Newbie thinking of buying asks....

[Bickers1984]

Hey,
I am considering buying a tralie... Originally I wanted something small as as well as road riding I wanted to continue on where the tarmac ends, but then Mrs Bickers1984 has shown an interest in the pillion seat.
So GS, is out cause tackling the rough stuff alone would be too much and a F650 would probably struggle with pillion and gear..

So I want a XRV, preferably a 650 from what I have read whilst lurking on here.

But my questions about the general XRV range are:

• What is the tank range?
• Motorway cruising speed?
• Do they have the guts for pillion and luggage?
• With some MT21's lobbed on what are my limitations going to be offroad?
• Any modifications for the above type riding?

Thanks

[pdsquire]

Hey,
I am considering buying a tralie... Originally I wanted something small as as well as road riding I wanted to continue on where the tarmac ends, but then Mrs Bickers1984 has shown an interest in the pillion seat.
So GS, is out cause tackling the rough stuff alone would be too much and a F650 would probably struggle with pillion and gear..

So I want a XRV, preferably a 650 from what I have read whilst lurking on here.


But my questions about the general XRV range are:

• What is the tank range?
• Motorway cruising speed?
• Do they have the guts for pillion and luggage?
• With some MT21's lobbed on what are my limitations going to be offroad?
• Any modifications for the above type riding?

Thanks

• 180 to 200
• 80
• yes - ask piguglyshandydrinker. He took his new bride touring as far as Croatia on one. I've toured very happily in Norn Irn. You'll have to plan your overtaking a bit (not that lady pillions often complain about that) but you know it won't go wrong
• they're heavier than they look so may be difficult to pick up and only the best riders can stop and adjust the lean angle mid-manoeuvre; a centre stand if fitted, will snag on everything; the collector box is a bit vulnerable - some remove them and you'll not go wrong with a heavier bash plate; plastics are expensive (but engine bars soon deal with that) but again, you know it won't let you down. I see you're in Belvedere: it'll laugh at the Pilgrims Way any time of the year and the Surrey Hills & Sussex are doable. I've had mine in mid-Wales and it/I struggled but how often do you do that and the journey there and back was far better than on a KTM. If you want to try mine, holler.
• the F650GS isn't any less able: just less dependable.

Welcome.

[Knobblywobbly]

There isn´t a great deal of room for a pillion so they sit closer to you than they would on a different bike. Also the foam in the pillion part of the seat is about 1" thick and does nothing to keep your pillions bum from sitting on the seat base! I´m about to have my seat altered for this very reason.

[AIRWOLF]

Welcome.

650 rd03 or 750 rd04/7 will do all you ask.

Tank range 180/200

Comfortable cruise 80+

TKC /mt21/metzeler karoo give decent off road grip. . . . degree of difficulty depends on you.

Mod's . . . . crash bars.

650 rd03 is sweet but only has single front disc so stopping 2 up with luggage need's forethought.

Heres the rd04 loaded up for a 2 up trip.

[Bickers1984]

Thanks for all the replies... I have had an R80GS and although that ticked most of the boxes for me, the cruising speed was 70mph, and anything over that the revs were painful as the top speed was a realistic 90ish.

I have always loved the AT's and having had some honda track tools anything that has a HRC sticker on automatically turns me to jelly!

Its just trying to find something that will hold its own offroad, and take Mrs Bickers1984 when she gets the urge to come adventure with me. With a plan to do a solo to the atlas mountains whilst the pillion suns it up with the girls in 2011.

Any buying advice?
I'd like to keep the budget around £2500 to leave room for toys to bolt on, do you think this would be enough to pick up a keeper?

Cheers again lads...

[1gear1brake]

I've used MT21's on my 750. Excellent tyres off road but a bit soft for road use I found. They make a great noise on tarmac (a sort of ghostly wail) but under-steer badly on bends and don't last well. Continental TKC80's handle better, last better, and look 'right' on the @.