| Author | Message | ||
     Whatever |
So, since I took a long trip on the XB9SX and I have fallen out of love with my M2... I am considering selling the M2 this Spring and saving up for an Enduro so I can start some off roading up north during my three day weekends. The seat height on my City X is 30.1 inches approximately (laden as listed on the buell.com specs)... I would like to find a BMW that is 650 cc or less, with a seat height of 31 inches or less. I may have to buy one and then drop the suspension, but this is not my preference. I am considering a second hand bike, 5K or less and do not care about cosmetics. Hard bags included would be a nice touch, but I am sure I could get a Hepco Becker rack on the Beemer and just use the hard bags I paid some serious cha-ching for. Any ideas would be appreciated... I am around 145lbs (and would like to lose 20 lbs) and 5'4", so height is the biggest factor, with price being a second consideration. I am looking at doing a spending budget this weekend, and need some motivation to stick to it for the next 6 months or so. TIA.  (Message edited by Whatever on October 23, 2010) | ||
| Whatever |
5K is $5,000... I do not care about miles if the bike is in good mechanical condition... Also woule consider a KLR as well, as a friend has one and absolutely loves it... | ||
| Jaimec |
The G650GS might be just what you're looking for. The seat is probably at the top of what you're looking for, but it is relatively narrow and the bike itself is VERY lightweight. (Message edited by jaimec on October 23, 2010) | ||
| Whatever |
Looks like fun. You can get the seat height down to 29.5, which would be more than adequate. I do NOT want ABS. Have had it in my cab I used to drive and do NOT like it, feel more out of control in a slide with it. Can you switch the ABS off? How expensive are they to maintain? I have heard with ALL beemers you have to go to the dealership for everything. Might go take a trip to Uke's in Racine to see what they have. | ||
| Whatever |
KTM would also be an option. | ||
| F_skinner |
http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2010/10/first-offic ial-photo-of-triumph-tiger-800-xc/ | ||
| Court |
Arrrrrrrrrghhhh. . . I sold a GREAT BMW with a full set of hard bags last year for about nothing . . . darts AND . . . it had the lowering kit installed. They are out there. Check the classified at "The Chain Gang". | ||
| Guell |
i really really like that new tiger 800 | ||
| Birdy |
I have a KLR and it's a great bike. What the Buell is poor at the KLR does well and where the KLR fall down the Buell runs with. They work as good stable mates, team work. For 5K you could almost get a NEW KLR But with a little looking you should be able to find a fully farkled one in great shape under 3k to 4k. Bad news is the seats at 34" or so. Good news is the seat sucks so bad you won't mind buying a Sargets and getting that 31" hight. There is more after market support for the KLR than almost any bike I can thing of. I find the people that ride KLRs are of the same cut and Buelles, strait shooters, will to help any time, and just good folks. | ||
| Iamike |
If you are looking for an enduro the DR650 is a little shorter than the KLR650 & XR650. Not sure about the smaller ones. | ||
| Mluds0379 |
I sat on a cg 650 @ a bmw dealership about 2 months ago, the seat height was lower to the ground than my xb9s. I am 5'6" and was able to get the balls of both my feet on the ground. On my buell I can only get the tips of feet trying to put both feet on the ground. Nice bike. | ||
| Jaimec |
Whatever... didn't you read the article I linked? ALL of the dual purpose Beemers equipped with ABS are switchable for off-road use. It would be dangerous if they were not! In fact, I believe ALL manufacturers who equip on/off road bikes with ABS make them switchable for that reason. I'm not aware of any bikes meant to be ridden in the dirt that do not have switchable ABS (assuming they are equipped with ABS in the first place). | ||
| Whatever |
I did read your article, that is why I asked. I wanted to make sure I understood.  | ||
| Gunut75 |
I would go with either a Suzuki DR 650, Honda XL650, or the Kawi. Because your a petite gal, maybe even a street legal Honda XR400 or KLX400. Maintenance is almost nil, and reliable as the sun. If you add a kickstart to any of those that don't have one, ya can really get the little boys blood pumpin.  | ||
| Iamike |
You had better buy one soon because the ABS mandate may make the dual-sports obsolete. http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/News/newsresults /General-news/2010/October/oct22-abs-to-become-com pulsory/ Just another example of 'do-gooders' overstepping their bounds. | ||
| Just_ziptab |
I have fallen out of love with my M2... I am considering selling the M2 this Spring NO NO NO NO NO! Keep it,once it's gone,it's gone forever. It's the best house pet you can ever have if you store it. No food,no water and it's always there for you to come back to life. The "pay day" instant gratification of cash you get for it is nothing in the big picture of wanting something else. | ||
| Whatever |
Bob S has me thinking about new paint for the M2, as he has the entire setup at his house in Milwaukee. We also have some minor fixes & adjustments to make to fix the other problems. What is so great about the 9 is the ergonomics are perfect for me. Now I realize that they are wrong on the M2. I need to do the following to get her back up and running: gas cap, breather bolts, rocker box, new rear tire. I WANT to do: new paint, clean the engine w simple green and some kind of engine brightener or replace the clutch cover, new seat, etc. What is killing me is the hefty insurance on the 9. Three times that for the M2. How they get away with this I don't know. I think there is an itty bitty dirt bike for sale a mile up the road. If it stops raining I might give it a spin... Reading Glen Heggsted's book is getting me thinking. When I am done with that I am reading the second one. North Wisconsin has a lot of GREAT graded gravel roads to learn on too!  House pet is a good idea. Just need to convince my landlord she won't piss oil on the floor, but now I have ample garage space too!  | ||
| 86129squids |
Char- I've got two good buddies nearby in Friendsville who run a D/S business, they're uber-gearheads, and super cool: http://www.dualsporttouring.com/xlsws_php/index.ph p?o=startpage Megan and Francois both can help you in a big way- last time I talked with Megan, she was selling her DR400 with lots of farkles added... OTOH, I'll sell you my 82 R65 for cheep, but it's not a D/S... | ||
| Firemanjim |
Char,had a Suzuki DR 650 and wish I had never sold it. They have lowering kit built it to rear suspension linkage and forks,just need a lower kickstand. Tons of accessories available and good long distance capabilities. Rode mine to Tacoma and back one weekend to visit Bob and Deb. More off road capable than the KLR. | ||
| Drkside79 |
I love all the BMWs ive tried lots of fun! good choice IMO | ||
| Preybird1 |
I have a klr650 also and i love this bike.....It is big though and you can lower the seat height via lowering links on the rear suspension. When i got mine it was modified with a 3" lowering kit, front forks slip up into the triple 2.5" and all the foam shaved out of the seat for a super short person. I have done 1,600 off road miles on this bike this year alone and commute work a lot on it. I paid 2400.00 for it with 2500 miles on the odo. Now it has a desert tank and brush guards, heated grips and seat, Top case, gps. The klr's have been around for so long that there is tons of parts and accessories. | ||
| Babired |
The BMW Country is really fun, very light. They don't make them anymore but you can have loads of fun on one of those. | ||
| Whisperstealth |
Birdy +1 I love my KLR, great stable mates! And you can get a fully farkled one for 3-4K at 5K a really nice farkled one with low miles. There are lots and lots of after market parts. They make lowering kits, one kind is fully adjustable up and down. 31" goal is no problem. They are easy to work on and make mods. Best bang for you buck by far! Check out KLR650.net | ||
| Panhead_dan |
If you work the bugs out of the M2 and ride it (everywhere) you will never forget it. KLR's while very good bikes are forgettable. | ||
| Ratbuell |
Keep the M2. Easy fixes, all that you list: Gas cap, get a new one. Blast caps fit perfectly. Rocker boxes - while you're replacing gaskets, switch to XB upper covers, PCV valves, and grommets. Eliminates one layer of gasket....and you don't have to worry about the breather bolts (just get regular 1/2-13 bolts at the hardware store to bolt the carb bracket on). Tire is easy enough. What about the ergos are "wrong" for you? If you have a full-height M2, I'll swap you your tall stuff for our low stuff (seat, forks and shock). I'm tired of dragging pegs before I'm even out of the driveway LOL. But even if it isn't the height...I'm willing to bet it's an easy fix. And the bike is definitely worth keeping. Nowhere near as much absolute power in the M2 because of the cam profile...but my GOD it's got mountains of torque. My first bike was my '99 M2; sold it, didn't think much about it...then got this '01 M2L and remembered everything that was so cool about it! *edit* nevermind...just looked at your profile, says you have an M2L as well. Admit it though...you just want an excuse to farkle and dress like us Uly guys!  | ||
| Gunut75 |
Go with a DR 650, with the 725 kit + a cam!.............STOMPER!!! | ||
| Whisperstealth |
KLR with a 685 or 705 kit! | ||
| Jaimec |
To everyone recommending the KLR... did you miss the part where she said it's too tall?? | ||
| Fast1075 |
My Hulie is a DRZ400 with 2" lowering links and the fork tubes are moved up 1.25"...with the equivalent to a "low" seat and 17" wheels, I can get the balls of both feet on the ground on both sides at once....no small feat for my 28" inseam and 5'3" height....when I bought it, the seat literally came to my beltline... I geared it 16/39 and it runs great, cruises easily at 70mph...and has suprising power for a stock engine. And it has humbled a lot of bigger bikes in the tight twisties.... |
