I very nearly bought a Royal Enfield Military model as my first motorcycle. Very similar look, although a bit smaller. I didn't buy it because all they had in stock at the local dealership had 250 cc engines. I wanted something just a little bit bigger.
But anything that uses ammo cans for saddlebags can't be all bad, right?
Nice upright seating position. It's Swiss so would be designed for the Alps and with that a good deal of torque to get you (and all that weight) up and around switchbacks. The Ducati bevel-drive uses shims to adjust the valves but should be pretty reliable - but it's not a high RPM motor and since it's military it isn't a high-speed knee-dragger. Marzocchi forks are a nice and high quality design - and can be valved for your weight/riding style so you're mainly in the effective middle of the stroke instead of at the end like a lot of under-sprung Japanese bikes designed for a 150lb rider... The tires look narrow and have a bit of a dual-sport edge profile. Not sure about the drum-brake front but they're supposedly fairly easy to work-on and possibly might be converted to disc with a kit... Because of it's unique character, It's the kind of starter bike that you'd keep when you went on to another bike - but now you HAVE to buy a Swiss K-31 if you don't already have one!
If this floats your boat, you might consider the Kawasaki 650 KLR, or a variant from Honda. The KLR is the bike the Marines use, converted to diesel, and there are a bunch of aftermarket accessories like luggage racks and saddlebags for it.
Honda's version is an air cooled 650, avoiding the complexity of the Kawasaki's water cooling. Down side to the Honda is a 2.8 gallon gas tank (the Kaw is 6.1 gallons). At least one accessory outfit makes a 4 gallon tank for it.
Either is pretty indestructable. And, if you ever win the lottery, BMW makes off-road models from 650 to 800 cc.
If you want dual-sporty visions check out gunny the Kirkster , fomerly of "Fun Turns to Tragedy!" on ADVrider. He's doing the TAT - Trans America Trail... http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=896312 "a route using dirt roads, gravel roads, jeep roads, forest roads and farm roads. Dropping down into dried-up creek beds. Riding atop abandoned railroad grades.".... And as a gunny, I'm guessing not unarmed. Sounds like fun to me.
11 comments:
I very nearly bought a Royal Enfield Military model as my first motorcycle. Very similar look, although a bit smaller. I didn't buy it because all they had in stock at the local dealership had 250 cc engines. I wanted something just a little bit bigger.
But anything that uses ammo cans for saddlebags can't be all bad, right?
Nice upright seating position. It's Swiss so would be designed for the Alps and with that a good deal of torque to get you (and all that weight) up and around switchbacks. The Ducati bevel-drive uses shims to adjust the valves but should be pretty reliable - but it's not a high RPM motor and since it's military it isn't a high-speed knee-dragger. Marzocchi forks are a nice and high quality design - and can be valved for your weight/riding style so you're mainly in the effective middle of the stroke instead of at the end like a lot of under-sprung Japanese bikes designed for a 150lb rider...
The tires look narrow and have a bit of a dual-sport edge profile. Not sure about the drum-brake front but they're supposedly fairly easy to work-on and possibly might be converted to disc with a kit...
Because of it's unique character, It's the kind of starter bike that you'd keep when you went on to another bike - but now you HAVE to buy a Swiss K-31 if you don't already have one!
I'd hit that.
If this floats your boat, you might consider the Kawasaki 650 KLR, or a variant from Honda. The KLR is the bike the Marines use, converted to diesel, and there are a bunch of aftermarket accessories like luggage racks and saddlebags for it.
Honda's version is an air cooled 650, avoiding the complexity of the Kawasaki's water cooling. Down side to the Honda is a 2.8 gallon gas tank (the Kaw is 6.1 gallons). At least one accessory outfit makes a 4 gallon tank for it.
Either is pretty indestructable. And, if you ever win the lottery, BMW makes off-road models from 650 to 800 cc.
The Swiss Army bike looks kewl (is it the Swiss Army Knife of bikes?), but what about spares?
If you want dual-sporty visions check out gunny the Kirkster , fomerly of "Fun Turns to Tragedy!" on ADVrider. He's doing the TAT - Trans America Trail...
http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=896312
"a route using dirt roads, gravel roads, jeep roads, forest roads and farm roads. Dropping down into dried-up creek beds. Riding atop abandoned railroad grades.".... And as a gunny, I'm guessing not unarmed. Sounds like fun to me.
comes with rifle rack?
If you buy one, you realize that you have to buy a K31 to go with it? Right?
NotClauswitz and TOTWTYTR, a K31 wouldn't hurt. At all.
Blue Moon Cycle has been in my bookmarks since the days when I used Netscape. One of these days I'll make it East and see them in person.
And a bayonet for the K-31, now there's a knife!
Post a Comment