Hi guys,
I'm planning a trip from Capetown to Cairo, to start in the next few months.
The first major task is the bike, which I'll buy either in Capetown or Johannesburg (so I should have a decent set of options). Whatever it is, I'll spend a good amount of money on mods, to get it into 'Africa spec' - I'll upgrade it with front and rear suspension, long-range fuel tank, fuel filter, air filter, handlebars, handguards, seat, footpegs, bashplate, case savers, and gusseting (where necessary).
I'm very much prioritising reliability, ruggedness, and light weight.
The bikes that I have in mind are:
DR650
XR650L
DRZ400S
CRF300L
There are issues specific to each model, but the way I'm generally thinking about it is that:
- DR650 and XR650 are roughly equivalent, but DR650 has better ergos and is more capable off-road
- DR650 and XR650 give me quite a bit more torque. Power and top-speed aren't so crucial, so the smaller bikes are acceptable, because it's Africa and I'll be doing relatively low speeds and shorter distances each day
- CRF300L gives me the option to buy new from a dealer and save the hassle of buying from a private owner, and I can start with a totally clean, new platform
- CRF300L has a rubbish fuel tank capacity, the Acerbis 3.6 gallon tank doesn't really feel enough for Africa, and I'm loathe to start putting universal aux tanks on the bike
Are there any that I should add to this list?
Thank you!
Edit: by the way, I'm from Aus, so when I get to Cairo, I won't have really any options for the bike. I'd prefer not to abandon it - that's a really unfitting end for a faithful steed that's carried me across a continent - so if anyone is willing to make the arrangements to ship it back to SA, it'll be all yours.
I'm planning a trip from Capetown to Cairo, to start in the next few months.
The first major task is the bike, which I'll buy either in Capetown or Johannesburg (so I should have a decent set of options). Whatever it is, I'll spend a good amount of money on mods, to get it into 'Africa spec' - I'll upgrade it with front and rear suspension, long-range fuel tank, fuel filter, air filter, handlebars, handguards, seat, footpegs, bashplate, case savers, and gusseting (where necessary).
I'm very much prioritising reliability, ruggedness, and light weight.
The bikes that I have in mind are:
DR650
XR650L
DRZ400S
CRF300L
There are issues specific to each model, but the way I'm generally thinking about it is that:
- DR650 and XR650 are roughly equivalent, but DR650 has better ergos and is more capable off-road
- DR650 and XR650 give me quite a bit more torque. Power and top-speed aren't so crucial, so the smaller bikes are acceptable, because it's Africa and I'll be doing relatively low speeds and shorter distances each day
- CRF300L gives me the option to buy new from a dealer and save the hassle of buying from a private owner, and I can start with a totally clean, new platform
- CRF300L has a rubbish fuel tank capacity, the Acerbis 3.6 gallon tank doesn't really feel enough for Africa, and I'm loathe to start putting universal aux tanks on the bike
Are there any that I should add to this list?
Thank you!
Edit: by the way, I'm from Aus, so when I get to Cairo, I won't have really any options for the bike. I'd prefer not to abandon it - that's a really unfitting end for a faithful steed that's carried me across a continent - so if anyone is willing to make the arrangements to ship it back to SA, it'll be all yours.
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