So, I've been looking, and lusting, for a dual sport bike (of some kind) for quite a while. Way back last winter I was thinking I needed a light trail bike, so I could get deep into the dirty, but the more I thought about it the more I realized that I'd probably be doing an awful lot of tarmac to get to the good stuff.
And now, thanks in part to Frenchie's outrageously excellent ride report this past summer, I've also got this thing in the back of my mind about getting up to do the biggest state of the union before I'm too old and decrepit to enjoy it. Sure, you can do it on the FJR, but why not do it on a bike designed to handle the haul road?
I toyed with the idea of getting one of the new-gen KLRs. I looked at a very clean, low mile DR650. I even looked at a KTM 640 LC4 Adventure, but the singles scene left me... wanting something more.
Today I looked at a 2005 Tiger that was pretty darned scruffy looking, and the owner wanted too much dinero. And then, finally I found "the one" I was looking for. It was right there at my favorite used bike dealer in Concord NH. Same guy I bought my VFR and FJR at previously. In retrospect, why had I been wasting my time looking elsewhere?
Yep, it's a 2004 Man-strom, 100% lock stock. The PO apparently had never heard of farkles, and seems he didn't like riding it on dirt. It does have a few miles racked up on the clock (36k) but it seems to have been pretty well cared for, and it runs darned well (for a stock bike). It will need a PCIII (don't they all?) and it came with no bags or any off-road protection, so I'll be buying all of that stuff for it really soon. But, with the age and miles on it, I got it for (what I think) is quite a reasonable price ($3800), so I'll be able to afford to gussy it up with all the appropriate farkle-ations to get this Ole' Man down and dirty!!
I know you've all seen these bikes before,
But this one is much different. '
Cause now it's mine!! :yahoo:
And now, thanks in part to Frenchie's outrageously excellent ride report this past summer, I've also got this thing in the back of my mind about getting up to do the biggest state of the union before I'm too old and decrepit to enjoy it. Sure, you can do it on the FJR, but why not do it on a bike designed to handle the haul road?
I toyed with the idea of getting one of the new-gen KLRs. I looked at a very clean, low mile DR650. I even looked at a KTM 640 LC4 Adventure, but the singles scene left me... wanting something more.
Today I looked at a 2005 Tiger that was pretty darned scruffy looking, and the owner wanted too much dinero. And then, finally I found "the one" I was looking for. It was right there at my favorite used bike dealer in Concord NH. Same guy I bought my VFR and FJR at previously. In retrospect, why had I been wasting my time looking elsewhere?
Yep, it's a 2004 Man-strom, 100% lock stock. The PO apparently had never heard of farkles, and seems he didn't like riding it on dirt. It does have a few miles racked up on the clock (36k) but it seems to have been pretty well cared for, and it runs darned well (for a stock bike). It will need a PCIII (don't they all?) and it came with no bags or any off-road protection, so I'll be buying all of that stuff for it really soon. But, with the age and miles on it, I got it for (what I think) is quite a reasonable price ($3800), so I'll be able to afford to gussy it up with all the appropriate farkle-ations to get this Ole' Man down and dirty!!
I know you've all seen these bikes before,
But this one is much different. '
Cause now it's mine!! :yahoo:
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