Help choosing a Small , lightweight motorcycle?
Discussion
Hi since moving to Devon I want to get a motorbike for really exploring its narrow country lanes. I don t want a bike for dual carriages or motorways as it will be a fair weather exploring tool. It needs to be able to carry pillion.
I haven t owned a motorcycle for many years and past my test in 1981. I have owned various bikes the last some 25 years ago a KLX 650. But every year we go to Thailand I hire a 150cc Honda scooter. Also in the past various bikes/scooters on visits to Greece.
So I want something light easy to ride and not too powerful yet. I like the look of super motos like the KTM 390 but I am short in the leg although back in the 80s I had an IT 200 which was a weapon although a little bit tall for me. Love 80s bikes!
But I am looking for something reliable and new so maybe a CRF 300L ticks the boxes?
I did think about a scooter like a Vespa 300 but a more upright higher seating position I feel will give a better field of view around high hedge narrow lanes.
I haven t owned a motorcycle for many years and past my test in 1981. I have owned various bikes the last some 25 years ago a KLX 650. But every year we go to Thailand I hire a 150cc Honda scooter. Also in the past various bikes/scooters on visits to Greece.
So I want something light easy to ride and not too powerful yet. I like the look of super motos like the KTM 390 but I am short in the leg although back in the 80s I had an IT 200 which was a weapon although a little bit tall for me. Love 80s bikes!
But I am looking for something reliable and new so maybe a CRF 300L ticks the boxes?
I did think about a scooter like a Vespa 300 but a more upright higher seating position I feel will give a better field of view around high hedge narrow lanes.
Edited by GT4P on Saturday 31st October 10:00
There's a local guy, NathanthePostman, who specialises in small bikes for back lanes & exploration. He runs a fleet of taster bikes, you can go out and try them all. Also knows all the trails & green lanes. Worth a look, I think - https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NIyMrQ5t7SU
My wife is only 5 foot tall, plus over the years when we were both younger had her pillion on a DT 125lc and the road going xr25Ol circa 2006 predecessor of crf300 whilst on holidays in Greece but she s 65 now but still nimble. But we will go to some bike shops to try out for size. Want something fun as well as practical but not heavy. The 1980s early 90s DT 175 or the XT 500 from early 80s would be a good choice but it s finding a good one hence easier to go for something new.
The thing with the CRF it s more soft roader than off roader which would be great for the small narrow lanes on Dartmoor and some of the lightly gravelled ones.
The thing with the CRF it s more soft roader than off roader which would be great for the small narrow lanes on Dartmoor and some of the lightly gravelled ones.
Thanks for the responses , love the crf450 but not looking for a full blown trail bike. Just looking for something that me and the wife can go out on jolly’s to the beaches around here, exploring the moors tight narrow lanes and obviously light semi gravel/tarmac lanes, also got to have a bit of grunt to pull 2 up some of the steep hills.
If we were living in the 80s there was plenty of choice ie TS185, DT250 ,XL185 etc none of these were serious off roaders and seat height wasn’t particularly high so ideal for mainly tarmac use with good riding position.
It’s a shame the WR125 doesn’t have a few more ponies as that may have been ideal for what I want so it keeps going back to crf300l.
Small capacity street road bikes are not off the table below 400cc so will look at the triumph.
No Reiu or hero’s etc
If we were living in the 80s there was plenty of choice ie TS185, DT250 ,XL185 etc none of these were serious off roaders and seat height wasn’t particularly high so ideal for mainly tarmac use with good riding position.
It’s a shame the WR125 doesn’t have a few more ponies as that may have been ideal for what I want so it keeps going back to crf300l.
Small capacity street road bikes are not off the table below 400cc so will look at the triumph.
No Reiu or hero’s etc
v9 said:
Maybe worth a look at a Royal Enfield, I found the Himalayan perfect for pottering about the lanes. Can take a pillion and luggage if needed too. They aren t fast, but are perfectly adequate.
I'd second that. Especially the earlier 411 model. Can be had for buttons, 25bhp, low seat height, and pillion friendly. 70-80mpg easily achieved as well. FNG said:
Triumph Scrambler 400XC
Not ridden one but the quality of build looks great and they are getting decent reviews.
Just had a quick look at looks decent enough, what’s the difference between x and xc.Not ridden one but the quality of build looks great and they are getting decent reviews.
To add it looks stylish in a retro way which I like, it’s a shame the Honda 350 doesn’t make 3/4s of the power but only 1/2
GT4P said:
FNG said:
Triumph Scrambler 400XC
Not ridden one but the quality of build looks great and they are getting decent reviews.
Just had a quick look at looks decent enough, what s the difference between x and xc.Not ridden one but the quality of build looks great and they are getting decent reviews.
To add it looks stylish in a retro way which I like, it s a shame the Honda 350 doesn t make 3/4s of the power but only 1/2
The Triumph shares the engine with the current KTM Duke 390. Without looking I'd have thought all of the current KTM 390s have that engine now.
The 2017> Duke 390 felt like a 125 size wise to me and previous model Duke 790 felt like an air cooled RD250 size wise. You've got KTM dealers just over the border in Cornwall and at Exeter. The Duke 790 is overkill for Dartmoor exploring performance wise. You've got McPhersons, the former Triumph dealer in Plymouth and GT Motorcycles. The KTM dealer is just over the bridge from Plymouth so you could so those three dealers in one journey.
Is the SV650 lightweight? I know it's not as light as the Duke 390. It's low. I am thinking of ease of use, cheap costs and pillion carrying ability. The torque characteristics make it doddle to ride.
I am not sure what that hit 400 odd cc Chinese trials twin that has the motor the KTM 490 was going to use is called? Is it Kove?
Edited by carinaman on Sunday 1st November 09:03
Yep really like the look of the KTM 390 supermoto but might be a bit tall, it gets a lot of praise and recently talking to a fella who owns the enduro and had nothing but praise for it. So good to hear it shares its engine with the triumph.
Already planned to go to Oceans in Plymouth to check the Truimph out even just specd one up in the orange, but we need to go and sit on these bikes to see what really suits and how I feel about the bike whilst sat on
Already planned to go to Oceans in Plymouth to check the Truimph out even just specd one up in the orange, but we need to go and sit on these bikes to see what really suits and how I feel about the bike whilst sat on
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