Dual sport bikes

[ags0702]

Can anyone give me advice here? I don't know much about bikes, but I'm doing some research on possibly picking up a dual sort bike in the future for the primary purpose of just getting around town and now and then cruising off road. I'm looking at a clean honda XR650L on craigslist for 1600, anyone have input? thanks...

 

[DAG]

x2, i'm also in the market for a lightweight duel sport, something that will keep both wheels on the ground and me under 65mph.. otherwise i'll kill myself. haven't done much research myself yet, as im looking for a job b4 i can pickone up anywho. thanks for making the thread so i dident half to.

 

[ags0702]

yeah man, I don't have much experience, I've ridden a honda 600 dirt bike (insane) and a honda cbr600 briefly, but I'm really looking for something I can ride without killing myself, and get 50+ miles a gallon.

 

[FL-cracker]

Can anyone give me advice here? I don't know much about bikes, but I'm doing some research on possibly picking up a dual sort bike in the future for the primary purpose of just getting around town and now and then cruising off road. I'm looking at a clean honda XR650L on craigslist for 1600, anyone have input? thanks...

That is a great deal! Those motor's are extremely reliable, and make great power with a few simple bolt ons like air filter and exhaust.

If the bike is that clean you should make a move quick to buy it.

What year is it?

Its no motocross bike, but it will serve you great for going out to the woods and having a good time.

I cant tell you enough how reliable that motor and bike is. :bananalama:

 

[ags0702]

fl cracker- It's a 93 with 8300 miles on it. FMF Powercore exaust and header, says it has new tires as well.

 

[FL-cracker]

x2, i'm also in the market for a lightweight duel sport, something that will keep both wheels on the ground and me under 65mph.. otherwise i'll kill myself. haven't done much research myself yet, as im looking for a job b4 i can pickone up anywho. thanks for making the thread so i dident half to.

Light weight as far as a motocross bike and dual sport usually dont go together, unlees you can find a bike like what Yamaslut found witch is a KTM dirtbike converted to street legal.

If you buy new Yamaha make's a pretty cool new 250 four stroke with Sumo tires, but the motor is not the same a a YZ250f.... but it should run a very long time.

My Favorite is the Husky 510 Street legal SUmo.... It is bad arse, crazy torque and power, and almost as light as a 450 class Motocrosser. :bananapowerslide: I think they are around 8k new though.

 

[FL-cracker]

Buy it!

 

[FL-cracker]

This is what you need grif.

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j122/mattmoto441/motard-SL3.gif

Here is the scoop on it.

http://www.planetminis.com/f17/only-street-legal-mini-78484.html

 

[Speedfreak]

I have had a TON of street bikes and off road bikes but if your looking at a dual sport bike remember they are "nota bikes" Not a road bike and Not a dirt bike.

I have had a KLR 250 an older KLR 650 and a new KLR 650. I am a Kawasaki fan when it comes to bikes. But I don't keep the dual sports for very long I get upset that they are so bad as bikes. If you mod them it makes them better but just not the same. Get a cheap street bike and a cheap dirt bike. Much better

The best bike I had was the new 650 is was modded a bit but with 2 up when you head down the interstate you couldn't pas a semi. It was about WOT at 70 and when you hit the air pressure off of the nose of the truck you couldn't pass it. And as an off road bike you had to ride the clutch the whole time you are off road (in the woods with no trails) because idling in first was WAY too fast.

I don't have any experience with the Honda's but don't get your expectations up. Plus a older road bike like a honda nighthawk still gets 40 MPG and has plenty of power. Then you can have enough extra cash to buy a real MX bike.
Just MHO. But my next bike is going to be a FJR1300 Hopefully next summer.

 

[DAG]

rephrase: by light weight i just wanned something thats not a tank. /something that could be flicked around alittle easer than the others. not a pig

around a 250 is what i was thinking power wise, (haven't rode a 250 yet), but i think it will keep me from trying backflips :crutches:

any other bikes makes or models i should keep on the horizon :dunno:

PS: Do these things require just as much wrench time as the superjet's?

 

[dolphinangel]

I love my dual sport bike. we take it to the lake on the weekends and I ride it around town during the week. great transportation and cheap on the gas. not to good on the thruway, but you can take it on the thruway. i have a KLR250 and that had done great for me. Good luck in getting a bike. but if you want more of a thruway bike you are better off with a cheap motorcycle than a dual sport. but if its for around town, then it would be great. But no problems with mine so far!

 

[brett]

xr650ls are tanks. ive ridden the dr400 (street legal one) on and off road. they work, but not great on the freeway. id go with a newer xr650 dirt model converted or the ultimate, a wr450. unfortunately you cant do that in cali anymore, doughnutin hippies. if your goin around town they're good, otherwise buy a seca2 or something

 

[Idok]

Ok here's my take..I am new to bikes but have crammed as much info into my head as possible in the past year or so..

the XR650, while having TONS of power..is a PIG..VERY HEAVY
if you are going to be doing any dirt riding at all, you will regret it....I like it as a 85%street, 15% (or less) dirt.....not fun when you drop it and have to pick it up

DRZ400....GREAT BIKE!!! I loved mine......the way I always thought of it was it was designed for 70% street, 30% dirt....

I rode my DRZ about the past 6 months, put 2k on it mostly dirt riding.....it as well, was too heavy. THe DRZ got about 60-70mpg's.....One day out learning to hillclimb I swear I dropped and picked up the 315# bike at LEAST 20-25 times



KTM

most, if not all KTM bikes can be made street legal. You find this out by looking at the title. Dirtbikes and quads will have "off road" or "OHV" titles....

KTM's come with actual motorcycle titles....most just needs a light switch, brake light and couple of othejr things to make them street legal
I view the KTMs as 90% dirt, 10% street

I just bought a KTM 450 4 stroke....oh man, I friggen LOVE it....tons and tons of power, but very linear and not scary..this bike gets about 35-40 mpg's...maybe more, but the thing sounds so good I cant help but crack the throttle muchy more often


If you are looking for good power, docile but fun....road>dirt--go for the DRZ, you will not regret it...they can be had for 3-4k with very low mileage and maybe 1-2 yrs old...I bought my DRZ out of convenience...I got a SMOKING deal and it was only 5 minutes from my house....I used it for 6 months as a learner bike and sold it for a profit


make yoiur decision based on where it will mostly get used....if youre going to keep to the dirt mostly, then ride to work every so often..KTM baby!

if youre going to street it the majority of the time, and occasionally hit a dirt road..the DRZ is the perfect out of the box true dual sport bike


Weights:

KTM 450 with FULL tank of gas: 280

KTM 300 2 stroker with about 1G of gas: 242

DRZ is about 295 dry, add 20lbs or so for gas, oil,fluids


At 280 the 450 feels like it weighs 50-60lbs less than the DRZ..I assume this is due to the weight distribution with the DRZX being more top heavy than the KTM

 

[DAG]

thanks for the wright up

very helpful to think of it the duel bikes as ratios of dirt:street. got a new perspective thanks

 

[Idok]

fl cracker- It's a 93 with 8300 miles on it. FMF Powercore exaust and header, says it has new tires as well.

too old

 

[Idok]

thanks for the wright up

very helpful to think of it the duel bikes as ratios of dirt:street. got a new perspective thanks

I could have written more, but my fingers got tired! :cat40:



My 450 handles pretty much as well as the DRZ did on the street....HOnestly I think the only difference woudl be within the tire choice

however the 450 is WORLDS better than the DRZ in the dirt.....



keep in mind, its all about what you learn on.....If you learn on an inferior machine, it will make you better/faster in the long run :djsmilie:

 

[yamasaki]

I have had a TON of street bikes and off road bikes but if your looking at a dual sport bike remember they are "nota bikes" Not a road bike and Not a dirt bike.

x2

 

[brett]

no matter what, a ds bike will never be a great dirtbike without tons of cash. buy something comfortable for the road. for under 2gs your limited. im lookin for a tw200.

they're cheap, been around unchanged since the 80s, and with those tires, you can cruz in sand effortlessly. i see them in pismo all the time

not to mentiion, they are ugly AND slow. awsome!

 

[Idok]

those TW's are on CL all the time for like 15-1600 bucks....

In person I think they actually look pretty sweet.....I thiought about trying to pick one up for the girly but she's too scared

 

[ags0702]

too old

too old? But it's a honda...and affordable for someone like me