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42 Posts
I’ve currently got a 500 exc-f, a drz400s, and a TW in the garage. I started with the TW, and I foresee sticking with it the longest. My favorite rides are light ADV with a healthy dose of real offroad riding, and all of my bikes are very much modified in this direction. I have to say the TW does a damn fine job on it’s end of the spectrum. I got a set of racks and soft bags from a guy here on the site and have done some really fun trips on my TW. I think a rackless setup would be even better.
If you’re worried about being scrunched up, I’ll say that you are definitely going to need to do some mods. The bike is small in stock form, and it sounds like you will definitely need to find a way to stretch it out. While that’s not good news on the cockpit ergos, it’s great news for getting your leg over it. It’s so easy to get a leg over compared to my other two bikes, which, like your bikes, are VERY tall. But yeah the kickstand is not the lightweight, bendable kind on a KTM. You can definitely use the pegs. I’m a very average height at 5’11, for reference.
On the topic of different tools for different jobs, if I had to choose only one bike to keep in my garage right now, it would probably be the DRZ. Fortunately I don’t have to do that, so it’s funny that means my DRZ is sort of for sale (I’ve made my mind up to sell it, just haven’t tried very hard). I just don’t use it because the KTM and TW are both so good at what they do and the DRZ is so okay at everything.
I’ve also got a whole group of riders here that have recently gotten TW’s, and I’m most excited about getting out on some rides soon with those guys after some life stuff keeping me off the bikes the last 6 months or so. I would have thought the KTM would be calling me more. If you’ve got friends with little bikes, don’t hesitate. Get the TW and bend it to your needs. Hopefully it’s easier to find one now?
If you’re worried about being scrunched up, I’ll say that you are definitely going to need to do some mods. The bike is small in stock form, and it sounds like you will definitely need to find a way to stretch it out. While that’s not good news on the cockpit ergos, it’s great news for getting your leg over it. It’s so easy to get a leg over compared to my other two bikes, which, like your bikes, are VERY tall. But yeah the kickstand is not the lightweight, bendable kind on a KTM. You can definitely use the pegs. I’m a very average height at 5’11, for reference.
On the topic of different tools for different jobs, if I had to choose only one bike to keep in my garage right now, it would probably be the DRZ. Fortunately I don’t have to do that, so it’s funny that means my DRZ is sort of for sale (I’ve made my mind up to sell it, just haven’t tried very hard). I just don’t use it because the KTM and TW are both so good at what they do and the DRZ is so okay at everything.
I’ve also got a whole group of riders here that have recently gotten TW’s, and I’m most excited about getting out on some rides soon with those guys after some life stuff keeping me off the bikes the last 6 months or so. I would have thought the KTM would be calling me more. If you’ve got friends with little bikes, don’t hesitate. Get the TW and bend it to your needs. Hopefully it’s easier to find one now?
