Going off road plus saving gas. Motorcycles?

[+smoke63b]

I was thinking about a motorcycle for geocaching when it's not TOO far away from home. I used to race dirt bikes when I lived in N.C. and mostly only had 250cc and 125cc hondas and kawasakis. Never had anything street legal or with a street legal lights package on it.

Does anyone here use a motorcycle for geocaching that gets awesome gas mileage?

 

Would love some suggestions on specific models new and used and also how feasible it is to do this and what the gas mileage is like. Don't want a crotch rocket or a "street bike". Just looking for something that will double for the street just to get me there legally AND going off road or on trails.

[+smoke63b]

Maybe no one uses a motorcycle? lol.

 

Just to add, this wouldn't be just for geocaching either. I'd like to travel some great distances with just a backpack on a light motorcycle some day as well.

[+007BigD]

How about this beaut!

 

 

This baby gets 120 MPG and is designed to start and run on multiple heavy fuel oil and kerosene based fuels, specifically JP8 jet fuel as well as all aviation kerosene, AVTR, NATO Mil Spec diesel, CARB low sulfur diesel and B20 and B100 Biodiesel fuels.

 

Keep it on your wish list...NOT AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC...yet, not even the engine! as stated Here, and at 19,000.00 I think many would pass. Check their site here...Just really, really cool is all!

 

As for a realistic bike, I would like to come across a KLR 650. You could get smaller, but im a big guy and would suit me fine. Not sure of the good economy bikes, but I got a friend that might.

[Clan Riffster]

I've owned motorcycles of various flavors since I was old enough to drive, but until recently, I had never owned a dual purpose bike. After I blew up my last cruiser, I decided that a dual sport would fit my needs much better than another bike, so I started asking lots of questions. I got sort of a consensus from folks who ride dirt and dual purpose bikes:

 

If you want a dirt bike that will serve occasional duty on the street, go for a Honda.

If you want a street bike that can handle off road riding, go for the Kawasaki.

 

I planned on long drives on hard roads, heading to the woods, so I opted for the Kawasaki. It has twice the fuel capacity as the Honda, but I gotta tell you, it doesn't handle the difficult terrain as well as the Honda. It's always a compromise. Because my bike was intended for lots of street driving, I picked the largest model available, the KLR-650. With all the stuff I got attached to it, it tips the scales at over 350 pounds, but I can still stuff it in the back of my 'Yota without much difficulty.

 

I would, eventually like to buy a second bike, geared more for the off road, and I'll probably get the Honda, in about a 350cc size.

Edited June 12, 2007 by Clan Riffster

[CoyoteRed]

 

If I ride conservatively I get around 50mpg. I bought it used for $5000 only 6 months or os old with 2400 miles on it and about $2500 in upgrades. It's a daily rider. I have some Michelin Anakee's on it. Fantastic tires for everything except soft stuff like sand and mud in which they suck really bad. I'm 6' and ~220lbs. With the Corbin flat seat and highway bars, it's a fairly comfortable ride. I can go decent distances stopping once every hour or so.

 

Like the other CR, I did a lot of research. My criteria was more street oriented as I didn't want to have to haul it anywhere. It works fantastic and while I'm looking for a street bike for commuting, I won't be giving up the KLR. It's one bike that does it all except go 0 to 60 in 2.2 seconds or do 120 from a rolling 60 in 3 sec. Still, it's a bike and it's peepy. Heck, with the Anakees I even surprise others with the lean I can get on the curves--no chicken strips for me!

 

Unless you're an inexperienced rider with a short inseam (it's one of the tallest bikes in the saddle) this is a fantastic caching bike. Still, you can get lowering kits, too!

 

EDIT: To point out it's the red bike.

Edited June 12, 2007 by CoyoteRed

[+smoke63b]

Wow awesome bikes. Thanks for the suggestions. That gives me some sort of direction to look at the least.

I can't respond in detail right now cause I'm working but I'll check again this evening and give a better response. Thanks again!

[+froldt]

Those look like some excellent suggestions for dual-purpose bikes. I've heard some wonderful things about the BMW bikes, but they tend to be a bit pricier.

 

Personally, I finally received the o-rings and gasket set so that I can rebuild my motorcycle. I've got an '82 Suzuki GS750T. It's a cruiser/street bike, so not what you're looking for. She'll get better gas mileage than my car, though, so I can't wait to get her up and running.

 

My suggestion is that you might want to check out not only your local paper/dealerships, but I've seen some pretty good deals on craigslist.com

[Clan Riffster]

My suggestion is that you might want to check out not only your local paper/dealerships, but I've seen some pretty good deals on craigslist.com

Sound advice. I got mine out of Motorcycle Trader. Buying a new bike is like tossing $1,000 out the window. A careful eye can usually determine how well a bike has been cared for, and a used bike is a lot cheaper than a new one.

[+viking66]

Im a fan of Dual Sporting.

It is the most versitile form of motorcycling. Street legal, and off road capable . An activitu that is becoming increasingly illegal. No more Land of the Free, Home of the Brave if you ask me. But you didn't ask, so I'll not go there. Many single cylinder bikes are availible at low cost, low maintenance. Hondas XRL series offerings are good. As are Suzuki's DRs and Kawasaki's KLR or KLX. I have a Suzuki DR650 which I plan on never parting with ( its gonna be a big casket ). I like simple, air cooled, big bore machines which are comfortable bopping around on dual track roads.On a single track the DR 650 can be a bit big and unreasonable. If your distance from home is nothing too great, Id be hot for the new KLX450R. If cost is a concern, a used DR 400 S is a real capable bike; its raced as well as being a pedestrian dual sport. Another option might be an ancient Honda XR which can be had for nearly nothing on Craig's List. This is not recomended, as your most assuredly digging up ghosts from negligent owners past. If you wrench, it no real issue. Good luck with your choices.

Edited June 13, 2007 by viking66

[+viking66]

I see a majority of KLR owners responding. Numerically, theirs is the popular of Dual Sport out there. Folowed by Honda's XR650L and then Suzuki's DR 650. There are others like KTM, BMW and Husqvarna to name an expensive few. After market items follow the majority holders of course. That said, I do not find all that I want for my DR, but Ive found everything that I need. Most things that you might want ( GPS mount, tank bags, etal. ) are not bike specific.

( On an aside jab at the KLR owners, a geeky sport of Geocaching goes part and parcel withyour choice of mount ) THROW NO STONES IN GLASS HOMES? i cant help it. Flame away. Oh, BTW a great resouce for Dual Sporting.

[+bwmick]

I cache on an 82 suzuki GS650L (shaft drive cruiser) While given the choice I would be all over a V-strom 650 or a KLR (2008 looks like a good year) the suzuki will do everything I ask of it. We have done almost as much gravel road trips as we have pavement, the big difference between the two is how fast I go. Highway I can cruise at the same speeds as everyone else, fresh gravel it starts to get a little squirrelly at about 60km/h (35mph or so) For me that is a fair trade as half the reason I am going down the gravel is to see what everyone on the highway is missing. And believe it or not I have had a few opportunities to head down some ATV trails. I don't suggest it with a dry weight of 466lbs but it was exhilarating. The real thing is to get comfortable with whatever bike you get and drive it at your skill level. I love riding with my friends (who are way better riders than I am) but we meet somewhere in the middle. They slow down a little and I try to ride a little faster than normal. It serves to purposes really. 1) they get to see more less blurry stuff 2) I become a better rider without feeling like I am in over my head.

 

enjoy the journey.

 

http://www.suzukicycles.org/photos/GS/GS65...br_side_450.jpg (link to what my bike would look like if I polished it instead of rode it.)

 

Bryan

[Clan Riffster]

( On an aside jab at the KLR owners, a geeky sport of Geocaching goes part and parcel withyour choice of mount )

Man! There just ain't no love for us KLR riders.

On a side note, after riding literally hundreds of miles of ATV trails on my completely stock KLR-650, the only things I would like to change are the tires, (needs more traction), and the sprocket ratio. I would like a tad more "Umph" coming out of the gate, and I'm willing to sacrifice a bit of top end to get it. Rumor has it, that a 15 tooth front sprocket will give me what I need. Oh, almost forgot, I'd also like to put a throttle lock on it. After about an hour's drive on the street, my right hand is vibrated numb.

[+viking66]

1 tooth down on the counter shaft sprocket is about 3 teeth in the rear; but chain wear / longevity may become a concern as the chain makes a quicker turnaround. Ask around, and see who has good working sprocket combos. Take a look also for a bar snake. its an insert into the bar that deadens the bar ( and adds weight).

[+Snoogans]

I was thinking about a motorcycle for geocaching when it's not TOO far away from home. I used to race dirt bikes when I lived in N.C. and mostly only had 250cc and 125cc hondas and kawasakis. Never had anything street legal or with a street legal lights package on it.

Does anyone here use a motorcycle for geocaching that gets awesome gas mileage?

 

Would love some suggestions on specific models new and used and also how feasible it is to do this and what the gas mileage is like. Don't want a crotch rocket or a "street bike". Just looking for something that will double for the street just to get me there legally AND going off road or on trails.

 

 

Most of my caches in the Sierras were placed on a Honda 600R Enduro. I can cache all day on about 4 bucks worth of gas. It's over 120 miles of driving mostly off road just to maintain all my caches there.

[CoyoteRed]

( On an aside jab at the KLR owners, a geeky sport of Geocaching goes part and parcel withyour choice of mount )

Man! There just ain't no love for us KLR riders.

On a side note, after riding literally hundreds of miles of ATV trails on my completely stock KLR-650, the only things I would like to change are the tires, (needs more traction), and the sprocket ratio. I would like a tad more "Umph" coming out of the gate, and I'm willing to sacrifice a bit of top end to get it. Rumor has it, that a 15 tooth front sprocket will give me what I need. Oh, almost forgot, I'd also like to put a throttle lock on it. After about an hour's drive on the street, my right hand is vibrated numb.

Um... I thought 15 was the stock. I had a 16 on mine and went back to the 15. I've got plenty of power off the line--I've got to watch out for wheelies if I'm too aggressive--but I'd like a bit more very low end control for over logs and such. With the 15 tooth I can cruise at highway speeds @ 80 around a tad over 5k.

 

I bought I cruise lock, but I've not got around to installing it yet. (I broke the little friction/spacer thingie and haven't fashioned another.)

[Clan Riffster]

Um... I thought 15 was the stock.

It's possible. One thing I am not is a mechanic. I haven't counted the existing sprockets. I posted my bike's lack of zip off the line in the KLR forums, and I thought the suggested remedy was to change the front sprocket from a 16 to a 15. Maybe it was a 15 to a 14? Heck, I dunno. Another suggestion was to do something or other to the carburetor jets, but with my level of skill, the bike would likely turn into a paperweight.

 

Because I know next to nothing about mechanical stuff, the symptoms are hard for me to describe, but I'll try:

In first gear, under stress, (hill climbing/sugar sand/etc), the motor lugs, reminiscent of an old logging truck. On a Honda 230 I drove recently, it zipped right through these same areas. If I have the correct term, I'd like to apply more torque to the rear tire? I wish I could explain it better.

[CoyoteRed]

Yes, in order to get that cache that's up the hill (see how I related this sub-thread to geocaching?) you'll probably need to drop a tooth. If you do closer to 50/50 street/dirt and very little interstate then dropping to a 14 tooth sprocket should do the trick. This way the engine can carry higher revs and you don't have to shoot up the hill to keep better control.

 

I, myself, will probably go to a 14 tooth sprocket and 10/90 street/dirt tires (probably Dunlop 606s) when I get a street bike for my commuting.

 

I've not had any problems with power myself, but then again I've not done any hill climbing other than stuff I can have little momentum with. Over little stuff like logs and stuff I stand up, give a little gas for revs, and feather the clutch. (...and hope I don't get stopped with one wheel on the obstacle so I have to put foot down as it's a loooonnngg way down to put one's foot! )

 

One of the better geocache-grabbing enhancements the previous owner did has been a carburetor jet kit (which does take a little skill--I've done them on other bikes. At least this bike only has one carb.), a K&N filter, the air box mod, and SuperTrapp slip-on exhaust. I don't know what a stock 650 feels like so I can't provide testimony to the gain. Most folks on the forums say it's minimal, but noticeable. For me, it's never been lacking in the dirt.

 

A partial list of other enhancements:

• Progressive front springs to get rid of the spongy feel.
  
• 320mm wave rotor kit and stainless brake line. It will do stoppies without any trouble.
  
• K-9 fork brace tightened up the steering A LOT. Easy to install and worth way more than it cost, IMHO.
  
• Michelin Anakees. Probably the best 90/10 tires for this bike. Tenacious on wet pavement, bike will still raise the front wheel grabbing second on wet roads!
  
• Gel grips, Corbin flat seat, and highway bars for comfort on the way to the caching area.
  
• Givi saddle bags and 1050 Pelican box to carry caching gear. I strap my hiking stick to the saddle bag frame as you can see in the photo in the above post.
  
• Various other armor and do-dads.
  
• Oh, and a RAM mount for the GPS. Works fantastic! But want to get a 60csx and install auto-routing. I'm not about to install my PDA-based TomTom on this thing.
  

I still need to upgrade the rear shock to accommodate my weight. Supposedly, the bike will benefit an upgrade for anyone over 150lbs. I know mine hunkers way down on the hard turns and I've scraped my boot once because of it. It was the left boot in preparation for an up shift and I've since learned to keep it up on hard left hand turns.

[+Dryphter]

I was thinking about a motorcycle for geocaching when it's not TOO far away from home. I used to race dirt bikes when I lived in N.C. and mostly only had 250cc and 125cc hondas and kawasakis. Never had anything street legal or with a street legal lights package on it.

Does anyone here use a motorcycle for geocaching that gets awesome gas mileage?

 

Would love some suggestions on specific models new and used and also how feasible it is to do this and what the gas mileage is like. Don't want a crotch rocket or a "street bike". Just looking for something that will double for the street just to get me there legally AND going off road or on trails.

 

Well I don't use mine for off-road trails, but as long as it isn't raining I ride my motorcycle caching. I have a Suzuki SV650 and typically get around 50mpg as long as I don't roar around (too much).