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We’ve been challenging readers to come up with a better deal than our own $2000 KLR. Here’s a couple of owners who say they’ve done even better. What’s your call? Have they outdone Adventure Rider Magazine with the deal of the decade? Email and let us know.
Mark Stayt’s 2002 XR650R
I managed to purchase a 2002 Honda XR650R with 1500km on the odometer for under $5000,” XRed Mark over the internooky.
“I got another 1000km out of the rear tyre, dismantled the steering head and swing-arm linkages and repacked them with grease.
Then I added a 17-litre Clarke tank and a rack. I’m yet to fit a B&B bashplate.
“This bike goes harder stops better, handles better, has longer-travel suspension and is much lighter, than my old DR.
“Rather than replace batteries I get to kick start it, but that’s not recommended for short people.
“Another limitation owing to its desert-racer heritage is the subframe won’t handle being loaded like a Chinese hawker’s step-thru.
The XR isn’t a packhorse. My style is to travel light from pub to pub.
“I’m one happy adventure rider and I’ve done 4000km on this bike in six months.
Craig Dehring’s 1994 BMW R1100GS
I’ve been following your Shop Bike KLR with much interest as I was in the process of prepping my own sub-$2000 bike,” emailed Craig.
“After searching all the online bike auction sites for the past 18 months and never quite being able to secure a bike in my budget, I practically fell over myself when I found this ’94 BMW R1100GS in a very local bike shop.
It was a recent trade-in, and the asking price was $2500. The dealer admitted the bike had never been registered due to being a personal import, and the original paperwork could not be found. It had proven to be too difficult a project for most.
“The bike had been sitting in Australia as a personal import since 2004, and after confirming with DoT that I could request a sanitised copy of the import papers, I negotiated the dealer down to $1750.
“It’s taken over four months to get the special permission required to have the Personal Import Plates reissued in my name to enable the registration.
“As the bike had done 100,000km – just run in really – it needed a little TLC to make roadworthy, along with a full service. I had to replace the front master cylinder and the fuel pump. The pannier brackets and stainless exhaust were already fitted.
“Once my bike and I were both ready for plenty of adventure, I cheekily ordered custom number plates that read ‘14ADV’ (one for adventure).
“It’s been a labour of love, but it’s all been worth it. As you can see, I added the factory BMW panniers, a small tank bag and a 60-litre roll bag, and stuffed it full of camping gear.
We then set off on a 3000km round trip of Victoria with a few buddies, crossing the Hay Plain to Swan Hill, down to Philip Island, and then along the coast road all the way back to Newcastle.
“This is me coming to the rescue with a fuel can after my two mates ran out of fuel somewhere north of Deniliquin.”
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