I'm brand-new to motorcycles and looking to get into riding dual-sport/adventure. My background is in backpacking and overland type camping in my truck. A bike would get me further and appeals to my minimalist tendencies. After rattling down all of the washboard dirt roads on Costa Rica in a rental Jimny, I've really developed some serious dreams about riding abroad. It seems like such a pure way to explore the world.
So now I'm trying to pick out my first bike for around home. My inclination is to get something light and basic in the 250 class, but I'm looking at my rides around home as training for future global rides which may or may not be on a bit larger bikes. I will definitely have some basic luggage on whatever I get and be sometimes camping off of the bike. I'm about 1/2 hour of 55 mph 2-lane hwy from back roads that will get me to hundreds of miles of national forest exploring and camping. I'm jumping out of my skin to check out all of the roads that are just a bit too narrow and overgrown for my Tundra.
I'm not sure if I'll be into highway riding enough to want to ride that highway stretch or just trailer it, but would be nice to have the option. I'll probably never ride highway long-distance.
So that said, here's where I'm at based on the few bikes I'm aware of from people I know or just research and videos:
TW200: well liked, very basic but reliable, 5-speed so highway would be pushing it
TT250: yeah it's from China, but has good reviews, same shortcomings as TW200 but has front and rear discs and it's cheap enough to be almost disposable if it does t work out. I really have a soft spot in my heart for this one for reasons I can't explain
Rx3: another China bike, comes kitted out for adventure, my friend has one and likes it
Klr650: maybe a bit much for right now, but would be as much bike as I'd ever need, used ones with some nice mods cost about the same as the rx3 new, solves any highway concerns, seems to have a good following and I see them in rental fleets all over when searching for future travel destinations.
I'd appreciate any input - sorry for being so long-winded!
So now I'm trying to pick out my first bike for around home. My inclination is to get something light and basic in the 250 class, but I'm looking at my rides around home as training for future global rides which may or may not be on a bit larger bikes. I will definitely have some basic luggage on whatever I get and be sometimes camping off of the bike. I'm about 1/2 hour of 55 mph 2-lane hwy from back roads that will get me to hundreds of miles of national forest exploring and camping. I'm jumping out of my skin to check out all of the roads that are just a bit too narrow and overgrown for my Tundra.
I'm not sure if I'll be into highway riding enough to want to ride that highway stretch or just trailer it, but would be nice to have the option. I'll probably never ride highway long-distance.
So that said, here's where I'm at based on the few bikes I'm aware of from people I know or just research and videos:
TW200: well liked, very basic but reliable, 5-speed so highway would be pushing it
TT250: yeah it's from China, but has good reviews, same shortcomings as TW200 but has front and rear discs and it's cheap enough to be almost disposable if it does t work out. I really have a soft spot in my heart for this one for reasons I can't explain
Rx3: another China bike, comes kitted out for adventure, my friend has one and likes it
Klr650: maybe a bit much for right now, but would be as much bike as I'd ever need, used ones with some nice mods cost about the same as the rx3 new, solves any highway concerns, seems to have a good following and I see them in rental fleets all over when searching for future travel destinations.
I'd appreciate any input - sorry for being so long-winded!