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Baja Jan 2014 recap

Lastly the bikes. As a new rider and slightly shorter, there is no way Andy could have ridden the XR with any confidence. Its just too tall. The DR and its oil cooler also let it runner faster longer on the highway. The DR will go 80 plus no problem. The Xr's sweet spot was 70-75mph with the bike loaded as it was and me being a fat bastard. I added the dip stick oil temp from XR's only. At 80mph loaded, it would struggle and start to push close to 300 degrees. Thats in some pretty mild winter baja temps of 75-80 degrees. That said, I will be redoing the rings and valve stem seals. May help some, but I will be adding and oil cooler if I decide to do a trip with extended freeway jaunts in hotter temps.

All that said, the XR is a far superior off road bike. It wont run out of suspension like the DR will if you push the speeds offroad (we werent and many wont). You can ride it like a real dirt bike, albeit a 330+ lb one. Its also slighter lighter than the DR (though I dont think you really feel it). While stock the DR is better on road bike, the XR is so much better offroad it makes up for its short comings and even that can be rectified with an oil cooler. If you can deal with its height, there really isnt a reason to choose the DR over the XR if you value offroad more than road qualities, again IMO.
 
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:applause Thanks for this. Real adventure touring! :party
 
Nice, very very nice. We just got back from Baja ourselves, surprised we didn't cross paths anywhere. Looks like you guys had a great time.

I have almost that same picture at Coco's of another barfer...:laughing
 
SRAD600 said:
Nice, very very nice. We just got back from Baja ourselves, surprised we didn't cross paths anywhere. Looks like you guys had a great time.

I have almost that same picture at Coco's of another barfer...:laughing
Click to expand...

Would have been cool to run into some more bay area folks! What were you riding and where were you? And speaking of Cocos's, imagine Melodi who is Rich's girlfriends reaction when she though it was some sort of place she could get brunch :rofl
 
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We started out in Tecate and went south down the Sea of Cortez, looped back to the Pacific side just south of Gurrero Negro, then back up and out across the Tecate border crossing. I'll likely start a RR soon...fun loop. We met lots of people from Bend Or and San Diego, but no bay area folks.

Ha ha, Coco's for brunch...well if Brunch consists of a Coca Cola, sure. :laughing
 
Man, all these Baja threads are driving me a bit crazy. I'm definitely heading down there in the fall/winter. No time in the next few months, sigh.
 
Sorry for being two and a half months late to notice this thread. Thanks for posting it.

The best part is that I didn't notice one single complaint about the XR650L. I'm so glad that nothing broke on it while on your trip. Nice that the Acerbis tank worked well for you too.

Now I'm going to have to start thinking about some sort of Baja trip. My Garmin is supposed to have maps of Mexico in it, but I haven't checked, other than verifying that I can put a Mexican address in it. I don't have any of Central America in the thing.

So are you saving the XR650L as your Baja bike now?
 
ScottRNelson said:
Sorry for being two and a half months late to notice this thread. Thanks for posting it.

The best part is that I didn't notice one single complaint about the XR650L. I'm so glad that nothing broke on it while on your trip. Nice that the Acerbis tank worked well for you too.

Now I'm going to have to start thinking about some sort of Baja trip. My Garmin is supposed to have maps of Mexico in it, but I haven't checked, other than verifying that I can put a Mexican address in it. I don't have any of Central America in the thing.

So are you saving the XR650L as your Baja bike now?
Click to expand...

Scott -

From what I have seen, most GPS maps arent much use in Baja with the exception of the E32 map. Even with that, I wouldnt do any deep exploring down there without a Baja Alamanac and compass. GPS doesnt give you any indication of how hard the route is or the condition (which changes week to week).

I'm leaning towards keeping the XR for now. I thoroughly went over and into the bike before leaving. Could use some minor maintenance now, but wouldnt hesitate to take it there again. Would most likely truck it down to the border though. The drone north wasnt enjoyable. Doable yes.

This years route was kept pretty simple as Andy wasnt up to some of the tougher routes. That said, some one with pretty advanced dirt skills wouldnt have a problem with with 80% + of the routes in Baja on KTM 990. And it could eat up slab... which really makes it attractive to me. But its not in my budget as a once or twice year kinda bike. If I had the extra $$ to let it just sit in the garage, it would be there no doubt.

I got to ride the new KTM 690 enduro (you can see a pic of it next to the XR and DR on Conception Bay). Its motor absolutely destroys the XR and DR with nearly twice the HP making it nice on the pavement. It also sits lower. Not a lot lighter, but feels lighter under you due to the height in the dirt. Drawbacks are its fuel range and FI IMO. To get big range would cost nearly a grand for tanks. For a bike that is already very expensive even used, I cant justify it. Then there is the FI. I have fixed or band aided many carb issues in Baja. Always make it home or back to base. FI isnt fixable on the trail IMO and I would never ride one by myself deep into Baja for that reason. I know, stone age mentality.

Long story short, if I had the extra $$ I'd get the last carbed 950 adv. If I didnt need the long slab potential, the last year of the Carb'd TE610. But for my budget, the XR650L does VERY well. :thumbup :teeth
 
SFMCjohn said:
+1 ... great Baja ride! :ride
Always wanted to do that
route from Loreto to Scorpion Bay ...
Thanks for posting! :thumbup
-- SFMCjohn
Click to expand...

SFMCjohn said:
20170207-211003.jpg


... and off to Comondu ...
Click to expand...

ha ... proof I'm not always all talk ... :blah

... have finally been to Comondu,
thanks to ride reports like this
one and CJ's BARF Baja group rides! :thumbup:ride

see you around
the campfire,
-- SFMCjohn
 
Cool added to the Adventure Ride thread trip report and sport touring trip report.

Bunch of folks about to do it again. :ride
 
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