2018 Honda 790 Rally
Updated 3-20-19
Got mine at Bill Glodich Honda in West Frankfort, Illinois
Good people that haven't succumbed to the Monster store status---old school.
OK---OK---it's a 250 !!!!
It is ready to roll--------read on.

My KTM 690 blew up at 18,000 miles which prompted this purchase. I sold it for nothing.
Also I had sold my WR a few months ago---didn't really want to--but did.

Yamaha WR250 comparison down the page.

My favorite part of this bike is it's rally windshield.
It is just right.

I put some Pro-Bend aluminum handguards with shields on it for hand protection.

TUSK combo saddlebag racks and rear rack--------how ingenius ?? You can
use hard panniers with this and it comes with stuff for a quick release---but
I don't use hard bags. Got a couple different things laying around the house I'll
put on the bike---not sure which yet.

This is a wolftale taibag from Wolfman products.
It was used and was gathering dust in my shop.

It's aluminum and really nice.

The fit and finish of this were superb.
You can't use the stock footpegs anymore---but there is a hole to ad some---super easy.
This system completed blocks use of the stock keyed toolbox---but it wasn't much anyway.
I wish it wasn't even there.

The stock windshield bracket was perfect for mounting my gps.
I can use my Montana or 276CX in this mount.
I just got a ground by tapping into the windshield bracket-------super easy and quick.

I used Oxford "Adventure" heated grips-----I have them on my Africa twin and really like them.
They turn off automatically if you leave them on.

Supplying power to grips and GPS's with those really neat power distribution boxes (Eastern Beaver being one) is really nice and
a very good way to do that.
I never use them---a waste of money and time---there's is always good easy ways of tying into the bikes system to do this and that is free.
Power to my grips and gps come straight from the battery with a fuse----easy peasy.

I bought ProTaper EVO Adventure 1 1/8" bars for the bike.

The bars were all part of the 2" Rox risers I wanted to install.

This was on my Africa Twin till I put the Mosko Moto bag on it.
Not sure which bag this is-----it is not the enduro-------this one is bigger and fits well.

First ride I had to go see if my favorite bridge was still standing after the huge flood we just had.
It was----but the boards floated away------it was open about 3 yeas ago.

And on the way home--not more than 5 miles from my house this 11'7" high semi trailer didn't quite fit thru.
This bridge gets hit all the rime. It had just happened and I rode thru knowing when the cops showed up
they wouldn't let me. 3,000 pumkins didn't make it to their destination.

WR250 Comparison
I've been getting so many e-mails about this so here is the skinny from me.
Keep in mind this is just my opinion and may not apply to you or anyone else.

The biggy-------power difference-------so dang close I don't know--WR might have the edge ???.
The WR is so smooth------------this is much smoother, but who cares the WR is smooth enough.
Gearing---my seat of the pants guess is that first gear is a bit lower---6th a bit higher--I have no hard
data to prove this---I won't be changing the gearing.
Runs 70 mph just fine------I hate 70mph---------boring !!!!!!!
Front suspension is just awesome---very plush and I don't see me doing anything with it.
Rear suspension is fine for now but I bet I end up getting another shock when I load the thing down for
traveling-------time will tell.
Footpegs are OK----not those tiny things you usually get with rubber on them.
It's a little heavier than than the WR which along with the super nice windshield makes this bike a much
better "traveling" adventure bike than the WR on easier terrain. But maybe less of an offroad bike. At my age and deteriorating
riding skills I'm thru with nasty terrain riding---I do still have my KTM 350EXCF if the notion strikes me.
But I still don't ride it like most younger offroad folks do.
Getting around 75 mpg and with the 2.7 gallon tank I have an approximate 200 mile range--not bad.
May get a 3.5 IMS tank-----I'd get rid of the locking gas cap which I hate on all bikes------I don't need or want it.
I've been riding this bike everyday since I got it-----can't stay off of it.
Got it in some deep sand in Indiana--almost panic'd----other guys were dog paddling and wallering around
and I railed thru it passing most folks------didn't think neither me or the bike would do that very well.
It's a tall bike---really long travel suspension-------I have to climb on and off it but it so nice riding the thing.
I'll feel a lot better riding this bike alone than my Africa Twin. Maybe I can pick the 250 up ??? Or maybe it
will take just one helper instead of 3 !!!!

By the way------I went to the Honda shop with my checkbook to buy the new 450L.
I was going to buy that bike----------no question about it---my wife and the Honda dealer knew it too.
Rode it------it was way too much for me and bought the Rally---that's all I got to day about the 450---
you may love it.

I'll be doing a lot of solo traveling on this bike and will feel comfortable doing it.

So will you like this little 250 Rally bike ??---will it do what you want??----only you can answer that question.

Been cruising around in our motorhome pulling an enclosed trailer with our 2 bicycles, my Rally and a scooter
in the back---------she's talking about heading South for the winter ??
Can I go too ????

Went To Indiana Riding, Camping, Hiking looking for old covered bridges and fall colors---------we hit it perfect.

I was joined with my buddies High Five and Bill Asher (Bas3r) from AdvRider.
Thanks for this picture High Five

The stock rear shock has been compared to one of these.

So an upgrade was in order----------Ohlins STX 48 fully
adjustable shock from Moto Stuff for more aggressive riding and carrying camping gear.
The spring it comes with is too light for my weight (max. 175 lbs.) so I had them install a heavier spring
which I think is good for a rider up to 215 lbs-----------which I'm not near that heavy.

Alright I couldn't stand it no more--------and as time wore on I knew the fact that the pannier racks blocked easy access
to my toolbox and my battery-------major welding project and I got it figured out.
In this picture you can see grind marks where I cut the side pannier racks off that were welded on----Bad design.

I just removed the stock toolbox-----threw it away---will mount a tooltube in here when I get to it.

So now the pannier racks that were welded on can be removed easily and quicky by removing
the bolt you see in the tab I've tacked on. Will weld all around the tube after removing them.

Closeup--my little wire welder has paid for itself a thousand times.

While I had my welder out---I welded a 3/8" nut onto a 3/8" bolt.
This is just the size needed to unscrew the front axle bolt. There is no tool for the bike to do this
you have to make it. The 9/16" size nut fits perfectly into the front axle.

I decided I wanted rid of the stock tool box----and wanted to ad a tool tube and welded 2 brackets
like this on the Tusk pannier rack.

Finished product---you can get these in 2 sizes---I ordered both but put the larger one on.
It will hold a 1.5 litre fuel bottle.
Not shown here--------I did ad a support to keep the plastic tube from breaking off----although
the one on my Africa twin has done fine.

As I told before----the Tusk pannier rack presents 2 problems.
1. you can't get to the stock tool box----------which I've removed.
2. You have to take the pannier rack off to get to the battery.

All of that is so stupid------the black pannier rack bracket you see here use to fasten to the screw
on the gray plastic panel. I cut a bunch of the bracket off------now access to my battery is very easy.
I don't have to remove anything except the side panel--------very easy.

Finished product--------Although I could leave this all alone as is--------I think I'll fabricate a plastic piece to
fill the hole where the stock tool box was. It will all look pretty slick when I'm done.
I have the choice of putting a fuel cannister in the tool tube----------or whatever I want.

3-20-19

I've been carrying a 1.5 litre fuel bottle in my tool tube and was holding off on getting a bigger gas tank.
IMS to the rescue-----I installed their 3.5 gallon tank--got it from IMS for about $325 free shipping.

This gas tank holds more fuel than my original tank and the fuel bottle I was carrying.
So I took the fuel bottle out and put my tools in the tool tube.
3.5 gallons is good for me---maybe a 245 mile range at 70 mpg----------we will see.
By the way I have to commend IMS------the fitment was awesome. It fit in there perfect with no
effort at all. No fudging or wallering out holes----it fit perfect.

Ran it out of gas today and found out a few things--------sorry for the upside down photos ???
At 100 miles----the top fuel bar disappears.
At 200 miles I have one fuel bar left.
At 225 miles the last bar flashes and shows low fuel.
At 257.1 miles I was out of gas.
It took 3.6 gallons of fuel to fill it up.
I can push my bike 1.5 blocks to the nearest gas station.

I got 71.4 MPG

I modified the gas cap that IMS sent so I could use my tankbag.
It's kind of a crude modification----I used epoxy to seal the rubber vent tube to the gas cap
and bent the tube horizontal and epoxied it to the gas cap--------it works. I will have to disconnect
the vent hose to get the gas cap off at fill ups. I put a coupler in line and can disconnect it there.
You need to splice the vent hose into the original vent hooked to the bottom of the original
gas tank as it hooks to the evaporative cannister system.
I may shit can all that stuff at some other point in time.
I'm anxious to see when the low fuel lite comes on and more importantly how far I can
go before I run out--------testing to be done ASAP.

I've been just doing day rides with this bike since I got it----but have finally got it set up for traveling
and carrying camping and cooking gear. Those are Wolfman Rocky Mountain saddle bags.

Now pay attention closely to this mod I did as I got rid of the over the seat straps on all of Wolfmans saddlebags.
This only works with the Tusk saddle bag racks as they come with a bracket that fastens to hard bags so the
hard bags can be instantly removed or installed.
So------why can't I use them on my soft bags I asked ?????
You can----------and I did. No more straps over the seat---man I hated those things.
Just pull the pin and they instantly come off.

I was totally happy with the stock mirrors----as this in "NOT" my dirt bike I had no reason
to need foldable mirrors. But..........putting the bike in my van I did---------so installed these
Double Take Adventure mirrors. Wasn't sure they would work as well as the stock ones---but they do.
I thought they might shake---but they don't.s

At 4,600 miles I decided it was time for the original front tire to go------I had no problem with that tire.
So........I put on a TKC80----they are a great tire and last almost 10,000 miles. It's not a great dirt bike
tire-------------but this is "NOT" my dirt bike. I have a dirt bike.

On the rear I put a Kenda K270---again a great tire that lasts.
I have used these tires many times in the past and trust them.
Not a dirt bike tire------but this is not my dirt bike.

Used my "Baja No Pinch" tire tool to install. No pinched tubes.

After selling my Africa Twin----I had these Mosko Moto bags from it laying around.
Never thought about putting them on my rally.
Color matched too boot.