Bikes which waft

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

I paid £3600 for a new DRZ in 2000, I wouldn't pay that for a 20 year old one, the newest ones must be over 10 years old.

I don't understand why KTM don't make a 390 trail bike, I think the only mid sized trail bike on sale in the UK is the CRF250/300, and that's a bit small engine wise.

[ChrisW]

How about a Versys 300 adv? Not as hardcore as a DRZ or perhaps CRF, but arguably waftier plus happier with a pillion and top box.

[KungFooBob]

Were the last of the KLE500's EFI?

[A_morti]

@ChrisW the versys 300 could've been a winner but its 5.1" front suspension travel is the same as my cb300r. Sure it'll be sprung and damped softer, but it misses the point.

@KungFooBob I don't think so. They also do nothing for me.

@Le_Fromage_Grande they do have the 390 adventure. It's meant to be a good bike but the looks up front are... Err... Challenging

[KungFooBob]

G310GS?

I'm in Barcelona at the moment and theres quite a few about, look like a much larger bike, imho

[Couchy]

CB500X, Vstrom 650, CRF300L, Versys 300X basically anything adventure style with 19 or 21" front wheel

[A_morti]

G310GS?

I'm in Barcelona at the moment and theres quite a few about, look like a much larger bike, imho

Not a bad shout, at all. Pretty spendy though, for what's basically a 250.

CB500X, Vstrom 650, CRF300L, Versys 300X basically anything adventure style with 19 or 21" front wheel

Given the cb500x and versys 650 just about 6" travel and the versys 300 just over 5... Will they not miss the mark? Or is longer travel not the measuring stick?

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

You won't need 6" of suspension travel unless you're on a mx track, the 21" front wheel is good because it has to be a bigger hole for the front wheel to fall into, but the main thing with trail bikes is that the whole bike is designed around riding on rough roads, so everything is in the right place for it, and the suspension is set up to cope.

A 1980 DT175 would work just as well on poorly surfaced roads, but wouldn't cope with a mx track very well.

[Cousin Jack]

My CB500F is coping with crap roads in Croatia, coping but not wafting. The CB500X would probably be better.

[Horse]

G310GS?

I was going to suggest 'any BMW', but sounds I'd needed to have added 'except 310GS'.

Then realised you said waft, not whiff

[Yorick]

Waft?

[Horse]

Waft?

I think he means that when you encounter a pothole there's less chance of the front wheel dropping in or of your fillings rattling loose.

[Skub]

Waft?

It's Jonathan Woss's boat.

[Count Steer]

G310GS?

I was going to suggest 'any BMW', but sounds I'd needed to have added 'except 310GS'.

Had to laugh at the title of the Bennett's Insurance blog of the, built in India, 310. 'Haters gotta hate'.

(The writer had one on a long term test (has a KTM 1050 for his own bike) and liked it but said it sounded a bit asthmatic, he needed to put some luggage on it and his mates didn't think he was 'cool'...but he didn't care).

Review----> https://www.bennetts.co.uk/bikesocial/r ... gonna-hate

[matt]

Royal Enfield Himalayan ?

[A_morti]

Royal Enfield Himalayan ?

I'm never in a big hurry these days, but adding 50kg and dropping 5hp from my cb300r seems a bit too much compromise to make.

[A_morti]

G310GS?

Had to laugh at the title of the Bennett's Insurance blog of the, built in India, 310. 'Haters gotta hate'.

Maybe coming around to this. They're not too awful -looking (which from me is high praise for any bike with the functionality I've set my mind on) and that review piece was positive compared to my needs of not much speed needed so amazing high speed handling not required.

[demographic]

Over the years I've blatted about a bit on some pretty crappy roads on some roads equally as shite as those in Malta and yes I have been to Malta.
Anyway, two bikes which have been upto the task with ease have been an ancient (when I rode it) 600 Transalp which although not fast (indicated 104 downhill with a tailwind) was better fun than I expected on the twisty shitty, bumpy roads round Caldbeck (where me and my mate did swapsies) and years later with the same mates TDM 900on the way back from Bichop Aukland (near Durham and where he bought a car he had to get home) and Carlisle, the roads on the far side of Nenthead being particularly shite.

Not perhaps the most inspiring suggestions but they both coped well and I guess being entertained is a mindset.

[Hot_Air]

Alternatively, I wonder how much suspension changes can improve ‘wafting’. Different oil? Springs? Settings?

[mangocrazy]

I'd be looking for something with at least 8 inches of suspension travel and a 19" or 21" front. So an enduro bike then, probably a CRF to stay within budget.