Kobus Myburgh
Grey Hound
Courtesy of ADV Pulse:
Many off-road-loving adventure riders live by the mantra ‘Light is Right.’ Lighter bikes are easier to handle in rough stuff, more forgiving of mistakes and less tiring to pick up when you do take the inevitable tumble.
But in the era of the 500-pound, 100-plus horsepower adventure bike, it seems lighter options are lacking. So we did a little research to find the 10 lightest adventure bikes ever built. To make the list, bikes had to be Adventure Bikes from the factory (no Enduro Dual Sports) with at least 250cc, spoke wheels, some form of wind protection and reasonable fuel range. Because this is an “all-time” list, we included bikes that have long been out of production, and models that were never sold in the U.S.
All listed weights are “wet,” meaning gassed up and ready to ride. Ready to shed some pounds? Read on.
10. KTM LC4 640 Adventure R
Wet Weight: 389 pounds (176 kg)
Years produced: 1999-2008
We start off our countdown of the Top 10 lightest adventure bikes with a modern classic in the lightweight category. With nearly 11 inches of front suspension travel and 13 inches in the rear, a massive 7.4 gallon fuel tank, off-road oriented 21″/18″ wheels, 50 horsepower on tap, high ground clearance and decent wind protection courtesy of a sleek dakar-style fairing, the KTM 640 LC4 Adventure was truly one of the all-time great lightweight adventure bikes. The original 640 LC4 Adventure arrived with a transparent windscreen and a high front fender. Some early models had engine problems and wheels that tended to crack easily. All years suffered from excessive vibration, but the 640 LC4 Adventures was the complete package.
9. CSC Cyclone RX-3 250
Wet Weight: 385 pounds (175 kg)
Years produced: 2015-present
The Cyclone RX-3 is a recent offering in the adventure bike category and it’s available in the U.S. (also available outside of North America under the name Zongshen RX3 and M1nsk TRX 300i). The Chinese-made Cyclone 250cc adventure bike comes with many of the right specs: fuel injection, six gears, metal skid plate, locking luggage, good wind protection, 200-plus miles of range (4.2 gallon tank), modern electronic instruments and adjustable rear suspension. And it all comes with a price tag of just $3,895 for the 2016 model. That’s a lot of adventure bike for not much money.
8. Aprilia Pegaso 600
Wet Weight: 379 pounds (172 kg)
Years produced: 1990-1993
Later on in its production life, the Pegaso got heavier and more street oriented. But the early versions were relatively lightweight, air cooled adventure bikes that could take you pretty much anywhere you wanted to, provided the road didn’t get too rough. The small fairing took a bite out of the wind, but it’s a stretch to call it weather protection. Pegasos featured a four-valve, 48-horsepower Rotax engine that liked to rev and a plush suspension that could get squirrely when pushed hard.
7. Shineray X5 XY400GY
Wet Weight: 362 pounds (164 kg)
Years produced: 2011-present
On paper, this bike looks to be a winner. The 29-horsepower engine is a clone of an air-cooled Honda XR400, it carries 4.5 gallons of gas, has a windscreen, skidplate and luggage rack, and even sports a proper 18/21-inch wheel set, the standard for dirt work.
Once again, you can’t buy this bike in the U.S. Online reviews of the X5 have raised questions about build quality and longevity, with some owners reporting no problems and others experiencing issues right from the start.
6. Honda NX4 Falcon 400
Wet Weight: 360 pounds (163 kg)
Years produced: 1998-2008, 2012-present
Another South American Honda that never made its way to the U.S. market, the NX4 is the XR 250 Tornado’s bigger cousin. Other than the halt in production, and a resultant switch to fuel injection to meet emissions standards, the bike has changed little during its long production run.
With a small windscreen, five-speed gearbox, 21/17 wheels and enough power to tour even two-up, the NX4 is a capable adventure that has proven to be extremely reliable and durable.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Many off-road-loving adventure riders live by the mantra ‘Light is Right.’ Lighter bikes are easier to handle in rough stuff, more forgiving of mistakes and less tiring to pick up when you do take the inevitable tumble.
But in the era of the 500-pound, 100-plus horsepower adventure bike, it seems lighter options are lacking. So we did a little research to find the 10 lightest adventure bikes ever built. To make the list, bikes had to be Adventure Bikes from the factory (no Enduro Dual Sports) with at least 250cc, spoke wheels, some form of wind protection and reasonable fuel range. Because this is an “all-time” list, we included bikes that have long been out of production, and models that were never sold in the U.S.
All listed weights are “wet,” meaning gassed up and ready to ride. Ready to shed some pounds? Read on.
10. KTM LC4 640 Adventure R
Wet Weight: 389 pounds (176 kg)
Years produced: 1999-2008
We start off our countdown of the Top 10 lightest adventure bikes with a modern classic in the lightweight category. With nearly 11 inches of front suspension travel and 13 inches in the rear, a massive 7.4 gallon fuel tank, off-road oriented 21″/18″ wheels, 50 horsepower on tap, high ground clearance and decent wind protection courtesy of a sleek dakar-style fairing, the KTM 640 LC4 Adventure was truly one of the all-time great lightweight adventure bikes. The original 640 LC4 Adventure arrived with a transparent windscreen and a high front fender. Some early models had engine problems and wheels that tended to crack easily. All years suffered from excessive vibration, but the 640 LC4 Adventures was the complete package.
9. CSC Cyclone RX-3 250
Wet Weight: 385 pounds (175 kg)
Years produced: 2015-present
The Cyclone RX-3 is a recent offering in the adventure bike category and it’s available in the U.S. (also available outside of North America under the name Zongshen RX3 and M1nsk TRX 300i). The Chinese-made Cyclone 250cc adventure bike comes with many of the right specs: fuel injection, six gears, metal skid plate, locking luggage, good wind protection, 200-plus miles of range (4.2 gallon tank), modern electronic instruments and adjustable rear suspension. And it all comes with a price tag of just $3,895 for the 2016 model. That’s a lot of adventure bike for not much money.
8. Aprilia Pegaso 600
Wet Weight: 379 pounds (172 kg)
Years produced: 1990-1993
Later on in its production life, the Pegaso got heavier and more street oriented. But the early versions were relatively lightweight, air cooled adventure bikes that could take you pretty much anywhere you wanted to, provided the road didn’t get too rough. The small fairing took a bite out of the wind, but it’s a stretch to call it weather protection. Pegasos featured a four-valve, 48-horsepower Rotax engine that liked to rev and a plush suspension that could get squirrely when pushed hard.
7. Shineray X5 XY400GY
Wet Weight: 362 pounds (164 kg)
Years produced: 2011-present
On paper, this bike looks to be a winner. The 29-horsepower engine is a clone of an air-cooled Honda XR400, it carries 4.5 gallons of gas, has a windscreen, skidplate and luggage rack, and even sports a proper 18/21-inch wheel set, the standard for dirt work.
Once again, you can’t buy this bike in the U.S. Online reviews of the X5 have raised questions about build quality and longevity, with some owners reporting no problems and others experiencing issues right from the start.
6. Honda NX4 Falcon 400
Wet Weight: 360 pounds (163 kg)
Years produced: 1998-2008, 2012-present
Another South American Honda that never made its way to the U.S. market, the NX4 is the XR 250 Tornado’s bigger cousin. Other than the halt in production, and a resultant switch to fuel injection to meet emissions standards, the bike has changed little during its long production run.
With a small windscreen, five-speed gearbox, 21/17 wheels and enough power to tour even two-up, the NX4 is a capable adventure that has proven to be extremely reliable and durable.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
