Dual Use Bikes for Old Codgers

[lay]

Dear Gang:

We are all older than crap, retired over here, and can't really handle too much bike power.
We have an interest in starting a trail bike group down here in the Philippines...oddly enough using the Kawasaki Fury 125cc. If you would be kind enough to offer an opinion, we are wondering about the durability of the Fury 125 in an off road environment. We are envisioning semi rough dirt roads, at moderate speeds, with about 150# of rider weight. We are curious as to your thoughts on the mono shock for this type of use (it really matches my butt muscles), and how you would recommend to equip the fury to handle moderate off road conditions and still get us back and forth on the hiway out and into town....we would like to put in fork extensions and moto cross handles bars as all of us are around 5'11" or so.

Aloha

[jonl]

Lay - I guess you figured out that the Kawasaki Fury 125 is not a bike sold in North America, hence 90 views, no replies. The North American perspective (bigger is better, right?) is generally that a 125 is too small for adults, but elsewhere, especially Asia, bikes tend to be smaller, and it might be a blast to fart around on.

[RCW]

I rented a Fury 125 and the Wind 125 for touring around Manila, and liked both very much.

The Fury really reminded me of an upgraded version of the old Honda Super 90, or even the old trail 90 with its single tube frame, and did a very good job at tooling around the back roads and the city streets. It was lightweight and very economical. For street and packed dirt the suspension was great for me, and I am a big guy at 6'4" and 260 lb., if I avoid all the great places to eat and drink!

The Wind 125 is the one that is more like the bikes we get in the US, just smaller. It has bigger tires and a bit more stiffness in the suspension area, and the upright engine like we are used to here.

From what I experienced I would believe that either of those bikes would do a decent job. But the small skinny tires on the Fury would be more of a challenge in any gravel or mud. But, I never saw any gravel where I rode, just lots of packed dirt which was not a problem at all.