Opinions on a Lighter DS BIKE for my Girlfriend

[lecap]

why not look at a KLE

Does not exactly qualify as "lighter"

[Whaleson]

How competent a rider is she right now? If NOT then I feel the likes of a 650 is throwing her in the deep end...the weight will be too daunting for her. A learning curve would be advisable...first a smaller bike on which she will ease into it and improve/develop her riding skills. Then later go for the likes of a 650.

She is quite competent (4 years on a street bike) and handles my 800 easily enough on the road. It really comes down to low speed handling in the rough, hence the requirement for a lighter bike.

[laurika]

DR or the XTR Yamaha.....both fall really well also. the DR is a bit more bumpy on the long road....the most cushy ride on longroad is the Dakar..or the standard 650...but the most fun on dirt in that class I would say, as a lady....would be the first two...

[Rooikat]

I did 5 000 km solo on the Xcount. A real pig in sand and bad handling on dirt, otherwise OK.
The KLE was too top heavy, gearing and torque unsuitable for off road. Great handling on gravel (I did 5 00 km with my daughter on mainly tar - good touring bike).

[T Rex]

I will go for the BMW 650 GS single. Trusted bullet-proof engine. Lower than the Dakar (for incase she is not tall enough). If she is a tall lady and can handle the Dakar, that will be the first choice.

Have to agree , the Yammie 660 is good value for money. Wil have to add a bit of protection under and in front of the engine.

[Ratt]

Xt660r, with a screen mod 

[Pullaway]

If you get yourself a big strong girlfriend, the decision on the bike would be so much simpler - anyway it is your choice -  think outside the box!

[Stofdonkie]

I did 5 000 km solo on the Xcount. A real pig in sand and bad handling on dirt, otherwise OK.

SWAMBO has put 25k km touring on her X-Country in the last two years.  I'll have to tell her about the bikes kak handling. She doesn't know that and seems to ride fine on all surfaces.

[laurika]

I did 5 000 km solo on the Xcount. A real pig in sand and bad handling on dirt, otherwise OK.

SWAMBO has put 25k km touring on her X-Country in the last two years.  I'll have to tell her about the bikes kak handling. She doesn't know that and seems to ride fine on all surfaces.

u know its really true....I started on my F650gs...did not know any better...all the boys said that's the bike to have...so I put 28 000 dirt on her the first year...only after taking the XT for a test ride (Ive never ridden anything but the gs before) did I realise that riding a bike CAN be less stressfull than what I was use to on the GS. So Ignorance is Bliss in a way...all too true...if you want to ride a bike, you will make any bike work for you.

[Rooikat]

I visited my friend Koos in Zeerust on the XCount on its factory tyres. There is one stretch of gravel which has a few patches of corrugations, combined with sand, which made me think that those tyres weren't suitable for my lost distance trip. I changed to knobblies and found the handling on the same stretch to be just as bad. There was definitely something very wrong with that bike's handling on gravel and especially sand. I've done that piece of road four times with the XL500 and there's just no comparison.

[Stofdonkie]

I did 5 000 km solo on the Xcount. A real pig in sand and bad handling on dirt, otherwise OK.

SWAMBO has put 25k km touring on her X-Country in the last two years.  I'll have to tell her about the bikes kak handling. She doesn't know that and seems to ride fine on all surfaces.

u know its really true....I started on my F650gs...did not know any better...all the boys said that's the bike to have...so I put 28 000 dirt on her the first year...only after taking the XT for a test ride (Ive never ridden anything but the gs before) did I realise that riding a bike CAN be less stressfull than what I was use to on the GS. So Ignorance is Bliss in a way...all too true...if you want to ride a bike, you will make any bike work for you.

So wat jy sê is die X-C is 'n sleg bike en sy ry goed omdat sy eenvouding nie van beter weet nie.

[EssBee]

Get her to ride as many of these options as possible...besides, it's fun!

[laurika]

I did 5 000 km solo on the Xcount. A real pig in sand and bad handling on dirt, otherwise OK.

SWAMBO has put 25k km touring on her X-Country in the last two years.  I'll have to tell her about the bikes kak handling. She doesn't know that and seems to ride fine on all surfaces.

u know its really true....I started on my F650gs...did not know any better...all the boys said that's the bike to have...so I put 28 000 dirt on her the first year...only after taking the XT for a test ride (Ive never ridden anything but the gs before) did I realise that riding a bike CAN be less stressfull than what I was use to on the GS. So Ignorance is Bliss in a way...all too true...if you want to ride a bike, you will make any bike work for you.

So wat jy sê is die X-C is 'n sleg bike en sy ry goed omdat sy eenvouding nie van beter weet nie.

nee op die eerste en ja op die tweede. Sommige bikes doen sommige kondisies beter. AS jy nie van beter weet nie, ry jy hom soos n rental kar....enige terraine.

[Firecoast]

I did 5 000 km solo on the Xcount. A real pig in sand and bad handling on dirt, otherwise OK.

SWAMBO has put 25k km touring on her X-Country in the last two years.  I'll have to tell her about the bikes kak handling. She doesn't know that and seems to ride fine on all surfaces.

u know its really true....I started on my F650gs...did not know any better...all the boys said that's the bike to have...so I put 28 000 dirt on her the first year...only after taking the XT for a test ride (Ive never ridden anything but the gs before) did I realise that riding a bike CAN be less stressfull than what I was use to on the GS. So Ignorance is Bliss in a way...all too true...if you want to ride a bike, you will make any bike work for you.

So wat jy sê is die X-C is 'n sleg bike en sy ry goed omdat sy eenvouding nie van beter weet nie.

nee op die eerste en ja op die tweede. Sommige bikes doen sommige kondisies beter. AS jy nie van beter weet nie, ry jy hom soos n rental kar....enige terraine.

Stem saam daar!

In hindsight, I should probably have gone for a lighter bike. I am not knocking my XT... totally LOVE IT, but with short legs it does make it tricky at the best of times. 

The KTM 640 is a DREAM!!!!!!!!!! Has enough oomph, can go the distance and is lighter than most.

DR is light and goes the distance, but lacks in the looks and ooooh that feels / sounds good department.

[Garfield]

My wife (RedRo) was not comfortable on a DR650, yet she loves the F650GS Twin I bought her to bits.

Let her ride as many options as possible, the right one will be easy for her to spot.

[jagter]

IMHO a 650 Dual sport is not all that light&small.  Remember when an XT500 was considered huge? This phenomena of taking massively heavy bikes off-road is relatively new, and I think it will blow over again in a few years. (already seeing lots of guys selling up and moving on to the next thing)

I would try and find an XT350 somewhere. Failing that, XT or XR 250

[Stofdonkie]

I did 5 000 km solo on the Xcount. A real pig in sand and bad handling on dirt, otherwise OK.

SWAMBO has put 25k km touring on her X-Country in the last two years.  I'll have to tell her about the bikes kak handling. She doesn't know that and seems to ride fine on all surfaces.

u know its really true....I started on my F650gs...did not know any better...all the boys said that's the bike to have...so I put 28 000 dirt on her the first year...only after taking the XT for a test ride (Ive never ridden anything but the gs before) did I realise that riding a bike CAN be less stressfull than what I was use to on the GS. So Ignorance is Bliss in a way...all too true...if you want to ride a bike, you will make any bike work for you.

So wat jy sê is die X-C is 'n sleg bike en sy ry goed omdat sy eenvouding nie van beter weet nie.

nee op die eerste en ja op die tweede. Sommige bikes doen sommige kondisies beter. AS jy nie van beter weet nie, ry jy hom soos n rental kar....enige terraine.

So as iemand goed ry, dan weet hy/sy eenvoudig nie van beter nie.   (Beteken dit dat iemand wat sleg ry is well informed? )

[Chairman Meow]

I visited my friend Koos in Zeerust on the XCount on its factory tyres. There is one stretch of gravel which has a few patches of corrugations, combined with sand, which made me think that those tyres weren't suitable for my lost distance trip. I changed to knobblies and found the handling on the same stretch to be just as bad. There was definitely something very wrong with that bike's handling on gravel and especially sand. I've done that piece of road four times with the XL500 and there's just no comparison.

....try telling Country Girl that.......she rides that bike as comfortably at decent gravel speed as good as the the next guy.
Go figure. ......maybe you were riding with an hangover.

[Hagar]

I did 5 000 km solo on the Xcount. A real pig in sand and bad handling on dirt, otherwise OK.

SWAMBO has put 25k km touring on her X-Country in the last two years.  I'll have to tell her about the bikes kak handling. She doesn't know that and seems to ride fine on all surfaces.

u know its really true....I started on my F650gs...did not know any better...all the boys said that's the bike to have...so I put 28 000 dirt on her the first year...only after taking the XT for a test ride (Ive never ridden anything but the gs before) did I realise that riding a bike CAN be less stressfull than what I was use to on the GS. So Ignorance is Bliss in a way...all too true...if you want to ride a bike, you will make any bike work for you.

So wat jy sê is die X-C is 'n sleg bike en sy ry goed omdat sy eenvouding nie van beter weet nie.

nee op die eerste en ja op die tweede. Sommige bikes doen sommige kondisies beter. AS jy nie van beter weet nie, ry jy hom soos n rental kar....enige terraine.

So as iemand goed ry, dan weet hy/sy eenvoudig nie van beter nie.   (Beteken dit dat iemand wat sleg ry is well informed? )

Yes if you you realise that you could have been riding better.
I

[Dirty Des]

A KTM 640 will put a big grin on her face!

It's light, has a suspension that works, has a tank like a petrol bowser, mine does 440km before going to reserve, it's simple carburation allows it to run on just about any fuel in Africa, and best of all.........IT VIBRATES !!!

Malabu and Lee are your best references, not sure about the other girls that ride them.