<sigh> I'm a fair weather bike these days. I have the 'blade and it's for fun but for going shopping or moving stuff about I have a Merc Hybrid. When we get a good Atlantic storm blowing up the English Channel and it's raining horizontally I now sadly prefer to drive. I'm goin' soft in me' old age... I used to ferry boats up the coast in sterner weather than now puts me in the car. That said if I saw a nice RC30 at a good price...
I do have a CCM 644 Dual sport with enduro and supermoto wheels. Never really thought about selling it but could as hardly ever ride it these days. At 6.4" would fit like a glove.
Our potholed, gravel covered and gritted roads are bike killers. Some suffer less than others. most vulnerable parts are plain steel ones like the chain. If you can find one, have a look at Yam XT660R. Can go off road, can do long motorways runs (60~80 mph& burts of105!) yet give you 60~65mpg. Upright position will make it colder in winter than a sheltered position but great filtering through traffic jams & potholes.
Salty old sea-dog ! Don't mind winter so much, but Autumn with all those horrible wet leaves on top of cold wet roads - glad when that bit is over with. Glad that you still get out on a bike...... I know what you mean. I had a 2004 XT660 X - the super rmoto version. Much fun (and a court appearance ) with that bike ! Low speed fuelling was a bit - unrefined !. Fond memories of that thing. @blink Another suggestions - again as you are a tall chap - another adventure bike option - The Africa Twin. A few examples below but there are probably cheaper ones around - and its a Honda (which is a good thing ! )
I looked at one, I like them, also mahoosive! I think they are a bit expensive for what I'm thinking tbh
I think you are right they are .expensive - and those were the cheaper older 1000 cc versions the 1100 are even more expensive ! I think I had best give up trying to make sensible suggestions (not very good at it )
Pukka 250 to 530 Enduro in whatever flavour takes your fancy. 17/17 wheels with Supersport tyres. 17/19 wheels with Adventure tyres. ...and you already have 18/21s in knobblie for naughty days. Two 310mm disks. Two 45 tooth rear sprockets. I could go on but you get the idea. Three bikes in one. Only way you'll get a real enduro is to start with one.
Now that I'm used to it don't really see myself ever being without one. In sumo form it's the ultimate commuter, great fun to scratch round back roads and can sit at motorway speeds if it has to. With the original wheels it can hold its own on an mx track. I don't have in-between wheels yet but they're in the cards for this year. I just can't resist investigating wee dirt tracks and the likes and with the sumo wheels have ended up stuck(or close to) a couple of times. Plus there was a day last summer where I had a five mile long beach to myself and couldn't go play because I couldn't get across the initial fifty foot or so of powdery stuff. Anyhow, yeah. 17/19s with a pair of Anakee Adventures are on the shopping list.
