it does it won't make it to the US
3. if it does, it'll cost $30,000
4. If it does, I'll buy it anyway.

Too many ifs...
​

That's true. My friends and I are quite good, but even my friends son, who is quite fearless on his TT125 would actually put us on our WR250/450's to shame, especially in the tight sections, and that little bike could float through the mud and have just enough traction to not have enough wheel spin to ruin momentum.
It's mostly rider, but HP is NOt everything. Most of the time, I was ahead on my 450 riding friends on my 250. I'd done the Turkey Ruuns in the Berkshires in MA, and I couldn't believe the amount of big bore riders that were pulled over due to forearm pump. One guy was so bad, he couldn't even ride the bike back.

The thing about small bikes is that they are really only faster in that one very limited arena. Sure my 200 will smoke my 640 on true goat trails and even give it a good run up to about 50 mph on the highway. But it is also a very fast little two stroke MX bike not a true dual sport. But as soon as those trails offer up enough traction or open up a bit to let me turn the throttle on my 640 it is lights out for the 200.

I just saw that in action last weekend with three 650's and a couple of 250's. The smaller bikes were right there squeezing between trees, slithering down hills and such. They even hung in there a little on some of the tighter two track. But as soon as we hit forest service gravel road they were literally left in the dust. They just didn't have enough power out of the turns and couldn't maintain our 75+ mph cruise.

Which is why 450's seem perfect and why the Japanese have me scratching my head over being stuck on 250 and 650. My next bike will likely be either a 450cc four stroke or a 300cc two stroke to split that difference better. I want to be able to hammer out of turns and haul ass. I refuse to go down to a 250 and give that up. But then I also want something a little less terrifying that my 640 on trails.

The 200 EXC is the first bike I've been looking at detuning. It absolutely crushes my old DRZ400 (with an FCR and full exhaust). It wheelies everywhere spins the back tire at will and randomly spits you off into the woods when it does get traction when it comes onto the pipe.

It's also the most fun motorcycle I've ridden offroad.

My friend has a 450EXC that's easier to ride off-road from a traction standpoint the 4 strokes just find traction all the time. The 2 stroke requires allot more clutch and throttle control to ride. That being said in a drag race I think the 200 and 450 would be pretty close.

The tighter the trail gets the more the 200 shines because of it's weight. Even the 450 feels like a tank compared to it. The DRZ feels like a fucking barge compared to either one of those.

I'm thinking about doing all of that to mine to, I'm worried about loosing the top end. Let me know about the FWW. If you're free this weekend me and some friends are heading to motocove in WV (about 2.5 hours away) on sunday.

YEP! To everything. I really want to try a KTM350 and a 500 though.

Man, that is a great offer and so tempting. But I was gone four days riding in the mountains last weekend.

However, I think my wife is working Sunday. So I may still slip this in tonight to see how much fallout it generates.

Put me down for a WR 450 R

My WR 250 R is a great bike. It handles well for my pay grade.
I don't think that on MY Adventures that I would notice 30 lbs either way.
I do think that I would notice 15 more HP and maybe a little more torque!

Were you at the Shenendoah500 last weekend? There was no squeezing between trees, (unless you went off course). That whole event is double track and wide open dirt roads. Great play for a 450 or 650 thumper.

You just wanted to see my bust my ass again.

But if I had been there I would have been haunting your camp again. Instead I blew off the S500 for the first time in years to go ride with my oldest friends down in SC. It was kind of a 30th reunion of our first big ride together.

But hopefully I will see my DAMN friends again next year or maybe later this year.

I have a Drz and a WRR ---
If the WRR had the DRZ 's bottom torque it would be perfect!!

IMHO

So there's a new wide ratio gearbox for the DRZ now, would make it a good contender for this title. Personally I'd stick with the WR250R though, less vibrations. What would be really cool in my opinion is if they made it into a twin 500cc as an adventure bike with rallye fairing etc. How cool would that be.....

Just got a husquvarna 011 te 449 and so far it's a blast. I'll keep my klr for any distance trips, Husky is a lot of fun and so far on my first tumble wasn't too heavy to lift.

What about a KTM400? Anyone ever do distance rides on one of them? Curious about their road manners. Would it be similar to an XR400 or a DRZ400?

One of the things I learned to do a while ago was keep an eye on what Gaspipe and Big Dog were riding. They go on epic trips with minimal tarmac.

They're going out doing the things I want to do, so if it works for them, it'll probably work for me.



M

I had a DRZ400E. Am weekend adventurer. Rode everything from street to extreme rock garden crawler uphills.

Bought a KTM 450EXC.......... never looked back.

Maintenance hasn't been an issue. If you ride like I do, you're always maintaining them anyways.

Change oil more frequently...... so what, takes 10 minutes.

Valve checks..... I rail the shit out of the bike and have only adjusted them once in 150?? hours

LOVE the bike . . . . . 6 speed is nice too.... cruise at 60mph at 1/4 throttle?

Any chance there's a CRF450L under one of those covers?

(Just noticed on the Honda web site, the new 250L is priced $500 less than the ol' air cooled 230L. Hmmmm.)

It's also taller and not-just-slightly heavier. 'Great move for a bike in a "starter niche"....NOT.

It looks like four choppers, a bagger, and something else.

I wish they would do a Crf450l.