If you wanted to make a long distance trail bike...

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AndyB_11

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Would you go for a 450/500 EXC or a 690 Enduro?

I’ve been idly considering making myself a long distance trail bike suitable for wasting a couple of weeks each year doing parts of the TET and my head keeps telling me that that the EXC is a better base bike if I take it over to Europe in my van and hit out for a couple of days at a time then loop round and go to somewhere different for another couple of days each time but is that being a bit negative when I could get the bigger bike and just ride over there from home?

I’ve got a bit of an aversion to taking bikes to the area using 4 wheels unless it’s a smaller stink wheel but if I wanted to go to the Baltic region then riding there on any trail bike is going to be hard work. I’m thinking of putting a bigger fuel tank on the bike along with giving it the capacity to carry a roll bag and soft panniers so nothing too drastic. The biggest advantage of an EXC is that it’s about 30kg lighter and because I’ve got limbs like matchsticks lighter bikes are a good idea when you know you’re going to drop it at some point.

Taking the van means I can sleep in a tent and lock a bike in the back of the van if I want to plus I can carry extra clutter like tools and more than just a jet boil for cooking so from that perspective it makes a lot of sense.

This isn’t a buy it next week kind of idea, more of a get one for next spring thing in which case I’d drop my normal routine of taking 6 weeks off in mid winter and use the extra cash to buy the bike and sort it out. I might be tempted to get my act together a bit sooner and go to Morocco earlier in the year but I’d have to tie that in with a week in a hotel because my wife would see her arse if I went there and kept sending her messages telling her what a great time I was having :D

Any suggestions, tips on what to avoid like the plague or ideas on a more suitable base bike but keep in mind that I don’t buy Hondas.
 
If it's for only 2 weeks a year go for an exc but not a 450, then you can use the same bike for trail riding in UK.
 
The 450/500 will cruise at 60-70mph is far more manageable in the dirt and is more reliable , I ve owned 4 EXCs and 2 690s.
 
It will depend on what type of trails you want to ride.
I once did a trip on a 650 shod with SM wheels and road tyres, with off road wheels and kit strapped on the back,I rode it down the west coast of France to the Spain border.
The fucking thing needed fuel every 80 miles, it was a right ballache.

Once i'd dumped all the kit at the hotel ! It was brilliant off road on proper knobblies.

The ride there and back is a ballache, go in the van it makes more sense for proper off road hooning, and the lighter bike off road will be much more enjoyable and make much more sense.
 
It will depend on what type of trails you want to ride.
I once did a trip on a 650 shod with SM wheels and road tyres, with off road wheels and kit strapped on the back,I rode it down the west coast of France to the Spain border.
The fucking thing needed fuel every 80 miles, it was a right ballache.

Once i'd dumped all the kit at the hotel ! It was brilliant off road on proper knobblies.

The ride there and back is a ballache, go in the van it makes more sense for proper off road hooning, and the lighter bike off road will be much more enjoyable and make much more sense.

Agree with that
 
But then it won't be a long distance trail bike :blast :D

Calm down! My idea is to use a van if I’m going to start out 500 miles from home but for UK or the likes of Belgium it’d be bike only. Even if I take the van I’d do 2-3 days away with a bivvy tent and a sleeping bag then grab the van and migrate.

I’ve got too used to loading up for 2 weeks away and I want to get away from that, go lightweight and just rough it a bit. I spent years mountaineering so I’m used to stripping everything back to the basics and just getting on with it and now I’m winding back on my work schedule it’s the ideal time to go for some casual trail riding where I stop at 6pm, bung up my mobile chateau and chill out. You can’t really do that on a 350kg behemoth or if you’re in a group so I’m taking a new approach.

Now why a 500 rather than a 450 apart from the fact that the 500 is a lazier bike to ride?
 
Agree with that

Ok then, is it a long distance trail bike if you do 500 miles over 3-4 days in the UK when you leave and return to home using only the bike any more than if you head east in a van then park up and ride the bike 500 miles over the same time scale?

I’ve had a little sniff around Lithuania and Latvia and there are miles of nice, easy trails I can ride on and be there about 1.5 days after leaving home in my van but that same trip will take me at least 1/2 day more on a trail bike such as I’m suggesting and that’s leaving from where I live rather than an extra 200 miles away where you live.

I’ve got a decent van that will easily take something like an EXC KTM so why would I want to shred tyres and get fed up riding a trail bike on major roads when I can throw it in the van and be there faster? If I use the van I can fit tyre mousses and remove the terrors of a front wheel puncture miles from anywhere, have a decent base to return to and a good selection of luxuries like food and tools available without any effort.

I’ve not made my mind up which way to go and using a van still doesn’t quite feel right but there are a lot of plus points to it. If I go for the bigger bike option I’ll be carrying everything with me and might as well save my money and use the GS1150 that sits in my garage but if I’m away on my own and drop it on a trail miles from civilisation I’m pretty much fucked :blast

Anyway, getting away from the ride it or drag it question, what’s the best bike for what I’m looking at doing? If you say an 1150 GSA I’ll hunt you down and kill you :D
 
You would be welcome to try my 16 450 for the day maybe then you can find a 500 to compare I think the 450 is just brilliant but from what Ive heard from others you'd likely go for a 500 , Ive also got a CRF450L converted to Australian/USA power output which some would prefer there's probably more Rally/Touring kit available albeit from the states the CRF is a little better on the road and on easy trails but doesn't compare to the KTM when the going gets technical and its not alive or as eager to please.
 
You would be welcome to try my 16 450 for the day maybe then you can find a 500 to compare I think the 450 is just brilliant but from what Ive heard from others you'd likely go for a 500 , Ive also got a CRF450L converted to Australian/USA power output which some would prefer there's probably more Rally/Touring kit available albeit from the states the CRF is a little better on the road and on easy trails but doesn't compare to the KTM when the going gets technical and its not alive or as eager to please.

That’s a really generous offer that you may live to regret:D
 
If you say an 1150 GSA I’ll hunt you down and kill you :D

A 1150 GSA:p

Seriously I agree with what you said earlier

Smaller bike and Van every time, better for the trails and who wants to slog to get there, on a smaller bike
 
There’s a stonking Husaberg currently on sale, previously built for a Rally enthusiast. It’s the 70degree engined 450 converted to 570 with additional tank and other upgrades. I’d love it but I’d need to sell my 390 to do so (which I don’t want to do).

You could do a lot worse (even in the KTM section :D)
 
Overcome your Japanese prejudice, buy a Honda CB500X and do a full Rally Raid conversion.

Dilemma solved...

It’s not a Japanese prejudice, it’s just a Honda prejudice and even then it’s not all Hondas, I like the 2 stroke ones 😀
 
I wouldn’t have a 690 again. Although when running correctly they are great. A really strong engine.
However, the ‘09 bike I had for Rallye Raid events was less than reliable.
Broken earth wire, wires in loom chaffed through resulting in a new look...plus the loss of a much better result.
Rev/rec failed twice resulting in overcharging and resultant miss firing.

To be fair to the 690 it’s sold as a road bike and Rallye does give them a hard time, especially with a few crashes.....but then they were my fault.

I’d get a 500 from reading your opener. A fairly easy sell once you e finished with it too.
 
This is what I have built which I think would suit your needs

This is what I have built which I think would suit your needs
 
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