Dual Sport bikes

[gripguru]

So did you end up with a bike?

Greg's trip report got me seriously thinking about a dual sport again. With winter coming, bike prices should be coming down. Tempting...

I have this on the back burner, cannot pull the trigger if I cannot ride it now. I kept finding Suzukis and KTMs here in town for great deals. Then I got all excited about bigger bikes. Checked out KLRs and some bigger KTMs. Then I got a buddy selling that bada$$ triumph. Then I would go back to how SWWEEEET the Yahama was. :lame:

Too exciting for me. I will probably stick to four wheeled fun.

 

[rholbrook]

For what it is worth.

I currently have a WR450 that I put a Trail to Trail kit on from a guy that lives in Kaysville. I wanted to leave my bike set up for the trail but be able to license it and ride on the street when needed. Most of these bikes similar to the WR like a Honda CRFX, Kawasaki KLX, and Suzuki DRZ need very little modifications to make them street legal. I know that some of these manufacturers are now making some Enduros that are street legal but you have to realize that if you tip over off-road you will cause some damage. If you can find a 2007 and older bike like a WR, change the tires, add a trail to trail kit you will be much happier when it came down to going off-road. The reason I say 2007 and older is that you are NOT required to add turn signals. You can if you want, but the law does not require it. You can just use your arms for signaling or get the some like these.
http://shop.thumpertalk.com/catalogs/Tucker_Rocky_Offroad_2008/default.asp?p=309
To make a bike street legal you need a brake light, horn, mirror, speedometer and DOT approved tires. You can probably get away without the tires. It’s pretty cheap to make them street legal and would take you about an hour to make them legal. Installing the horn took me the longest because I had to remove my headlight to do it.

Stay away from the bigger bikes like the 650s if you will be going off road, they are too heavy. A good bike for you may be the Suzuki DRZ400, it is light enough to take off road and they really run good but yet big enough to get on the highway if needed. I like the off road model they have without all the big lights. It would need a trail to trail kit but it would be better off road. I was the first one in my group of guys (6) to add the trail to trail kit and now all of them have it now. There are some trails out there that are off limits to OHV that are now okay to ride on now since my bike is no longer an OHV. If any of you need info on the kit I used, PM me and I will get you his number.

 

[Corban_White]

If you can find a 2007 and older bike like a WR, change the tires, add a trail to trail kit you will be much happier when it came down to going off-road. The reason I say 2007 and older is that you are NOT required to add turn signals. You can if you want, but the law does not require it. You can just use your arms for signaling.

According to the Utah Safety Inspection Manual for motorcycles, Section 12 (2 wheel dirt bikes), blinkers are required on all bikes manufactured after January 1, 1973
http://www.des.utah.gov/safetyinspections/docs/MotorcycleManual.pdf

Stay away from the bigger bikes like the 650s if you will be going off road, they are too heavy.

FWIW, I love my 210 lb CR480 off road, but I love my 280 lb ATK 605 almost as much. If the bike is set up correctly it can do very well off road, even with a little extra weight (and especially the extra power the bigger bikes have).

 

[benjy]

You can't go wrong with a DRZ, they are the perfect size, a blast around town and amazing in the dirt. I didn't like mine at highway speeds, so I got a bigger DR650. I miss my DRZ.

I'm looking for a dual sport and have been thinking the DRZ is the bike that will best fit my needs.

What I would like out of a bike

• Street legal
• Affordable (under $3k)
• Geared for technical trail riding
• Comfortably cruise at 50-55mph
• Range of 200ish miles

This will be my first dirt bike (I've literally had 5 minutes of seat time on a dirt bike). I had a street bike for a couple years, but even at that I wouldn't consider myself experienced in that regard. This has been holding me back from wanting the bigger bike. I've wondered if a xt225 might be a better fit, or a ttr230 (with street kit, which adds more cost and headache to register). I would only save a couple hundred by getting a smaller bike.

Will I be able to handle the heavier DRZ? Worst case if I don't think the gearing is low enough for technical trails I could replace the sprocket with a different teeth count... So really I guess it comes down to weight (60lbs heavier than other bikes I've been looking at)

I would like a bike before next summer if the price is right, and I've been eyeing 2000-2004ish DRZ400s. What would be a "good" price in the dead of winter? The one I've seen recently that caught my eye was a 2003 listed at $2800.

edit: Also other possible important details. Riding will be 50/50 for dirt/road. Probably 2 dirt trips a month, and commuting 5 miles to work a couple times a month (in the summer). I'm 6'1" 165lbs...

 

[Corban_White]

As long as you don't have a problem picking it up when you tip over or kickstarting it, the weight will not be an issue and at 6'1" you will probably like the bigger bikes a little better.

 

[Gravy]

I'm looking for a dual sport and have been thinking the DRZ is the bike that will best fit my needs.

What I would like out of a bike

• Street legal
• Affordable (under $3k)
• Geared for technical trail riding
• Comfortably cruise at 50-55mph
• Range of 200ish miles

This will be my first dirt bike (I've literally had 5 minutes of seat time on a dirt bike). I had a street bike for a couple years, but even at that I wouldn't consider myself experienced in that regard. This has been holding me back from wanting the bigger bike. I've wondered if a xt225 might be a better fit, or a ttr230 (with street kit, which adds more cost and headache to register). I would only save a couple hundred by getting a smaller bike.

Will I be able to handle the heavier DRZ? Worst case if I don't think the gearing is low enough for technical trails I could replace the sprocket with a different teeth count... So really I guess it comes down to weight (60lbs heavier than other bikes I've been looking at)

I would like a bike before next summer if the price is right, and I've been eyeing 2000-2004ish DRZ400s. What would be a "good" price in the dead of winter? The one I've seen recently that caught my eye was a 2003 listed at $2800.

edit: Also other possible important details. Riding will be 50/50 for dirt/road. Probably 2 dirt trips a month, and commuting 5 miles to work a couple times a month (in the summer). I'm 6'1" 165lbs...

not to pimp my stuff but....
Ben,
Seriously buy my bike, I'll sell it to you for a smoking deal (it's a 2005)
200cc , perfect for a bigginer.
Street Legal. it'll rock 75 tapped out.
99mpg (dead serious)
the only reason I don't ride it to work when it's warm is I have to carry 100+lbs of tools with me for work and that doesn't really work on a bike.

come up and ride it some time

 

[Greg]

I'm looking for a dual sport and have been thinking the DRZ is the bike that will best fit my needs.

What I would like out of a bike

• Street legal
• Affordable (under $3k)
• Geared for technical trail riding
• Comfortably cruise at 50-55mph
• Range of 200ish miles

This will be my first dirt bike (I've literally had 5 minutes of seat time on a dirt bike). I had a street bike for a couple years, but even at that I wouldn't consider myself experienced in that regard. This has been holding me back from wanting the bigger bike. I've wondered if a xt225 might be a better fit, or a ttr230 (with street kit, which adds more cost and headache to register). I would only save a couple hundred by getting a smaller bike.

Will I be able to handle the heavier DRZ? Worst case if I don't think the gearing is low enough for technical trails I could replace the sprocket with a different teeth count... So really I guess it comes down to weight (60lbs heavier than other bikes I've been looking at)

I would like a bike before next summer if the price is right, and I've been eyeing 2000-2004ish DRZ400s. What would be a "good" price in the dead of winter? The one I've seen recently that caught my eye was a 2003 listed at $2800.

edit: Also other possible important details. Riding will be 50/50 for dirt/road. Probably 2 dirt trips a month, and commuting 5 miles to work a couple times a month (in the summer). I'm 6'1" 165lbs...

If I were you, I'd go sit on a DRZ and get a feel for it Ben. If you're comfortable on it, I wouldn't worry about the higher weight. They're not that heavy, you'll probably be able to handle it just fine. Leave it stock power-wise and you'll really grow into that bike. IMO a TTR or XT might leave you looking for something bigger within a few months of ownership. But it all depends on what you're comfortable with. Sitting on a bike will give you lots of information about it... riding it around the block will really tell you what you need to know.

The DRZ400S may need a re-gear if you're riding offroad, you can drop a tooth on the front sprocket for under $20. I had to do that on my DR650 and it made a world of difference offroad, I didn't loose any top-end either.

I think you can find a decent one in your price range. I sold my 2001 DRZ for $2800 last year and I had just rebuilt the motor. I felt lucky to get that much $$. With the way the economy is plenty of folks are unloading their toys. I bet you can find a newer DRZ easy enough.

For what you want kind of riding you want to do, the DRZ will be perfect. Mine was a hoot to ride around town, very much a hooligan bike. It wasn't plated so I had to be careful and didn't ride on the road very often, but it was much fun in town.

 

[Greg]

not to pimp my stuff but....
Ben,
Seriously buy my bike, I'll sell it to you for a smoking deal (it's a 2005)
200cc , perfect for a bigginer.
Street Legal. it'll rock 75 tapped out.
99mpg (dead serious)
the only reason I don't ride it to work when it's warm is I have to carry 100+lbs of tools with me for work and that doesn't really work on a bike.

come up and ride it some time

What kind of bike? Chinese? If so, no offense but...

 

[benjy]

For what you want kind of riding you want to do, the DRZ will be perfect.

Thanks Greg, that's what I was looking for :greg:

 

[Gravy]

What kind of bike? Chinese? If so, no offense but...

yup Chinese
no offense taken.
mine is almost a direct copy of the old honda 200X's: same piston and everything, simple, reliable, parts are everywhere. Don't get me wrong there are lots better bikes out there
Imagine a less capable dual sport for the price of a scooter.... cant beat that.

Ben said he'd never riden before, I'd be wary of throwing a first timer on anything much bigger than a 250. (at least offroad)
You guys are talking about 650's and I honestly think they are too heavy to take anywhere very rough.



Get a xt225, get used to it, learn to ride it, then step up. You can have a lot of fun on a small bike I think most people who try to learn with a really big bore bike end up wrecking once or twice offroad and then shying away from riding.


I think most dual sports end up being too much of a compromise

That being said I'd love a DRZ

but my perfect dual sport would be a CRF450X with a street kit (55 horsepower is a lot!)
change the sprocket for on road riding

 

[Greg]

A couple years ago I went riding with Hickey in the San Safael Swell, I was on my DRZ and he was on some Chinese bike. Following a minor wreck at about 20 MPH(IIRC) that bike was pretty much totaled... taco's wheel, bent bars, busted up lights, etc, etc. IMO they're not worth 1/4 the money you pay for them. Save your cash a little longer & buy a bike that's meant to take some abuse.

I've wrecked my WR400 out in the desert... about 60-65 MPH into a wash. It wasn't pretty, the bike went end over end, flew about 40' and landed on it's top. I thought there'd be much more damage, but it was a well-built bike. My bars were slightly bent and that was it. I was a bit hurt, nothing time didn't fix.

...You guys are talking about 650's and I honestly think they are too heavy to take anywhere very rough...

Come follow me... :greg: I'm not recommending a new rider go out and buy a 650. I have been riding since I was 14 and most of my experience has been on 250cc 2 Strokes and a handful of 400cc 4 strokes. I grew into 650's after feeling like I could handle my DRZ like it was a BMX bike. I like the bigger bike, yes it has its drawbacks but IMO I can take my 650 almost everywhere my 400 went, just a bit slower. I've ridden plenty of technical trails on my DR650... my big test after a few mods was Top of the World. The 650 ate it up, not a problem.

Here's a little vid for you, this is the Ridge Trail up AFC from this summer. If you've ever ridden it, you'd know it has some nasty spots. I used to ride it on my WR400 and DRZ400 often, I had to work my ass off and had some trouble, but that 650 & I were up there playing with the guys on smaller bikes. Most guys up there were on 400's, the guy in front of me in this video looks to be on a CRF230.

Most of what you will see looks pretty tame, till about 5:00. It's a very steep slope to the sides on most of the trail, the video doesn't show you that. This is the part of the trail that is directly above Forest Lake, if you've been there you know how steep that mountain is behind the lake. I don't think most sane people would try this, but I'm not always sane :greg:


[YOUTUBE]gWM5flcYK34&fmt=18[/YOUTUBE]

There's no real sound and the camera angle is too low, still playing with my helmet cam.

 

[Greg]

Thanks Greg, that's what I was looking for :greg:

Take an MSF Class soon as you get a bike Ben, it will teach you a lot about handling your new bike, in a rider-safe environment. You mentioned that you didn't have much experience, so IMO you really need to prepare yourself and become familiar how a bike and you will react to certain situations. Nothing worse than having to learn that on the street, when you least expect it.

http://nm.msf-usa.org/msf/ridercourses.aspx?state=UT


Also... get the riding gear. Helmet, riding boots, some kind of chest protection and gloves at a bare minimum. Dress for the crash, not the ride. A riding jacket with built-in armor is a good idea, I have a Joe Rocket jacket for cold weather and a Thor Impact Rig for warm weather.

My typical outfit is; helmet, jacket/impact rig, padded gloves, padded mtn bike compression shorts, MX boots, knee pads & riding pants. Sometimes I'll wear a compression shirt too. You can take your time assembling the gear, but always have the basics and ALWAYS WEAR IT.

 

[benjy]

• Street legal
• Affordable (under $3k)
• Geared for technical trail riding
• Comfortably cruise at 50-55mph
• Range of 200ish miles

Well, I bounced around quite a bit in the last few months about which bike would best fit my needs. I was pretty serious about a few drz400s, but I was never willing to pay what they were asking. Then I bounced around about a trail bike and street legalizing it, everything from a wr250f to a kdx220. Looked around A LOT, and finally settled on this:



Yes, that's purple and seafoam green '95 klr250, fit all of my requirements, and has a lot going for it: Low seat height, already street legal, it runs great, and it was WAAYYY under budget! I won't cry if I drop it, and in a couple years when I'm ready for better suspension and more power, I'll be able to sell it for just as much as I bought it for

I'll be recovering the seat, replacing the fork seals and brake pads, and dropping the tooth count to improve low speed trail riding. I've also thought about getting black plastics and leaving the frame purple. Maybe a cyclops headlight and turn signals? meh, we'll see, I'm not into this bike very much, and will probably just leave it the way it is... I realize this isn't the most badass bike out there, but I'm happy with it :greg:

 

[Corban_White]

Great starter! After you get good offroad on that one you will be amazed at the added control a bike with good suspension will give you! If it's anything like my XT it will ride like a Cadillac on the street tho. Congrats!

 

[Gravy]

Benjy,
Looks way cool man!

Krylor plastic spray paint and you're set

if you need an upholstery shop I know a few. seat cover company in slc qouted me about $40 to cover a seat

 

[benjy]

Benjy,
Looks way cool man!

Krylor plastic spray paint and you're set

if you need an upholstery shop I know a few. seat cover company in slc qouted me about $40 to cover a seat

Good call, the gayness of the purple frame is hidden with black plastics, and with no aftermarket plastics available, Krylon it will be

If my upholstery place in Orem quotes much more than $40 I'll give you a ring. Oh wait, I don't have your number anymore after my cell phone incident :-\

Great starter! After you get good offroad on that one you will be amazed at the added control a bike with good suspension will give you! If it's anything like my XT it will ride like a Cadillac on the street tho. Congrats!

Exactly! In a year or two when I'm ready to move on I'll feel spoiled with better suspended bike

 

[Greg]

That's a good starter bike Benjy, I think you did well. And from the sound of it, you'll have money for some good riding gear! I have thought about getting Catherine a KLR250, they are cheap and look to be a good learner.

 

[Corban_White]

So.............RME dual sport AF canyon ride this spring?

 

[cruiseroutfit]

So.............RME dual sport AF canyon ride this spring?

In!

 

[benjy]

In!

x2