450cc ADV bikes

[Grreatdog]

Adjusting the suspension on my KTM's is easier than any other bike I have owned. That is primarily because the rebound and compression clickers actually do something that you can feel. The owners manuals that come with a WP shock and fork are eacher larger than the entire owners manuals of my Yamaha and Honda dual sports. So you need to take the time to learn how the shock and fork work.

As for spring preload in general EXC's are really easy to adjust because they have a PDS shock like my MXC. But my LC4E is a linkage setup. So spring preload is not as convenient. But you can still get the spanner on it with without taking anything apart. That means no tearing up the adjustment rings with a punch for on the fly changes. . Plus having a centerstand simplifies things a bit.

[Tarheel Wheeler]

Originally Posted by Grreatdog

Having real competition class suspension under your ass just works better whether you are riding at 5/10's or 10/10's. I can now sit through stuff that I used to have to stand through. And the more time I spend off my ankles and knees the happier I am. The fact that Euro dual sport bikes are generally more powerful is just a bonus.

The difference for me is so dramatic that I went out and bought the MXC because I rediscovered riding hard on technical trails and not getting punished for it.

Just remember one man's 10/10 is another man's 5/10 Grreatdog.

Shock adjustment takes 5 min on the Berg, and that includes pulling the shock.

Keep the Eurotrash praise to a mild uproar or you're going to have everybody riding Orange and Blue like us.

[George 99]

A mid-ADV bike is a dual sport with bags 'n rack. I have that now on my ol' 96 XT-350. Too heavy for serious dirt, too slow for serious highway, does okay in dirt 'n gravel, hates sand. All that with 40 lbs of gear strapped on.

Oh, and it has a real seat! The motoX seats on all the current "dual sports" don't look streetable to me.

This bike has my interest tho, it would need some farkles to make it into what I would want.
http://www.cycletrader.com/listing/2...-450-103706430

Last "new" one avaialable....

[Andrew]

Originally Posted by No False Enthusiasm

Seems like the world is ready for a WR450R with:

Wide ratio 6 speed
4 gal tank
Racks
Skid Plates

NFE

I would buy it tomorrow.

A

[andrewgore]

I'm no KTM fanboy by any stretch of the imagination, but what you guys are claiming you want is readily available:

http://www.ktm.com/us/enduro/450-exc...ighlights.html

Or keep pretending that Yamaha is gonna make one.

Andrew

[mrt10x]

Originally Posted by andrewgore

I'm no KTM fanboy by any stretch of the imagination, but what you guys are claiming you want is readily available:

http://www.ktm.com/us/enduro/450-exc...ighlights.html

Or keep pretending that Yamaha is gonna make one.

Andrew

Thank you for introducing nothing new to the conversation. 1 liter of oil.. two seperate oil systems that need to be changed every 15 hours at the max and every 5 if riddent hard.. top end rebuilds at 10k? maybe 15?

I am not saying the bike isnt a kick ass road legal race bike, but a 450 adventure bike.. not by my measure of adventure. Add the oil cooler for ?? $500+ and you can bump up those oil change intervals. But changing the oil every two days as you ride the TAT doesnt seem to fit the requirements for a lightweight adventure bike. IMHO the oil capacity needs to be 3 liters at least and I want to see 3k mile oil changes.. and I want a top end that will go 40-50k miles before rebuild.

I still say we can get nowhere in the discussion because everyone's opinion on what an "adventure" bike is different.

[Tarheel Wheeler]

That last bike in your sig line comes pretty dang close with a 70 degree tank, a Renazco seat and some Kriegas or GLs.

How's all your new add ons doing? That Cush wheel, Rekluse and SD working out for ya?

[mrt10x]

Originally Posted by Tarheel Wheeler

That last bike in your sig line comes pretty dang close with a 70 degree tank, a Renazco seat and some Kriegas or GLs.

How's all your new add ons doing? That Cush wheel, Rekluse and SD working out for ya?

Well I didnt want to mention it but yeah..that is why I went with the 570.. nearly 2qts of oil.. engines that are getting to 20k miles w/o needing valve adjustments.. etc. All I need now is someone to come out with an add on oil cooler like the KTMs and I think I could take the bike to Patagonia. Unfortunately, none of the add ons, are actually on the bike yet too busy riding. I hope to get the Rekluse on this week or weekend.

[andrewgore]

Bottom line is this. Those seeking the elusive "450 ADV" bike are the absolute minority. Expect to have to do some changes to be exactly what you want out of it. Honda\Kawi\Suzuki\Yamaha DON'T/WON'T sell a plated 450 (heck, not even a 6-speed 450). Plenty of other companies do.

Andrew

[macrae85]

Dakar's only 450cc for the reason is that everyone was killing themselves.800cc/900cc twins
are probably about right,thought the BMW has a flawed engine(unreliable,just check the blow
ups on here),Triumph as said previous,a good triple engine,an accountant built flawed frame.
A Yamaha 800/900 twin,like a new TRX style engine would be great,the 660cc lacks the longhaul
routes,the 1200cc is a tad heavy for us short legged people!Why we are still using 16yr old bikes,
the DR650 to head south on,a severe lack of choice in the USA for something that meets the job
at hand!

[Tarheel Wheeler]

[QUOTE=mrt10x;18749963]All I need now is someone to come out with an add on oil cooler like the KTMs and I think I could take the bike to Patagonia. [QUOTE]

You don't need anybody to come up with an external oil cooler for the Berg. Take a look at what Bill Conger (BC61) fabbed up for his Husky 449 last year prepping for Dakar. You should be able to come up with something after looking at that work of art.

[bradrh]

How is the husaberg on the highway at 65 or 75?

[mrt10x]

Originally Posted by bradrh

How is the husaberg on the highway at 65 or 75?

Well geared from the factory it would do 100mph no problem.. I re-geared it 13-50 and now it will do 75 w/o thinking about it. I think I got lucky and the front wheel is fairly well balanced as well.

[George 99]

I looked at a dual-sported CRF450X last Wednesday. Lots of farkles, "fresh" top end, only $3K. But it was LOUD even with stock exhaust and the sounded to me like it was slapping. Just too much potential maintenance to be a reliable mid-size ADV bike.

I've read some folks put a TRX-450 (quad) top end on these things (3-ring piston instead of 2-ring, SS valves instead of Ti). Any thoughts on such?

[BaronVonDarrin]

Originally Posted by mrt10x

I am not a spelling Nazi, but it is hard to take your posts seriously when you can't spell their correctly. There, their, they're … Three words, pronounced the same, different meanings, they are (or they’re if you want) not interchangeable.

No one cares. Seriously.

I realize this was posted a long time ago but I don't care.