Roomiest offroad bike

[woodsguy]

"I have ridden various bikes over the years and being a big guy 6-3 and bad knees and the usual ailments that come with old age and risky activities.
What chassis from the years of KTM, Beta, others etc would you say provide the roomiest ergos?. Surely this would be a negative to today's riders who strive for smaller , lighter at all costs. But if one wanted a KTM, Husky, Beta or other quality offroad bike. Maybe I should remove Honda XR650R from that list as this would be restricted to bikes available with e start."

I saw this on KTMTALK, I have same problems, interesting to see answers. So I copied and brought question here!

 

[Aspear]

The beta is very small. Yamaha 4t or sherco

Sent from my SM-N986U using Tapatalk

 

[JMZ]

When I went from my xr650r to my 500 xcw I new the ktm would be nicer in almost every aspect but what I didnt expect was how comfortable it would be just traveling down the road .

 

[WFO75080]

Kawi 450X is best suited for taller riders over 6 ft but would cost some extra $$$ to make street legal. They also dont wear well. If you sell a bike every year or 2 maybe.
I sure would like to ride the Sherco 300 4 banger.
My buddies own KTM shops so I tend to stick with them because I get a good deal.

 

[woodsguy]

For me this is about dirt bikes, not d/s so street legal doesn't matter! New Kawa's look good!

 

[copb8]

I'm 6'2, 61 and my knees are also starting to complain but I can spend all day (and have) on my 500 EXC. Get a tall Seat Concepts seat to give you some extra room from butt to pegs and you'll be good.

 

[sandman]

I am in a similar boat.... older knees needing a more open cockpit. I really want to try the new KX Xc with the lower foot peg position.

 

[woodsguy]

I am in a similar boat.... older knees needing a more open cockpit. I really want to try the new KX Xc with the lower foot peg position.

I rode with the 250 but haven't seen the 450, would like to try one.

 

[budzrex]

Kawi 450X is best suited for taller riders over 6 ft but would cost some extra $$$ to make street legal. They also dont wear well. If you sell a bike every year or 2 maybe.
I sure would like to ride the Sherco 300 4 banger.
My buddies own KTM shops so I tend to stick with them because I get a good deal.

If you want some seat time on a Sherco 300SEF Factory I have friend that rides one down at Zars a couple of times a week, I know he will be open to letting you put a few miles on it

 

[Cagiva 549]

I had a 86 husky that I fell over a couple times because I couldn’t reach the ground , loved the handling and ergonomics of that bike just wish I had learned a few more tricks to keep the motor tight before it got too loose . riding comfort was awesome on it . I replaced it with a 87 KTM and never did like it , didn’t handle even close to the husky and way too cramped for me . When the 950 came along I started liking KTM again . But it ain’t a dirt bike .

 

[DFW_Warrior]

Find you an old 950 Super Enduro. Never feel like a dirt bike is too small ever again.

 

[Cagiva 549]

I bought one a few years back , maybe put 5,000 miles on it . Only good thing about it was I sold it for what I paid for it . No way it could ever compeat with my Beta as a dirt bike and nowhere close to the adventure in comfort for a road bike . The worst of both worlds . And it was a really nice erzburg too .

 

[Cagiva 549]

The funniest thing about the husky and the 87 KTM , the husky was a big lanky bike , when parked side by side it looked almost twice the size of the KTM but that husky was a wicked fast woods weapon , it did everything better than the KTM .

 

[DFW_Warrior]

I bought one a few years back , maybe put 5,000 miles on it . Only good thing about it was I sold it for what I paid for it . No way it could ever compeat with my Beta as a dirt bike and nowhere close to the adventure in comfort for a road bike . The worst of both worlds . And it was a really nice erzburg too .

That's good to know and very surprising. I figured it was just an Adventure 950 with different bodywork on it. Of which, of all the Adventure models KTM has come out with, the 950 so far has always been my favorite.

 

[woodsguy]

Never got to ride a 950 Super Adv, but I've heard the same comments about them. Sure is a good looking bike to not be "right", lol.

 

[Cagiva 549]

I really tried to like it , it was the baddest looking bike I ever owned , with the 18 , 21 wheel set on the pavement every time I nailed it the front end went to twitching , Rear tire went flat the first day I rode it , the rim liner desentigrated so I put the motard wheel set on that came with it . They were fun on pavement but sucked horribly on gravel or dirt . Fuel range was less than 120 with the factory tank and the big tank that came with it was extreamly uncomfortable to ride it was so wide . Plus it didn’t vent good and starved for fuel on a trip to Colorado , had to try to jury rig fuel line that would work right with no parts or tools . A guy posted he was looking for one and I let him have it .

 

[woodsguy]

I know in feel not science my Sherco 250 doesn't;t feel as roomy as my 2017 450RX. That bike was big, lol, but perfect for me. Might be why I kept it 3 years. The Sherco has 3 bar positions, I put in farthest front one, and put on risers. I still feel cramped when first get on it. The caveat in this I spend most my riding time on the 850, so whatever bike I get on it takes a few minutes to adjust from the big bike.