When the shit hits the fan, I wouldn’t mind driving one of these:
Or this:
Or one of these:
Or, if I had to, one of these diesel sippers borrowed from the Marines:
You guys have any other ideas? I am not talking affordable, necessarily, but cool and useful will do.
I first saw Sportsmobile vans in the Sierras a couple years ago, and was very impressed with what I saw. 4X4 diesel camper vans – great idea! When I got home I looked them up on the net and about choked when I saw the pricetag… Guess I’ll just put a shell on my F250…
I think the jeep is the best option, anything too much more off-road/mad max/end of the world, i think would just scream to others that i might have something worth taking. and in a SHTF time that might not be a good thing. security through obscurity is still security.
Kevin, that’s what I did. Got into it for less than $10K.
http://www.softgreenglow.com/wp/?p=7302
Dag and Scott, I think I have one of those already too.
http://www.softgreenglow.com/wp/?p=5702
IMO the problem with the KLR is it’s a heavy pig and barely off-road suitable even though people do that with it – and as a diesel it’s got to be even heavier and *must* rely on battery power to start because I don’t think they make a mechanism (or a human leg) that will kick-start a diesel – the compression is too damn high and I don’t think a compression release would help.
I’m biased as a former XR owner, but I can’t see why an XR650 or even an XR650L wouldn’t be a better choice with much better suspension.
As far as fuel, most dirtbikes are fairly low compression and ought to run on just about anything that keeps a spark going. They don’t have catalytic converters or bullshit like that which require special octane. Keeps some jets in your fanny pack and learn how the carb works at different altitudes. Up two sizes on the main and change the needle-clip is kinda standard for high altitudes.
Kawasaki used to make a much better bike in the KLX650 that was light-years ahead of the KLR in frame and suspension, and suspension is what you pay for on a dirtbike, it’s what keeps you from crashing your brains out – a KLR just doesn’t have “it” – or much of a frame. Push it fast and it’ll wind up like a slinkie, and then unwind and spit you off.
At least that’s what Suzuki DR’s were famous for until they got a better frame in ’96 – I was at the Suzuki press intro at Bass Lake, covering for CityBike that year. Back when I had a job.
Damn. Wish I’d picked mine up for only 10K. This’ll probably be the last time we buy a new vehicle though; my wife and I plan to get used ones from here on out. Makes way more sense.