Dream bike

I own two bikes, a 2000 VFR at home and a DR650 which I leave up at my Vermont house for cruising the dirt roads. Previously I had a DR350 up there. It's a bloody shame that the manufacturers have gone away from the good 'ol air cooled 350 dual sports....with the 6 speed transmissions they actually handle highway speeds as well or better than the 650s with their BS 5 speed trans....but they're still a single.

Humor me a minute as I dream a bit....
In the spirit of the BMW GS and the Honda Crosstour, etc but LIGHTER, why not make a more maneuverable, dirt road oriented adventure bike....start with a lowered XR 400 frame and combine it with a parallel twin and 6 speed trans like from the CBR 300 ? Same horsepower as a 650 and a hell of a lot smoother on the highway!

Am I nuts? Wouldn't this "light adventure" class be a pisser for all around rural riding?

 

I think the perfect platform for Honda would be the now discontinued XR650R. It was Honda's Baja bike which had an aluminum frame and liquid cooling. Why they didn't replace the very dated XR650L with the R is beyond me.

 

Aren't you just describing the NC700x?
While not an off-roader by default, many convert it to one and then you have a capable all-terrain motorcycle with a 670cc engine and 70+ mpg. Did I mention onboard storage, as well?

 

Only problem it that its pushing 500 lbs!!! lol

 

I'm with you on this. The aluminum frame alone makes it worth it. They were around 275 lbs stock and 2 more inches of ground clearance than a DR with a much better suspension. I have a well sorted DR and love it but the XR is much more off road capable. For longer hauling and less off road the DR is awesome. I wish it was lighter with an aluminum frame. Mine is down to around 310 I think.

 

I just looked up the Honda's suspension, rebound and compression on front and rear and a stock bash plate. Yum.

 

Ha, true. But you wouldn't know it; they have more than enough torque to handle the weight. It was my first bike, but I sold it due to preferring a sportier look over the upright position. Hence why I ended up with the VFR.

 

http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/123/941/motorcycle-article/2006-honda-xr650r-bike-test.aspx

 

It sounds to me almost like you were describing the Honda Trans Alp, a sadly discontinued bike that did the whole 'adventure dual sport' thing before Ewan McGregor made it cool to ride stupidly huge, expensive, complex motorcycles in the middle of nowhere with a support team in tow to fix them.

 

lol at the following support team. ^^

 

For what I'm imagining the XL is too much of a brute. I'd want to basically have a range of options like the old 350 enduros offered....light enough to putt up a woods road, lift over a downed log across the trail, yet with a 6 speed "overdrive" for a comfortable cruise at a sustained 75 mph without a case of numb nuts...which would require a twin.

If you took the cbr300 engine at 26 hp (make it a 400?) and put it in a mid sized enduro frame....and keep it light!! Sub 325 pounds. That's what I'm talkin' 'bout.

The NC700 needs a little brother...with DOT knobbies! Anything over 350 pounds or too tall a seat height defeats the off-road/tight woods exploring thing. I'm 47 and ain't out to ride like a fool when I'm alone in the woods. Hell, I've got two kids that need me to fork over the dough to over-paid college professors for 4 years apiece!

Forgot all about the TransAlp. Never realized it was a v-twin. .it looks very cool but way overweight...make it a 400 twin and sign me up!

 

The XR650R was under 300 but its seat was as high as a lot of dirt bikes at 37". I can cruise my DR at 80 for hours with no problem and then jump off in the woods.

 

My DR is ok but I don't know how you handle 'a couple of hours'...ouch. Call me a cupcake but I'm not that comfortable on it in the woods...the 350 was another story...no problem.

 

Did you see the post with the link to the guy who rode his DR asross the US, then from England to the tip of Africa....... and back? That is an Iron Butt challenge!

 

Sponsored by Preparation H ? I ASSume he had better than a stock seat?