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The KLR with a Corbin flat seat is awesome for crazy long days in the saddle if they aren't at highway speeds. More comfortable than my GSA.
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Quoted: Excellent info. Thanks! I doubt the Sergeant is going to work for me from the sounds of it. I am 5 foot and 9.5 inches, with a 31" inseam. I can't flat-foot on low or high seat setting, but the low is much more reassuring for me when I'm in the slippery crap. What I usually do is run the stock seat in the high position for highway miles to keep my legs more comfortably straight while on the pegs, then when I come to a lot gravel/dirt section, I'll change the seat to the low setting for that piece of mind. I have to stop to set the bike in off-road mode at that time anyways. I have read that the Madstad is the way to go many times. I keep looking at V-Stream and Puig shields on ebay, because the price is good. But I really need to do myself a favor and pony up for the Madstad. On my FJR I could run at 120mph in dead calm, smooth air with that big, adjustable V-Stream all the way up. I get battered pretty heavily (especially in wind) with the stock Tiger shield. I am a sufferer of frequent severe tension headaches (I get treated with botox and other treatments for them), so between wearing a snug, heavy helmet, and taking a battering from the wind... there are days on highway sections on the Tiger where I'm not having all that much fun. And there are a few days where I've chosen not to ride because my head was already hurting and I knew that I'd be in miserable if I rode. View Quote As to the Madstad... finding the right spot is key. I will note, on the Interstate, i have a small amount of head buffeting. I can make it go away if i raise it to maximum, but then i'm having to look through the screen, which i don't want. So i found a spot that gives minimal buffeting while still letting me looking over the screen. I didn't actually have head buffeting with the stock screen, probably because of the GT Air helmet, unless i was in traffic. Then it was pretty significant. And the body buffeting was pretty brutal, regardless of traffic or not. Overall, i'm very pleased with the result. It's a bit of a compromise i made in regards to head buffeting, but i've found that for two lane backroad cruising, it's significantly better, close to perfect. And on the interstate, while dealing with a slight amount of buffeting to the head, the overall improvements are drastic when in traffic, which is pretty much unavoidable on the Interstate. |
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Quoted: One thing of note. Sargent does offer a low seat model that drops height by an inch or two. I'm not sure what that would do to leg room, though, but it's something to keep in mind. You might be better off going with something like Seat Concepts where they repack your existing seat, so the width wouldn't be as much of an issue. You could also look at getting lowering footpegs. That may let you run a lower seat height but keep better leg position. As to the Madstad... finding the right spot is key. I will note, on the Interstate, i have a small amount of head buffeting. I can make it go away if i raise it to maximum, but then i'm having to look through the screen, which i don't want. So i found a spot that gives minimal buffeting while still letting me looking over the screen. I didn't actually have head buffeting with the stock screen, probably because of the GT Air helmet, unless i was in traffic. Then it was pretty significant. And the body buffeting was pretty brutal, regardless of traffic or not. Overall, i'm very pleased with the result. It's a bit of a compromise i made in regards to head buffeting, but i've found that for two lane backroad cruising, it's significantly better, close to perfect. And on the interstate, while dealing with a slight amount of buffeting to the head, the overall improvements are drastic when in traffic, which is pretty much unavoidable on the Interstate. View Quote |
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Quoted: Good to know. I'll definitely do something with the shield by next riding season, and maybe the seat. I have already put some long days in the saddle, so it's not unbearable. But I'm always damn glad to get off of it by day's end. View Quote |
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Anyone considering the 2018 Tiger XCx? It seems to check off the most boxes.
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Went outta town to check out some bikes today. Sat on a 350-exc and fell in love. I don't think I can afford the upkeep on orange though. I'm really conflicted on what I want. Some days I see a really well built DR and think "that's perfect!". Then I look at the 250s and think I might be better off with a lightweight...
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Anyone considering the 2018 Tiger XCx? It seems to check off the most boxes. View Quote To be fair, i think the F850GS will be equally as good, probably better off road due to COG, but i don't have a local BMW dealer and our local Triumph dealer is awesome. |
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Quoted:
Went outta town to check out some bikes today. Sat on a 350-exc and fell in love. I don't think I can afford the upkeep on orange though. I'm really conflicted on what I want. Some days I see a really well built DR and think "that's perfect!". Then I look at the 250s and think I might be better off with a lightweight... View Quote It's a blast and maintenance schedule is a lot more friendly. I had a DR 350 and a WR 250R. They were ok but were pretty soft on power . I did all the mods to make my WR as light and powerful as possible but it was still a heavy slug. The WR stock suspension is more plush than my 690 but other than that, the 690 is tough to beat. It's more than worth the extra price. |
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Quoted: Did you look at the KTM 690 enduro? It's a blast and maintenance schedule is a lot more friendly. I had a DR 350 and a WR 250R. They were ok but were pretty soft on power . I did all the mods to make my WR as light and powerful as possible but it was still a heavy slug. The WR stock suspension is more plush than my 690 but other than that, the 690 is tough to beat. It's more than worth the extra price. View Quote |
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Quoted: You could also meander over to ADVrider if you don't already do so. There are a number of guys who have decent DIY or lower cost solutions to the seat problem. I just figured buy once, cry once applied to motorcycles just as well as it does guns View Quote |
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Quoted: Did you look at the KTM 690 enduro? It's a blast and maintenance schedule is a lot more friendly. I had a DR 350 and a WR 250R. They were ok but were pretty soft on power . I did all the mods to make my WR as light and powerful as possible but it was still a heavy slug. The WR stock suspension is more plush than my 690 but other than that, the 690 is tough to beat. It's more than worth the extra price. View Quote I want a TAT-style "lightweight" adventure bike. Easy handling and good range are musts. |
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If i didn't already have a 2017 XCx, yes, i would. Love me some sweet, sexy TFT goodness. To be fair, i think the F850GS will be equally as good, probably better off road due to COG, but i don't have a local BMW dealer and our local Triumph dealer is awesome. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
Quoted:
Anyone considering the 2018 Tiger XCx? It seems to check off the most boxes. To be fair, i think the F850GS will be equally as good, probably better off road due to COG, but i don't have a local BMW dealer and our local Triumph dealer is awesome. |
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Our local dealer is both. I didn’t know about the F850GS. It has cruise control too. This makes things more difficult. View Quote The F800GS was never an option for me because of that - no cruise. I had decided that if I were to get a new bike for touring, it must have CC. Sure, I can get by without it - already have for years. But if I were to upgrade, and certainly if I were to buy a new bike, it would need that feature. What really irks me is that the manufacturers are running more and more bikes with full ride-by-wire, yet still won't give us cruise on most of such models. With a bike equipped with RBW, TC, and ABS, all of the hardware you need for CC is there - you just need the software and a button in the switchgear to set it. Of course all past tense now, as I went with the Tenere. I was actually not planning on going the ADV route at all until I demo'ed one for the second time, and even that was sort of on a whim, as I only went to the demo for the R1M. Then I promptly sold one bike and traded another in to get this beast. |
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That makes things difficult indeed. The F800GS was never an option for me because of that - no cruise. I had decided that if I were to get a new bike for touring, it must have CC. Sure, I can get by without it - already have for years. But if I were to upgrade, and certainly if I were to buy a new bike, it would need that feature. What really irks me is that the manufacturers are running more and more bikes with full ride-by-wire, yet still won't give us cruise on most of such models. With a bike equipped with RBW, TC, and ABS, all of the hardware you need for CC is there - you just need the software and a button in the switchgear to set it. Of course all past tense now, as I went with the Tenere. I was actually not planning on going the ADV route at all until I demo'ed one for the second time, and even that was sort of on a whim, as I only went to the demo for the R1M. Then I promptly sold one bike and traded another in to get this beast. View Quote |
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After checking the BMW out, I will probably stick with the Tiger. The Tiger is lighter and bigger fuel tank. Not a big fan of the wireless key too.
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I'd do away with TC and ABS before I went without CC. View Quote Though I am pretty sure that TC saved my ass on that black ice last week. And I am glad to have ABS on the little Ninja - it's never engaged, but knowing it's there improves confidence in braking really hard, which I appreciate on a bike with budget brakes. |
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Absolutely with you there for any touring bike (or only bike, if you're forced into that unfortunate position ). Though I am pretty sure that TC saved my ass on that black ice last week. And I am glad to have ABS on the little Ninja - it's never engaged, but knowing it's there improves confidence in braking really hard, which I appreciate on a bike with budget brakes. View Quote |
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After checking the BMW out, I will probably stick with the Tiger. The Tiger is lighter and bigger fuel tank. Not a big fan of the wireless key too. View Quote Regardless my BMW is the first bike I have had with a keyless ride. I absolutely love it. |
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Quoted: One thing of note. Sargent does offer a low seat model that drops height by an inch or two. I'm not sure what that would do to leg room, though, but it's something to keep in mind. You might be better off going with something like Seat Concepts where they repack your existing seat, so the width wouldn't be as much of an issue. You could also look at getting lowering footpegs. That may let you run a lower seat height but keep better leg position. As to the Madstad... finding the right spot is key. I will note, on the Interstate, i have a small amount of head buffeting. I can make it go away if i raise it to maximum, but then i'm having to look through the screen, which i don't want. So i found a spot that gives minimal buffeting while still letting me looking over the screen. I didn't actually have head buffeting with the stock screen, probably because of the GT Air helmet, unless i was in traffic. Then it was pretty significant. And the body buffeting was pretty brutal, regardless of traffic or not. Overall, i'm very pleased with the result. It's a bit of a compromise i made in regards to head buffeting, but i've found that for two lane backroad cruising, it's significantly better, close to perfect. And on the interstate, while dealing with a slight amount of buffeting to the head, the overall improvements are drastic when in traffic, which is pretty much unavoidable on the Interstate. View Quote |
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After checking the BMW out, I will probably stick with the Tiger. The Tiger is lighter and bigger fuel tank. Not a big fan of the wireless key too. View Quote Altrider is a good place to look. Safari also makes an aftermarket tank, if your really want more fuel range. |
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Quoted:
Went outta town to check out some bikes today. Sat on a 350-exc and fell in love. I don't think I can afford the upkeep on orange though. I'm really conflicted on what I want. Some da isys I see a really well built DR and think "that's perfect!". Then I look at the 250s and think I might be better off with a lightweight... View Quote |
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It's not a donor cycle if you wrap it around a tree on some back trail, unless you count donating to the coyotes
I've been thinking about a custom plate, but not quite sure where to go with it. TGR800 is already taken |
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Its especially nice that the "come and take it" is right underneath of DONOR.
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Quoted:
DR and a Katooms race bike are very far away...if you want to enjoy the dirt, go light. Mostly road work? DR is a great choice. View Quote Then again, there's also more cost and likely more maintenance (though my understanding is they've gotten much better in this regard) If you want to do it on the cheap, a DRZ 400 is a great option. Yes, it takes some work to get it good, but the platform has more upgrade options than just about any in existence. |
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A 501 or 500 EXC-F is a very common bike for guys who want to do both. It's not 250 light, but better than a DR, and you get much better pavement power if you're dreaming of long trips that you know will requirement hours of asphalt prior to or after your adventure. Then again, there's also more cost and likely more maintenance (though my understanding is they've gotten much better in this regard) If you want to do it on the cheap, a DRZ 400 is a great option. Yes, it takes some work to get it good, but the platform has more upgrade options than just about any in existence. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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DR and a Katooms race bike are very far away...if you want to enjoy the dirt, go light. Mostly road work? DR is a great choice. Then again, there's also more cost and likely more maintenance (though my understanding is they've gotten much better in this regard) If you want to do it on the cheap, a DRZ 400 is a great option. Yes, it takes some work to get it good, but the platform has more upgrade options than just about any in existence. If I decide to go big, the Africa Twin has caught my eye since they brought it back. That's a big weight penalty, compared to a WRR, CRF250 or even a DR or KLR. |
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Quoted: I really need two bikes. I want to ride Shadow of the Rockies, but I also live 30min from work and 20min from the nearest city. That means that I need to spend at least 20min on the slab every day. I could trailer my bike to El Paso to start my TAT ride, but as a daily driver it would be frustrating. If I decide to go big, the Africa Twin has caught my eye since they brought it back. That's a big weight penalty, compared to a WRR, CRF250 or even a DR or KLR. View Quote If you are in the first category a DR or KLR would be a good choice. Obviously a modern Multi-cylindered bike is a different animal. It is still enjoyable to ride a midsize or big adv bike on the interstate where as the thumpers are work in the sense that you are getting to the top of their performance and you need to stay on your toes and anticipate traffic accordingly. But I have slung a fully Loaded KLR down the highway at 75mph for days at a time. |
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When you say slab do you mean at 65-70 or insane 80+ bypasses? If you are in the first category a DR or KLR would be a good choice. Obviously a modern Multi-cylindered bike is a different animal. It is still enjoyable to ride a midsize or big adv bike on the interstate where as the thumpers are work in the sense that you are getting to the top of their performance and you need to stay on your toes and anticipate traffic accordingly. But I have slung a fully Loaded KLR down the highway at 75mph for days at a time. View Quote |
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Quoted: 70-80, medium traffic. I keep reading that the new 250s will handle that, but I haven't ridden one yet. View Quote |
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For me it would be out of desperation or if I had no other choice. A 250 is not a powerful bike. You can travel the world happily on one but not by interstate. You will have issues keeping up for sure and you will be blown all over the place by trucks. The new BMW 310GS could do it most likely though I would want to hear from more real world users first. As you know there is top speed and then there is what the bike is comfortable cruising at. View Quote |
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For me it would be out of desperation or if I had no other choice. A 250 is not a powerful bike. You can travel the world happily on one but not by interstate. You will have issues keeping up for sure and you will be blown all over the place by trucks. The new BMW 310GS could do it most likely though I would want to hear from more real world users first. As you know there is top speed and then there is what the bike is comfortable cruising at. View Quote |
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Quoted: I really need two bikes. I want to ride Shadow of the Rockies, but I also live 30min from work and 20min from the nearest city. That means that I need to spend at least 20min on the slab every day. I could trailer my bike to El Paso to start my TAT ride, but as a daily driver it would be frustrating. If I decide to go big, the Africa Twin has caught my eye since they brought it back. That's a big weight penalty, compared to a WRR, CRF250 or even a DR or KLR. View Quote Horses for courses and all that. So, i'm already planning on getting something lighter. The Tiger will still be my primary, and it's amazing, but there is no perfect bike. Shit, i'm already thinking i need 3 bikes, with the 3rd bike being something sporty for when i'm in the mood to go faster. |
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Quoted: Don't feel like you're alone in that. I love the Tiger. I will definitely offroad the Tiger. Already done a wee bit of gravel. But, it's not meant for longer treks of sustained rough trail riding, just like a small bike isn't for sustained slab riding. I have dreams of doing the TAT in the next few years, and i know the Tiger won't do that. I also know that if i got a CRF Rally or a WR250R, that taking a trip down to the Dragon on that bike would make no sense, even if i planned on doing some gravel roads/forest trails while i'm down there. Those bikes can do 70, like others have said, but the sustained RPM's required for that speed on those bikes will beat them to death. Its more for that small pavement stretch of 1 hour between trails or the occasional half day pavement trek to get to the start of your adventure. Horses for courses and all that. So, i'm already planning on getting something lighter. The Tiger will still be my primary, and it's amazing, but there is no perfect bike. Shit, i'm already thinking i need 3 bikes, with the 3rd bike being something sporty for when i'm in the mood to go faster. View Quote Dead nuts reliable. light weight for an ADV bike. Capable of prolonged slab and off road. A plethora of after market. Finally, it's cheap. I have spent a lot of time on 3 different KLRs but I am looking to shave as much weight as possible for this one and still have a truly broad use bike. A 250 is better on the trails maybe but it suffers from lack of power and it can be brutal on long days. Plus I will set my DR up with Cogent suspension and I can tell you from experience that it is almost life changing. |
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I know I have talked about this multiple times in this thread but this is why I am going to do a DR650 for my TAT bike. If I keep the racks off and go with a Mosko Moto Reckless or giant loop pannier system then even with a 6 gallon tank I can come in sub 400# minus personal gear and my ass. Dead nuts reliable. light weight for an ADV bike. Capable of prolonged slab and off road. A plethora of after market. Finally, it's cheap. I have spent a lot of time on 3 different KLRs but I am looking to shave as much weight as possible for this one and still have a truly broad use bike. A 250 is better on the trails maybe but it suffers from lack of power and it can be brutal on long days. Plus I will set my DR up with Cogent suspension and I can tell you from experience that it is almost life changing. View Quote I still somewhat lean towards a 250, rather than a 650, but they're both doable and much better than our larger pigs, regardless of how much we love them. |
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Quoted: There is truth in this. Also because you have a lot more experience than I do.. While people love the 250s for their light weight, there is a reason one of the more common mods is a big bore kit and why a number of reviewers, ancient as it is, prefer the DRZ 400. A lot of the TAT is long gravel and dirt stretches where 60 is common, and those 250 bikes struggle with a heavy load and that sort of sustained speed. while some say a DR is too heavy, there is a wisdom in understanding that the TAT has a lot more open road than it does technical. So it's all in what you're willing to compromise for. I still somewhat lean towards a 250, rather than a 650, but they're both doable and much better than our larger pigs, regardless of how much we love them. View Quote DR650 project: best suspension upgrade ever??Cross Training Adventure |
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Here’s my (IMHO) perfectly set up DR. I sold it when I bought my Africa Twin. I miss the DR but love the AT more. I still have an XR650R.
Attached File Attached File |
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Here’s my (IMHO) perfectly set up DR. I sold it when I bought my Africa Twin. I miss the DR but love the AT more. I still have an XR650R. https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/23561/42A33073-241C-45AA-8E21-A8C13E22D5D8-417964.JPG https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/23561/E48D32E6-999C-42F1-B290-CF4FBBB98D88-417965.JPG View Quote |
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Here’s my (IMHO) perfectly set up DR. I sold it when I bought my Africa Twin. I miss the DR but love the AT more. I still have an XR650R. https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/23561/42A33073-241C-45AA-8E21-A8C13E22D5D8-417964.JPG https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/23561/E48D32E6-999C-42F1-B290-CF4FBBB98D88-417965.JPG View Quote |
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Mind giving up the specs on your bike? Feel free to PM if you don't want to clutter the thread. I hope to start outfitting mine a little more this year. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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Here’s my (IMHO) perfectly set up DR. I sold it when I bought my Africa Twin. I miss the DR but love the AT more. I still have an XR650R. https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/23561/42A33073-241C-45AA-8E21-A8C13E22D5D8-417964.JPG https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/23561/E48D32E6-999C-42F1-B290-CF4FBBB98D88-417965.JPG |
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It was a 2011 DR in the best color (white) which they are now offering again on the 2018’s (#notaracist)
Pumper carb, Seat Concepts Tall seat, tall adventure bend bars, dash with 12v and USB outlets, laminar lip screen, lowered pegs, IMS 4.9gal tank, GSXR exhaust with Procycle mid pipe. I’m probably forgetting a few things. It was perfect for the type of riding I like most. Not hardcore single track but agile enough to get me to some pretty remote places in comfort. If I kept it I would have tackled the suspension. Attached File Attached File |
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