griinder
XS650 Addict
I want to pick up a dual sport, don't know anything about them really. would like to get something big enough for highway stints, but nimble enough to zip aroung the woods. advice?
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Salty Dog
XS650 Enthusiast
Ive been wanting to get into the dual sports too. Of course the BMW's are awesome but expensive.KTM has an nice one too. but then I read a blog about a guy riding a Kawasaki KLR. Ive been looking around and there for sale all around. here is the guys blog.
http://the-alexander-project.blogspot.com/
http://the-alexander-project.blogspot.com/
Cornish Pixie
Shiny obsessive
Build one out of an XS
http://www.loeil2fred.com/700xty/
Google translate will come in mighty useful for this site
http://www.loeil2fred.com/700xty/
Google translate will come in mighty useful for this site
Go over to the www.advrider.com site. It has a huge membership, and specific sections on the different dual sport bikes. You could spend months reading their various threads.
Yes, the KLR 650 is popular, probably because it is cheap to buy new. Only $6000 in Canada and probably much less in the USA.
Brother
XS650 Addict
About the same $here in the US. $6,300
tonylevesque
XS650 Member
I had a BMX 650x loved it. KTM 525's are always the most fun if you really want to crash some trials. if your looking for a little scoot around the new yamaha 250x's are a blast as well
Another machine that's a lot of bang for the buck is the Suzuki VStrom; your choice of displacements, 650 or 1000 cc's; not nimble woods bikes, more adventure touring oriented. The Suzuki DRZ400 is very nice in the woods and will run down the highway at 70 mph without working up a sweat if geared right. It's also available in a supermotard version that makes me drool every time I see one, but at 5'6" I doubt I could get the saddle height to match my inseam; you can only go so far with modded dogbones before you trash the handling. There's a DRZ650 available as well but it tends to be a bit top heavy; there's a reason the KLR650 is more highly favored.
COOPERB27
COOPERB27
maaaaaaaaaaaaan you gots and 18"er up front. that's what i'd do with a dual purpose.
griinder
XS650 Addict
whoa. just did some reading on the klr650. i think i'll take a gas one and the diesel military one. damn. 96 mpg at 55 mph.
COOPERB27
COOPERB27
CDNTX650
XS650 Guru
I have a KLR, and i love it for what it does. It's a 93 and the awesome thing is any parts from 87 to 2007 pretty much fit. Did the doohickey set the valve lash,replaced all the rad hoses and did longer fork preload spacers on mine and i wouldnt hesistate to take it anywhere.
I also have a 2010 Kawasaki Versys, and there is no way i would try to use it for the same thing i use the KLR for. The Versys is ok with grippy tires for packed dirt and gravel but thats it. I do use it to see the country though. Same for the vstrom....useless for real dual sporting.
I also have a 2010 Kawasaki Versys, and there is no way i would try to use it for the same thing i use the KLR for. The Versys is ok with grippy tires for packed dirt and gravel but thats it. I do use it to see the country though. Same for the vstrom....useless for real dual sporting.
COOPERB27
COOPERB27
How do can i make my pics show up big on here
COOPERB27
COOPERB27
danm bad english what do i need to do to make my pics show up big on here
I built a tw200. Small but fun as hell, i wish i still had it. With a supertrapp, unifilter, bigger jets, and new sprockets it wasn't too bad on the highway. I did a 400 mile trip with it no problem (if you're older i wouldn't recommend it!). Lots of fun off road.
griinder
XS650 Addict
i rode a tw200 once. it was fun! small. how fast can you cruise on it?
1974jh5
Curmudgeon.
I spent the last ~20 years racing enduros and hare scrambles so I have a bit of off road experience. (I just saw on the KTM Web site that Russell Bobbit is the national Enduro Champ. He and I used to race SETRA enduros together, only he was a damn sight younger and faster. Congrats, Russell!) To me, a dual sport should be about 80% dirt 20% street. With that in mind:
Me, I'd really like to have either a WR450 Yamaha or a CRF450X Honda with a Baja Designs dual sport kit. But the problem there is the damn Feds and some states have made registering the things nearly impossible, since they are sold new for 'off the road use only'. That means the EPA and NHTSA haven't given them the squeal of approval.
So if you want a DS with the least amount of hassle but are okay with 90% street/10% dirt:
The best all round dual sport is the Suzuki DR400. That bike can be registered for the road in every state with no hassles and has a huge aftermarket. Stock it will handle single track okay, not as good as a true dirt bike but enough to be entertaining. Lots of stuff from its off road only sibling will swap right over, making it a very viable candidate for some serious single track riding while still having the Fed squeal of approval. Its drawback is that it will get buzzy on the highway. In fact, I wouldn't go smaller than a 400 unless I knew I wasn't going to do any Interstate.
The KLR is a great bike, as is the XL650L Honda. Both are somewhat dated 80's technology but have massive aftermarket support that can update them considerably. They can be had dirt cheap used, will last longer than cockroaches and can be ridden on the highway with no fear. Their drawback is in anything tougher than two track they are a REAL handful. Good god, don't get the things stuck in a mudhole! But in the high Colorado mountains or the desert, they really shine. Of the two, the XR650L shares a lot of parts with the off road only XR600 so like the 400 Suzuki it's possible to make a real offroad firebreather that still has that gov't squeal. The KLR doesn't have an off road only brother to steal from, unfortunately and due to liquid cooling is fair amount heavier.
The Suzuki DS650 is a complete turd. It's not even a good street bike. Pfft.
The KTM 525 is probably the ultimate factory built DS, but pricey (if you can find a nice one that's not ragged out, that is).
Me, I'd really like to have either a WR450 Yamaha or a CRF450X Honda with a Baja Designs dual sport kit. But the problem there is the damn Feds and some states have made registering the things nearly impossible, since they are sold new for 'off the road use only'. That means the EPA and NHTSA haven't given them the squeal of approval.
So if you want a DS with the least amount of hassle but are okay with 90% street/10% dirt:
The best all round dual sport is the Suzuki DR400. That bike can be registered for the road in every state with no hassles and has a huge aftermarket. Stock it will handle single track okay, not as good as a true dirt bike but enough to be entertaining. Lots of stuff from its off road only sibling will swap right over, making it a very viable candidate for some serious single track riding while still having the Fed squeal of approval. Its drawback is that it will get buzzy on the highway. In fact, I wouldn't go smaller than a 400 unless I knew I wasn't going to do any Interstate.
The KLR is a great bike, as is the XL650L Honda. Both are somewhat dated 80's technology but have massive aftermarket support that can update them considerably. They can be had dirt cheap used, will last longer than cockroaches and can be ridden on the highway with no fear. Their drawback is in anything tougher than two track they are a REAL handful. Good god, don't get the things stuck in a mudhole! But in the high Colorado mountains or the desert, they really shine. Of the two, the XR650L shares a lot of parts with the off road only XR600 so like the 400 Suzuki it's possible to make a real offroad firebreather that still has that gov't squeal. The KLR doesn't have an off road only brother to steal from, unfortunately and due to liquid cooling is fair amount heavier.
The Suzuki DS650 is a complete turd. It's not even a good street bike. Pfft.
The KTM 525 is probably the ultimate factory built DS, but pricey (if you can find a nice one that's not ragged out, that is).
