Just a little report on my conversion:

details of conversion here :
http://mysite.verizon.net/teblum/Adventure%20Hawk.htm

I have been going up to Maine from Florida for 5 years for a Labor Day get together. My main ride has been a modified ST1100
http://mysite.verizon.net/teblum/June%2021.htm

In my conversion, I tried to imitate a KTM 990 Adventure.

It would appear I missed my target.

Last year, I successfully navigated a rocky old rail track on the ST. That seemed a fitting test for the Hawk.

Things went well on the gravel road beginning.

Then, we got to the rocky part and it was hell!!!
The stock gearing made frequent clutch use mandatory. The Battle Ax road tires slipped off the larger rocks frequently and stuck in the crevices. I fell about 4 times before I gave up. It turns out I can't pick up the hawk by myself (this was the main reason for getting a lighter bike). Once the wind screen and a turn signal broke, I gave up the idea. Fell two more times on the way back out.

My friend, on his NX650, says much of the problem is that we traversed the road in the other direction, which was uphill. He may be right. I haven't a clue.

Now, I can't say this was all the bike's fault, since I am basically an off road virgin. My revised approach it to get a 250 dual sport (the right tool fot the job) and get some experience off road.

The Hawk becomes a Sport Tour bike. As that type of vehicle, it only lacks a larger tank to get around stopping every 100 miles or so.

Thanks for listening
Tom

 

I forgot to cite the road I took.

It runs due west from Shirley Mill, off of RT 15, towards Moxie falls.

Tom

 

reminds me of my first bike, a used but immaculate 1960 500 BSA, fully fendered, pristine black with gold trim and chrome sides on the tank, essentially a full fledged road bike, or so they thought. Bullied, begged and pleaded with my wife into using our, I mean her, entire savings of $600 to buy a bike after a friend let me use his 650 BSA for a couple days. My idea, similar to yours, was that one bike had to do it all. So in the woods, through streams, over rocks, trails and whatever obstacles we'd encounter. I remember hitting a huge puddle in the woods, way too fast, and barely making it across. I heard the others coming and one by one, bikes submerged with billows of steam rising from the overheated engines, laughing our asses off covered in mud. Stupid, carefree, and adventurous, exploring our newfound love and trying to define or may redefine the limits of what this motorcycling thing was supposed to mean. Anyway, have fun, huh. That's what it's all about.