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One Bike to do Everything - Suggestions and Advice Please


Kinnock

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My money's on the CRF300 Rally... but I couldn't care less about ABS... lots of dirt roads and trails where I am. On the highway it will do 120 easy with stock gearing. Good range with the larger tank standard. Add a Givi box and you've got your grocery getter.

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2 hours ago, canthai55 said:

From the OP - "The Versys X300 is close to my spec, but cruising at 10'000 RPM is not ideal."

 

How fast you cruising ?

The X300 is very low geared - so normal 80 to 90 KPH highway speeds are up in the 9000 to 10,000 RPM range.  And the bigger issue is that there's not much left for overtaking.  The Z and Ninja 400 are more relaxed with a much higher top speed, which is why the small Kawasaki adventure bike looks to have the wrong engine.

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3 minutes ago, mikebike said:

My money's on the CRF300 Rally... but I couldn't care less about ABS... lots of dirt roads and trails where I am. On the highway it will do 120 easy with stock gearing. Good range with the larger tank standard. Add a Givi box and you've got your grocery getter.

Yes, I'm beginning to think that way too.  Only other issue with the Honda is that it's very poor with a pillion passenger due to odd rear peg location, but I only have passengers for short distances.

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10 hours ago, Kinnock said:

Good suggestion ..... dropping 2 teeth on the rear sprocket seems to be a common mod on the Versys forum - but I wasn't sure if this effects the speedometer or engine management?

Two teeth is not much at all,i would go for one teeth bigger up front,you have lots of revs

to works with.

You can find out exactly how much difference you get,i forgot the math but it is not difficult.Apps are on google.

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2 hours ago, guzzi850m2 said:

Its necessary on a big bike in my opinion but not so much on a scooter. Yes it was not there before but things have moved on, we also drove cars without airbags before but I will never buy one without them in 2021.

 

Same as traction control on my big bike, the power is so brutal it kicks in many times when I ride it hard, a life saver on Thailand often not so clean road surfaces. 

Don't get me wrong. But I like to ask: Should you, or anybody else, ride a bike which needs all this electronic support? And if the bike wouldn't have these support functions you (and me and many others) wouldn't be able to control such a bike?

I just saw an interesting video on YouTube about 600cc vs 1000cc bikes.

My summary of that video is: Lots of guy buy a 1000cc bike and they only survive on that bike because it has all those electronic control features. If these guys would buy a bike according to their riding skills then they should never buy a 1000cc...

 

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8 hours ago, Kinnock said:

The X300 is very low geared - so normal 80 to 90 KPH highway speeds are up in the 9000 to 10,000 RPM range.  And the bigger issue is that there's not much left for overtaking.  The Z and Ninja 400 are more relaxed with a much higher top speed, which is why the small Kawasaki adventure bike looks to have the wrong engine.

Motor Cycle News tested an x300. 60mph (100kph) = 7000rpm and they say "You can cruise comfortably at 80mph and can even increase that to 90mph with no real issues. Sure, the revs are high and it’s a little buzzy, but your fillings aren’t being shaken loose."

90mph (150kph) would equate to 10500rpm, which is nothing to a Kwak engine which revs to 12000

 

https://www.motorcyclenews.com/bike-reviews/kawasaki/versys-x-300/2017/

Edited by mrfill
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I have a Forza 300 and a Honda NC 750x. The Forza gets a lot of use. If I wanted to down to 1 bike I would consider the Yamaha 535 just a bigger Forza. I have driven 1 and was impressed but they are expensive in my opinion.

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8 hours ago, Kinnock said:

The X300 is very low geared - so normal 80 to 90 KPH highway speeds are up in the 9000 to 10,000 RPM range. 

 

Wrong. Stock. 80 kph is a tad under 6000 while 90 is around 6500. With one tooth added that becomes 5500 and 6000. A bit low for the 300. It prefers to be at or above above 7000. But at 80-90 kph there is always 5th gear.

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2 hours ago, CLW said:

How about Benelli Leoncino? Or Bajaj NS200? They also have a 400ish Bike, Dominator but no ABS.

I don't think Bajaj is available here?  I like the look of the Leoncino, but unfortunately very few dealers in Thailand.

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2 hours ago, siam dreamers said:

Consider rethinking the Enfield 650 twin at 202kilo with abs fron and back.  About 170,000 used and a great all around bike. I use it as my daily driver and enjoy it every time I am on it. Pleasurable easy going ride.

I just sold my 2020 Interceptor 650 for 160,000. Had A&E exhaust, bag racks and large engine guards. Nice bike.

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2 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

 What's the point in more powerful bikes for "normal people"?

Blinding acceleration - if you ain't never felt it you can never know.

The feeling that the handlebars are about to be yanked out of your hands.

The furious push in the butt when you twist the grip.

Needed - no. But like so many of the finer things in life - nice to have.

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1 hour ago, canthai55 said:

Blinding acceleration - if you ain't never felt it you can never know.

The feeling that the handlebars are about to be yanked out of your hands.

The furious push in the butt when you twist the grip.

Needed - no. But like so many of the finer things in life - nice to have.

My VFR accelerated to 100km/h in the 1st gear - 14,500 RPM. I loved that feeling. I am sure with a 600cc or 1000cc there would be more of the same. But it's nice if you can actually use more than the first two gears of a bike... 

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On 6/15/2021 at 8:48 AM, OneMoreFarang said:

Sure. But then millions of motorcycle riders were perfectly fine without ABS for decades.

Is it nice to have ABS? Yes. Is it necessary? No.

Same with cars, automatic gearboxes and all other improvements. Does it bother you in any way you have it? No.. Can it save your life? Damn, yes!

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5 minutes ago, Kalorymetr said:

Same with cars, automatic gearboxes and all other improvements. Does it bother you in any way you have it? No.. Can it save your life? Damn, yes!

Since when do automatic gearboxes save lives?

 

I think the best life saving issue is a competent driver. And it seem with all those extras many people never learn that brakes have limits and all these little things. I think everybody should learn to drive and ride on vehicles which don't have all those things to make it easier. If people know how to emergency brake without ABS then they can still buy a car with ABS later.

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4 hours ago, canthai55 said:

Blinding acceleration - if you ain't never felt it you can never know.

The feeling that the handlebars are about to be yanked out of your hands.

The furious push in the butt when you twist the grip.

Needed - no. But like so many of the finer things in life - nice to have.

It's a thrill for sure.  The memory of the first time I twisted the throttle wide open on my Kawa H2 triple is branded into my memory.  I knew its reputation but it still took me by surprise. It was that bike that taught me the importance of squeezing the tank with my knees.  For me the benefit of a larger, more powerful bike is responsiveness on the highway.  Before I moved to Thailand I had a ZRX1200, Sprint 1050 sport tourer and a Versys 650.  The versys was a fun bike for sure and I would highly recommend it to the OP. On the highway I felt like I had to plan overtakes as if I was in a car.  On either of my other bikes I didn't have to think, just twist the throttle with no downshifting. Acceleration was instant and, especially for the ZRX, brutal. The Versys was a blast to ride and by far the most comfortable.  The only drawback is that you can't turn off the abs which you don't want on if you are going off road.  However I think the Versys is perfect for Thailand.  There's a reason why so many of the touring outfits in Thailand use the V-650.

 

I don't think anyone has mentioned the Yamaha MT-07.  I rented one a few months ago and it was a hoot to ride.  It has a grunty engine, is small and very agile.  I had it up to 120kph briefly which it got to with no problems.  To me it felt like a scooter with a helluva engine.  I think it would be good in the city and handle the out of town excursions, say to Pattaya, without any problems.  Just a thought.

 

 

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