If you were a Noob and had $15k max to spend...

You can buy a KLR with the KTM parts Budget.

If you guys who are debating (again) the relative merits of big trailies v's monster trailies off-road in the mud, will re-read the original question, you will see the OP is looking for a street-oriented large DS, plus a small trail-bike. I would suggest that he will not be buying a big trailie like the KLR and will not be taking a monster trailie in the mud as he will have something smaller for that purpose.

Nothing broken:





Broken:

Not a lot of late, having spent most of the past decade on an island 50 km long by 20 km wide. I have had some good rides in New Zealand, the British Isles and Europe, but that was all in pre digital photography days.

I anticipate moving on sometime in 2013. With widened horizons there should be the odd adventure to post, over the couple or three decades that I have to look forward to.

Somehow a few words got missed out.

I enjoy motorcycling, but motorcycles are primarily economical transport for me and others here. A car is beyond my budget (and I have little need of one anyway; have rented only three times in the past nine years), and Phuket is poorly served with public transport.

I bought a motorcycle (paid cash) for my ex-girlfriend when she needed one.

When she walked out on her job I paid off the remaining balance (in a lump sum) on her father's motorcycle that her sister got kudos for. She put the deposit down on it..... my girlfriend was left with looking after the payments.

When her best friend needed a motorcycle I fronted the cash to buy one. That found it's way to her father in a province 900 km away, and she married a man in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia).... all without me seeing a baht of the loan repaid.

So three motorcycles associated with that ex-girlfriend (of several years).... she moved on when she felt she should be getting around on four wheels. She sold the motorcycle I bought her to help pay off her new boyfriend's car.

Since then I paid for the transport (and a bit more) for a bike another young woman's mother sent her from her home 1,700 km away. Her bludging brother turned up and crashed that. Now it now looks a bit of a mess, but still works.

So that's five motorcycles in the last decade, but I am the registered owner of only the oldest one!


To the OP..... I have long since had a fairly pragmatic attitude to motorcycles. Some people spend a fortune chasing their wants, dreams and fantasies. If motorcycling is mainly a hobby, and you can afford it, go for it.

Like many other life-long motorcyclists, I tend to go for a bike that meets my needs.... Boring, eh?

I'd be 40 years younger,,
I like all the bikes I've had, except for a true hatred for a very few.
Like 'em ain't enuff, I have sold most of the bikes I have liked.
not enuff to just LIKE a bike,,for bonding purposes, if yer into that.
My KLR is a POSKLR, but the difference is,, I love it!
it is too tall,
too heavy,
doesn't come to me when I call it, doesn't purr or snuggle,
it rquires frequent feeding,
it has no real usable powerband,
crappy suspension,
substandard stock brakes,
low power output for electrical additions,
BUT,,

it will carry a ton of camping crap you don't even need!
If you don't beat it, it gets darn good gas mileage,
They are darned reliable, maintain, observe, service and ride.
Surprisingly, for what it is,, it can corner very well when set up properly,,mostly downhill ,,
It won't break your wallet for parts,
with a good manual, you can do most work yourself,
You can make up names for what the KLR stands for to unsuspecting non riders that you meet in the restaurant parking lot!

Oh! wait,, if you are a KLR rider,,you won't likely be at a restaurant!

Okay,,maybe you stopped to use the bathroom and fill yer Camelback with free ice,,
who doesn't do that?!take the crackers too!
My KLR doesn't care if it is dirty.
AND!,,the older ones have more class!

I like this game! I wish I could play it with myself...wait, that came out wrong...

How far do you ride for work? If you're doing <500-600 mile days then:

Newish KTM 990 ADV (spend most of the $ on this and farkles for it, maybe 10k)
Newish DRZ 400 (for the more realer off roading, maybe 4-5k)

Traveling >600 mile days

KTM 990 ADV (spend a little less than the first option, maybe 8k)
Older, Smaller Dual Sport (Something smaller than 600cc and less than 3k, maybe a really beat up DRZ? haha)
A Sport Tourer/Tourer (old 'Wing or Concours, you can find them surprisingly cheap, this will be the mile-eater)

These are my totally biased, personal dream bikes that assume you already have plenty of gear/skill.

And now looking carefully through your replies, I would say maybe snag one bike and see how you like it/get some more miles under your belt. You seem plenty mechanically inclined to do most of the work you'd find yourself needing to do, which in my opinion is a BIG money saver.

I thought he was kidding, all I've ever seen are the pictures u posted. I haven't seen much yet , though ;-)

How committed is the OP to having two bikes? A second (or third) vehicle is an anchor. Of course, if you have a garage, you're already well-anchored.


Since the OP otherwise still seems to be (re)figuring out what sort of motorcyclist they are, I'd suggest buying cheap and used until they're more certain - maybe a dr-z400 (which should split the difference on the small and big thumpers pretty well, and SM wheels can be had for it, too for 'round town duty).

I think owning a 250cc dualsport, a 650cc dualsport -and- a big GS or KTM all at once is a heavy investment in dirt riding. How sure are you that is what you want? You obviously weren't sure six months ago when you bought your Dyna, so I wouldn't spend the whole $15k right now on all-dirt bikes. Chances are, you'll end up one bike collecting dust, or even two of them.

Go slow, wait for a cracking deal on something used, see if you still like it later, resell, repeat.

A noob would have not the slightest fucking idea what bike to buy.

And if he did, only $15k wouldn't be enough to buy more than one, and might not even be enough to fully pay for one.

I'm starting to think this is the place to start. A 450 or 525 cc street legal dirt bike. I don't have to spend a whole lot for a used bike. Also, the local dealer is out of 800XCs to demo. Thanks.

2 bikes:
DL650 for road trips.
DR650 or WR250 for shorter trips and dirt roads.
95% of needs covered for probably 8k.

However, picking bikes is highly individual. More so than cars I think. Sit on all of them and then decide.

I think a DR650 and a Yamaha FZ-1 would do everything you need a motorcycle to do. And at your price range, one of them could even be new, and the other very low mileage.

get a used DL650 for 5-6K and a new CRF250L, for $4K. you're at max, ten grand right there and still have five grand left over...invest $2,000-$2,500 in great gear for you and the rest for luggage/gear for your bikes. done.

yes, good gear costs that much. it's worth the investment.

If it were me, knowing everything that I know now, and knowing how I like to ride:

KLR650 or DR650. Budget about $5,000 here. Ride it everywhere, use it as a DD/vacation bike

Some sort of sportbike/ Sport-touring bike. Think VFR800, SV1000, 1250 Bandit. Something comfortable enough, good handling, good power, ability to carry luggage.


That would put you under budget easily. I would consider a true 'dirt bike' or a sportster for a third, but that would depend on your riding area. A smaller dual sport would make a good third bike also, say a DR350, WR250, KLX250, etc.

Just my .02

03-06 KTM RFS 450-525 Plated~$3000

Saturday night special (Monster, Aprilia, Airhead etc) $5000

03-06 KTM 950 ~well, you've got $7000 left to spend...

Don't forget to budget for decent gear. This includes a nice pair of dirt boots, pants, helmet, jacket, gloves. If you ride a lot of dirt you're probably going to have an entire suit for dirt with a dedicated helmet, goggles, impact suit, knee pads etc.

Of course I have none of those bikes now, but at one point I had all of them. Only one I really regret selling was the KTM 950 GO!!!. The Monster 900 was also a blast, especially if you like V Twins and for that matter the 950 with pipes sounds pretty sweet too.

Reality is I would NOT recommend you go out and spend that kind of coin. I would keep the Harley because you like it. I would go buy a plated thumper and start doing some rides with your buddies in the dirt. You'll really learn a lot about bike control, braking etc in that first year to where you'll be more confident on a big bike in the dirt. I went the opposite, bought a big bike and took it to the dirt. Now I only ride dirt on my dirt bike other than dirt roads. More fun that way and the little thumper is much easier to pick up and shit doesn't break.

If you haven't ridden a KLR or DR, ride one. They're trucks. The don't work very well on the street, and are even worse in the dirt. If at all possible, ride a year or two old KTM, 450, 525, 500EXC, something of the sort. Very, very good in the dirt. Not so good on the street. WR250s are underpowered. If they made a street legal 450, I'd buy one (Yamaha or Honda). DRZ400s are OK, but not like the KTMs.

Ride a bunch of different bikes. Get the ones you like. $15k buys a couple real nice bikes, shop around, lots of bikes with almost no miles on them out there. And personally, I wouldn't buy anything with more than 10,000 miles or so on it, too many low miles bikes out there to buy something that has a lot of miles on it. One guy told me that his 80,000 BMW was just broken in. He was lying.

Another reference to the mythic WR450R...

Surely, we will have a sighting of this imaginary thumper soon... maybe even a photo(shop)...

NFE

No photo shop required it already exists.

http://motorbike-search-engine.co.uk/2012-Motorcycles/yamaha-wr450f-enduro.php