AN SWM RS500R ADVENTURE BUILD? Tips from viewer Daniel Ryle... The windshield from the SWM 650 I bought fits well with minor mods. The 19 litre safari tank for the old Husky TE510 model works well. SWM Superdual cush drive rear wheel will fit with the right wheel spacers! Things that need attention like upgrading to ducati starter motor, power commander 23-004 with good mapping preferably with 12 port injector and 10 micron filter the dealership will use arrow map which is horrible, golan fuel filter & upgraded fuel pump which I can't think of the name stock is same is what is used on KTM'S which will have an early death! Suspension is really good KYB same as what is used on 2012 wr450 but for adventure riding will require $1500 to set it up right! Plastics are poor quality some have upgraded to husqvarna plastics but that requires different seat or reshaping of stock not such a big problem with safari tank though as front shrouds are not required! If you join the SWM Australia & Newzealand Facebook page the guys on there will be able to fill you in with any questions you may have, dealerships will only talk shit. ------------------------------------- HUSQVARNA TE610 & SUBSEQUENT MODELS This info from Edgars Lūsis about the TE610, a great potential lightweight adv platform that never really took off. Briefly, around 2007, the BMW Group bought the Italian Husky factory. In 2010, they launched the TE630 (and SM630) by improving the TE610 platform. The frame is largely the same, and so is most of the bottom part of the engine. The top end was fitted with the twin-cam head from the previous generation SM510R supermoto, and the displacement was increased to 600cc. Other improvements like fueling, hydraulic clutch, and overall build quality were made. Soon in 2012, they discontinued the TE630 and SM630 and launched the TR650 based on BMW's GS650 platform. Around 2014, the BMW Group sold the Italian factory to SWM. In 2016, SWM reintroduced the former TE630 (and SM630) lineup as the SWM RS650R and SWM 650R. These bikes are pretty much the same as the TE630 and SM630 except for suspension and plastics. In 2018, SWM launched the SWM Superdual X, a beefed-up RS650 that is still in production to this day. At the same time, a UK motorcycle builder launched the CCM Spitfire, which has the same engine, and AJP launched the PR7, also featuring the same engine. All of these motorcycles have proven the longevity of the engine, and engine parts will be available for a while. Other parts are generic. So, here are the pros for the TE630: Weight can be reduced to below 140kg. Long service intervals and easy maintenance accessibility-wise. The most significant advantage is the wide gearbox; it perfectly matches the dual sport needs, just like the engine. It's relaxing and smooth but very punchy when fun is needed. Engine vibration is almost not noticeable. It sits amazingly well at cruising speeds and still has the power to overtake. And here are the cons: Clutch spring retainers need an upgrade. One of the oil screens needs to be updated to SWM's improved one. The lambda should be removed, a power-up kit installed, and dyno-tuned to unleash the full power and improve the engine's longevity. The subframe needs work, which can be easily and inexpensively done via DIY. Tank size and ergonomics could be improved. The cush hub has multiple ways to be resolved. The SWM RS650R, Superdual, and AJP PR7 use the gearbox from the SM630 model. It's still wide, but 5th and 6th gears are a bit shorter. --------------------------------------------------------- DO YOU REALLY NEED A CUSH DRIVE HUB? My info... Lots of debate on this one, including guys who are using enduro bikes for dual sport or adventure riding. I'd be keen to hear opinions especially from bike mechanics with experience in this area. I've broken this down into categories that hopefully make sense. Dirt bikes typically don't have a cush drive hub in the rear wheel. Road bikes typically do.... road/adventure riding places more stress on a gearbox, sprockets, chain and rear tire, because the rear tire normally slips a little in dirt with each combustion stroke (hence that little rooster tail under acceleration) and there is also the flex of knobby tires - both these effects act like a cush drive hub. Guys who put motard wheels on their dirt bikes often debate whether a cush drive hub is needed. Some say there's a high risk of eventually killing your gearbox.... other riders say this is bullshit. My very tentative conclusion? There is probably less need to fit a cush drive hub if: - your bike is under 600cc - you don't plan on clocking too many miles on the road - your bike has a solid gearbox with no known issues - you don't lug the engine at low revs. The reasoning? Almost every dirt bike over 600cc has a cush drive hub, which strongly suggests the manufacturers think they are needed on the big thumpers (there is the occasional exception like the Husaberg FE650 and the Honda XR650). Almost every road bike in existence has a cush drive hub, strongly suggesting that manufacturers think they are needed for doing a lot of road mileage - or at the very least they are worthwhile due to the smoother transmission of power to the ground. If your bike has a light weight gearbox, or any known issues, then a cush drive hub probably isn't a bad idea to minimize possible problems. For example, some guys fit cheap supermoto wheels without a cush drive hub to the Suzuki DR650 - given the known issues with third gear occasionally self-destructing I would always go the cush drive hub. And rightly or wrongly, the Yamaha WR450F has gained a reputation for a weak gearbox so I'd probably slap a cush drive hub on those. I have no evidence to back this up, but to me logic would suggest a cush drive hub would not be needed for a two stroke. The engine is firing twice as often and I suspect creating a small power pulse through the transmission on the combustion stroke. But what the hell would I know? Any mechanics or astrophysicists care to chime in? :) For a single cylinder four stroke dirt bike, there's a big difference in everyday riding. Personally I found it just feels smoother, there's less chain snatch, and you really notice the difference when the revs are low... much less so in the higher revs. This makes a difference to your useable rev range on your bike, meaning a lot less gear changes in normal road riding. It can be likened to the difference between riding a single cylinder road bike compared to a twin cylinder. However, if you ride hard or race then this will make no difference. But for everyday riding, each combustion stroke of the piston is dampened. I figure the advantages would be: - extended life of sprockets and chains - reduced wear on the gear box and other moving parts - smoother ride whether accelearating or deccelerating - less wear of countershaft splines (important on certain bikes) - longer rear tyre life.
I'm 55 and I've only had my DR650 for a year and a half. I need to keep riding it another decade or so to get my money's worth out of all the upgrades I've done.
Honda needs to take an XR650 and add adventure plastics and tank, electric start, cruise control and a Cush drive. Call it a dominator and do it for 15500 plus orc. Otherwise DR’s will continue to flourish. I would be interested to see how far triumph go with there dirt bike pursuits.
The dominator was a great bike I really wish I'd gone for one at the time looking back. But if I remember they did seem like a lot of money for what you got at the time. After all it only had a air cooled engine and it was only a single cylinder. Most of its rivals back then were water cooled and we saw that as a big thing at the time (not so much now)
Ya, what's the deal with that hey. They have such a great platform that only needs a few mods and it would sell like crazy. I would add some decent suspension and call it a day.
I did exactly that what you said , took a standard Xr650r , adventurised it , estart kit , soft seat , larger tank , reinforced sub frame , windscreen , HID headlight , and some 23K later on top of the purchase price ended up with the best dam adventure bike . But the Cross trainer commentator is 100 % percent correct , after 12 years of adventure work doing say a 500 kilometre day in the saddle on and Xr650r , then try to back that up consistently for 5 days , you will feel it . Then do the same thing on a Tenere T700 , is a way different story . Of coarse the bikes are totally different and in the real rough stuff , I mean grade 3 plus , you want an XR or similar , but for kilometre Gobbling mile munching bike which you can back up on each day ist hard to beat a twin cylinder purpose built adventure bike , Just my two cents worth :)
2009 KTM 530 EXC with a few mods works for me as a light ADV bike. Acerbis 3.4 gallon tank, Seat Concepts seat kit, HT Racing oil cooler, rear rack, Giant Loop and Wolfman bags, beefy skid plate. That generation engine had design issues (burning oil, oil migration, etc.), so at 250 hours I had Thumper Racing rebuild the engine with a big bore kit and merged the sumps, plus newer cam, oil pump, and water pump. I'm at 450 hours and 16K miles and it's still going strong. I generally ride 200 - 250 miles a day and half of that is paved roads getting to/from the good stuff and it doesn't suck. FWIW, I'm 63 and light is right.
When you say merged the sumps do you mean combine the engine/trans oil? I just picked up a mint 09 530 that only needs the tank, seat, and oil cooler. Hows the big bore feel?
Hi Gary interested,do they vibrate a lot from the engine like my 08'husky 450,any starting problems?(slow turnover etc) do they " run smooth off the throttle? would be really interested to hear your thoughts cheers
I set up 2006 ktm 525 for adventure riding. All the usual mods(bar risers, comfort seat, stator&headlight upgrade, KKE cushdrive, 15 litre tank 280kms range, small screen. It's great for 700km plus overnight rides. Alas it wore out after 25000 kms. I rebuilt the top end, new valves, cam chain, stage 1 cam, new piston and hone. It truelly is a great bike for its age but engine parts and frequent maintenance are a killer. I recently purchased an swmrs650r so far it working out to be a good adventure bike platform. But by no means would I part with my 525, it puts a grin on my face with every twist of the throttle.
I have the 650r with most of the comfortable adv gear on it including battery , heated grips , screen , plus pumper carb and rebuild performance engine parts. Its a very rewarding bike to ride with alot of nostalgia. Sold my ktm 500 cause this is more suited to my riding style without spending a packet on the 500. Will keep this one forever
The best ADV rig is a truck that can haul your plated enduro/dual sport AND all your camping or traveling gear, so u can enjoy yourself riding where u actually want to be riding instead of packing extremely light and wearing yourself out the miles it takes to get to where u want to be.
I have the truck but can't decide on the bike. Problem is also need the bike for weekend exploring which includes quite a bit of tar as well as possible commuting.
@@waldemarwellmann9785$5-6k will get a newer used bullet proof drz or klx300 with 50/50 tires. Air down and adjust suspension off-road. I rode a lot of enduro, but have settled back on dual sports cuz its more enjoyable just exploring and going wherever u want. 300lb range is light enough to handle harder trails but stable on fast dirt roads.
@@omicrondec you mean the ones that buy all the expensive gear to put around somewhere offroady to take selfies and film themselves? Hold on, gotta check my GPS to make sure Im on the right gravel road
Between me and my riding buddies we have owned nearly every dualsport/adventure bike out there over the last 15 years. We have all spent a ton of money trying to get the perfect bike. ALL of us ended up with a street legal dirt bike , mostly KTM 500s.
Same for me buddy. You never get back in money what you have spent so I don't sell them. I have 4 adventure bike builds in my shed. And I won't stop there, I finish one and start planning my next. I figure your dead a long time so I going to ride and build bikes till I can't any more. It's the best fun you can have with your pants on
I second that, especially if you can find an older model (2011 and earlier) with the carburetor). With no annoying fuel pumps or silly electronics to deal with, they last forever! I have a friend who has a 2010 450 exc with over 200,000kms which I tested and it runs like new!
Nearly 63 years old. Just bought a EXC500 [ aftermarket support and knowledge for these bikes is huge ] , and I've added a 17L tank, low/soft seat, steering damper and will probably add Flexx bars, and a few other minor bits. My philosophy is simple, it's a hell of a lot easier to "soften' the EXC for the boring road bits, than it is to try and remove 50/60/70 kilo's off some porky modern "Adventure" bike. Servicing the bike is dead simple on the road and only requires a tiny bit of preplanning. I use the Green Chili rack system, and pack very lightly, indeed with cheap tough drybags. I'm quite confident this bike will add years to my riding experience. Bonus, when the going gets tough, this bike just eats up the countryside without effort. I've no idea as to why more people don't do this.......
I'd be interested to see long term if they need a cush drive hub, David. Years ago a fair number of riders found the countershaft splines wore out quickly with adventure/road riding the old 525EXC and 530EXC models. An issue with the FE570 I had too.
Yeah......while I've ummed and aaahed about this for a while I decided, just now, to order a KKE Cush Drive rear hub. I figure the "reasonable" cost is worth a little piece of mind, even though I do strenuously avoid bitumen at all times🤔@@crosstrainingadventure
Also, there is a "mini" cush drive set up in the clutch basket assy, complete with rubbers to absorb driveline shock. All EXC's since about 2012?@@crosstrainingadventure
Yeah, although I'm building a light ADV based around the English CCM C25 Motocross bike, I ordered a set of Talon/Excel cush drive wheels for a KTM EXC500 as an insurance policy, just in case the CCM doesn't work out., or dissapoints. I checked they would fit first of course.
I've gone the other way around and stepped up in weight and gotten the road oriented variant and then just dealt with it offroad. I opted for a TR650 Strada over the Terra model as the 19/17" wheel combo is enormously better onroad and makes it effortlessly rail corners and flick about whilst also being far more stable. You lose a lot when onroad with 21/18" I didn't even fit knobbies, just stuck with Pirelli Trail 2 which are heavily onroad biased. Very surprisingly to me I found I didn't miss offroad performance whatsoever because I changed my attitude. I stopped trying to make the bike fit my perception of what it should do, and instead appreciated that it shouldn't be as competent as it is The extra weight and tyre width does a good job of regaining enough extra grip that it still has no issue in anything dry or loosely sandy. Whilst less rotating mass and size means it can flick around as easily as a 21/18" combo on a moderately lighter bike. Just don't hit square edges and deep potholes at excessive speed, and mud is obviously hopeless and quite dangerous on slicks. But outside of that i've had worn out knobbies on lighter bikes that grip less and were shittier to ride on than the Trail 2's and have had zero issues in the enjoyment department Going the other way is far more difficult to find an acceptable balance of compromise, as you can't just slow down a bit or compensate with rider skill. On a highway you're going 100kph no matter what bike you're riding, yet a dirt focused bike will give you massive wind noise, unstable geometry and a piss poor seat that is uncomfortable no matter who you are. Yet when you're offroad you aren't at a fixed speed. You can always take some single track at 35kph instead of 45kph on a bigger bike and have just as much fun, maybe even moreso if you get a kick out of the fact that the bike has no place there yet its still doing it
My childhood c90 with granny gear! Mods were a milk crate, or boat cushion for a pillion.. diy Mods such as bent fork tubes & busted levers weren't good, but had the best adventures !
I started with a KTM 500 EXC-F and bolted another $6k worth of mods and upgrades on it to build an ultralight ADV. I love it. True "do anything" bike. As long as "anything" doesn't involve extended trips on the interstate. For those types of trips, I have midsized and big bore ADV bikes.
@@crosstrainingadventure probably. Though I've never really been able to figure out who the 690/701 is for. Everyone I know who has one complains that they are too heavy for really technical riding, but they are also still horrible on freeway rides. Really the only benefit is increased carrying capacity. Too many compromises everywhere else. More power than the 500, but where are you really using it on ADV rides? Freeway, basically. Otherwise the 500 has plenty of power. I'd rather take the full step up to an 890/901 if I was looking for a more robust "adventure" platform, than the half step to a 690/701.
Finally replaced my 1st gen KLR 650 a with DRZ400S brought up to E spec. Not a lightweight by any stretch but revelatory compared to the KLR. At 69, weight and where I prefer to ride was the deciding issue. With the FCR carb, proper subframe, decent suspension, upgraded seat and decent service intervals, hopefully it'll due for a few years until my diminished physical abilities dictate something lighter. I still have to ride to my preferred areas, so once the bike and I have bonded, I may explore adding a wide ratio gear set. Hope the back is treating you well and look forward to your vids. Cheers.
Converted my 99 dirt model DR350 to an ultralight adv/ dual sport bike. Converted it to DC power, LED lighting including off-road lights, higher bars, lower pegs, better seat, Tusk Traverse soft luggage and a Tusk tank bag, larger IMS tank, and full custom race tech suspension rebuild.
A worthwhile project. I love to read this stuff. What a lot of fun you would have had sourcing, installing and modifying to build your bike. Enjoy your new ride brother cause your a long-time dead and riding is the best fun you can have with your pants on
I daily ride a 15" 501 and the compromises are insignificant. Just a good seat and better indicators are needed. I only ever feel the compromise at 110 on the highway on a windy day. Nothing is as versatile as a big bore single!
@@nickg2431 nope its like sitting on a paint shaker but it rarely bothers me. The occasional numbness in the clutch hand and the feet on a long ride. Should never get too comfortable on a motorcycle in Australia!
Really interesting point. I've barely noticed vibrations on any of my bikes but other riders will have the same bike and say their hands go numb after an hour.
Am I the only one still rocking a TE610? What a legend of a bike. I got mine with very low miles and only use it for trail riding and light ADV work. It’s the unicorn.
I race and ride a KTM 1090r. I expect eventually it’ll be a street steed when I get older but for now I can chuck it around pretty well. Not quite like a 500 but faster than you’d think. Just gotta get the stamina higher to do the fast stuff for longer. Practice practice practice
I think Enduro bike conversions are worth it when you have a worthy bike to convert. I still have my trusty 525EXC that I have been flogging for 18 years. I actually have a few of them and if I can't pull the trigger on a Kove 450 or a CRF300 Rally to replace my 1983 Honda XL250R as my explorer I just mighthave to convert one. Most overlook the old RFS engine bikes because they are out of production and some parts are getting scarce but they are basically as reliable as any old Honda XR and pack more punch. Between my 950 Adventure and the 525EXC I thought I had everything covered as far as street plated bikes were concerned but the addition of Elle Foofoo (the aforementioned XL250) brought me full-circle to my first "street" bike, a 1986 Yamaha XT350 that I purchased when I was 17. I went everywhere on it and explored countless trails and dirt roads. The XL250 brought that kind of riding back into my repertoire so to speak but inevitably being spoiled by newer bikes (including a 2021 Beta 500RRS that I tried to replace my 525EXC with and failed) allowed the thoughts of wanting more to creep into my head. I just want a little more power, a little more range, an electric start would be nice. Is a bit of wind protection too much to ask for? For the love of the Farkle King can I at least get a front disc brake? I just don't want the 950's 500+ lbs when I'm mapping out an old trap line where the ferns are chest high and I'm rubbing elbows with the trees. And that's where the 525EXC comes in. Affectionately known as Gronkbike it's my "bullshit" bike because it has done it all. I have raced it in everything, Enduro, XC, Rallies, even MX. Despite having seemingly better bikes for the task it has taken me through the last two years of the Corduroy Enduro...in the Vet Expert courses. It's plated, it drones down pavement with no complaints, it absolutely hauls down gravel roads and it gets put away wet more often than not. It's my comfortable old running shoes of the lot. If my garage was on fire and I could only save one bike it would be the one. So worthy it is but if I convert it, if I do this, will it just be another feather in its cap or would it now wear a completely new hat? I think the latter is what I'm afraid of. When will the Chinese get around to finally copying this icon? I won't hold my breath...Excuse me while I go peruse Facebook marketplace for used Honda Rallys.
The RFS engine was brilliant, hey? I remember buying a motarded 525EXC with 25000km and thought surely the engine will be rattling as it still had no work done on it. Not even a cam chain or valve adjustment. Ran perfectly.
@@crosstrainingadventure The RFS motor is still brilliant today. I bought my Beta 500 to replace my aging 525 but it became apparent that I liked the low-end grunt of the KTM much better and I really never jived with the horridble (yes new word) forks on that Beta. My 18 year old open-chamber WPs are head and shoulders above them. I will concede that the KYBs that come on the race edition bikes are fantastic however. Now don't get me wrong, I spent over 200 hours on the Beta as a dual-sport bike with only a Seat Concept sadle and some Acerbis handguards as the only modifications and the bike was fun. But it was like putting on a pair of track spikes for a cross country race. By comparison my 525 is like slipping on a broken-in pair of New Balance cross-trainers. 👌
DRZ 400 with windshield, soft luggage holders, GPS holder, extra capacity Acerbis fuel tank and that’s it. best value for (little) money (and lighter than the 650). Maintenance is low and it takes me easy to the office between 2 rides. With bigger purse: I would look at AJP, Husky 501 but mind the maintenance intervals (oil changes). I am 60…😉
I run a 45t rear sprocket on my DR. Made up a chain to accommodate 13 thru 16 CS sprockets. The 16t covers asphalt quickly at relatively low revs. The 14/45 combo is good for woods riding. Actually found the 13/45to be too low for woods riding. Too much shifting. I also added a GPR stabilizer which helps with rubbing knobbies at high speed on asphalt. I have a Beta 300, an Africa Twin and the mighty DR. The DR is still my favorite out of all 3 due to how versatile and simple it it is. Here’s my mod list: GSXR Exhaust with custom Hanger FMF Header BST40 Magic Galfer Steel Brake Lines Works connection frame guards Steel case guards Pro Cycle lowered peg kit Brake snake Shifter snake Acerbis skid plate AMP Oil Filter cover guard JNS Engineering oil cooler guard Skene LED controller AUX lights Rowe PDM60 power controller Voltmeter Red LED Speedo light Hour meter tach JNS Engineering aux light mount Moose rack Australia tail light with LED bulb YZF front fender Double take mirrors Acerbis tank Acerbis skid plate Seat Concepts seat Oxford heated grips Cycra Pro-bend handguards Baja Designs Squadron Pro Baja Designs LED controller Headlight guard GPR Steering Stabilizer Pro taper Suzuki / KTM bend fat bars ASV folding levers JNS CS cover SKF Sealed Wheel Bearings Cogent Dynamics Mohave Pro Shock with 7.6 Ohlins spring Racetech Fork .52 Springs with Cogent Dynamics Drop-in Damper Cartridges Sure I missed something ..
I've only replaced the silencer for a dg v2, the carb filter for a thin air, and air filter for lifetime k&n, Dunlop 606 front and rear tires, protaper contour Reed bends with protaper pillow top light grips and motion pro throttle tube, led flowing signals, tail tidy kit off procycle and replaced the front sprocket for a size smaller 14t. Handlebars have been my favorite upgrade so far. There's still a lot of other stuff like skid plates I'd like to add on but, with what I put in to it. It's really perfect
@@jadinwemette8251 I never did the tail tidy cause I have a custom vanity license plate that I don’t want bent to shit. I do have fat bars on my pig. Pro taper CR high bend. Between that and lowered pegs it’s really a comfortable bike to stand on. If you ride dirt consider swapping out that KN filter for a twin air foam filter. KN let’s in way too much dirt even when oiled properly. I run a 45t rear sprocket with a 14t for all day off road stuff. 15 or 16 for dual sport/commuting gearing. I may do a pumper carb one day but I’ve said that the last several years and haven’t done it yet lol
I chose the 2013 Husqvarna TR650. Fitted a set of YZ450 forks and will eventually fit a Hyper Pro rear shock. I'm very impressed with this bike, the 500 KTM barely gets ridden as the TR is so dam smooth to ride and excellent on and off road. Simple, cheap and low maintenance.😊
I’ve got a Kove on order and will keep you posted. I hear what you’re saying about unproven Chinese bikes, but after a good deal of agonising and much research, I’ve decided it’s a risk worth taking. Early reports seem encouraging, and for my style of riding (lanes in my area of the UK plus general road use) it might work really well. Peak Motorcycles is already posting videos on his bike, including some very interesting mods that are already starting to appear.
I'll be interested to see what owners are saying in two to three years time. Fortnine did a recent analysis of grit in brand new engines. Some major manufacturers had dangerously high levels due to dirty factory conditions that could lead to premature wear. They included a Chinese manufacturer that was off the charts. 😒 Time will tell with Kove. But I really hope it works out well for you!
I would be seriously looking at kove when it arrives in Australia. BUT yes very early days yet, LETS SEE. It looks the goods and very sexy. Enough to give a jellyfish a hardon I reckon
@@crosstrainingadventure that video is a year or two old now. Indian manufacturers scored well in that video as I recall - something that might not have been true 5 years ago. Things are changing fast over there. Also, uniquely among Chinese manufacturers, these guys seem to care greatly about riding bikes. Which other Chinese manufacturer has attempted Dakar - and had all their bikes finish? Which other Chinese manufacturer has a motorsports programme?
i bought a 23 model ktm 690.while it weighs more than a 500,i find it to be THE UNICORN!the oil interval isnt bad either.the rear tank is kind of odd,but tons of guys beat on these things without consiquence.the tall seat height to me is the biggest draw back.otherwise..its brilliant!
Awesome bike no question, but when it comes to that sketchy bush trail do you channel chris birch energy or do a GS1250 rider and head back to the coffee shop?
I went from a DRZ400E to a Gas Gas 700 for more road capabilities. I didn't think that the extra 20kg would make that much of a difference in the dirt, but it does. Now, I'm comfortable on the road but I can't throw the 700 around in the dirt like the DRZ. You can't have your cake and eat it. One bike will never be the unicorn.
If we look back at older models, i'd say DR350SE with an acerbis tank from an XR400 + Fisher wide seat + luggage racks and so on. A Yamaha TT600 Belgarda with bigger tank and windsreen. XR650L with similar mods.
I've recently bought one and took it to Romania for some dual sport riding.. Awesome bike! The trick is that being an oil cooled bike it have it weight down low. Great bike !
@@andrisjakubovs5297 Fuel cons is around 3,5-3,8 liters/100 KM. It is cruising best at 80-90 but on one day I was in a rush and checked it on a highway - you can sit on 100 km/h all day. Top speed is about 140-145 km/h on stock gearing.
@@kopaczp Thanks for the info! That's just what i'm looking for in a bike these days when fuel is becoming expensive - a bike light enough to pick up by myself, electric start, 1 cylinder, easy to maintain, consumption less than 4 liters per 100 km, with a cruising speed 90-100, with the ability to run 120-140 km/h to bypass someone.
My DR expired outback a week ago, so this is quite timely. I'm still looking for that unicorn, and would like something lighter, more powerful, more modern, but just as capable for my next. This trip, I noticed the long boring transport sections were even longer, boringer, and transportier than previous trips, which I took as a sign. Finishing early with a dead DR was an even bigger sign...🤔 Looking at options and prices, I may end up with another DR. KTM690s and clones appeal, but as you say, I'll need to spend a few bob to get one adventurised. I already have all the DR goodies, so 😂
Just bought a 23 Husq 701 and will be transitioning to the 701 from my 890R over the next year or so. Right now the 701 is my ADV unicorn. Adventurized a 500 ECX-F about two years ago - didn't work out for me at the time. Likely in another 5-10 years will be moving from the 701 to the 500.
2009 EXC530. Bigger tank, 690 screen, corbin seat, cush hub, oil cooler, tool tube, cam chain adjuster and a few other bits n pieces. AWESOME bike but very twitchy at high speeds.
I have 2 KTMs; a MY18 690R & MY22 890R. I've recently bought a MY23 Beta 390RR. The 390Rr was bought to replace the 690R for local rides around the Vic High Country. The 890R is for longer overnight or longer trips. Hopefully the 690R gets sold and I'll get back to just 2 bikes which is my plan at the moment. I have to say though, if I could only have one bike, I'd be the 690R.
I have a 500 exc 2012 modded for dualsporting...I've spent alot...tank, seat, fairing wit screen, HDB guards, mako and lots of other bits...use green chile soft luggage system...love it coz its lighter than say a GS or a t7...do mostly off-road - black top is doable but uncomfortable
Always that compromise! But I could live with something like your setup, we usually have 60 minutes of road from the city then it's endless dirt after that....
Great video Baz, I find changing to a taller gearing helps solve a lot of the issues when adventurizing a big bore trail bike. It removes any snatchy throttle at low speeds, decreases revs on transport sections and improves fuel range. 15/48 for a KTM500 is my sweet spot.
I ran something ridiculous on my FE570... might have been 15/43 or something like that? I wouldn't change into top gear until 100kmh lol. She just burbled along nicely...
I'm thinking about adventurising a XR 650 R. It has 2.1 liters of oil, changing oil is reasonable about every 2500km, it got a little wider ratio gearbox and a not as buzzy engine as most Enduro models. On the other hand it's about 25kg heavier, than most modern Enduro bikes and it's kickstart only without a battery even. But with a bigger stator, harder springs, some suspension work, a nice carburetor and a big tank it should be ready to go about anywhere. Next year I want to go to the Balkans and do a Offroad tour with some friends and I think the xr650r would be perfect. Maybe a xr600 or a XR 650 l as well, but I would love to have that extra Performance on hand, because as a motocross racer, I like to go fast Offroad😁. But I would be interested in a husaberg 570 as well... Sounds like a fucking awesome bike tbh
@@biomorphic for that bike 2500km is reasonable. But there is no bike in the world with 130kg dry, 60hp, serious offroad suspension good reliability, comfort and 10-15k oil change interval. Chose a few of these and deal with the rest
Husky 701/ ktm690 has a factory 10k oil change interval. Tons of power. 145kg dry. Very good suspension. A few minor compromises but it's the modern version of the xr600 l reckon. @@janniksims5740
Yup just back from Cape York from Brisbane (close to 8k km's) on my 2010 fe570 the bike was sensational I think I'm just going to keep it going for as long as I can! It honestly made the trip fun even the long transport stages it never seems to run out of breath the engine is your best friend! Some people don't like the induction noise for me that's the character of the machine. I have Two KTM 500's I may convert the 22 model into a light adventure bike eventually to replace the Berg but I doubt it could be anymore fun then the Big Berg 💪
Such a great bike! I did an eight day NSW QLD loop almost all offroad on mine loaded up with camping gear. I'd love to see AJP or SWM buy the rights to it and resurrect the beast...
I have a 400sm that I’ve mostly converted to an ADV. It’s not perfect and could use a few more upgrades, but it gets the job done. Just wish it was more comfortable on the longer trips.
At 64 now I have had many bikes. I’m currently riding a 23 701 with all the good stuff. It hauls ass and is relatively light as an adventure bike. Can get a little uncomfortable on long-haul’s to and from riding areas, butt is tolerable. i’ve ridden a Yamaha Tenre, the Aprilia Toureg ,and the Honda Africa, twin. Truthfully, I would, rather have one of the bigger, more comfortable bikes, but there are very difficult to pick up when I’m out riding by myself. The 701 seems like the best compromise for where I’m at right now.
I needed to do a heap of repairs to my ktm 450 exc. It's an older model with the stronger engine than they make now, and so I decided to do an adventure conversion with a bigger tank, bash plate, rally tower/screen where I can mount my gps and other electronics. Then I slapped some Motoz tyres on it, and I find I ride it way more now than I ever did before. I have taken it on a few longer trips, including 5 days through the south west WA and she never skipped a beat. It does take more maintenance than a twin, but that just gives me something good to do on weeknights to be honest. Personally, I probably wouldn't buy anything bigger than a 690 for where I live, and I guess the only twin I'd consider is an 890 adventure (maybe a T7), because we get a lot of deep soft sand on our trails, and riding anything bigger than an enduro is basically impossible for more than an hour or 2 if you're an average rider. I guess your unicorn will really be decided by what kint of riding you want to do.
100% agree... the unicorn will really be decided by what kint of riding you want to do. I'm always surprised when someone insists a WR250R or DRZ400 or Husky 701 will be the perfect bike for everyone. It never can be, we are all chasing different things.
I definitely recommend the 23 Beta 500 RS. It is smoother than the KTM’s I’ve owned. Close to the ‘15 KTM, but miles smoother than the 17+’s I’ve owned. Similar to the CRF 450L, which is also a good option (and I also owned a 2019). I’d buy the Beta or CRF again in a heartbeat. Probably the CRF if I was doing a long-term ADV build, but I’d be happy with either.
I looked seriously at a beta for my next adventure build. 390/480. As I already have a really well sorted adventure build ktm 525 i chose a different path. I bought a low mileage swm rs650r. The beta platform ticks a lot of boxes for light weight,good. suspension out of the box,great motor and gearbox. I think the 390 would be my pick.
I have a '22 390RR-S, but I'm nervous about putting saddlebags on it given the plastic subframe. But I used to have some on it. It took a pretty big hit fine (I was standing, it made me jump and left my feet sore, inertia of saddlebags+rack+several tail bags didn't damage the subframe), did fine for motocamping for a few days until the battery died. Decided I wanted to keep it light for enduro riding though. I'm adventurizing my WR250R with a 4.7 gallon tank. Even though it's a slow, small bore heavy pig, it's still fun to rev out. Tires last a long time, enough power on the street IF staying below 65mph. The big tank gets rid of the stupid annoying fairings that always break, as a bonus. But I'll probably need to start carrying some sort of plastic cement for tank punctures.
I finally got the exhaust and jetting on my XR650R fully sorted, only to realize that I really don't like riding it on the pavement to get to the dirt. It feels like riding a heavy machine gun. Should I try a WR450? A 500 EXC? A CRF450RL? Nope. Going back to the DR.
Just came back from Cape York trip. Did CREB(only bikes on the track that week) and Old Coach Rd(again, only bikes to do it recently). Plenty of highway, cruising at 120 km/h and carrying Mosko 80 litres without any issues. Wife and I have 22" Husky 501's. Nomad Rally tower, better seat, Haan cush hubs on DID STX rims, 15 litre Acerbis best bikes we've ever owned.
Just purchased a new Sherco 500 today and will be adding the Safari 15L tank. Change the front sprocket up 1 tooth. Once the oem tires are dead, might try the Motoz RallZ rear and maybe a fatty maxxis front with Tubliss and balanced. Adventure Spec make nice wind shields which are small and light. On the fence with respect to a cush drive rear hub though.
Why on the fence about the cush drive? Countershafts aren't cheap to replace.... but you could probably buy a few of them for a thousand dollar cush drive wheel if you did the work yourself
Quick note, in the long term it's good to avoid low revs. On our recent outback tour the mechanic for the Sherco 500SEF fleet said the piston skirt is very short and during rebuilds he could see upper and lower wear of the skirt from the engines being lugged. I'd suggest a cush drive hub is a good investment in the long term. Sell it separately when you sell the bike and you'll get most of your money back. Here's an article I wrote: www.advrider.com/f/threads/supermoto-riders-should-i-put-a-cush-drive-hub-on-my-motarded-enduro-bike.1188789/
For solo, I don't think you can beat the 600c range. My 701e is a compromise of a 350s and a 890r as far as on/off-road manners. The 701 has a significantly larger maintenance interval than the 350, important if you're gonna do long trips. It can go highway speeds without being totally wound out like the 350. It weighs ~100lbs less than the 890r. First gear is a little tall for single track imo. There's ways around that though. I just run UHD Tubes as I haven't moved them to tubliss (on the 350s). I also replaced good amount on it so I'm probably biased. Green Chile in the US makes a good low weight strap system for dual sport luggage.
@@nickg2431 Possibly. It is ~340lbs. and the 701 has a pretty tall seat. Im 6'4" so thankfully i haven't had a problem with either. But i have toyed with the idea of lowering it another .5 - 1 inch so I can flat foot. I think it makes a huge difference.
@@ZeLogicnator5k yes i understand,im 6ft 2 104kg and dropped the forks slightly/lowered pegs/slightly softer rear pre-load than usual.There are 2 main benefits 1/flat foot esp on slopes 2/dont feel like a turret on a ship instead more "integrated into bike
I did the WR 450 Adventurising about a decade ago , it was a great bike for East Coast ranges Adv riding , no need of the lighter weight out on the plains though once out West where the Bigger bikes rule until you hit the Sand and Dunes when the light bike comes into play again . I make do with a DR 650 for it all these days for Adv riding , WR 250 F for the Single trail stuff and a couple of road bikes for the Tarmac .
I'd love to see Yamaha make an adv version... bigger tank and double the oil capacity. Cush drive hub. Rally screen. Comfy seat. I reckon it would sell like hot cakes...
Just get a receiver hitch carrier or small trailer for your truck and get your enduro to the trail that way if the paved road distance is too long. When you get to the dirt you will be able to carry all kinds of useful stuff in your truck and be able to get your bike back home if it craps out.
I've even done that with the DR650 occasionally! But it's also because I get fed up with idiot car driver trying to kill me when I ride through town to get to all the dirt roads.
I’m 74 with the usual back/leg limitations. I’m thinking of trading my BMW 1200GS for a BMW 310GS and my Husqvarna 701 for a Honda CRF 300 LS. I hate doing this but it’s either that or giving up riding all together.
I'm glad you brought up the little CRF. I didn't want to be the fanboy who jumps into every discussion with his favourite bike, but now that you have :) ... listening to Barry's list of drawbacks I'm just going better lights, yep, load bearing subframe, yep, wide gearbox ratios, yep, windscreen and fairing, yep (Rally version), decent fuel capacity, yep, decent oil capacity, yep, on and on down the list. The Rally with new suspension is pretty much what you end up with if you fully adventurise a dual sport, albeit way down on one end of the economy and reliability vs performance tradeoff curve.
currently looking at the 300l or 300rally i think the rally looks a bit wide in the front end so may end up putting a wind screen and larger tank onto a 300l watched a lot of reviews on them and they seem like a great allrounder i dont think everyone needs or uses the power of the 500cc or 650cc bikes im just hoping the 300l has enough power to get the front wheel up over logs in 2nd or 3rd gear on the trails when needed@@jaimemetcher388
We would have to if KTM built the 490. Anyway, check out my adv build on my DRZ400. Just finished up a final version of my one off adventure/rallu fairing for it. Just a tick over 53,000 miles and runs flawlessly. Full suspension set up for heavy loads. 39mm FCR, hot cams, full Yosh RS2 exhaust. Evey mod under the sun other than internal engine parts but the cams. Full mosko moto set up. Cruises at 80 MPH all day long on a road trip across many states or gear it down for a BDR run. Zero compaints. She has been the best bike i have owned in 35 yrs of riding all kins of bikes.
Interesting thoughts on the beta. I own a beta 390 with the view of light adventures ride plus some enduro.bguvenbthe longer bore and lug ability, thought it was an ok compromise. The twin oil chambers is an odd one
My latest adventure bike build is a 2015 swm rs650r same as 2011husky te630. It has 25 litre safari tank, seat concept compfy seat, b&b bashplate. 550km range, 1800 ml oil capacity, 5000km oil changes, returns a respectable 22kms per litre. Cons are subframe is alloy and needs to be braced up, no cush drive but working on it. On the good side, it weighs 148 kgs thats with a full 25 litres of fuel, 5&6 gears are overdrives, great on the open dirt roads. At 62 years old i got no interest in beating my self up on single track
I still ride my vanilla BMW f800gs everywhere. Just not fast. Only mod besides bark busters, b & b aluminium bash plate, 7.2L fuel under slung fuel tank is Nelson rigg luggage. Wind noise, yeh. Heavy, yeh. Fun, yeh.
I have a 2015 fe501 adv build, cush drive (balanced wheels), comfy seat, 20l tank and it holds 1.5l of oil. I like being able to easily pick it by myself and the power to weight makes it very fast.
I have a CRF450L with a Seat Concepts seat and also have a sheepskin I can put on the seat for longer ADV type rides. For light ADV, I use soft luggage from Tusk. I carry additional fuel in Giant Loop Armadillo bags; they roll up and out of the way whenever empty. I prefer not to use a windshield; I like being in the direct wind. My setup is still light enough that I can still ride in pretty gnarly terrain and easy to strip off and take the bike to stock weight in minutes if necessary all without tools. I’m not racing, so I’m not doing 600 mile oil changes, more like 1200-1500 miles. The AIM ECU smoothed out the throttle enough for me. I did an adventure ride with EveRide and couldn’t think of a bike I would have rather been on.
No mention of the Honda 450? Many of the drawbacks you mention I would agree with on the Honda. I purchased the bike a few years ago for $10K US and put in another $3.5k to get it a new ECU, tires, windshield, back rack, custom seat, ims 11.7 liter larger tank, risers for the bars, guards for the hands, and the list goes on. I can ride on the xpress way at 110 km/ph but its very buzzy especially with my DOT dirt tires. I hate the thought of riding 1.5 hours to get to the mountains. So what is my solution in a bike? I want to have plenty of power for the rough terrain, and yet light so when I need to pick it up I can with fully loaded bags and gas tank.
Not sure about other countries, but there was massive disappointment here in Australia with the CRF450L. Tiny oil capacity, tiny tank. And really expensive. 😢
Nothing better than a lighter bike, I have done KTM 690 twice, 2016 exc 500 with a Yenkro fairing, Cush drive blah blah blah, oil changes suck while travelling, 1500-1800k between service, the 2013-2016 had 1.5l capacity. Back to the 690 platform again just bought a GasGas 700, it won’t be perfect, but I have fun trying, and that’s the most important part, have fun with motorcycling.
I balk the ridiculous price of a 500EXCF in Australia. But I'm interested in the oil capacity... 1.5L is better than most, and you can get it to at least 2L with an oil cooler and larger clutch cover.
@@crosstrainingadventure Be sure to try a new 500 EXC before buying for a dual sport/adventure conversion. The vibration coming through the seat on my buddy's 23 is very very high. My other buddy's older 500 EXC is fine, vibrates a little more than my 450L which vibrates a little more than another buddy's DRZ.
Balancing the wheels made a huge difference on my Beta 350 RR-S. Seat Concepts comfort seat, IMS 3.5 Gallon tank, and a rear rack. I've got the Giant Loop Moto Coyote bag, so I'm ready to go. We also plan our trips with a minimum of pavement.
I have a hybrid trials Tubliss rear tire on my 390, front wheel is balanced but rear isn't. The shaking over 40mph on the road is just crazy. Unrideable on pavement.
One down side of most of the Enduro bikes is the mpg or kpl my friend was getting 45mpg on his 450rl. while I was getting 60mpg on my 690, same terrain same variable speed
Just bought the swm500. Put on a safari tank, a 2nd hand husky seat which i reupholstered myself, and a screen from ebay.. still under $11k ride away. I like adv riding as off road as possible so ill live with the cr box...
@crosstrainingadventure yeah, not bad actually. It's advertised as for a dr400 but can be fitted no dramas. Keeps the wind off the chest, not off the face.
Mate I am SO surprised at the Honda CRF 300 Rally , especially for us older riders that want lighter and not to concerned about power . Positives 1. Six speed box - 6 gear is like an overdrive 2. 1.8 lt oil Capacity 3. Decent tank range ( around 300 ) 4. Good 👍 screen with GPS / phone mount . Negatives 1. Power only around 25HP 2. Suspension needs improvement ( if you are anything other than a beginner ) Mods to improve 1. Suspension mods from cheap 800 to over 3000 dollars 2. EUC update - SSS motorcycles 3. Full aftermarket pipe 4. Rear rack 5. All the other stuff 😂😂😂. A fantastic all rounder, and will sit on the road at 110 Kph all day long . Amazing bike ( coming from someone that’s owned larger Enduro bikes .
Good summary. Fingers crossed Honda might do the same for a 400 or 450 and keep the price down too. The CRF450L was a start but too expensive... at least in Australia.
@@crosstrainingadventure , one ☝️ of my good mates I ride with brought the 450 L , fantastic “ powerful bike “ with the mods to sort out the fuelling it pretty good , BUT let down my small oil capacity and high maintenance.
When I was younger my only mode of transport was a DRZ400 didn't do too much to make it more Road friendly but having to ride a dirt bike for long distances on roads is absolutely terrible a bigger tank a comfy seat windscreen and different gearing helps but it is far from great and I don't think you could ever get it to be good you just can't have both
Lighweight is the way to go with bigger tank. KTM 500 or Husky 501 have wide range gearing and lots of smooth torque. So instead of 13/50 they can handle easily 14/48 on any difficult terrain. So for adventure 14/45 would allow good cruising at 100 kmh, no windshield required at that speed. Too much vibes on the grips on road on 2017+ models (not 2012-2016) so the KTM dampened handlebar mounts are a good solution. I have done adventures up to 5000 km and just arranged to be able to do an oil change every 30 engine hours, which is fine, unless the engine runs very hot/hard like long streches of mud/ deep sand. I always take a small backpack, and found out that 8kg including water disturbs little on the back and more on the bike where I carry only small or light items. I never take mirrors. Do you do so because of the cops, or because they are really useful? I put once a left mirror, and used used it only to check if my mates follow.
It took years, but I finally rode a 500EXCF a few weeks ago and was impressed with the spread of gear ratios... a big jump to sixth which is great for allowing a mix of dirt and adventure-style riding. I remember years ago when KTM first introduced a sixth gear on the two strokes and it was barely any different to fifth. We all thought why did you even bother putting it in? 😂 I remember weight distribution was important on the FE570. I used dry bags and strapped them with the heavy stuff just behind my legs to try and centralise the weight. It makes a big difference!
@@crosstrainingadventure For some aspects I miss my 2012 500 KTM. It ran smoother, it already had the reinforced and damped clutch basket. The 501 makes clutch service even easier. My 501 has this long jump to six but I would not swear the spread from 1 to 6 is bigger although sufficient. Isn't it in 2005 already KTM changed the spread of the 6 speed gearbox, after having had a close ratio 6 like Husqvarna? Forgot. The rear suspension of the 501 is better than the PDS of KTM. Very good do-it-all tool.
I've actually discovered something, that the manufacturers are listening. Fantic 450 (red wr450f) maintenance intervals are 2000 km. As in the manual. Ajp spr510 manual, maintenance intervals are 3000 km. This is actually reasonable. My dr200, has 3000 km intervals. The honda crf450rl for comparison, has 1000 km. Ktm 500 exc, has 750 km intervals. Beta 480, has 30 hours, I don't know how it compares to the others. Scherco 500 has 20 hours. So, the manufacturers that selling trail bikes, not professional race bikes, has given a reasonable intervals. For road/trail uses... I'll be happy to hear your opinion... Thanks P.s. the Chinese way of doing business, is very wrong. are they paying honda for copies of the cb500x frame and engines?are they paying kawasaki for using the versys engine? and so on and on.. So it's cheap for a reason... As A manufacturer myself,I'll say 👎. cant suport it...
Some owners pay for an oil analysis which usually shows you can stretch oil change intervals for easy dual sport riding... especially for those enduro bike with more than 1.5L oil capacity. But the manufacturers almost always assume you are racing or riding aggressively so they provide short intervals. Yes, I think many Chinese manufaturers are stealing designs. I spoke with a patents lawyer who said it is very difficult and expensive to try and fight this. 😢
One ☝️ major problem ( that most forget ) I have had BIG to mid ADV bikes Dual sport and Enduros . I am also getting older and have downsized my dirt bike ( we’re once a wise ADV once said “ no one ☝️ complains about smaller and lighter JUST bigger and heavier “ 😂😂😂. ) BUT one ☝️ thing that people overlook is with the lightness you get thrown around more and the bike doesn’t track as well as say a mid weight. For us older fellas it’s a 2 edged sword ⚔️, you get the lightness and flick ability BUT also thrown around more ( which also isn’t that good for an old body ) YES suspension mods , upgraded etc but only so much suspension can do to a very light bike. Something NO ONE ☝️ on untube disused to my knowledge. I had a RS650 ( old Husky TE630 ) replaced with Honda CRF 300 Rally - MODDED extremely well .
my crf300l (modded) is excellent as long as you dont want to be chasing big ktms around 1t 120km/h(i dont) for the other stuff its excellent,light ,nontiring and good reliability.
I agree, good road manners actually is helped by having a reasonable amount of weight! I didn't go into this indepth with this vid but just noted the really light bikes aren't much fun for road riding....
@@crosstrainingadventure Totally agree 👍, with your point on smaller lighter bikes are not as nice to ride on the road , but the other point I was making was on rough terrain ( that you can get speed on ) a lighter bike gets thrown around more - it’s just physics with the light weight doesn’t track as well as a heavier ( say mid weight bike ) like a T7 , JTM 790 , 890 , KLR 650 or every your DR 650 . BUT obviously advantages are in the quite technical terrain- we’re speed is not an issue or smoother fire-trails the small bikes are definitely the way to go . So I guess to sum up . 1. Larger Mid to heavier bikes are definitely better for the black top and even normal dirt roads were weight is not an issue for us older fellas 😂😂😂. 2. Logging roads and good trails - smaller and lighter capacity bikes DRZ,s , The SWM 500 as you say , even the RS 650 like I had , Husky 701 , KTM 690 , DR 650 and Honda 300 Rally and L . 3. Technical fire trails , as in loads of wash outs , steep ups and downs , rocky , lose surface etc . Well again the DRZ , SWM 500 , New Husky 501 , the Beta you said Honda 300 L and Rally . I Know their are a lot of other bikes that fall into these categories just an example. And I have waffled on 😂😂😂, but my main point is if your prepared to put up with a light bike on the black top and rocky terrain then a light weight bike is the way to go , like my Honda 300 Rally .
@@itsallabouttheridekeepingi4449 Went an off road ride with a group of adventure bikers(non-expert/advanced) on modded CRFI.could easily keep up and pass off road as there are always turns coming up and your max speed is in the end restricted unless your an absolute nut case.Crashing a big adventure bike or picking it up alone isnt fun.
Every bike is a compromise! I converted my 2018 WR250R into a pretty effective ultralight adventure bike. But it still sucks on the highway and the gearbox ratios are too high (thus the WR designation). Change the front or rear sprocket and you just killed any chance of "comfortable" highway riding. I might suggest welding a big motorcycle carrying rack to the subframe of an R1250GS, then slap that 510 onto the back. See, now you can ride in comfort to the trails and unload that dual sport for the technical stuff.......
Yup. I made a ktm 450 xcw into a lightweight adventure bike. Searching for that unicorn like we all are. I used the 450 because I also wanted it to be a snow bike in the winter and although the 500 makes a great snow bike as well I chose this size for reasons I don't even remember at this point. Anyway, put a huge Acerbis tank on it, windshield, raised the gearing a bit, lights and soft bags. Didn't get too crazy. Results? It wasn't what I wanted or was hoping it to be. It was simply too much dirt bike but not when I wanted it to be. I didn't like it on pavement as it was just meh, didn't like it on gravel because I had the tendency to want to race, didn't like it off road because although it was a dirt bike the street legal dirt tires are awful and it made it not nearly as capable as I am used to. Yes much easier off road than other things but then I found myself asking why I am not riding a dirt bike setup at that point. I don't know. The KOVE is on my list of possibilities although I don't want to support the country. But then again if you look at everything in your house, pretty much anyone, you are supporting that country. And quite truthfully I would choose it over a KTM adventure bike. Not the dirtbikes because they are great! But the adventure bikes??? If I have to fix stuff right away I would rather it be on a bike that cost 1/3 the price. I think KOVE did great on the platform. Personally I would like the exact same setup but with 70hp. I found my 450 pretty boring to ride on roads. All that being said the 450 is now a dedicated snow bike. Works well for that.
Always a compromise, hey? I think you actually need a bit of weight for good road manners. And of course a cush drive hub smooths things nicely too. The AJP PR7 looks good but sales outside of Europe have been dismal.
@@crosstrainingadventure Agreed. 350 - 400 lbs wet seems to be where I am headed. I never did the cush drive because didn't want to spend the money until I know if I like it of not. Good thing I didn't I guess. I have always like the AJP PR7. Looks like a great setup to me. There will still be a DR650 in my garage some day. I wish Honda would get their head out of their butt and make the necessary mods to the XL 650. That could be a great bike too.
Kove 450 rally is the answer. That engine has been around for a long time now and proven reliable. The weight is misleading, it rides like an enduro bike off road and is super light feeling.
Do you mind me asking you if you have a relationship with GPX? I know GPX pays Megs Braap and Tyler at Everide although they haven't declared them as 'ambassadors' or paid social media influencers on the GPX website. Megs and Tyler have both publicly acknowledged the financial relationship though.
He hasn't made any mods to the 501, just uses it as is because all his rides are just a few hours long so he doesn't need the bigger tank, comfy seat etc.
Yep . My steed is the SWM RS 500. Had it since new from 2016. Safari tank, pivot pegs The front screen off the super dual. Steering damper. Rekluse clutch ( now removed) not practical for application. EFI tuner. Low amperage LED lights. Cush drive hub from super dual. Bike gearing 13/47 for track's, 14/47 for dirt roads and 15/47 for the tar.
@@crosstrainingadventure I find it tolerable because I hate the tar.. if I have trip I just put the 15 on the front. Takes about 15 minutes to change in the track. This bike has proven to be an absolute weapon when compared to what else is out there. It will take the fight to almost any new bike today 15000 klms and not touched valves and have only just changed my first fork seals. I squeezed 1.9 lts of 20/50 wt Penrite and don't change it until it feels too thin when cold. That's when it's fu&_ked. I wish I could attach a pic. Bike gives me a chubby
Barry, you must be reading my mind! I'm in the market for the PERFECT ADV/DS 😂 I've owned the KTM 525, Beta 390RRS and although light and very capable on everything you can throw at them in the dirt, once past 60 mph, they are utterly miserable for any length of time. I rode a loaded KTM 690 today thinking it must be the mystical unicorn. Nope, just felt like a heavier dirt bike and still wouldn't be pleasant on any longer road work. I did like it and it could be a fantastic bike for mainly 2-tracks and dirt roads, but why spend that much when a DR650 or XR650L can do the same at a fraction of the cost. So, I'm thinking, just keep my Beta 2-stroke, grab a nice inexpensive DR650 and enjoy the compromise. When one of the manufacturers figures out that making a modern true 600-650 single with good oil capacity, proper gearing, decent suspension, comfy seat and good fuel range would sell like hotcakes, they'll corner the market. Just imagine a Yamaha WR650L with fuel injection and all of the above features at around 300lbs!
@@crosstrainingadventure No doubt. Don't get me wrong, the 690 was a hoot and would be a blast to have. I'm planning on more BDR type riding and trying to decide on the right bike. For the price of the 690, a well farkled 500 would be in the running and probably a lot of fun.
What about scramblers? They seem like a nice compromise. Some of them are "lightweight" like Fantic Caballero 500 🤷♂️ I'm torn between Caballero and CRF300...
They look interesting but they are up close to a DR650 in weight so a lot heavier than a big bore enduro bike. Scramblers are definitely worth a look though...
Very hard to find one bike that does it all imo. The old AT750 was easy to load up and do a 6000km ride at short notice. My 500EXC takes a bit more planning with oil, etc and definitely not as comfortable on open tar/gravel roads. However, don’t take the AT into sand - so no enjoyable desert riding…..can be done but lots of energy needed and not much fun.
2015 model so 1.5 ltr oil capacity. Not racing so 2500km between oil changes. Added small screen, 15/48 gearing, 19litre hard parts tank, small tank bag, soft giant loop style rear bag, heavier springs (I am 120kg). Rest of the bike is standard and consumption 24kpl (easy 450km range)
Just got a rally converted 2020 ktm 690 to do a big, 3 day off road event.... I'll report back... I'm use to 450s.... 690 is bloody heavy in comparison.... later in the year I'm going to swap it with a Husaberg FE450 or 570.
Let us know how it goes. I know what you mean about the weight. The FE570 is a great platform! I'd definitely get a cush drive hub. Also check the countershaft splines. The KTM engines back then were prone to wear. I fitted a cush drive hub to mine and also a kind of bracket that held the front sprocket tightly and minimised movement on the shaft.
Still riding my '99 XR400. Sure, I'd love a nice fuel injected bike with a magic button, a wide ratio 6 speed, 275lb-ish RTR weight, better suspension, durability, preferably a few years old and lightly used for less than $4k. Show me the bike and I'll think about upgrading. Until then, I'll just work on my skillz and keep kicking the old XR... :)
thanks for the upload mate, great topic these days. I'm at this pivoting point as well, comingo from a F800GS - great bike btw - but the weight/power is taking it's toll. what's your opinion about the KLX450? cheers
I've just about finished my 14 mod klx450. Nav tower, 12.5L tank, concept seat, bigger clutch cover. Geared down for longer trips. 14 - 44. Pretty stoked with it, wish I could source a bigger tanks however.. the fuel bladders get it done 👌 - can't decide whether to get a T7 or go the dr650🤔 for the big lap..
Just got into Arkaroola in the Flinders Ranges tonight on my DR650 after a big days ride. The scenery was just superb... at no point on this ride did I feel like I needed more power. That's $10,000 saved to spend on petrol, accommodation etc...
@@robertmorris4784 to right mate ! Bit of an all rounder machine. They just get it done. I think that's why I keep coming back to the DR. Safe travels mate !
I think you are going to be In the same spot, for the most part once you place a long range tank on a bike it’s just a question of geometry and suspension. Starting with a lighter bike, and lets face it they’re not hugely lighter. The DR would be fine, a practical amount of predictable power and most of all, reliability
What about Honda XR600, XR400, XR250, Yamaha TTR, TTS600? I can't regret enough selling my 1994. XR600R, it is almost impossible to get another one in Serbia. Superlight considering it is 30 year old, 600 ccm thumper. Or making 701 or 690 light as possible?
Dr 350 im going to get the big more head ans make it 440 1991 Think these are round the world machines And seen it do well on a motocross track by my dad . Id just stiffen springs as ive prodomitly rode motocross
I have the swm rs500 have done the adventure build with all the good & superdual windshield! I would agree that it is disappointing that SWM haven't done anything about the narrow range gear box a 15 tooth front sprocket really opens it up giving it good spacing but 1st gear then becomes tall for single track! Oil capacity is great at 1.7 litres and handles the road more like a trail bike not enduro like ktm500 which is terrible on the road!
I'd be really interested in your mods as this might just be my next bike. I hear you can fit old Husky TE510 oversize tanks with a bit of work. Any cush drive hubs? Did you have a link for the windshield?
@@crosstrainingadventure 👍 The windshield is off a swm650 I bought from the dealership which came from the SWM factory in Italy I had heard it was a straight bolt on but I had to modify mine to fit! Yes the 19 litre safari husqvarna tank fits which is on mine and is really well designed and doesn't feel to big! Superdual cush drive rear wheel will fit with the right wheel spaces! I think if it were me I would look for one on the used market with low kms instead of buying new as for it to be worth while converting to adventure bike! Things that need attention like upgrading to ducati starter motor, power commander 23-004 with good mapping preferably with 12 port injector and 10 micron filter the dealership will use arrow map which is horrible, golan fuel filter & upgraded fuel pump which I can't think of the name stock is same is what is used on KTM'S which will have an early death! Suspension is really good KYB same as what is used on 2012 wr450 but for adventure riding will require $1500 to set it up right! Plastics are poor quality some have upgraded to husqvarna plastics but that requires different seat or reshaping of stock not such a big problem with safari tank though as front shrouds are not required! If you join the SWM Australia & Newzealand Facebook page the guys on there will be able to fill you in with any questions you may have, dealerships will only talk shit😄!
I run a 2019 RS500R ORIGINALLY USED FOR ENDURO riding and lots of single track, agree with most points above, fuel pump replacement kemso units for ktms work fine amd ext golan filter is a must have. I dont run a cush drive hub but my Bro does same bike. However brg carrier is poor and must carry spare brgs for long range trips, but not uncommon. Mapping and dyno work is a must do, sames.for 12 port injector. I dont do a lot.of road work as avoid at all costs, still ots no issue for me but use grip puppies! 9.2K on the bike now, biggest failure was clutch plates from all the single track work, basket is ali so not as good as ktms etc. But an 800 dollar cost so meh, failed at 4.5K silvery oil... Esjot front sprockets are the go to remove countershaft spline wear, bros bike did 14K and shaft was poor cond. But we used to run a diff sprocket, supllplied by importer, annoying much, which in hindsight had the wrong spline profile and clearances. Bro Rebuilt motor just for fun, pistons etc were all in spec sames for brgs. He was on original clutch etc. And all could have gone for another 10K plus. Replace clutch slave with an oberon unit and replace clutch fluid regularly, 10w hyd oil. Starter yep replace as previously mentioned. I run nemunu bags and some 3K trips offroad twin track n single and a few stacks they are awesome, water proof and cheap but good quality. Hard to say if i would do this again or go the ktm 500 fe501 as simply easier to source aftermarket bits. Bike is super stable and at hi speed sand etc so no strg dampner reqd. Unlike ktms etc. There are some in the usa who dual sport with 30K miles on original piston etc. So yeah i wont run a cush hub. I see no need for it, dont lug the engine on road though in lower gears... also waterproof electrical connectors and insulate harness in a few spots for less chance of issues from hi speed vibes n corrogated roads.
Thanks for the info, Brad. How do those sprockets minimise shaft wear? Is it by the 'exact fit' so there's no movement? www.esjot.com/en/motorcycle-sprockets/ I remember on my old FE570 a mechanical friend just drilled some hole and made up a bracket that held the front sprocket so tightly it didn't slop around anymore... seemed to do the trick.
@crosstrainingadventure yes, correct fit. Tiny bit of work with flapper wheel on the inside id of sprockets or tap on with lube, also getting more kms out of these sprockets. Happy days
If it didn't break everytime I rode it the 2009 husky te610 was as close as I could find to a bike to ride on the highway but small enough to ride off road on fire trails. Just build quality let it down. So currently riding a 2013 ktm 450 and a 2005 klr 650
Bummer! What sort of issues? We had two in our group years ago. Mine? Nothing went wrong other than those dumb screws in the plastics that would fail. The other one kept breaking the rear subframe when loaded up, and the right footpeg bolts snapped twice.
@crosstrainingadventure the rear foot pegs fell off the bolts for the front ones snap off while I was riding in the forest the first ride battery shit it self. Spedo never read correctly. Air box had to be replaced 3 times. Second day I owned it from brand new side stand broke and bike fell on me as I was walking away from it. Wasn't confident in it any more after all those things so sold it. 2 yrs later got half what I paid for it.
AN SWM RS500R ADVENTURE BUILD? Tips from viewer Daniel Ryle... The windshield from the SWM 650 I bought fits well with minor mods. The 19 litre safari tank for the old Husky TE510 model works well. SWM Superdual cush drive rear wheel will fit with the right wheel spacers!
Things that need attention like upgrading to ducati starter motor, power commander 23-004 with good mapping preferably with 12 port injector and 10 micron filter the dealership will use arrow map which is horrible, golan fuel filter & upgraded fuel pump which I can't think of the name stock is same is what is used on KTM'S which will have an early death! Suspension is really good KYB same as what is used on 2012 wr450 but for adventure riding will require $1500 to set it up right! Plastics are poor quality some have upgraded to husqvarna plastics but that requires different seat or reshaping of stock not such a big problem with safari tank though as front shrouds are not required!
If you join the SWM Australia & Newzealand Facebook page the guys on there will be able to fill you in with any questions you may have, dealerships will only talk shit.
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HUSQVARNA TE610 & SUBSEQUENT MODELS This info from Edgars Lūsis about the TE610, a great potential lightweight adv platform that never really took off. Briefly, around 2007, the BMW Group bought the Italian Husky factory. In 2010, they launched the TE630 (and SM630) by improving the TE610 platform. The frame is largely the same, and so is most of the bottom part of the engine. The top end was fitted with the twin-cam head from the previous generation SM510R supermoto, and the displacement was increased to 600cc. Other improvements like fueling, hydraulic clutch, and overall build quality were made. Soon in 2012, they discontinued the TE630 and SM630 and launched the TR650 based on BMW's GS650 platform. Around 2014, the BMW Group sold the Italian factory to SWM. In 2016, SWM reintroduced the former TE630 (and SM630) lineup as the SWM RS650R and SWM 650R. These bikes are pretty much the same as the TE630 and SM630 except for suspension and plastics. In 2018, SWM launched the SWM Superdual X, a beefed-up RS650 that is still in production to this day. At the same time, a UK motorcycle builder launched the CCM Spitfire, which has the same engine, and AJP launched the PR7, also featuring the same engine. All of these motorcycles have proven the longevity of the engine, and engine parts will be available for a while. Other parts are generic.
So, here are the pros for the TE630:
Weight can be reduced to below 140kg.
Long service intervals and easy maintenance accessibility-wise.
The most significant advantage is the wide gearbox; it perfectly matches the dual sport needs, just like the engine. It's relaxing and smooth but very punchy when fun is needed. Engine vibration is almost not noticeable. It sits amazingly well at cruising speeds and still has the power to overtake.
And here are the cons:
Clutch spring retainers need an upgrade.
One of the oil screens needs to be updated to SWM's improved one.
The lambda should be removed, a power-up kit installed, and dyno-tuned to unleash the full power and improve the engine's longevity.
The subframe needs work, which can be easily and inexpensively done via DIY.
Tank size and ergonomics could be improved.
The cush hub has multiple ways to be resolved.
The SWM RS650R, Superdual, and AJP PR7 use the gearbox from the SM630 model. It's still wide, but 5th and 6th gears are a bit shorter.
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DO YOU REALLY NEED A CUSH DRIVE HUB? My info... Lots of debate on this one, including guys who are using enduro bikes for dual sport or adventure riding. I'd be keen to hear opinions especially from bike mechanics with experience in this area. I've broken this down into categories that hopefully make sense.
Dirt bikes typically don't have a cush drive hub in the rear wheel. Road bikes typically do.... road/adventure riding places more stress on a gearbox, sprockets, chain and rear tire, because the rear tire normally slips a little in dirt with each combustion stroke (hence that little rooster tail under acceleration) and there is also the flex of knobby tires - both these effects act like a cush drive hub.
Guys who put motard wheels on their dirt bikes often debate whether a cush drive hub is needed. Some say there's a high risk of eventually killing your gearbox.... other riders say this is bullshit.
My very tentative conclusion? There is probably less need to fit a cush drive hub if:
- your bike is under 600cc
- you don't plan on clocking too many miles on the road
- your bike has a solid gearbox with no known issues
- you don't lug the engine at low revs.
The reasoning? Almost every dirt bike over 600cc has a cush drive hub, which strongly suggests the manufacturers think they are needed on the big thumpers (there is the occasional exception like the Husaberg FE650 and the Honda XR650).
Almost every road bike in existence has a cush drive hub, strongly suggesting that manufacturers think they are needed for doing a lot of road mileage - or at the very least they are worthwhile due to the smoother transmission of power to the ground.
If your bike has a light weight gearbox, or any known issues, then a cush drive hub probably isn't a bad idea to minimize possible problems. For example, some guys fit cheap supermoto wheels without a cush drive hub to the Suzuki DR650 - given the known issues with third gear occasionally self-destructing I would always go the cush drive hub. And rightly or wrongly, the Yamaha WR450F has gained a reputation for a weak gearbox so I'd probably slap a cush drive hub on those.
I have no evidence to back this up, but to me logic would suggest a cush drive hub would not be needed for a two stroke. The engine is firing twice as often and I suspect creating a small power pulse through the transmission on the combustion stroke. But what the hell would I know? Any mechanics or astrophysicists care to chime in? :)
For a single cylinder four stroke dirt bike, there's a big difference in everyday riding. Personally I found it just feels smoother, there's less chain snatch, and you really notice the difference when the revs are low... much less so in the higher revs. This makes a difference to your useable rev range on your bike, meaning a lot less gear changes in normal road riding. It can be likened to the difference between riding a single cylinder road bike compared to a twin cylinder. However, if you ride hard or race then this will make no difference. But for everyday riding, each combustion stroke of the piston is dampened. I figure the advantages would be:
- extended life of sprockets and chains
- reduced wear on the gear box and other moving parts
- smoother ride whether accelearating or deccelerating
- less wear of countershaft splines (important on certain bikes)
- longer rear tyre life.
I'm 55 and I've only had my DR650 for a year and a half. I need to keep riding it another decade or so to get my money's worth out of all the upgrades I've done.
Honda needs to take an XR650 and add adventure plastics and tank, electric start, cruise control and a Cush drive. Call it a dominator and do it for 15500 plus orc. Otherwise DR’s will continue to flourish. I would be interested to see how far triumph go with there dirt bike pursuits.
The dominator was a great bike I really wish I'd gone for one at the time looking back. But if I remember they did seem like a lot of money for what you got at the time. After all it only had a air cooled engine and it was only a single cylinder. Most of its rivals back then were water cooled and we saw that as a big thing at the time (not so much now)
Ya, what's the deal with that hey. They have such a great platform that only needs a few mods and it would sell like crazy. I would add some decent suspension and call it a day.
@@chrishart8548agreed mate the dominator worked so well, I loved riding them
Naaah... new stickers and colours would be fine,
I did exactly that what you said , took a standard Xr650r , adventurised it , estart kit , soft seat , larger tank , reinforced sub frame , windscreen , HID headlight , and some 23K later on top of the purchase price ended up with the best dam adventure bike . But the Cross trainer commentator is 100 % percent correct , after 12 years of adventure work doing say a 500 kilometre day in the saddle on and Xr650r , then try to back that up consistently for 5 days , you will feel it . Then do the same thing on a Tenere T700 , is a way different story . Of coarse the bikes are totally different and in the real rough stuff , I mean grade 3 plus , you want an XR or similar , but for kilometre Gobbling mile munching bike which you can back up on each day ist hard to beat a twin cylinder purpose built adventure bike , Just my two cents worth :)
2009 KTM 530 EXC with a few mods works for me as a light ADV bike. Acerbis 3.4 gallon tank, Seat Concepts seat kit, HT Racing oil cooler, rear rack, Giant Loop and Wolfman bags, beefy skid plate. That generation engine had design issues (burning oil, oil migration, etc.), so at 250 hours I had Thumper Racing rebuild the engine with a big bore kit and merged the sumps, plus newer cam, oil pump, and water pump. I'm at 450 hours and 16K miles and it's still going strong. I generally ride 200 - 250 miles a day and half of that is paved roads getting to/from the good stuff and it doesn't suck. FWIW, I'm 63 and light is right.
Interesting, Garry! What size is it now with the big bore kit?
When you say merged the sumps do you mean combine the engine/trans oil? I just picked up a mint 09 530 that only needs the tank, seat, and oil cooler. Hows the big bore feel?
Hi Gary interested,do they vibrate a lot from the engine like my 08'husky 450,any starting problems?(slow turnover etc) do they " run smooth off the throttle? would be really interested to hear your thoughts cheers
I set up 2006 ktm 525 for adventure riding. All the usual mods(bar risers, comfort seat, stator&headlight upgrade, KKE cushdrive, 15 litre tank 280kms range, small screen. It's great for 700km plus overnight rides. Alas it wore out after 25000 kms. I rebuilt the top end, new valves, cam chain, stage 1 cam, new piston and hone. It truelly is a great bike for its age but engine parts and frequent maintenance are a killer. I recently purchased an swmrs650r so far it working out to be a good adventure bike platform. But by no means would I part with my 525, it puts a grin on my face with every twist of the throttle.
@@crosstrainingadventure It's now a 570.
I have the 650r with most of the comfortable adv gear on it including battery , heated grips , screen , plus pumper carb and rebuild performance engine parts. Its a very rewarding bike to ride with alot of nostalgia. Sold my ktm 500 cause this is more suited to my riding style without spending a packet on the 500. Will keep this one forever
Yep here the same. It's so good even 20 years later its embarrassing for the others imo😅
The best ADV rig is a truck that can haul your plated enduro/dual sport AND all your camping or traveling gear, so u can enjoy yourself riding where u actually want to be riding instead of packing extremely light and wearing yourself out the miles it takes to get to where u want to be.
Right on
I have the truck but can't decide on the bike. Problem is also need the bike for weekend exploring which includes quite a bit of tar as well as possible commuting.
@@waldemarwellmann9785$5-6k will get a newer used bullet proof drz or klx300 with 50/50 tires. Air down and adjust suspension off-road. I rode a lot of enduro, but have settled back on dual sports cuz its more enjoyable just exploring and going wherever u want. 300lb range is light enough to handle harder trails but stable on fast dirt roads.
*BDR/overland riders have left your chat.
@@omicrondec you mean the ones that buy all the expensive gear to put around somewhere offroady to take selfies and film themselves? Hold on, gotta check my GPS to make sure Im on the right gravel road
Between me and my riding buddies we have owned nearly every dualsport/adventure bike out there over the last 15 years. We have all spent a ton of money trying to get the perfect bike. ALL of us ended up with a street legal dirt bike , mostly KTM 500s.
Same for me buddy. You never get back in money what you have spent so I don't sell them. I have 4 adventure bike builds in my shed. And I won't stop there, I finish one and start planning my next. I figure your dead a long time so I going to ride and build bikes till I can't any more. It's the best fun you can have with your pants on
Amen!
@@terrydrew6245 a wise man once said "he who dies with the most motorcycles wins"
Bloody glad I landed on a 500 on bike number 2 ive already dropped enough money on it!
I second that, especially if you can find an older model (2011 and earlier) with the carburetor). With no annoying fuel pumps or silly electronics to deal with, they last forever! I have a friend who has a 2010 450 exc with over 200,000kms which I tested and it runs like new!
Nearly 63 years old. Just bought a EXC500 [ aftermarket support and knowledge for these bikes is huge ] , and I've added a 17L tank, low/soft seat, steering damper and will probably add Flexx bars, and a few other minor bits. My philosophy is simple, it's a hell of a lot easier to "soften' the EXC for the boring road bits, than it is to try and remove 50/60/70 kilo's off some porky modern "Adventure" bike. Servicing the bike is dead simple on the road and only requires a tiny bit of preplanning. I use the Green Chili rack system, and pack very lightly, indeed with cheap tough drybags. I'm quite confident this bike will add years to my riding experience. Bonus, when the going gets tough, this bike just eats up the countryside without effort. I've no idea as to why more people don't do this.......
I'd be interested to see long term if they need a cush drive hub, David. Years ago a fair number of riders found the countershaft splines wore out quickly with adventure/road riding the old 525EXC and 530EXC models. An issue with the FE570 I had too.
Yeah......while I've ummed and aaahed about this for a while I decided, just now, to order a KKE Cush Drive rear hub. I figure the "reasonable" cost is worth a little piece of mind, even though I do strenuously avoid bitumen at all times🤔@@crosstrainingadventure
Also, there is a "mini" cush drive set up in the clutch basket assy, complete with rubbers to absorb driveline shock. All EXC's since about 2012?@@crosstrainingadventure
Yeah, although I'm building a light ADV based around the English CCM C25 Motocross bike, I ordered a set of Talon/Excel cush drive wheels for a KTM EXC500 as an insurance policy, just in case the CCM doesn't work out., or dissapoints. I checked they would fit first of course.
I've gone the other way around and stepped up in weight and gotten the road oriented variant and then just dealt with it offroad. I opted for a TR650 Strada over the Terra model as the 19/17" wheel combo is enormously better onroad and makes it effortlessly rail corners and flick about whilst also being far more stable. You lose a lot when onroad with 21/18"
I didn't even fit knobbies, just stuck with Pirelli Trail 2 which are heavily onroad biased. Very surprisingly to me I found I didn't miss offroad performance whatsoever because I changed my attitude. I stopped trying to make the bike fit my perception of what it should do, and instead appreciated that it shouldn't be as competent as it is
The extra weight and tyre width does a good job of regaining enough extra grip that it still has no issue in anything dry or loosely sandy. Whilst less rotating mass and size means it can flick around as easily as a 21/18" combo on a moderately lighter bike. Just don't hit square edges and deep potholes at excessive speed, and mud is obviously hopeless and quite dangerous on slicks. But outside of that i've had worn out knobbies on lighter bikes that grip less and were shittier to ride on than the Trail 2's and have had zero issues in the enjoyment department
Going the other way is far more difficult to find an acceptable balance of compromise, as you can't just slow down a bit or compensate with rider skill. On a highway you're going 100kph no matter what bike you're riding, yet a dirt focused bike will give you massive wind noise, unstable geometry and a piss poor seat that is uncomfortable no matter who you are. Yet when you're offroad you aren't at a fixed speed. You can always take some single track at 35kph instead of 45kph on a bigger bike and have just as much fun, maybe even moreso if you get a kick out of the fact that the bike has no place there yet its still doing it
My childhood c90 with granny gear! Mods were a milk crate, or boat cushion for a pillion.. diy Mods such as bent fork tubes & busted levers weren't good, but had the best
adventures !
Love it! We had gumboots and gardening gloves when we were kids...
@@crosstrainingadventure Dad bought it from his friend for 100 bucks, sold it 35 years later for the same!.. a true gem, wish I still had it
I started with a KTM 500 EXC-F and bolted another $6k worth of mods and upgrades on it to build an ultralight ADV. I love it. True "do anything" bike. As long as "anything" doesn't involve extended trips on the interstate. For those types of trips, I have midsized and big bore ADV bikes.
It's a shame KTM don't have an adv version of the 500EXCF. I guess it would be competing with the 690 too much?
@@crosstrainingadventure probably. Though I've never really been able to figure out who the 690/701 is for. Everyone I know who has one complains that they are too heavy for really technical riding, but they are also still horrible on freeway rides. Really the only benefit is increased carrying capacity. Too many compromises everywhere else. More power than the 500, but where are you really using it on ADV rides? Freeway, basically. Otherwise the 500 has plenty of power. I'd rather take the full step up to an 890/901 if I was looking for a more robust "adventure" platform, than the half step to a 690/701.
Finally replaced my 1st gen KLR 650 a with DRZ400S brought up to E spec. Not a lightweight by any stretch but revelatory compared to the KLR. At 69, weight and where I prefer to ride was the deciding issue. With the FCR carb, proper subframe, decent suspension, upgraded seat and decent service intervals, hopefully it'll due for a few years until my diminished physical abilities dictate something lighter. I still have to ride to my preferred areas, so once the bike and I have bonded, I may explore adding a wide ratio gear set. Hope the back is treating you well and look forward to your vids. Cheers.
Did the same thing. The Drz feels like a mountain bike compared to the Klr.
I just did as well. Big difference 👍👍
Converted my 99 dirt model DR350 to an ultralight adv/ dual sport bike. Converted it to DC power, LED lighting including off-road lights, higher bars, lower pegs, better seat, Tusk Traverse soft luggage and a Tusk tank bag, larger IMS tank, and full custom race tech suspension rebuild.
😎👍
A worthwhile project. I love to read this stuff. What a lot of fun you would have had sourcing, installing and modifying to build your bike. Enjoy your new ride brother cause your a long-time dead and riding is the best fun you can have with your pants on
I daily ride a 15" 501 and the compromises are insignificant. Just a good seat and better indicators are needed. I only ever feel the compromise at 110 on the highway on a windy day. Nothing is as versatile as a big bore single!
Can't agree more. Big singles rule
I wish i could say that about my te450 08' vibrates like a road drill!!Im guessing the 501 is far more refined??
@@nickg2431 nope its like sitting on a paint shaker but it rarely bothers me. The occasional numbness in the clutch hand and the feet on a long ride. Should never get too comfortable on a motorcycle in Australia!
Really interesting point. I've barely noticed vibrations on any of my bikes but other riders will have the same bike and say their hands go numb after an hour.
@@atlas_au lol glad to know not only me suffering!maybe a beta or husaberg calls!
Am I the only one still rocking a TE610? What a legend of a bike. I got mine with very low miles and only use it for trail riding and light ADV work. It’s the unicorn.
Great bike, I had one! A real shame they didn't continue. Should have sold much much better than it did.
2008 TE610 with safari 6.6 gal tank, seat concepts comfort, pivot pegs & tons of mods! I love this bike! Ride it until it dies! Gonna miss it!😢
I race and ride a KTM 1090r. I expect eventually it’ll be a street steed when I get older but for now I can chuck it around pretty well. Not quite like a 500 but faster than you’d think. Just gotta get the stamina higher to do the fast stuff for longer. Practice practice practice
I think Enduro bike conversions are worth it when you have a worthy bike to convert. I still have my trusty 525EXC that I have been flogging for 18 years. I actually have a few of them and if I can't pull the trigger on a Kove 450 or a CRF300 Rally to replace my 1983 Honda XL250R as my explorer I just mighthave to convert one. Most overlook the old RFS engine bikes because they are out of production and some parts are getting scarce but they are basically as reliable as any old Honda XR and pack more punch.
Between my 950 Adventure and the 525EXC I thought I had everything covered as far as street plated bikes were concerned but the addition of Elle Foofoo (the aforementioned XL250) brought me full-circle to my first "street" bike, a 1986 Yamaha XT350 that I purchased when I was 17. I went everywhere on it and explored countless trails and dirt roads. The XL250 brought that kind of riding back into my repertoire so to speak but inevitably being spoiled by newer bikes (including a 2021 Beta 500RRS that I tried to replace my 525EXC with and failed) allowed the thoughts of wanting more to creep into my head. I just want a little more power, a little more range, an electric start would be nice. Is a bit of wind protection too much to ask for? For the love of the Farkle King can I at least get a front disc brake? I just don't want the 950's 500+ lbs when I'm mapping out an old trap line where the ferns are chest high and I'm rubbing elbows with the trees.
And that's where the 525EXC comes in. Affectionately known as Gronkbike it's my "bullshit" bike because it has done it all. I have raced it in everything, Enduro, XC, Rallies, even MX. Despite having seemingly better bikes for the task it has taken me through the last two years of the Corduroy Enduro...in the Vet Expert courses. It's plated, it drones down pavement with no complaints, it absolutely hauls down gravel roads and it gets put away wet more often than not. It's my comfortable old running shoes of the lot. If my garage was on fire and I could only save one bike it would be the one. So worthy it is but if I convert it, if I do this, will it just be another feather in its cap or would it now wear a completely new hat? I think the latter is what I'm afraid of. When will the Chinese get around to finally copying this icon? I won't hold my breath...Excuse me while I go peruse Facebook marketplace for used Honda Rallys.
The RFS engine was brilliant, hey? I remember buying a motarded 525EXC with 25000km and thought surely the engine will be rattling as it still had no work done on it. Not even a cam chain or valve adjustment. Ran perfectly.
@@crosstrainingadventure
The RFS motor is still brilliant today. I bought my Beta 500 to replace my aging 525 but it became apparent that I liked the low-end grunt of the KTM much better and I really never jived with the horridble (yes new word) forks on that Beta. My 18 year old open-chamber WPs are head and shoulders above them. I will concede that the KYBs that come on the race edition bikes are fantastic however. Now don't get me wrong, I spent over 200 hours on the Beta as a dual-sport bike with only a Seat Concept sadle and some Acerbis handguards as the only modifications and the bike was fun. But it was like putting on a pair of track spikes for a cross country race. By comparison my 525 is like slipping on a broken-in pair of New Balance cross-trainers. 👌
Did the full conversion on a FE501. Did one big trip. Bought a ktm 790 r.
Did it suck on the highway?
@crosstrainingadventure long distance, cross winds, just hard work in the "easy" sections
Still use it for day or 2 adventures but no way I'd do a big trip on one again.
DRZ 400 with windshield, soft luggage holders, GPS holder, extra capacity Acerbis fuel tank and that’s it. best value for (little) money (and lighter than the 650). Maintenance is low and it takes me easy to the office between 2 rides. With bigger purse: I would look at AJP, Husky 501 but mind the maintenance intervals (oil changes). I am 60…😉
For me it feels like theres not enough power on the DRZ for the highway.
I run a 45t rear sprocket on my DR. Made up a chain to accommodate 13 thru 16 CS sprockets.
The 16t covers asphalt quickly at relatively low revs. The 14/45 combo is good for woods riding. Actually found the 13/45to be too low for woods riding. Too much shifting.
I also added a GPR stabilizer which helps with rubbing knobbies at high speed on asphalt.
I have a Beta 300, an Africa Twin and the mighty DR. The DR is still my favorite out of all 3 due to how versatile and simple it it is.
Here’s my mod list:
GSXR Exhaust with custom Hanger
FMF Header
BST40 Magic
Galfer Steel Brake Lines
Works connection frame guards
Steel case guards
Pro Cycle lowered peg kit
Brake snake
Shifter snake
Acerbis skid plate
AMP Oil Filter cover guard
JNS Engineering oil cooler guard
Skene LED controller
AUX lights
Rowe PDM60 power controller
Voltmeter
Red LED Speedo light
Hour meter tach
JNS Engineering aux light mount
Moose rack
Australia tail light with LED bulb
YZF front fender
Double take mirrors
Acerbis tank
Acerbis skid plate
Seat Concepts seat
Oxford heated grips
Cycra Pro-bend handguards
Baja Designs Squadron Pro
Baja Designs LED controller
Headlight guard
GPR Steering Stabilizer
Pro taper Suzuki / KTM bend fat bars
ASV folding levers
JNS CS cover
SKF Sealed Wheel Bearings
Cogent Dynamics Mohave Pro Shock with 7.6 Ohlins spring
Racetech Fork .52 Springs with Cogent Dynamics Drop-in Damper Cartridges
Sure I missed something ..
All the good stuff!
Cost more for parts than the bike
I've only replaced the silencer for a dg v2, the carb filter for a thin air, and air filter for lifetime k&n, Dunlop 606 front and rear tires, protaper contour Reed bends with protaper pillow top light grips and motion pro throttle tube, led flowing signals, tail tidy kit off procycle and replaced the front sprocket for a size smaller 14t. Handlebars have been my favorite upgrade so far. There's still a lot of other stuff like skid plates I'd like to add on but, with what I put in to it. It's really perfect
@@jadinwemette8251 I never did the tail tidy cause I have a custom vanity license plate that I don’t want bent to shit.
I do have fat bars on my pig. Pro taper CR high bend. Between that and lowered pegs it’s really a comfortable bike to stand on.
If you ride dirt consider swapping out that KN filter for a twin air foam filter. KN let’s in way too much dirt even when oiled properly.
I run a 45t rear sprocket with a 14t for all day off road stuff. 15 or 16 for dual sport/commuting gearing.
I may do a pumper carb one day but I’ve said that the last several years and haven’t done it yet lol
I chose the 2013 Husqvarna TR650. Fitted a set of YZ450 forks and will eventually fit a Hyper Pro rear shock. I'm very impressed with this bike, the 500 KTM barely gets ridden as the TR is so dam smooth to ride and excellent on and off road. Simple, cheap and low maintenance.😊
I’ve got a Kove on order and will keep you posted. I hear what you’re saying about unproven Chinese bikes, but after a good deal of agonising and much research, I’ve decided it’s a risk worth taking. Early reports seem encouraging, and for my style of riding (lanes in my area of the UK plus general road use) it might work really well. Peak Motorcycles is already posting videos on his bike, including some very interesting mods that are already starting to appear.
The Kove is one of the most exciting bikes in recent times. On paper it’s basically a unicorn for dual sport adventures.
I'll be interested to see what owners are saying in two to three years time. Fortnine did a recent analysis of grit in brand new engines. Some major manufacturers had dangerously high levels due to dirty factory conditions that could lead to premature wear. They included a Chinese manufacturer that was off the charts. 😒 Time will tell with Kove. But I really hope it works out well for you!
I would be seriously looking at kove when it arrives in Australia. BUT yes very early days yet, LETS SEE. It looks the goods and very sexy. Enough to give a jellyfish a hardon I reckon
@@crosstrainingadventure that video is a year or two old now. Indian manufacturers scored well in that video as I recall - something that might not have been true 5 years ago. Things are changing fast over there. Also, uniquely among Chinese manufacturers, these guys seem to care greatly about riding bikes. Which other Chinese manufacturer has attempted Dakar - and had all their bikes finish? Which other Chinese manufacturer has a motorsports programme?
I also have a Kove, and it's been brilliant so far.
i bought a 23 model ktm 690.while it weighs more than a 500,i find it to be THE UNICORN!the oil interval isnt bad either.the rear tank is kind of odd,but tons of guys beat on these things without consiquence.the tall seat height to me is the biggest draw back.otherwise..its brilliant!
Awesome bike no question, but when it comes to that sketchy bush trail do you channel chris birch energy or do a GS1250 rider and head back to the coffee shop?
Important question! 😂
nah dawg..i just send it!..lol@@atlas_au
I went from a DRZ400E to a Gas Gas 700 for more road capabilities. I didn't think that the extra 20kg would make that much of a difference in the dirt, but it does. Now, I'm comfortable on the road but I can't throw the 700 around in the dirt like the DRZ. You can't have your cake and eat it. One bike will never be the unicorn.
So true, 20kg is a lot offroad.
@@crosstrainingadventure yes and where it "wears it"
Yes! My old FE570 had a lot of rear weight bias so it was important to try and centralise any luggage I strapped to it.
If we look back at older models, i'd say DR350SE with an acerbis tank from an XR400 + Fisher wide seat + luggage racks and so on. A Yamaha TT600 Belgarda with bigger tank and windsreen. XR650L with similar mods.
There were quite a few models back then that kinda worked better as lightweight adventure bikes.
I've recently bought one and took it to Romania for some dual sport riding.. Awesome bike! The trick is that being an oil cooled bike it have it weight down low. Great bike !
Cool, hope on getting one someday, what's the fuel consumption, and how fast you can go highway speeds? @@kopaczp
@@andrisjakubovs5297 Fuel cons is around 3,5-3,8 liters/100 KM. It is cruising best at 80-90 but on one day I was in a rush and checked it on a highway - you can sit on 100 km/h all day. Top speed is about 140-145 km/h on stock gearing.
@@kopaczp Thanks for the info! That's just what i'm looking for in a bike these days when fuel is becoming expensive - a bike light enough to pick up by myself, electric start, 1 cylinder, easy to maintain, consumption less than 4 liters per 100 km, with a cruising speed 90-100, with the ability to run 120-140 km/h to bypass someone.
My DR expired outback a week ago, so this is quite timely. I'm still looking for that unicorn, and would like something lighter, more powerful, more modern, but just as capable for my next. This trip, I noticed the long boring transport sections were even longer, boringer, and transportier than previous trips, which I took as a sign. Finishing early with a dead DR was an even bigger sign...🤔
Looking at options and prices, I may end up with another DR. KTM690s and clones appeal, but as you say, I'll need to spend a few bob to get one adventurised. I already have all the DR goodies, so 😂
Bummer about the DR! Seized? Or gearbox failure?
I'd keep the DR650 :)
Just bought a 23 Husq 701 and will be transitioning to the 701 from my 890R over the next year or so. Right now the 701 is my ADV unicorn. Adventurized a 500 ECX-F about two years ago - didn't work out for me at the time. Likely in another 5-10 years will be moving from the 701 to the 500.
That 650 to 700 range hits the mark for many.
2009 EXC530. Bigger tank, 690 screen, corbin seat, cush hub, oil cooler, tool tube, cam chain adjuster and a few other bits n pieces. AWESOME bike but very twitchy at high speeds.
Dual engine maps on newer bikes might help dull them a bit for road riding.
Sadly, on a drz, I don't have that problem 😁
I have 2 KTMs; a MY18 690R & MY22 890R. I've recently bought a MY23 Beta 390RR.
The 390Rr was bought to replace the 690R for local rides around the Vic High Country. The 890R is for longer overnight or longer trips. Hopefully the 690R gets sold and I'll get back to just 2 bikes which is my plan at the moment. I have to say though, if I could only have one bike, I'd be the 690R.
Beautiful engine in that RR390 with the long stroke, Phil. I'd love to see Beta create more of an adv model there.
I have a 500 exc 2012 modded for dualsporting...I've spent alot...tank, seat, fairing wit screen, HDB guards, mako and lots of other bits...use green chile soft luggage system...love it coz its lighter than say a GS or a t7...do mostly off-road - black top is doable but uncomfortable
Always that compromise! But I could live with something like your setup, we usually have 60 minutes of road from the city then it's endless dirt after that....
Bought a Kove 450, reviews coming this fall
Great video Baz,
I find changing to a taller gearing helps solve a lot of the issues when adventurizing a big bore trail bike. It removes any snatchy throttle at low speeds, decreases revs on transport sections and improves fuel range. 15/48 for a KTM500 is my sweet spot.
Yep, Im loving 15/50 on my Berg 450 "Rally"!
I ran something ridiculous on my FE570... might have been 15/43 or something like that? I wouldn't change into top gear until 100kmh lol. She just burbled along nicely...
@@crosstrainingadventure Haha... 570 POWER!
Agreed. I did the same.
I'm thinking about adventurising a XR 650 R. It has 2.1 liters of oil, changing oil is reasonable about every 2500km, it got a little wider ratio gearbox and a not as buzzy engine as most Enduro models. On the other hand it's about 25kg heavier, than most modern Enduro bikes and it's kickstart only without a battery even. But with a bigger stator, harder springs, some suspension work, a nice carburetor and a big tank it should be ready to go about anywhere. Next year I want to go to the Balkans and do a Offroad tour with some friends and I think the xr650r would be perfect. Maybe a xr600 or a XR 650 l as well, but I would love to have that extra Performance on hand, because as a motocross racer, I like to go fast Offroad😁. But I would be interested in a husaberg 570 as well... Sounds like a fucking awesome bike tbh
2500 km isn't reasonable. 10k is reasonable, 15k is better.
@@biomorphic for that bike 2500km is reasonable. But there is no bike in the world with 130kg dry, 60hp, serious offroad suspension good reliability, comfort and 10-15k oil change interval. Chose a few of these and deal with the rest
@@janniksims5740there is one, but you need to sell a kidney to buy it: GASGAS RX 450F.
Such a great bike in the day, I'd love to see Honda bring it back as a lightweight adv bike with e-start etc.
Husky 701/ ktm690 has a factory 10k oil change interval. Tons of power. 145kg dry. Very good suspension. A few minor compromises but it's the modern version of the xr600 l reckon. @@janniksims5740
Yup just back from Cape York from Brisbane (close to 8k km's) on my 2010 fe570 the bike was sensational I think I'm just going to keep it going for as long as I can! It honestly made the trip fun even the long transport stages it never seems to run out of breath the engine is your best friend! Some people don't like the induction noise for me that's the character of the machine.
I have Two KTM 500's I may convert the 22 model into a light adventure bike eventually to replace the Berg but I doubt it could be anymore fun then the Big Berg 💪
Such a great bike! I did an eight day NSW QLD loop almost all offroad on mine loaded up with camping gear. I'd love to see AJP or SWM buy the rights to it and resurrect the beast...
DR Z 400 S with bigger tank, small windscreen and soft luggage does everything for the least investment and hassle and weight.. I'm 65.
Great platform, I've had all three DRZ models over the years.
I have a 400sm that I’ve mostly converted to an ADV. It’s not perfect and could use a few more upgrades, but it gets the job done. Just wish it was more comfortable on the longer trips.
I did a DRZ400 with a big bore kit, Wr250R is not bad but I think my next will be the CRF450L with bigger tank- its downfall is the oil capacity.
At 64 now I have had many bikes. I’m currently riding a 23 701 with all the good stuff. It hauls ass and is relatively light as an adventure bike. Can get a little uncomfortable on long-haul’s to and from riding areas, butt is tolerable. i’ve ridden a Yamaha Tenre, the Aprilia Toureg ,and the Honda Africa, twin. Truthfully, I would, rather have one of the bigger, more comfortable bikes, but there are very difficult to pick up when I’m out riding by myself. The 701 seems like the best compromise for where I’m at right now.
I needed to do a heap of repairs to my ktm 450 exc. It's an older model with the stronger engine than they make now, and so I decided to do an adventure conversion with a bigger tank, bash plate, rally tower/screen where I can mount my gps and other electronics. Then I slapped some Motoz tyres on it, and I find I ride it way more now than I ever did before. I have taken it on a few longer trips, including 5 days through the south west WA and she never skipped a beat. It does take more maintenance than a twin, but that just gives me something good to do on weeknights to be honest. Personally, I probably wouldn't buy anything bigger than a 690 for where I live, and I guess the only twin I'd consider is an 890 adventure (maybe a T7), because we get a lot of deep soft sand on our trails, and riding anything bigger than an enduro is basically impossible for more than an hour or 2 if you're an average rider. I guess your unicorn will really be decided by what kint of riding you want to do.
100% agree... the unicorn will really be decided by what kint of riding you want to do. I'm always surprised when someone insists a WR250R or DRZ400 or Husky 701 will be the perfect bike for everyone. It never can be, we are all chasing different things.
I definitely recommend the 23 Beta 500 RS. It is smoother than the KTM’s I’ve owned. Close to the ‘15 KTM, but miles smoother than the 17+’s I’ve owned. Similar to the CRF 450L, which is also a good option (and I also owned a 2019). I’d buy the Beta or CRF again in a heartbeat. Probably the CRF if I was doing a long-term ADV build, but I’d be happy with either.
I looked seriously at a beta for my next adventure build. 390/480. As I already have a really well sorted adventure build ktm 525 i chose a different path. I bought a low mileage swm rs650r. The beta platform ticks a lot of boxes for light weight,good. suspension out of the box,great motor and gearbox. I think the 390 would be my pick.
I have a '22 390RR-S, but I'm nervous about putting saddlebags on it given the plastic subframe. But I used to have some on it. It took a pretty big hit fine (I was standing, it made me jump and left my feet sore, inertia of saddlebags+rack+several tail bags didn't damage the subframe), did fine for motocamping for a few days until the battery died. Decided I wanted to keep it light for enduro riding though.
I'm adventurizing my WR250R with a 4.7 gallon tank. Even though it's a slow, small bore heavy pig, it's still fun to rev out. Tires last a long time, enough power on the street IF staying below 65mph. The big tank gets rid of the stupid annoying fairings that always break, as a bonus. But I'll probably need to start carrying some sort of plastic cement for tank punctures.
I finally got the exhaust and jetting on my XR650R fully sorted, only to realize that I really don't like riding it on the pavement to get to the dirt. It feels like riding a heavy machine gun. Should I try a WR450? A 500 EXC? A CRF450RL? Nope. Going back to the DR.
Just came back from Cape York trip. Did CREB(only bikes on the track that week) and Old Coach Rd(again, only bikes to do it recently). Plenty of highway, cruising at 120 km/h and carrying Mosko 80 litres without any issues. Wife and I have 22" Husky 501's. Nomad Rally tower, better seat, Haan cush hubs on DID STX rims, 15 litre Acerbis best bikes we've ever owned.
Sweet! How did the Nomad Rally towers go, Colin? I'm looking at something similar for the DR650...
Just purchased a new Sherco 500 today and will be adding the Safari 15L tank. Change the front sprocket up 1 tooth. Once the oem tires are dead, might try the Motoz RallZ rear and maybe a fatty maxxis front with Tubliss and balanced. Adventure Spec make nice wind shields which are small and light. On the fence with respect to a cush drive rear hub though.
Why on the fence about the cush drive? Countershafts aren't cheap to replace.... but you could probably buy a few of them for a thousand dollar cush drive wheel if you did the work yourself
Quick note, in the long term it's good to avoid low revs. On our recent outback tour the mechanic for the Sherco 500SEF fleet said the piston skirt is very short and during rebuilds he could see upper and lower wear of the skirt from the engines being lugged. I'd suggest a cush drive hub is a good investment in the long term. Sell it separately when you sell the bike and you'll get most of your money back. Here's an article I wrote:
www.advrider.com/f/threads/supermoto-riders-should-i-put-a-cush-drive-hub-on-my-motarded-enduro-bike.1188789/
@@atlas_au Good point - cush drive it is
For solo, I don't think you can beat the 600c range. My 701e is a compromise of a 350s and a 890r as far as on/off-road manners. The 701 has a significantly larger maintenance interval than the 350, important if you're gonna do long trips. It can go highway speeds without being totally wound out like the 350. It weighs ~100lbs less than the 890r. First gear is a little tall for single track imo. There's ways around that though. I just run UHD Tubes as I haven't moved them to tubliss (on the 350s). I also replaced good amount on it so I'm probably biased.
Green Chile in the US makes a good low weight strap system for dual sport luggage.
great bike agreed, perhaps you might struggle to pick it up alone???
@@nickg2431 Possibly. It is ~340lbs. and the 701 has a pretty tall seat. Im 6'4" so thankfully i haven't had a problem with either. But i have toyed with the idea of lowering it another .5 - 1 inch so I can flat foot. I think it makes a huge difference.
@@ZeLogicnator5k yes i understand,im 6ft 2 104kg and dropped the forks slightly/lowered pegs/slightly softer rear pre-load than usual.There are 2 main benefits
1/flat foot esp on slopes
2/dont feel like a turret on a ship instead more "integrated into bike
That’s why I still stick to my 640 Adventure after 5 years, having owned ATRD07 and KTM950 prior to this one.
Cool! I have the 625 wiith big tank. I cant part with it.
I did the WR 450 Adventurising about a decade ago , it was a great bike for East Coast ranges Adv riding , no need of the lighter weight out on the plains though once out West where the Bigger bikes rule until you hit the Sand and Dunes when the light bike comes into play again . I make do with a DR 650 for it all these days for Adv riding , WR 250 F for the Single trail stuff and a couple of road bikes for the Tarmac .
I'd love to see Yamaha make an adv version... bigger tank and double the oil capacity. Cush drive hub. Rally screen. Comfy seat. I reckon it would sell like hot cakes...
Just get a receiver hitch carrier or small trailer for your truck and get your enduro to the trail that way if the paved road distance is too long. When you get to the dirt you will be able to carry all kinds of useful stuff in your truck and be able to get your bike back home if it craps out.
I've even done that with the DR650 occasionally! But it's also because I get fed up with idiot car driver trying to kill me when I ride through town to get to all the dirt roads.
I’m 74 with the usual back/leg limitations. I’m thinking of trading my BMW 1200GS for a BMW 310GS and my Husqvarna 701 for a Honda CRF 300 LS. I hate doing this but it’s either that or giving up riding all together.
I know the feeling, lighter bikes almost become mandatory the older we get. It's why I'm revisiting this topic...
In the same boat - 60 plus with new knees and rebuilt ankle. Light is right 👍
I'm glad you brought up the little CRF. I didn't want to be the fanboy who jumps into every discussion with his favourite bike, but now that you have :) ... listening to Barry's list of drawbacks I'm just going better lights, yep, load bearing subframe, yep, wide gearbox ratios, yep, windscreen and fairing, yep (Rally version), decent fuel capacity, yep, decent oil capacity, yep, on and on down the list. The Rally with new suspension is pretty much what you end up with if you fully adventurise a dual sport, albeit way down on one end of the economy and reliability vs performance tradeoff curve.
currently looking at the 300l or 300rally i think the rally looks a bit wide in the front end so may end up putting a wind screen and larger tank onto a 300l watched a lot of reviews on them and they seem like a great allrounder i dont think everyone needs or uses the power of the 500cc or 650cc bikes im just hoping the 300l has enough power to get the front wheel up over logs in 2nd or 3rd gear on the trails when needed@@jaimemetcher388
Drz 400 with the wide ratio aftermarket gears and a big bore. Not too stressful on the bike and it will float down the highway at 75 mph.
We would have to if KTM built the 490. Anyway, check out my adv build on my DRZ400. Just finished up a final version of my one off adventure/rallu fairing for it. Just a tick over 53,000 miles and runs flawlessly. Full suspension set up for heavy loads. 39mm FCR, hot cams, full Yosh RS2 exhaust. Evey mod under the sun other than internal engine parts but the cams. Full mosko moto set up. Cruises at 80 MPH all day long on a road trip across many states or gear it down for a BDR run. Zero compaints. She has been the best bike i have owned in 35 yrs of riding all kins of bikes.
It's strange that Suzuki doesn't make a special version of the DRZ like this and cash in...
Interesting thoughts on the beta. I own a beta 390 with the view of light adventures ride plus some enduro.bguvenbthe longer bore and lug ability, thought it was an ok compromise. The twin oil chambers is an odd one
My latest adventure bike build is a 2015 swm rs650r same as 2011husky te630. It has 25 litre safari tank, seat concept compfy seat, b&b bashplate. 550km range, 1800 ml oil capacity, 5000km oil changes, returns a respectable 22kms per litre. Cons are subframe is alloy and needs to be braced up, no cush drive but working on it. On the good side, it weighs 148 kgs thats with a full 25 litres of fuel, 5&6 gears are overdrives, great on the open dirt roads. At 62 years old i got no interest in beating my self up on single track
I almost bought one of these back around 2015, Terry. I loved my old TE610 in the day. A shame they didn't really continue...
I still ride my vanilla BMW f800gs everywhere. Just not fast. Only mod besides bark busters, b & b aluminium bash plate, 7.2L fuel under slung fuel tank is Nelson rigg luggage. Wind noise, yeh. Heavy, yeh. Fun, yeh.
I have a 2015 fe501 adv build, cush drive (balanced wheels), comfy seat, 20l tank and it holds 1.5l of oil. I like being able to easily pick it by myself and the power to weight makes it very fast.
Great to hear. It's interesting to see you can get at least another 500ml of oil using an oil cooler and larger clutch cover too.
I have a CRF450L with a Seat Concepts seat and also have a sheepskin I can put on the seat for longer ADV type rides. For light ADV, I use soft luggage from Tusk. I carry additional fuel in Giant Loop Armadillo bags; they roll up and out of the way whenever empty. I prefer not to use a windshield; I like being in the direct wind. My setup is still light enough that I can still ride in pretty gnarly terrain and easy to strip off and take the bike to stock weight in minutes if necessary all without tools. I’m not racing, so I’m not doing 600 mile oil changes, more like 1200-1500 miles. The AIM ECU smoothed out the throttle enough for me. I did an adventure ride with EveRide and couldn’t think of a bike I would have rather been on.
Sounds like a great flexible setup
I hear the sheepy adds a minimum of 10 horsepower
No mention of the Honda 450? Many of the drawbacks you mention I would agree with on the Honda. I purchased the bike a few years ago for $10K US and put in another $3.5k to get it a new ECU, tires, windshield, back rack, custom seat, ims 11.7 liter larger tank, risers for the bars, guards for the hands, and the list goes on. I can ride on the xpress way at 110 km/ph but its very buzzy especially with my DOT dirt tires. I hate the thought of riding 1.5 hours to get to the mountains. So what is my solution in a bike? I want to have plenty of power for the rough terrain, and yet light so when I need to pick it up I can with fully loaded bags and gas tank.
Not sure about other countries, but there was massive disappointment here in Australia with the CRF450L. Tiny oil capacity, tiny tank. And really expensive. 😢
There’s 14 and 20l tanks avail from nomad tanks in aus. If not racing or super hard enduro you can stretch the oil interval to 3000km no prob
Nothing better than a lighter bike, I have done KTM 690 twice, 2016 exc 500 with a Yenkro fairing, Cush drive blah blah blah, oil changes suck while travelling, 1500-1800k between service, the 2013-2016 had 1.5l capacity. Back to the 690 platform again just bought a GasGas 700, it won’t be perfect, but I have fun trying, and that’s the most important part, have fun with motorcycling.
I balk the ridiculous price of a 500EXCF in Australia. But I'm interested in the oil capacity... 1.5L is better than most, and you can get it to at least 2L with an oil cooler and larger clutch cover.
@@crosstrainingadventure Be sure to try a new 500 EXC before buying for a dual sport/adventure conversion. The vibration coming through the seat on my buddy's 23 is very very high. My other buddy's older 500 EXC is fine, vibrates a little more than my 450L which vibrates a little more than another buddy's DRZ.
Balancing the wheels made a huge difference on my Beta 350 RR-S. Seat Concepts comfort seat, IMS 3.5 Gallon tank, and a rear rack. I've got the Giant Loop Moto Coyote bag, so I'm ready to go. We also plan our trips with a minimum of pavement.
Good point on balancing the wheels... I still haven't done this properly on my DR650 and it tends to bounce a bit at highway speeds.
I have a hybrid trials Tubliss rear tire on my 390, front wheel is balanced but rear isn't. The shaking over 40mph on the road is just crazy. Unrideable on pavement.
just put a second rim lock opposite the existing one and you never have to balance you're wheels again@@crosstrainingadventure
On my DRZ balancing the weels was a night and day difference. A lot of vibrations also come from bad weel balance.
So a drz400. Got it.
Out of the bikes you listed in the beginning of the video, I strongly suggest trying an XR650R. Specifically they R not the L
One down side of most of the Enduro bikes is the mpg or kpl my friend was getting 45mpg on his 450rl. while I was getting 60mpg on my 690, same terrain same variable speed
That's wild! I would have expected the 690 to get worse fuel economy than the smaller bikes. I usually average around 50 on my FE501S and 530 EXC.
Otoh. My get ECU 450RL got almost exactly the same mpg as my friends husq 701. 45 or so on the Idaho bdr
Just bought the swm500. Put on a safari tank, a 2nd hand husky seat which i reupholstered myself, and a screen from ebay.. still under $11k ride away. I like adv riding as off road as possible so ill live with the cr box...
How did the screen work out?
@crosstrainingadventure yeah, not bad actually. It's advertised as for a dr400 but can be fitted no dramas. Keeps the wind off the chest, not off the face.
We are on xr650r and they are also fantastic. Mine weighs in at 155kgs with 24 liters of fuel.
Electric start ?
@@heinschwartz7941 no kick. But C fab make a kit that is supossed to be Good.
If only Honda re-released the XR650R with a wide ratio transmission and a 12v lighting system... E-start would be nice but I can take or leave it.
How come no love is given to the honda 650l ?? Dr650's are always mentioned but the honda gets left out and i love my 650l soo much 😢
I don't think there are a lot of countries where you can buy the XR650L anymore. Mainly the USA?
Mate I am SO surprised at the Honda CRF 300 Rally , especially for us older riders that want lighter and not to concerned about power .
Positives
1. Six speed box - 6 gear is like an overdrive
2. 1.8 lt oil Capacity
3. Decent tank range ( around 300 )
4. Good 👍 screen with GPS / phone mount .
Negatives
1. Power only around 25HP
2. Suspension needs improvement ( if you are anything other than a beginner )
Mods to improve
1. Suspension mods from cheap 800 to over 3000 dollars
2. EUC update - SSS motorcycles
3. Full aftermarket pipe
4. Rear rack
5. All the other stuff 😂😂😂. A fantastic all rounder, and will sit on the road at 110 Kph all day long .
Amazing bike ( coming from someone that’s owned larger Enduro bikes .
Good summary. Fingers crossed Honda might do the same for a 400 or 450 and keep the price down too. The CRF450L was a start but too expensive... at least in Australia.
@@crosstrainingadventure , one ☝️ of my good mates I ride with brought the 450 L , fantastic “ powerful bike “ with the mods to sort out the fuelling it pretty good , BUT let down my small oil capacity and high maintenance.
When I was younger my only mode of transport was a DRZ400 didn't do too much to make it more Road friendly but having to ride a dirt bike for long distances on roads is absolutely terrible a bigger tank a comfy seat windscreen and different gearing helps but it is far from great and I don't think you could ever get it to be good you just can't have both
Yep your right mate smaller bikes rock but it’s a compromise
Lighweight is the way to go with bigger tank. KTM 500 or Husky 501 have wide range gearing and lots of smooth torque. So instead of 13/50 they can handle easily 14/48 on any difficult terrain. So for adventure 14/45 would allow good cruising at 100 kmh, no windshield required at that speed. Too much vibes on the grips on road on 2017+ models (not 2012-2016) so the KTM dampened handlebar mounts are a good solution. I have done adventures up to 5000 km and just arranged to be able to do an oil change every 30 engine hours, which is fine, unless the engine runs very hot/hard like long streches of mud/ deep sand. I always take a small backpack, and found out that 8kg including water disturbs little on the back and more on the bike where I carry only small or light items. I never take mirrors. Do you do so because of the cops, or because they are really useful? I put once a left mirror, and used used it only to check if my mates follow.
It took years, but I finally rode a 500EXCF a few weeks ago and was impressed with the spread of gear ratios... a big jump to sixth which is great for allowing a mix of dirt and adventure-style riding. I remember years ago when KTM first introduced a sixth gear on the two strokes and it was barely any different to fifth. We all thought why did you even bother putting it in? 😂
I remember weight distribution was important on the FE570. I used dry bags and strapped them with the heavy stuff just behind my legs to try and centralise the weight. It makes a big difference!
@@crosstrainingadventure For some aspects I miss my 2012 500 KTM. It ran smoother, it already had the reinforced and damped clutch basket. The 501 makes clutch service even easier. My 501 has this long jump to six but I would not swear the spread from 1 to 6 is bigger although sufficient. Isn't it in 2005 already KTM changed the spread of the 6 speed gearbox, after having had a close ratio 6 like Husqvarna? Forgot. The rear suspension of the 501 is better than the PDS of KTM. Very good do-it-all tool.
I've actually discovered something, that the manufacturers are listening.
Fantic 450 (red wr450f) maintenance intervals are 2000 km. As in the manual.
Ajp spr510 manual, maintenance intervals are 3000 km.
This is actually reasonable.
My dr200, has 3000 km intervals.
The honda crf450rl for comparison, has 1000 km.
Ktm 500 exc, has 750 km intervals.
Beta 480, has 30 hours, I don't know how it compares to the others.
Scherco 500 has 20 hours.
So, the manufacturers that selling trail bikes, not professional race bikes, has given a reasonable intervals. For road/trail uses...
I'll be happy to hear your opinion...
Thanks
P.s. the Chinese way of doing business, is very wrong. are they paying honda for copies of the cb500x frame and engines?are they paying kawasaki for using the versys engine? and so on and on..
So it's cheap for a reason... As A manufacturer myself,I'll say 👎.
cant suport it...
Some owners pay for an oil analysis which usually shows you can stretch oil change intervals for easy dual sport riding... especially for those enduro bike with more than 1.5L oil capacity. But the manufacturers almost always assume you are racing or riding aggressively so they provide short intervals.
Yes, I think many Chinese manufaturers are stealing designs. I spoke with a patents lawyer who said it is very difficult and expensive to try and fight this. 😢
One ☝️ major problem ( that most forget ) I have had BIG to mid ADV bikes Dual sport and Enduros . I am also getting older and have downsized my dirt bike ( we’re once a wise ADV once said “ no one ☝️ complains about smaller and lighter JUST bigger and heavier “ 😂😂😂. ) BUT one ☝️ thing that people overlook is with the lightness you get thrown around more and the bike doesn’t track as well as say a mid weight. For us older fellas it’s a 2 edged sword ⚔️, you get the lightness and flick ability BUT also thrown around more ( which also isn’t that good for an old body ) YES suspension mods , upgraded etc but only so much suspension can do to a very light bike. Something NO ONE ☝️ on untube disused to my knowledge. I had a RS650 ( old Husky TE630 ) replaced with Honda CRF 300 Rally - MODDED extremely well .
my crf300l (modded) is excellent as long as you dont want to be chasing big ktms around 1t 120km/h(i dont) for the other stuff its excellent,light ,nontiring and good reliability.
I agree, good road manners actually is helped by having a reasonable amount of weight! I didn't go into this indepth with this vid but just noted the really light bikes aren't much fun for road riding....
@@crosstrainingadventure Totally agree 👍, with your point on smaller lighter bikes are not as nice to ride on the road , but the other point I was making was on rough terrain ( that you can get speed on ) a lighter bike gets thrown around more - it’s just physics with the light weight doesn’t track as well as a heavier ( say mid weight bike ) like a T7 , JTM 790 , 890 , KLR 650 or every your DR 650 . BUT obviously advantages are in the quite technical terrain- we’re speed is not an issue or smoother fire-trails the small bikes are definitely the way to go . So I guess to sum up .
1. Larger Mid to heavier bikes are definitely better for the black top and even normal dirt roads were weight is not an issue for us older fellas 😂😂😂.
2. Logging roads and good trails - smaller and lighter capacity bikes DRZ,s , The SWM 500 as you say , even the RS 650 like I had , Husky 701 , KTM 690 , DR 650 and Honda 300 Rally and L .
3. Technical fire trails , as in loads of wash outs , steep ups and downs , rocky , lose surface etc . Well again the DRZ , SWM 500 , New Husky 501 , the Beta you said Honda 300 L and Rally .
I Know their are a lot of other bikes that fall into these categories just an example. And I have waffled on 😂😂😂, but my main point is if your prepared to put up with a light bike on the black top and rocky terrain then a light weight bike is the way to go , like my Honda 300 Rally .
@@itsallabouttheridekeepingi4449 Went an off road ride with a group of adventure bikers(non-expert/advanced) on modded CRFI.could easily keep up and pass off road as there are always turns coming up and your max speed is in the end restricted unless your an absolute nut case.Crashing a big adventure bike or picking it up alone isnt fun.
KTM exc 510 - I just put a bigger 13l tank on and balanced the wheels. Job done.
😎👍
Every bike is a compromise! I converted my 2018 WR250R into a pretty effective ultralight adventure bike. But it still sucks on the highway and the gearbox ratios are too high (thus the WR designation). Change the front or rear sprocket and you just killed any chance of "comfortable" highway riding. I might suggest welding a big motorcycle carrying rack to the subframe of an R1250GS, then slap that 510 onto the back. See, now you can ride in comfort to the trails and unload that dual sport for the technical stuff.......
😎👍
Yup. I made a ktm 450 xcw into a lightweight adventure bike. Searching for that unicorn like we all are. I used the 450 because I also wanted it to be a snow bike in the winter and although the 500 makes a great snow bike as well I chose this size for reasons I don't even remember at this point. Anyway, put a huge Acerbis tank on it, windshield, raised the gearing a bit, lights and soft bags. Didn't get too crazy. Results? It wasn't what I wanted or was hoping it to be. It was simply too much dirt bike but not when I wanted it to be. I didn't like it on pavement as it was just meh, didn't like it on gravel because I had the tendency to want to race, didn't like it off road because although it was a dirt bike the street legal dirt tires are awful and it made it not nearly as capable as I am used to. Yes much easier off road than other things but then I found myself asking why I am not riding a dirt bike setup at that point. I don't know. The KOVE is on my list of possibilities although I don't want to support the country. But then again if you look at everything in your house, pretty much anyone, you are supporting that country. And quite truthfully I would choose it over a KTM adventure bike. Not the dirtbikes because they are great! But the adventure bikes??? If I have to fix stuff right away I would rather it be on a bike that cost 1/3 the price. I think KOVE did great on the platform. Personally I would like the exact same setup but with 70hp. I found my 450 pretty boring to ride on roads. All that being said the 450 is now a dedicated snow bike. Works well for that.
Always a compromise, hey? I think you actually need a bit of weight for good road manners. And of course a cush drive hub smooths things nicely too. The AJP PR7 looks good but sales outside of Europe have been dismal.
@@crosstrainingadventure Agreed. 350 - 400 lbs wet seems to be where I am headed. I never did the cush drive because didn't want to spend the money until I know if I like it of not. Good thing I didn't I guess. I have always like the AJP PR7. Looks like a great setup to me. There will still be a DR650 in my garage some day. I wish Honda would get their head out of their butt and make the necessary mods to the XL 650. That could be a great bike too.
Kove 450 rally is the answer. That engine has been around for a long time now and proven reliable. The weight is misleading, it rides like an enduro bike off road and is super light feeling.
Do you mind me asking you if you have a relationship with GPX? I know GPX pays Megs Braap and Tyler at Everide although they haven't declared them as 'ambassadors' or paid social media influencers on the GPX website. Megs and Tyler have both publicly acknowledged the financial relationship though.
I’m in the same boat as your mate Gordon and want to know more about his bike selection and mods…
He hasn't made any mods to the 501, just uses it as is because all his rides are just a few hours long so he doesn't need the bigger tank, comfy seat etc.
Yep . My steed is the SWM RS 500. Had it since new from 2016. Safari tank, pivot pegs The front screen off the super dual. Steering damper. Rekluse clutch ( now removed) not practical for application. EFI tuner. Low amperage LED lights. Cush drive hub from super dual. Bike gearing 13/47 for track's, 14/47 for dirt roads and 15/47 for the tar.
How do you find the narrow range gearbox? Some guys dislike it, others don't seem to notice it for dual sport riding...
@@crosstrainingadventure I find it tolerable because I hate the tar.. if I have trip I just put the 15 on the front. Takes about 15 minutes to change in the track. This bike has proven to be an absolute weapon when compared to what else is out there. It will take the fight to almost any new bike today 15000 klms and not touched valves and have only just changed my first fork seals. I squeezed 1.9 lts of 20/50 wt Penrite and don't change it until it feels too thin when cold. That's when it's fu&_ked. I wish I could attach a pic. Bike gives me a chubby
Sounds like a great run so far 😎
Barry, you must be reading my mind!
I'm in the market for the PERFECT ADV/DS 😂
I've owned the KTM 525, Beta 390RRS and although light and very capable on everything you can throw at them in the dirt, once past 60 mph, they are utterly miserable for any length of time.
I rode a loaded KTM 690 today thinking it must be the mystical unicorn. Nope, just felt like a heavier dirt bike and still wouldn't be pleasant on any longer road work. I did like it and it could be a fantastic bike for mainly 2-tracks and dirt roads, but why spend that much when a DR650 or XR650L can do the same at a fraction of the cost.
So, I'm thinking, just keep my Beta 2-stroke, grab a nice inexpensive DR650 and enjoy the compromise.
When one of the manufacturers figures out that making a modern true 600-650 single with good oil capacity, proper gearing, decent suspension, comfy seat and good fuel range would sell like hotcakes, they'll corner the market.
Just imagine a Yamaha WR650L with fuel injection and all of the above features at around 300lbs!
I think it's why many of us keep coming back to the DR650... or XR650L if in the USA. Cheap. Good compromise solution.
@@crosstrainingadventure No doubt.
Don't get me wrong, the 690 was a hoot and would be a blast to have.
I'm planning on more BDR type riding and trying to decide on the right bike.
For the price of the 690, a well farkled 500 would be in the running and probably a lot of fun.
What about scramblers? They seem like a nice compromise. Some of them are "lightweight" like Fantic Caballero 500 🤷♂️
I'm torn between Caballero and CRF300...
They look interesting but they are up close to a DR650 in weight so a lot heavier than a big bore enduro bike. Scramblers are definitely worth a look though...
Very hard to find one bike that does it all imo. The old AT750 was easy to load up and do a 6000km ride at short notice. My 500EXC takes a bit more planning with oil, etc and definitely not as comfortable on open tar/gravel roads. However, don’t take the AT into sand - so no enjoyable desert riding…..can be done but lots of energy needed and not much fun.
Any adventure mods for the 500EXCF? I like the 1.5L oil capacity which is better than most enduro bikes...
2015 model so 1.5 ltr oil capacity. Not racing so 2500km between oil changes. Added small screen, 15/48 gearing, 19litre hard parts tank, small tank bag, soft giant loop style rear bag, heavier springs (I am 120kg). Rest of the bike is standard and consumption 24kpl (easy 450km range)
Sweet!
Just got a rally converted 2020 ktm 690 to do a big, 3 day off road event.... I'll report back... I'm use to 450s.... 690 is bloody heavy in comparison.... later in the year I'm going to swap it with a Husaberg FE450 or 570.
Let us know how it goes. I know what you mean about the weight. The FE570 is a great platform! I'd definitely get a cush drive hub. Also check the countershaft splines. The KTM engines back then were prone to wear. I fitted a cush drive hub to mine and also a kind of bracket that held the front sprocket tightly and minimised movement on the shaft.
Ive just built an Fe450 rally with 20lts total and its an awesome thing. The Bergs last forever as well
Still riding my '99 XR400. Sure, I'd love a nice fuel injected bike with a magic button, a wide ratio 6 speed, 275lb-ish RTR weight, better suspension, durability, preferably a few years old and lightly used for less than $4k. Show me the bike and I'll think about upgrading. Until then, I'll just work on my skillz and keep kicking the old XR... :)
Fond memories of mine. What a wheelie beast. th-cam.com/video/wUqHIiiLa5U/w-d-xo.html
thanks for the upload mate, great topic these days. I'm at this pivoting point as well, comingo from a F800GS - great bike btw - but the weight/power is taking it's toll. what's your opinion about the KLX450? cheers
Never ridden one but I'd be keen to see what they are like.
i converted a xr 600. It's got a kickstart and is way lighter than the early Dommies.
I've just about finished my 14 mod klx450. Nav tower, 12.5L tank, concept seat, bigger clutch cover. Geared down for longer trips. 14 - 44.
Pretty stoked with it, wish I could source a bigger tanks however.. the fuel bladders get it done 👌
- can't decide whether to get a T7 or go the dr650🤔 for the big lap..
Just got into Arkaroola in the Flinders Ranges tonight on my DR650 after a big days ride. The scenery was just superb... at no point on this ride did I feel like I needed more power. That's $10,000 saved to spend on petrol, accommodation etc...
@@robertmorris4784 to right mate ! Bit of an all rounder machine. They just get it done. I think that's why I keep coming back to the DR.
Safe travels mate !
Go smaller and buy fully adventurized wr250r
@@terrydrew6245 the mighty WR! I did have a few on my watch list. It's unreal the capability. And endless accessories and parts for them
Nav tower? Sweet! Did you make your own?
simple answer. YES!
I think you are going to be In the same spot, for the most part once you place a long range tank on a bike it’s just a question of geometry and suspension. Starting with a lighter bike, and lets face it they’re not hugely lighter. The DR would be fine, a practical amount of predictable power and most of all, reliability
A lot of compromises all round, that's for sure.
What the F are octopus straps and for the love of god please show me how you strapped those bags to that bike!
What about Honda XR600, XR400, XR250, Yamaha TTR, TTS600? I can't regret enough selling my 1994. XR600R, it is almost impossible to get another one in Serbia. Superlight considering it is 30 year old, 600 ccm thumper. Or making 701 or 690 light as possible?
Definitely lots of old models that would suit, I was just confining this vid to currently available bikes for the most part.
Simple....
Change to the "Younger" model of the DR650.
Let's go and pick a DRZ 400. 😊
Dr 350 im going to get the big more head ans make it 440 1991
Think these are round the world machines
And seen it do well on a motocross track by my dad . Id just stiffen springs as ive prodomitly rode motocross
Bore
I have the swm rs500 have done the adventure build with all the good & superdual windshield! I would agree that it is disappointing that SWM haven't done anything about the narrow range gear box a 15 tooth front sprocket really opens it up giving it good spacing but 1st gear then becomes tall for single track! Oil capacity is great at 1.7 litres and handles the road more like a trail bike not enduro like ktm500 which is terrible on the road!
I'd be really interested in your mods as this might just be my next bike. I hear you can fit old Husky TE510 oversize tanks with a bit of work. Any cush drive hubs? Did you have a link for the windshield?
@@crosstrainingadventure 👍 The windshield is off a swm650 I bought from the dealership which came from the SWM factory in Italy I had heard it was a straight bolt on but I had to modify mine to fit! Yes the 19 litre safari husqvarna tank fits which is on mine and is really well designed and doesn't feel to big! Superdual cush drive rear wheel will fit with the right wheel spaces! I think if it were me I would look for one on the used market with low kms instead of buying new as for it to be worth while converting to adventure bike!
Things that need attention like upgrading to ducati starter motor, power commander 23-004 with good mapping preferably with 12 port injector and 10 micron filter the dealership will use arrow map which is horrible, golan fuel filter & upgraded fuel pump which I can't think of the name stock is same is what is used on KTM'S which will have an early death! Suspension is really good KYB same as what is used on 2012 wr450 but for adventure riding will require $1500 to set it up right! Plastics are poor quality some have upgraded to husqvarna plastics but that requires different seat or reshaping of stock not such a big problem with safari tank though as front shrouds are not required!
If you join the SWM Australia & Newzealand Facebook page the guys on there will be able to fill you in with any questions you may have, dealerships will only talk shit😄!
Awesome tips, thanks for that! I might include this in the pinned first comment for others too.
I have a 99 XR600, everything else is inferior, unless there is too much blacktop.
The most difficult question to answer in the universe is, "Why the heck hasn't Yamaha made a WR450R?!?"
Agreed!
I run a 2019 RS500R ORIGINALLY USED FOR ENDURO riding and lots of single track, agree with most points above, fuel pump replacement kemso units for ktms work fine amd ext golan filter is a must have. I dont run a cush drive hub but my Bro does same bike. However brg carrier is poor and must carry spare brgs for long range trips, but not uncommon. Mapping and dyno work is a must do, sames.for 12 port injector. I dont do a lot.of road work as avoid at all costs, still ots no issue for me but use grip puppies! 9.2K on the bike now, biggest failure was clutch plates from all the single track work, basket is ali so not as good as ktms etc. But an 800 dollar cost so meh, failed at 4.5K silvery oil... Esjot front sprockets are the go to remove countershaft spline wear, bros bike did 14K and shaft was poor cond. But we used to run a diff sprocket, supllplied by importer, annoying much, which in hindsight had the wrong spline profile and clearances. Bro Rebuilt motor just for fun, pistons etc were all in spec sames for brgs. He was on original clutch etc. And all could have gone for another 10K plus. Replace clutch slave with an oberon unit and replace clutch fluid regularly, 10w hyd oil. Starter yep replace as previously mentioned. I run nemunu bags and some 3K trips offroad twin track n single and a few stacks they are awesome, water proof and cheap but good quality. Hard to say if i would do this again or go the ktm 500 fe501 as simply easier to source aftermarket bits. Bike is super stable and at hi speed sand etc so no strg dampner reqd. Unlike ktms etc. There are some in the usa who dual sport with 30K miles on original piston etc. So yeah i wont run a cush hub. I see no need for it, dont lug the engine on road though in lower gears... also waterproof electrical connectors and insulate harness in a few spots for less chance of issues from hi speed vibes n corrogated roads.
Thanks for the info, Brad. How do those sprockets minimise shaft wear? Is it by the 'exact fit' so there's no movement? www.esjot.com/en/motorcycle-sprockets/
I remember on my old FE570 a mechanical friend just drilled some hole and made up a bracket that held the front sprocket so tightly it didn't slop around anymore... seemed to do the trick.
@crosstrainingadventure yes, correct fit. Tiny bit of work with flapper wheel on the inside id of sprockets or tap on with lube, also getting more kms out of these sprockets. Happy days
Great vid , do you have any info on the oil cooler that you installed on your WR450 ?
I have a 2019 wr450 converted to a dual sport
Thanks
It was home made and only worked on the old steel frame models as it stored engine oil in the frame... I could tap into the oil lines easily
If it didn't break everytime I rode it the 2009 husky te610 was as close as I could find to a bike to ride on the highway but small enough to ride off road on fire trails. Just build quality let it down. So currently riding a 2013 ktm 450 and a 2005 klr 650
Bummer! What sort of issues? We had two in our group years ago. Mine? Nothing went wrong other than those dumb screws in the plastics that would fail. The other one kept breaking the rear subframe when loaded up, and the right footpeg bolts snapped twice.
@crosstrainingadventure the rear foot pegs fell off the bolts for the front ones snap off while I was riding in the forest the first ride battery shit it self. Spedo never read correctly. Air box had to be replaced 3 times. Second day I owned it from brand new side stand broke and bike fell on me as I was walking away from it. Wasn't confident in it any more after all those things so sold it. 2 yrs later got half what I paid for it.
WHERE YOU USE THE TUBLISS SYSTEM ON THE REAR WHEEL OR THE FRONT WHEEL OR ON BOTH WHEELS.
Both.
Would a TE510 have the short skirts like you were talking about ?
Not sure, but if you compare the bore and stroke measurements to similar enduro models that would probably indicate yes or no.