I am dreaming of an adventure that involves mostly the Pacific coast of Mexico.  Mostly offroad, searching for empty beaches far from anywhere.  Does anyone have suggestions for the ideal bike.  I am 6'4, 220lbs and would be doubling my wife, she just doesn't want to ride her own bike.  Any suggestions for the ideal bike.  Any forums that would be a good resource for routes and experience?

Thanks

What's considered "off-road" to you?

like this:


or like this:

It's one thing to double on a duel sport. But it's another thing to go off the beaten path. I have both bikes for this stuff. One is a light weight 200cc for the teck with passanger, and the other is a Momba big boar that allows no passangers. because the terrain is to much for a passanger to feel safe. If your bound and determaned to take a passanger then I would consider the biggest air cool motor you can get and keep the ride lite as possable. the only two big dogs that can take the wieght and are ajill enogh for this long ride with two people are the Honda XL650 and the Suzuki DR650. I like the big bike, but not with a passanger. I did the 450 lbs duel sports. and they are real nice on the hyw and easy bush roads, but when it rained it was a night mair to get back to the hyw, so I went back to the air cools. Good luck on your quest. And happy trails brother. From Crashtestgordon.

I love the big KTM 9XX its typ for me to off road double up with my wife and all our gear.
Very seldom do I wish I would have been on something smaller. The 950/990 are more than capable of most anything..Of course how you set the bike up is very important.
Ill be racing mine in a 100 mile technical desert race here in a few weeks..

cat0020, on 02 December 2011 - 06:48 AM, said:

Re-read first post: He plans on riding Mexican beaches TWO UP. Can you help with that? Uh huh.

XR650L.

The problem with 2up is riding sand.I tried this in san felipe with a honda 1987 xr600 and the sand was an instant fall.what is your definition of off-road?Most of the roads the locals use are 4x2 pickup/suv ok roads.running 2up on a hard surface is no problem.I bought some good maps made by national geographic at bass pro shops of baja north and south.If you stuck to the roads on the map you probably would have no problems unless you hit sand.my bike of choice would be a ktm 990.But be ready for back tire problems.I am headed down to cabo next fall but i have built a honda xr650r into a dual sport/adv bike.

Edited by oldxr1, 29 June 2012 - 10:43 PM.

Find a nice beach, set up the towel and umbrella, leave the cooler ... and the wife ... and go riding.
It's true, riding two up in deep beach sand can be tough on any two wheeler.

Are you riding to Mexico on your bike two up ... or trailering down? Big difference in  travel style and bike requirements.

If you are traveling two up then something more road based would be the ticket, IMO. The KTM 950 or 990 makes good sense. Great on highway, enough room for two and luggage. Good off road for such be big heavy bike, but no picnic two up in deep sand. Beach sand near the water, no problem. Dry, deep stuff and Baja silt beds ... another story.  Any 650 class single could work too ... but much harder to fit everything on. But if you're on a $150,000 motor home and the dirt bike is on the bike ... well thats another trip and you don't need my advice. Check in with the Good Sam Club.

I started exploring Mexican beaches at age 14. That was in 1964. Been doing mexico on bikes ever since.

This is how we ride beaches in Baja, this trip from 2007:

Don't get trapped at high tide!


struggling in the deep stuff one up on XR600. Expert sand rider.


Magic Baja ... if you know where to go.

Edited by 54321, 01 July 2012 - 03:52 PM.