Iceland bike choice?. 390 ADV vs 300 Rally

The Things We Ride

which bike

300 Rally
5
63%
390 ADV KTM
2
25%
Other
1
13%
 
Total votes: 8

User avatar
Snaf MKII
Posts: 698
Joined: Thu Nov 21, 2019 2:57 pm
Location: Simms Hill
Has thanked: 918 times
Been thanked: 751 times

Re: Iceland bike choice?. 310 GS v 500X

Post by Snaf MKII »

We have a 310GS and it's hard work in sand and loose rocks due to tyre size, poor low down torque and riding position. This can be overcome but at what cost. We did the Vintage Rides Trans Himalayan tour on classic Enfield's, this included sandy rocky riding over many days. I'd take one of those to Iceland over a 310GS.
adventure steele
Posts: 464
Joined: Mon May 02, 2016 10:55 am
Has thanked: 149 times
Been thanked: 111 times

Re: Iceland bike choice?. 310 GS v 500X

Post by adventure steele »

Thanks Snaff that's very interesting it's tricky trying to find the right sort of compromise for what we fancy at the moment we are just popping to a few dealers and getting a feel for different bikes and getting a few prices on dads GSX-R 750 k9. Which is the plan to let that go now he's had my 2020 Vstrom, hopefully I can find something which will still handle some of the road sections and 600 mile trips I do

A thread is nothing without pic's so here's a few on the various bikes from the past few weeks got to spend a bit of time looking at a demo 310GS today liked the seating position an was easy to push about with my shoulder which still isn't right so that was nice. pushed it up a hill to try it.

I also had dad sit on a F850 and 1200 gs so he could feel the difference in top heaviness vs the boxer which was why I let my F800 go although one of my mates loves his.

The 500X seems a good option but again the price is very close to the Strom's which have a better wheelset as standard an the Vtwin engine so that's a weigh up looks tasty with the rally raid kit though.

It really feels like there's still a huge gap in the lineups of alot of makes. small cc to a big jump to 200KG plus bikes with nothing inbetween.
Bar one or two options.

All would probably do it but all different flavours.

I'm tending to rule the Himmy out as I've already got two long stroke Norton's so tending to lean towards something a bit more modern feeling.

Certainly think I'm not gonna rush it as I keep bouncing back an forward between the bikes choice wise so it's good to get everyones opinions :)

Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
adventure steele
Posts: 464
Joined: Mon May 02, 2016 10:55 am
Has thanked: 149 times
Been thanked: 111 times

Re: Iceland bike choice?. 310 GS v 500X

Post by adventure steele »

It's interesting at the moment how much my thoughts keep changing at the moment on the bikes as I've been getting feedback from others I've been thinking or trying to at least about what my ideal combination is.

600 mile day comfort for road use under 200kg so I can pick it up solo, off road capable so I can learn some skills and expand my riding from just on road with the aim of F Roads in Iceland for next year but something thatl also cover the Norway sections.

The list of bikes keeps bouncing about a bit getting a 2nd vstrom is out of the question due to the cost of them then as well I know its a compromise bike probably more in the direction of road use.

Which leads me towards the 500X as a good option most likely a 2019 from a cost point of view but needs a few bits at Rally Raid.

The 310GS seems a compromise I've heard mixed things so far on some of the posts I've put out.

Himalayan bit to similar to the classics I've got, currently own two long Stroke Nortons.

N then the 300 Rally / 250 Rally seems a good option but how have you guys got on with them on longer stretches on roads n motorways?

390 KTM I know nothing about looks like there's 0 options for wire wheels guessing KTM are holding them back for something coming out maybe looking at the spy shots that are floating about.

So pretty much at the moment it's 310GS, 500X and Rally that are leading the way :) I did think about another Big GS but ideally I fancy something way more manageable.

A few people have mentioned 650GS n the 660 Tenere but those are two I don't know much about.
minkyhead
Posts: 4343
Joined: Tue Sep 07, 2010 2:31 pm
Has thanked: 569 times
Been thanked: 894 times

Re: Iceland bike choice?. 310 GS v 500X

Post by minkyhead »

wow some breif

best bet would be to sell the strom and go husky701 ,,, that has to be the closest id think ?
whats the wether forcast ..wheres me map
adventure steele
Posts: 464
Joined: Mon May 02, 2016 10:55 am
Has thanked: 149 times
Been thanked: 111 times

Re: Iceland bike choice?. 310 GS v 500X

Post by adventure steele »

That's the dream list mate that the 701 probably fits the list the best in agreement on that :) If we sold the strom though n the gixer for a 701 that'd drop us to one bike n poor dad would be walking haha!

So I think it's the case of finding something that fits some of the ideal list to the best of the ability n the rest being the best compromise. Can we put a 500x an himmy in a blender lol then take 50kg out of them. I saw some amazing builds with 500x engines in a crf chassis on adv rider that were about 165kg be epic if Honda got brave and did something like that :)

My shoulders really on the mend now so hopefully in a few weeks I can get out on a 500x 310 and a 250 Rally sort of feels like it's between them at the moment.

Probably gonna set a budget of about 5k judging of the trade in offers so far on the Gixer so either or should be doable really been appreciating everyone's input so far been a big help especially on understanding the capability of the Rally Which ticks the boxes for off road for sure.

The vstrom has done the road bit flawlessly but it's just a bit top heavy for me while I'm recovering from this injury pushing about etc which is why I've been fancying something that holds its weight low down or is light.
dave h
Posts: 685
Joined: Tue Jul 12, 2016 4:49 pm
Has thanked: 321 times
Been thanked: 370 times

Re: Iceland bike choice?. 310 GS v 500X

Post by dave h »

don't look at the hp look at the weight,

off-road ,weight or lack of it rules ,

dave.
adventure steele
Posts: 464
Joined: Mon May 02, 2016 10:55 am
Has thanked: 149 times
Been thanked: 111 times

Re: Iceland bike choice?. 310 GS v 500X

Post by adventure steele »

Thanks Dave :) I'm slowly learning about it all bit different to the long distance touring I've done.

One other bike that's started to cross my mind is the ktm 390 as its fairly light weight but has the wp suspension as Standard.
Richard Simpson Mark II
Posts: 3516
Joined: Tue May 09, 2017 9:03 pm
Has thanked: 1413 times
Been thanked: 1668 times

Re: Iceland bike choice?. 310 GS v 500X

Post by Richard Simpson Mark II »

I sincerely hope the UK product planners and marketing managers of the UK motorcycle importers are reading this.

You have identified a yawning gap in the market: one could possibly be filled by the Kawasaki KLX300, or a KTM 390 with proper wheels and suspension (see the GasGas 400 and/or the Triumph Tiger Cub or whatever they are going to call it) .

That BM...I looked at one closely, and I don't want to be rude, but it looks like someone took a Christmas Cracker model of a GS and scaled it up to be a 4/5ths size replica. Looks very plastic in a fragile way.
adventure steele
Posts: 464
Joined: Mon May 02, 2016 10:55 am
Has thanked: 149 times
Been thanked: 111 times

Re: Iceland bike choice?. 310 GS v 500X

Post by adventure steele »

Hi Richard thanks for taking the time to comment lets hope so If there was a premium version of something like a 500 Tenere with a low seat height and very light weight I'd buy it in a heartbeat.

Yep I think looking back at the pictures of me sat on it and talking it over with dad etc I'm gonna rule it out the cost to convert it to how I want etc would really break the balance then be to close to something like a 2014 1200gs which actually has a lower feeling seat height or a second hand t7 or maybe if lucky a 690.

So with that in mind, I'm going to alter the list of bikes a bit.

One I really want to check out is the 390 Adventure in 2022 spec now it keeps the off road setting on the ABS if you stall it sounds interesting.

I'd say my ideal bike is a 701 loved them since the moment I saw it so it might be a way of trying the KTM/Husky Brand without laying out a ton of money. The suspension on the 390 appeals to as I had WP on my ex iom TT 675 Race bike that was utterly amazing compared to my normal suspended road bike one.

Gonna try see if any dealers are open and take a look tomorrow might be just the ticket really as I'm mainly road riding with a view to learning some off road and the F roads in Iceland. I just really wish they had put the spoke wheels on I'm gonna do some hunting and see if anyone does any.

So I'd say the target bikes at the moment are probably the 390 if I like it when I see it then probably a 250/300 rally for the off road capability.

It's certainly crying out for a super light weight 270 degree twin and a 500 single
Richard Simpson Mark II
Posts: 3516
Joined: Tue May 09, 2017 9:03 pm
Has thanked: 1413 times
Been thanked: 1668 times

Re: Iceland bike choice?. 390 ADV vs 300 Rally

Post by Richard Simpson Mark II »

I did read somewhere (but can't find it) that spoke wheels were available as PowerParts (KTM extras) in some markets.
I wonder...are there actually wheels from a KTM youth MX bike (17/19) that might bolt in?
Post Reply

Return to “BIKES”