Motorcylists... dual sport vs adventure bike ?

[RojoGrande]

It can be done but not by many

 

[signing off]

Advrider.com is my other forum fix.
You have a question to ask yourself...Will you want dirt capable, knobby looking tires to get you OUT of trouble or explore like you are on a dirt bike?

Since this answer changes DURING A RIDE, what type or size bike will help YOU the most ?

Tire type plus bike type is math that has to add up to your goal. Going mutant like 1290 KTM with knobs is an excellent example that works for certain people. Most should never consider it. Other extreme is Versus 300 with a ninja motor. It turns into an adv bike with tires and good accessories. Smallest 2 cylinder trail worthy bike that does good highway duty.
So much variety now in the category of ADV/dual sport.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

I have a honda africa twin and love it. A little heavy, but single track stuff is doable, especially if it isnt too technical.

 

[Neumie]

I went from CBR to KTM 640 Adv to KTM 400 XCW to mountain bikes. I guess each one of those got me further from the road and onto a lighter machine. Never liked my buddies WR250or KLR 650 due to lack of power (and weight on the latter).

Don’t know if I’d be happy riding on the road again. Drivers on cell phones scare me!

Good luck with your choice, you can always change course.

 

[nphunter]

You really just need to decide what’s important. My buddy wants to buy a big dual sport KTM but I think mostly for good mileage and having fun exploring two tracks, personally I would never even consider one. I sold my last dual sport and now have a trials bike for real single tracks. I only ride the road long enough to get from one single track to the next.

I’m on the extreme side with my bike but it’s about as good as it gets for technical stuff. If I ever buy an actual dirt bike again it will be a beta xtrainer. Heavy bikes are dangerous on technical stuff especially if you’re alone.

 

[ReaptheHeat]

You really just need to decide what’s important. My buddy wants to buy a big dual sport KTM but I think mostly for good mileage and having fun exploring two tracks, personally I would never even consider one. I sold my last dual sport and now have a trials bike for real single tracks. I only ride the road long enough to get from one single track to the next.

I’m on the extreme side with my bike but it’s about as good as it gets for technical stuff. If I ever buy an actual dirt bike again it will be a beta xtrainer. Heavy bikes are dangerous on technical stuff especially if you’re alone.

View attachment 882909

How do you know someone rides a trials bike?

They'll tell you.

You are like the beer snob hanging at the local dive bar, too good for a coors or bud and gotta tell me about the local craft IPA they should stock.

I say this as a joke! Swung my leg over a trials bike a time or two.

 

[nphunter]

How do you know someone rides a trials bike?

They'll tell you.

You are like the beer snob hanging at the local dive bar, too good for a coors or bud and gotta tell me about the local craft IPA they should stock.

I say this as a joke! Swung my leg over a trials bike a time or two.

lol, I don’t ride it much but love it when I do. I don’t know anything about IPA’s but after slumming on XR’s and TW’s for many years I had no idea how great it could actually be. Once you ride a trials bike in the woods it’s hard to go back to anything else.

 

[Braaap]

I’d like to change my previous advice. Be a man and buy a CR500 or KX500. Street legal? Nope, just outrun the cops. You can ride everything with it and nobody will think you’re a bitch.

 

[AcesHigh]

I’d like to change my previous advice. Be a man and buy a CR500 or KX500. Street legal? Nope, just outrun the cops. You can ride everything with it and nobody will think you’re a bitch.

Very cosmopolitan

 

[AcesHigh]

I would love to hear any and all input on dual sport vs going with the larger adventure bike for backroad ( where legal) and general riding.. I am planning on selling off the ninja and moving to something little more intune with the outdoors. Between commute/street riding - I put on a few thousand miles on the Z but wouldnt mind finding something to both ride as a commute and for dirt track/ scouting/ where i can

Maybe a tesla truck?

 

[AcesHigh]

lol, I don’t ride it much but love it when I do. I don’t know anything about IPA’s but after slumming on XR’s and TW’s for many years I had no idea how great it could actually be. Once you ride a trials bike in the woods it’s hard to go back to anything else.

Pairs well with a nice lagunitas ipa

 

[AcesHigh]

I’d like to change my previous advice. Be a man and buy a CR500 or KX500. Street legal? Nope, just outrun the cops. You can ride everything with it and nobody will think you’re a bitch.

Then you just jump it like your in a crusty’s film and crush the animal. Who needs a rifle?

 

[mt terry d]

KTM 640 Adv

And people think Harleys shake.

 

[doc holiday13]

Advrider.com is my other forum fix.
You have a question to ask yourself...Will you want dirt capable, knobby looking tires to get you OUT of trouble or explore like you are on a dirt bike?

Since this answer changes DURING A RIDE, what type or size bike will help YOU the most ?

Tire type plus bike type is math that has to add up to your goal. Going mutant like 1290 KTM with knobs is an excellent example that works for certain people. Most should never consider it. Other extreme is Versus 300 with a ninja motor. It turns into an adv bike with tires and good accessories. Smallest 2 cylinder trail worthy bike that does good highway duty.
So much variety now in the category of ADV/dual sport.

yeah I was just contemplating what a vtwin dirtbike would look like.... Well my friend in CA had the same though apparently and dropped a sporster 1200 with transmission into a 600CC dual sport frame.. its badass

 

[KHNC]

Straight up MX bike is the way to go. I have a KTM 150SX and Yamaha YZ250F. Either stay all in ON ROAD or all in OFF ROAD.

 

[jimh406]

I don't think there is a bike that is good for general riding and off-road. The larger adventure bikes are too big for off-road and the dual sports aren't very comfortable for much riding on road and come with too small of gasoline tanks to limit range.

For reference, I've owned a Suzuki 350 and Kawasaki 650 and ridden my friends BMW 1100 off-road version. They are not comparable to street bikes/touring bikes or off-road bikes.

One thing to keep in mind for off-road is what happens if you get a flat? I have to say I enjoyed dual sports on forest service roads but didn't like traveling to get there. If you can swing a trailer or a way to transport it, I'd go with a smaller dual sport. There is limited advantage of the larger ones, and they are just heavier to deal with.

 

[Bailer]

I have a GS. It’s great on the highway, good in the twisties, and handles forest roads and two track reasonably well. Single track and rocky 4x4 roads would be more than I would mess with on it.

A buddy has a Ktm 690 that is very good in the dirt, and doesn’t give up much to mine in the twisties. I wouldn’t want to ride it 400 miles to get to the fun stuff though.

It’s all compromises, unless you fill the garage with bikes.

 

[AKG]

I had a crf230l for a handful of years. I used it as a daily summer commuter 25 miles each way (county roads for most with a few city near work) and for riding around forest service. It worked pretty good for that use, as I don't get very rowdy. I did a few longer trips which included some state and even interstate miles and that's where it was weak- seat was very uncomfortable for longer miles, lacked top end speed, and power at highway speeds to maneuver out of the way when other traffic started getting to close for comfort, right lane only on the interstate hunched over the handlebars to cut down on wind resistance I could keep it above 70mph on level ground. Recently picked up a lightly used crf300l rally with aftermarket exhaust, so far it seems like it's about as close as I can get to the best compromise bike as I can get for my use. Little more fuel capacity, still small enough I should be able to pick it up if I tip, windscreen for comfort, will run state highways fine in WI, still not great for interstate but I
have to take a longer drive to reach one anyway. No single tracks around here.

 

[pacoalcracker]

Just go to a Beta dealer and try a few dual-sports out. You will be sold. Most dealers have or can get you a used bike if you want that. They also have the very best trials bikes too if that interests you. I have 2 Betas, my fav is the 2017 RRS-430, however a 390 or even the 500 would be just fine. Fairly light, street legal(barely), gobs of power and very rideable, which is what Beta is known for. Being 6 geared they are great on and off road. Very high quality and the dealer support is the best there is. Beta has a very wide variety of bikes to suit anyone. I've had bikes of all sorts my entire life and Beta is by far well above them all. I call my Betas Italian Queens. They are just a beautiful bike. Next in line would be a Husky, even though they are owned by KTM.

 

[mt terry d]

It’s all compromises, unless you fill the garage with bikes.

Exactly.
Never compromise!