XS650 Adventure Bike?

Kevin Werner

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Wisconsin has a North/South Trans-Wisconsin Adventure Trail. It is informal, but a documented route of gravel, dirt, back country roads. It is documented here. It exists roughly half way between my home in Sheboygan and my son Ben's home in Mankato. The route looks fun. The Red Bike is not an ideal canditate for gravel roads in a touring capacity.
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However, me having only 2 running bikes, that leaves the Blue Tracker.
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Someone tell me I am being foolish. I fit trials or adventure touring tires, refit tracker or motocross bars and have the seat recovered with an extra inch of dense foam to make the tracker a more (more, not most) appropriate mount. I cannot take a lot more weight out of the blue bike with out a tank change and charging system conversion
 
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Want an adventure bike? Climb on the one you have and go have an adventure. Sounds pretty simple, no?

An XS is pretty lacking when it comes to adventure "style" riding... not enough suspension travel front and rear, not enough ground clearance, not enough.... well, you get the point. It'll never be a "serious" adventure bike, without some serious mods. That doesn't mean you can't go out and have some adventure fun on it.
Put good trail tires on it, a better suited seat and live within the limits of the bike. Leave the hard trails to the KLR and Dr650's and stick to the easier ones. You'll have a grand adventure.
 
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Just leave em both as is and go get a DR650. Its an outstanding do it all kind of bike....I absolutely love mine. :thumbsup:
@Ben1 will be on his tracker, I just want a chance to kinda keep up with him as we slowly meander up the gravel roads. I will not be pulling Kenny Roberts power slides....Ben was racing motocross on a CR250 30+ years after I rode WFO in the Texas and Arizona desert. I have illusions of survival, not illusions of grandeur.
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@Ben1 will be on his tracker, I just want a chance to kinda keep up with him as we slowly meander up the gravel roads. I will not be pulling Kenny Roberts power slides....Ben was racing motocross on a CR250 30+ years after I rode WFO in the Texas and Arizona desert. I have illusions of survival, not illusions of grandeur. View attachment 253550
In that case, either of your bikes would do just fine as is to be totally honest with you. I'd actually give more of nod toward the Dunlop K70's on the red bike for just fire road cruising.

Maybe get a set of those Dunlops shod on your Tracker too? Best of both worlds then to use the Tracker on fire roads.
😉 👍
 
I’ve ridden plenty of forest service roads, some logging roads, and goat paths on my 650 Special. Yes, buckhorn bars too. I just never set any speed records doing it. I’ll echo Jim. Go have an adventure.
When I was stationed in Idaho, did a lot of camping on my DT250. More than once the DT sat 'cause I flogged it and broke sumpin or other. In which case I'd take the '78 Special... buckhorns an' all. The group I camped/rode with would usually be settin' up tents by the time I pulled up. Point is I still showed up. Sometimes they'd be so far ahead I couldn't hear 'em anymore... but I'd eventually get to the same campsites .
Damn near any bike is an off-road bike. Ya jus' gotta get off the shoulder... an' tip toe. ;)
 
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