So, I'm considering a second bike.....

[mr_magicfingers]

I'm contemplating buying a second bike later this year, if the next job comes off they way I hope, something more offroad biased and just for fun. Now I know very little about this given that the sum total of my off road experience so far is a day on ktm 250/400's with i2i and the beginners offroad ride at the last hogroast on my 1150. I've 25 years of road riding but want to explore the dirtier side of riding

Lately I've been reading threads on green laning and enduro, plus some threads here and on advrider about some of the shorter/cheaper rallye's (tuareg etc) which I'd dearly love to have a go at one day. Is it reasonable to buy a bike to do all those things? Quite a few people seem to pick ktm 450exc's and rallye/enduro/greenlane those, and that's the sort of thing I'm thinking of.

Is that reasonable, what else should I look at that's similar or better? Budget would probably be about £2500 and I'm happy doing my own spannering for most things on them. Plan would be to learn to handle them off road, build experience and then perhaps look at some rallyes. I'm not intending to be competitive, but the idea of basically doing multiday orienteering on a bike really appeals.

Could I do club trials on something like the 450? or does trials need something more specific.

Appreciate your thoughts and suggestions.

J.

 

[Timolgra]

Could I do club trials on something like the 450? or does trials need something more specific.

 

[mr_magicfingers]

You're not helping

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Could I do club trials on something like the 450? or does trials need something more specific.

Appreciate your thoughts and suggestions.

J.

Trail/Enduro and Trials are completely different disciplines and therefore need different bikes

Basically - Trail/Enduro (ish, although there are better examples)

Classic Trials

Modern Trials

 

[mr_magicfingers]

Wasn't thinking modern trials, the classic stuff looks like the bikes are quite similar to enduro.

Thanks for clearing that up, looks to direct this bike at enduro/rallye then and perhaps look for something else for classic trials.

 

[DutchBryn]

Been thinking along similar lines. I don't off-road with Hermann (the GS)
but would like to give it go before everything's banned completely.

To my eyes, the KTM stuff is too focused. Something to move on to.
Suzuki's DR400Z looks ideal: big enough to cope with riding somewhere less urban, light enough to be handy for non-Stephane Peterhansel types.

When I used to live on the edge of the Peak District, this would have been a simpler deal. Now, anywhere remotely interesting lies (at least) an hour and a half away. And no, I'm still not tempted to ride my 1150 off road, however good it is at getting there.

I'll be interested to hear what you end up with.

I'm contemplating buying a second bike later this year, if the next job comes off they way I hope, something more offroad biased and just for fun. Now I know very little about this given that the sum total of my off road experience so far is a day on ktm 250/400's with i2i and the beginners offroad ride at the last hogroast on my 1150. I've 25 years of road riding but want to explore the dirtier side of riding

Lately I've been reading threads on green laning and enduro, plus some threads here and on advrider about some of the shorter/cheaper rallye's (tuareg etc) which I'd dearly love to have a go at one day. Is it reasonable to buy a bike to do all those things? Quite a few people seem to pick ktm 450exc's and rallye/enduro/greenlane those, and that's the sort of thing I'm thinking of.

Is that reasonable, what else should I look at that's similar or better? Budget would probably be about £2500 and I'm happy doing my own spannering for most things on them. Plan would be to learn to handle them off road, build experience and then perhaps look at some rallyes. I'm not intending to be competitive, but the idea of basically doing multiday orienteering on a bike really appeals.

Could I do club trials on something like the 450? or does trials need something more specific.

Appreciate your thoughts and suggestions.

J.

 

[mat_g]

I did the same, had a classic trials bike for a while (1974 OSSA), which was great fun for club trials and wobblers, but needed a trailer or van to get it there.

Bought a KTM 525 EXC (like riding a mechanical bull most of the time), for green laning, byways etc, this one is taxed and tested and considering how close most of the byways are it doesn't spend too long on the tarmac on knobblies.

the DRZ is a good choice, steady, bullet proof, and good fun, it was my second choice.

take a look at the local area, and clubs, if you've got plenty of places to go or can ship the bikes around then your choices are much wider. If you've got to do a few miles to get muddy then you want something that's not going to knacker you out before you get there.

 

[r100/7]

i use to has a yahmaha ty 250 when i was 17 to learn on it was a great bike and was soild and never let me down was happy to rev out on the road and going on dirt track