Minimalist Touring Thread (250cc and under)

[Klay]

Cool!

[spidennis]

I'm going the budget route, and just grabbed up what I already had and came up with this. Just need a cycleracks.com rack and a tent and I'm set.

[SamM]

spidennis,
Nice bike! Here's my TAT bike. My 2005 Yamaha WR250F was traded in on the same model year TT-R250. I just like the TT-R250 better but that's me. The 6-speed transmission just makes it a very nice motorcycle for combined highway/offroad use. Anyway, get the cyclerack as soon as you can. Mark & Don are great guys and the racks are very nice. Mine fits great and will haul more weight than the bike can carry. I have almost everything to finish plating my TT-R. I'll probably wait for winter and tear the bike apart so I can do it right.

SamM

[steve gs]

Did a 90 mile full load roadtest with gear and fuel Sunday, no problems. DR200SE riders know how nimble the bike is and with a full load such as this you can really feel the bulk at roll off speeds. In my normal speed range (40-50mph) it felt sensitive but no big deal. Should be fun when the big trucks go rolling by me. Could use a higher spring rate in the rear though.

Here's a pic;

[steve gs]

One more coming at you.

[Kaler]

Originally Posted by steve gs

Did a 90 mile full load roadtest with gear and fuel Sunday, no problems. DR200SE riders know how nimble the bike is and with a full load such as this you can really feel the bulk at roll off speeds. In my normal speed range (40-50mph) it felt sensitive but no big deal. Should be fun when the big trucks go rolling by me. Could use a higher spring rate in the rear though.

Here's a pic;

(This is my last attempt to post this morning. I keep getting logged out.)

Can't say enough about how much I like your little DR's setup.
Balanced, snug, bright (safety) colors facing the sides and rear.

If it's true that Perception is Reality then your 200 is not overloaded.

[Klay]

Originally Posted by steve gs

Did a 90 mile full load roadtest with gear and fuel Sunday, no problems. DR200SE riders know how nimble the bike is and with a full load such as this you can really feel the bulk at roll off speeds. In my normal speed range (40-50mph) it felt sensitive but no big deal. Should be fun when the big trucks go rolling by me. Could use a higher spring rate in the rear though.

Here's a pic;

Looks pretty tidy, Steve, ride long and ride hard.

[jgas]

Spidennis, your seat is the thinnest I've ever seen! I'm hurting just from looking at it. Nice set up on the box.

SteveGS, I don't beleive for one minute about the 200 and all the stuff you've got on there. You can do anything with trick photography these days.

[kconville]

Minimalist...?

It seems the only "minimal" aspect of your rig is the motorcycle

[steve gs]

Originally Posted by kconville

Minimalist...?

It seems the only "minimal" aspect of your rig is the motorcycle

This thread originally evolved from a thread I started regarding the new Happy Trails (HT) pannier and tail rack system potentially making the DR200SE a good minimalist tourer rig. Several of us discussed using small bikes (250cc and less) as touring platforms and for whatever our reasons here we are.



As mentioned previously MT'ing for me IS about pushing the envelope of the art/science of small bike adventure touring/overlanding.




This bike is fitted out for a solo extended unsupported tour and not a weekend camping trip with some buddies. Survival and reliability issues come into play where help is not a phone call away or around the corner. Otherwise, only stops for resupply when available would be necessary (food and fuel). Weightwise the kit is about the same as adding a passenger.



Virtually all of the gear pictured was originally fitted to my F650GSD and with the availability of the HT rack system was just transferred to the 200.

Fitting out the 200 was the best thing I ever did!

All the gear has been selected so it can be transferred from bike to bike and will go to my DR250SE next as it is fitted out.


Kaler;

Thanks for your complement and yes visiblity was a priority in component selection. Though it is hard to see I have full seat range from front to back so I can move around a bit. Did my best with aerodynamics having tailbag where it is. Will probably add a sheepskin for trip and likely a shock with a higher rate spring if it can be supplied in time.

BTW, the panniers are not full.

[CMS]

The bike,your gear,it all appears there has been a very well planned process here. The best example and use of a functional tour bike I've seen.The best part,it's not an ego mania multi thousand dollar bike, and I'am sure the enjoyment from this is far acceeds the investment.Minimalist touring at its best! Steve,you should write a book on this subject, and I would buy the first copy. ///////// CMS

[kconville]

Originally Posted by steve gs

This thread originally evolved from a thread I started regarding the new Happy Trails (HT) pannier and tail rack system potentially making the DR200SE a good minimalist tourer rig. Several of us discussed using small bikes (250cc and less) as touring platforms and for whatever our reasons here we are.
As mentioned previously MT'ing for me IS about pushing the envelope of the art/science of small bike adventure touring/overlanding.

This bike is fitted out for a solo extended unsupported tour and not a weekend camping trip with some buddies. Survival and reliability issues come into play where help is not a phone call away or around the corner. Otherwise, only stops for resupply when available would be necessary (food and fuel). Weightwise the kit is about the same as adding a passenger.

Virtually all of the gear pictured was originally fitted to my F650GSD and with the availability of the HT rack system was just transferred to the 200.

Fitting out the 200 was the best thing I ever did!

All the gear has been selected so it can be transferred from bike to bike and will go to my DR250SE next as it is fitted out.

So we're in agreement then. Maybe a better title (and theme) for this thread would be "Small Bike Touring"

I like small bikes. I have a KLR250 myself and like it very much.
But again, you have outfitted that 200 like it was a BMW. That's fine (and looks great BTW!) but not minimalist. Not trying to split hairs here, just focusing on the the description minimalist.

[steve gs]

Originally Posted by kconville

So we're in agreement then. Maybe a better title (and theme) for this thread would be "Small Bike Touring"

I like small bikes. I have a KLR250 myself and like it very much.
But again, you have outfitted that 200 like it was a BMW. That's fine (and looks great BTW!) but not minimalist. Not trying to split hairs here, just focusing on the the description minimalist.

Ok then, let's say you were going on a 2500 mile trip into an area where there was a stretch of 228 miles where there are NO services, void of anything except nearly raw nature. You will be doing 100% camping and prepare most of your meals. Add to that the risk of near or subfreezing temps with rain or snow quite likely.

What would you take.





If minimalist by your definition (not yet defined) says I am not minimalist then I would say it is not possible to to operate in MT (your definition) fashion on long trips or to the edge of civliization and beyond because one might take too much stuff to ensure one's survival. Therefore, perhaps a new term is necessary.


Further, a rider carries nothing but a backpack with a change of skivies and a toothbrush but stops at restaurants and motel for food and accomodations truly a MT'ing rider, right?



Actually my 650 is outfitted like my 200. Though I outfitted the 650 first my intent was to minimize my gear to save weight and bulk because the bike was already a clydesdale. I fitted the smallest panniers available and sought out packs and bags that would stay that minimizing course. All this naturally transferred to the 200 when it's time came.


Back to the beginning of this thread; MT'ing was about using small displacement motorcycles for touring whether you're going to go RTW, to a neighboring country, to the next state, or to a nearby campground.


Thanks for the mental exercise.

[Bad Company]

Originally Posted by steve gs

Ok then, let's say you were going on a 2500 mile trip into an area where there was a stretch of 228 miles where there are NO services, void of anything except nearly raw nature. You will be doing 100% camping and prepare most of your meals. Add to that the risk of near or subfreezing temps with rain or snow quite likely.

What would you take.





If minimalist by your definition (not yet defined) says I am not minimalist then I would say it is not possible to to operate in MT (your definition) fashion on long trips or to the edge of civliization and beyond because one might take too much stuff to ensure one's survival. Therefore, perhaps a new term is necessary.


Further, a rider carries nothing but a backpack with a change of skivies and a toothbrush but stops at restaurants and motel for food and accomodations truly a MT'ing rider, right?



Actually my 650 is outfitted like my 200. Though I outfitted the 650 first my intent was to minimize my gear to save weight and bulk because the bike was already a clydesdale. I fitted the smallest panniers available and sought out packs and bags that would stay that minimizing course. All this naturally transferred to the 200 when it's time came.


Back to the beginning of this thread; MT'ing was about using small displacement motorcycles for touring whether you're going to go RTW, to a neighboring country, to the next state, or to a nearby campground.


Thanks for the mental exercise.

Cool. Zen and the art of minimalist touring. Carry on.

[kconville]

Clearly Steve, minimalist is a subjective concept. In this context, it defies strict definition. I have no way of knowing what you've got stowed away on that bike, your level of comfort, and I didn't know the intended use (trip plan).

Going by appearances only, it looks like as much stuff as I've ever loaded on my Beemer or KLR650. Hey, I'm not judging you for taking what you do, my bikes look like that too.

Let me ask it this way...
Would it still be minimalist if that stuff were on a DRZ400?
A KLR650? Or is what makes this minimalist to you the fact that you're riding a DR200? Would it be more of an ascetic experience on a 125?