Bike for a non-biker

[Dave McReynolds]

My friend with whom I climb and hike from time to time has noticed that sometimes I leave my motorcycle at the end of a trail so I can loop back to my car. In my case, it's an excuse to combine my two favorite hobbies. Of course, in my case, you don't load a K1200GT on the back of a Hundai, so I ride home in grand style, while Nancy pilots the Hundai (happily).

 

But my friend sees the advantage in this arrangement, and would like to get some kind of motorcycle to leave at trailheads. Since he isn't really a motorcyclist, his main motivation is getting from the trailhead back to his pickup, and then loading the motorcycle into his pickup for the trip home. I've mentioned to him that motorcycling is not something you casually do like you might try flyfishing to see if you like it or not, but these cautions sort of bounce off someone who hangs off mountains for fun.

 

I have no experience in the kind of bikes he might want. I assume he wants something that would work on dirt or pavement, would be cheap, and would load into a pickup truck.

 

Any ideas as to what I should recommend to him?

[Quinn]

A bicycle that he can leave hidden off the trail so it won't be stolen while he's hiking toward it.

 

Yes, I have met people who do that for two or three day hikes. They would have had to bike about ten or twenty miles on pavement back to their car.

[David]

Used KLR 650 for $2,000.

[TEWKS]

http://www.yamaha-motor.com/sport/products/modelspecs/10/1/specs.aspx

Not too intimidating.

 

Pat

[russell_bynum]

Obviously, whatever it is should be used.

 

Other than that, any street-legal dualsport would be fine. The lighter and smaller the better since that'll be easier to get in/out of the truck, and less intimidating for a non-rider.

 

DR200, XT225, KLX250, etc.

 

Depending on how much dirt and how extreme it was, I might be tempted to go with a small scooter...no clutch/gearshift to worry about, gobs of underseat storage, etc.

[outpost22]

Honda Trail 90

[JR356]

Honda Trail 90

 

Nope,that would be one of the first bikes stolen.

These are REAL popular with the RV crowd as a runaround vehicle and this has pushed the price and demand up considerably.

 

JR356

[Dances_With_Wiener_Dogs]

Well, whatever he gets, just toss a chain around a tree and that will discourage the casual thief.

[Dave McReynolds]

Thanks for all the good suggestions! I'll pass them along to him, and let you know what he ends up with. Wow, a Honda Trail 90, that brings back memories. My first motorcycle, in 1967, was a Honda Scrambler 90, that I rode all over southern Arizona and even down into Mexico. I figured out that if I carried a rubber band, I could wrap it around the throttle and hold it wide open and it would top out at around 60 mph on a flat highway, leaving my hands free for more important things.

[hANNAbONE]

Used KLR 650 for $2,000.

 

dITTO ...

[outpost22]

Well, whatever he gets, just toss a chain around a tree and that will discourage the casual thief.

 

Or just carry a 300 lb anchor with him and chain it to the bike