I’m thinking about getting back onto a motorcycle. It’s been over 16 years since I last rode, but my almost 18 year-old son has been gifted a bike and he and I are taking the state motorcycle safety class at the end of next month, and will be getting our endorsements upon completion.

Back in my 20s I had a 1982 KZ750 twin. Just you basic UJM, but thankfully only 2 carburetors to deal with instead of four. I bought it for $600 with broken piston rings and a scored cylinder, rebuilt it and rode it for two or three years on a permit (just never got around to taking the road test which was only offered a couple of times a year back then and 100 mile round-trip away). I commuted 10 mostly rural miles to work on it, and generally just rode around the county on nice days. It was fun, but I’m 6’5” with a 35” inseam and I looked like a monkey humping a football riding it. I’d have definitely cramped up bad had I attempted any really long trips on it.

This time around I’m looking for something different. I want an adventure bike. I like the styling, and they tend to be taller, more nimble, and offer an upright riding position. I’m not planning to ride any hard-core offroad, but I’d like something that I can ride on forest service roads up in Michigan or out west, or even just gravel roads locally without having it get super squirely like that 750 used to do. I want to take trips and camp off of it, so it needs to be able to haul some gear (I have backpacking stuff, so I can keep it pretty light and minimalist). And it needs to be comfortable enough to sit on for hours. I don’t plan on a bunch of interstate riding (prefer rural two-lane), but it would be nice if it could handle that when necessary. I need something big enough to accommodate my 6’5” 200 frame, but don’t want it to be enormous and heavy.

Another limiting factor is budget. I need to keep it around $2500-$3000, maybe $3500 as an absolute max. So obviously it’s going to have to be used.

I’ve been looking hard at KLR 650s. There are quite a few 2nd gens in my budget range or close to it locally. I like the single cylinder and simple maintenance as I’m going to be working on this thing myself, and would rather spend more time riding than wrenching. I like the look, and it will accommodate the gear I want to carry. I’ve never ridden one, though, and I have concerns about how buzzy a single-cylinder bike is going to feel when riding for hours, and there are a lot of complaints about them being top-heavy and underpowered.

Others I have looked at are the BMW 310s and 650s (expensive and complicated), Honda CB500X (complaints about cramped riding position for taller riders?), KLE500 (too new so no used market yet…out of my price range), Versys X300 (maybe a bit too short), Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 (also a single-cylinder with worse reliability record than the KLR), Vstrom 650 (too expensive and a little more street-bikey than what I want), and the Tenere 700 (too expensive).

One that really caught my eye was suggested to me by ridewv in the KLE 500 thread…the Moto Guzzi v85tt. Air cooled twin and shaft driven…honestly that bike checks a lot of boxes. But even used it’s about double my price range. Maybe something I’d look at in 5-10 years once all the kids are moved out, I have more riding experience, and more disposable income, but I need to keep it cheaper for now.

The two that seem to be the most realistic right now are the KLR and the CB500X. The engine and gearing of the Honda seem better suited to what I’m wanting to do, but I’m concerned it’ll be too short.

I’m looking for advice/experience from the membership here, particularly the taller guys. I know we have quite a few riders here with a lot of knowledge and experience, and I’ll take any input you can give me about these particular bikes or others that might fit the bill.

I would look at the Tenre. Don't own one, but would like to.

Edit, sorry. Did not read the whole thread.

Budget is going to be tough. I would absolutely look at two thumpers. The Honda XR650R and the Suzuki DR650. For about another $750 on your budget you will be able to get one with a lot less miles. Both great machines.

If you can swing a Versys 650, I'd say that would be much preferable to the 300
I had a Vulcan S with the same 650 p-twin. Fun engine, loved to rev.
Cruiser comfort with a 10k RPM sporty engine. Bike was a blast.

Of your list, the KLR looks like a good choice, if you want a more 'dirtbike' styled ADV.
I had a friend with an older KLR 250, kick start only. Fun bite with how light it was, and like driving a truck with the height.

I've always liked the BMW looks, so I'd be biased to looking that direction. But would probably skip the 310. I really was looking hard at the G310R when they first came out [because a R12RS was way beyond any realistic budget].

There's also the Triumph Scramblers, but may be too new to be in your price range.

I'm looking at potentially adding a bike to the garage, but in the opposite style of your search.

The KLR was updated in 2008, lots of accessories available, should be able to find a nice one in your price range. Tenere 700 is a great bike as well.

Clearly what he really needs to do is buy a new BMW R1300GSA.
What kind of enablers would we be if we didn't spend all his money

quote:

Originally posted by P250UA5:
Clearly what he really needs to do is buy a new BMW R1300GSA.
What kind of enablers would we be if we didn't spend all his money

I actually had a chance about a year ago to pick up an older and slightly broken 1200GS for $2k, and I passed on it. Kinda kicking myself now, but honestly I think that's more bike than I want anyway.

quote:

Originally posted by old rugged cross:
I would absolutely look at two thumpers. The Honda XR650R and the Suzuki DR650. For about another $750 on your budget you will be able to get one with a lot less miles. Both great machines.

The DR650 is another one that I've looked at. I like the light weight and simplicity. I'm not sure how comfortable it would be for long rides, though. It looks like it's basically just a big dirt bike. Are there different seat options for it?

quote:

Originally posted by 92fstech:

quote:

Originally posted by P250UA5:
Clearly what he really needs to do is buy a new BMW R1300GSA.
What kind of enablers would we be if we didn't spend all his money

I actually had a chance about a year ago to pick up an older and slightly broken 1200GS for $2k, and I passed on it. Kinda kicking myself now, but honestly I think that's more bike than I want anyway.

I missed out on 2 BMWs in the past, from a member here. Great deal, just timing, distance and $ didn't align.

Now I'm looking at a 2001 Indian Scout, had it for about a year and have been offered the shot to buy it outright.

In your budget, you will have a wide choice of KLR650s from the 1st or 2nd Gen. I have owned several KLRs and currently have a 2007, last year of the 1st Gen. It's a great bike for a lot of things, but not really a highway cruiser. It's ideal for backroad and light off-road use. The riding position is comfortable and they are easy to work on and get parts for, and generally reliable as a tank. Having owned both, I would favor a newer 1st gen over the earlier 2nd Gens. There's very little performance difference, but the plastic bodywork on the 2nd Gens is a weak point.

As far as vibrations go, it's not really an issue at the speeds you are likely to be riding a KLR comfortably for longer distances. It's not a 75mph for hours at a time on the highway kind of bike. At 50-60 on country backroads or 45 on a fire road, you can ride all day.

Just to add one thing about the big three 650cc thumpers, the general rule of thumb is that the KLR is the most street oriented, and the Honda 650 is the most dirt oriented. The DR650 is about in the middle. It's also air-cooled and hasn't been updated much in over 30 years, which is part of the charm.

KLR

quote:

DR650 is about in the middle. It's also air-cooled and hasn't been updated much in over 30 years, which is part of the charm.

Air cooled and almost 100lbs lighter is definitely appealing. But that seat looks pretty awful...

quote:

Originally posted by old rugged cross:
I would look at the Tenre. Don't own one, but would like to.

Edit, sorry. Did not read the whole thread.

I’d say the Tenere as well. I think first year was 2019. I’d up the budget or just save and watch used prices. A lot of owners continually trade up so you can grab one with the good mods already done.

Since you are going to maintain it yourself, and you have set a specific budget rate, stay away from BMW and go with the KLR or Japanese brands.

Parts will be less expensive, probably get them on jeffbezosworld.com delivered to you, but whatever you get you might want to see what shops are in your area, independent and factory for work.

How about a Royal Enfield Himalayan 411? I have a 2023 Royal Enfield Himalayan Scram 411 and it is great for exploring. I live in a pretty rural part of Michigan with miles upon miles of dirt roads and it is just about perfect for that. It is also easy to do your own maintenance on a bike like that. Also, the 411 engine may not put out as much horsepower as the 450 but it is pretty bullet proof. I have two friends that own the normal Himalayan 411 and they both like theirs.

I would also throw out the suggestion of a Buell Ulysses. You should be able to find a decent one in your price range. I have a couple of friends that have owned them and I have ridden them myself. The Ulysses are a great allrounder bike and a lot faster than the 411 if you feel the need.

quote:

Originally posted by HRK:
Since you are going to maintain it yourself, and you have set a specific budget rate, stay away from BMW and go with the KLR or Japanese brands.

Yeah, I tend to agree with that. I've never owned a German vehicle, but have driven a few and have had the misfortune to work on a few others. They're great to drive, but their engineers tend to drastically overcomplicate things, and they love to assemble stuff in ways that makes it next to impossible to service. The Daimler-Chrysler era was a true synergy of engineered retardation. While I probably wouldn't turn down an awesome deal on a BMW at this point, I'm not exactly looking for one.

quote:

I would also throw out the suggestion of a Buell Ulysses.

Thanks for that. I didn't even know that existed. Interesting bike for sure. A lot of motor in a pretty light package. And while it's still a little above my price range locally, there are examples on marketplace that are surprisingly affordable.

I don’t have specific advice on a bike, yeah used is usually ok. I used to own a Suzuki DR-650, it was reliable, no real issues. I now drive a 2014 Honda CB-1100, more comfortable on the street than the DR.

I also do riding with the son, who lives in Utah. We’ve gone mostly south out of Salt Lake.

Buell parts may be a bit difficult to find for that bike, for anything "not HD" the engines were basically HD Sportster based but with Buell Heads, cylinders, pistons, rods and more.

They are cool bikes and back in 08 had improved quite a bit, you're still looking at a parts issue, jmo, not worth having to sit around and search E-bay for proprietary drivetrain , electronic parts, not to mention dropping it in the dirt and having to find body parts.

Still, they are good motorcycles, but there are way better options.

Buell is back and has some interesting new motorcycles, but I'm not sure they have any NOS for the older pre HD closing them down bikes.

https://buellmotorcycle.com/

I owned a Ulysses (and other Buells) for many years, but I would probably not recommend one today. They are starting to get long in the tooth, and even though the drivetrain is pretty solid, basically being a hopped up Evo Sportster engine, other parts may be harder to get. Some NOS parts are still out in the wild in H-D dealer inventory, but getting what you need, when you need it might be a challenge. But if you are willing to deal with that risk, it's a great bike. Probably my favorite of the dozen or so I've owned.

Honestly, if the consensus is that the KLR is decent, I'm probably just going to do that. They're cheap and easy to work on, which are the two most important things, and it checks a lot of other boxes as well. I just wanted to make sure I'm not overlooking any problems with them, or failing to consider something else that I should be looking at.

You’re seriously hurting your selection by not considering an older BMW bike.
Granted in recent years they make them much more complex than they need to be. Look at older ones. My newest is a 2003 1150GS and it sounds exactly like what you are looking for. Don’t be afraid of its size. For your size it won’t feel too big and for your height & weight it will feel perfect. It is also extremely smooth running and quiet. Plenty of power for passenger or load of serious camping gear.
The age of the machine is an advantage - with what most needs to be done they are easy to work on. The biggest deal, most of the time, is the occasional need to adjust the valves and the jugs are right there, hanging out in space for you to reach them. It’s a whole lot easier than trying to reach in under the gas tank.

The size is great because it has low end torque. I often get into high gear and stay there, little shifting unless I come to a full stop. Long distance in the saddle - the GS is exceptionally comfortable there too. If you’re thinking a single cylinder bike for long distance I would expect it to be buzzy, lot of vibration, especially with the sizes you are thinking.

I’m 6’ and 160#. Kind of light for the 1150GS that I ride though I am completely comfortable on it as my “go to” bike when I want to ride. All my bikes are BMW’s. I have five. They go from a 1952 R25, 1967 R50, 1977 R100S, 1994 R1100RS and then the 2003GS. Maybe I’m an exceptional mechanic, maybe not, but I do all my own work on all my bikes. I have one exception there, as I have a little problem with the lights on the ‘77 R100S that I have yet to figure out. It’s a puzzle.

As far as prices, 5k has been my limit. The GS was 3500 with 15k miles. These bikes will regularly do 100k without any major work needed.

Yes, I am a bit biased. But an older BMW that cost $3500 and is ready to ride, when it cost $20k new, is a pretty good deal.

Is it a light bike? No, it’s 400-500#. It is built as a dual purpose bike, on and off road. Most of my riding is on road. I do has friends that do both with the same bike.

Ride one. Really. In a nutshell, just ride one.