Spend my money! (On a dual sport)

[PJ4863]

All right, so here's the deal. I'm thinking of selling my ninjette in order to finance a dual sport. I'd like to take advantage of the non pavement sections of NC. I've never ridden off road before so I know theres a learning curve. What would you get and why?

 

[FJRay]

You're going to get lots of ideas. I would start with something around a 250 and used, easy to pick up and cheap to repair. Once you decide you want to continue then the choices are endless. Don't buy anything you don't want to pick up cause you may not have help nearby.

 

[Heen]

I'm guessing you want to do adventure riding. If that is the case, get a DR 650 or a KLR 650. (and not a new one). They are big enough to get you down the paved road and get you in the back country. They do everything but nothing very well. If you want to just do dirt, do what Ray said and get a 250.

 

[gregory]

Having recently picked up a fully loaded Africa Twin, my nuts and I whole heartedly agree with Ray.

 

[sparky80]

I'd say folks should get a DRZ400S. They've been around for over 15 years, are bulletproof, and mild enough in power to not scare you. They're also fast enough to have a little bit of fun on fire roads or even on paved roads. I had one back in 2002 and loved it.

 

[PJ4863]

The dr650 and the KLR are already on the radar. I wanted to make sure I wasn't missing anything. I doubt I will do anything 100% dirt, I do want street legal.

 

[fjrob1300]

My first foray into dual sport is on a WR250. I love it. Light and nimble.

Do this first. Lay a 250 on its side , then pick it up. Now lay a KLR 650 on its side , now pick it up. Now picture doing this multiple times in your first summer.

 

[MrZappo]

<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote'data-author="fjrob1300" data-cid="1412671" data-time="1548816425"><p>

My first foray into dual sport is on a WR250. I love it. Light and nimble. <br />

<br />

Do this first. Lay a 250 on its side , then pick it up. Now lay a KLR 650 on its side , now pick it up. Now picture doing this multiple times in your first summer.</p></blockquote>

"Multiple times per HOUR".

Fixed it for you.

At least this is me while following the hooligans I stupidly follow.

I have a KLR and can clearly say that she is a fat old girl. And heavy. But I love her anyway.

Honestly though, you need a bigger bike if you want to ride the roads between the dirt. Good advice.

She is still fat.

 

[Bugnatr]

250-400 cc.... you're welcome. A.fter a year or two get a 650

My Gen 1 KLR may be fat but my ass is happy and it went everywhere the other 650's went.

 

[Millrat]

I couldn't keep up with guys. My dual sport is the original, a 1986 Honda CT-110.

 

[PJ4863]

In my previous life... I had a kawasaki super sherpa. I should of never of sold that bike.

 

[samamoto]

I was in the same dilemma a month ago. I ended picking up a used DRZ400S. Just the right size, not small, not too heavy, does well enough on the highway and better than myself on the trail. Suspension may be a bit outdated but is more than capable. Just as bulletproof as FJR. If you want more of trail experience I'd go DRZ, for light adventure and some gravel DR650 is probably better. If you decide for DRZ few things to consider:

- these bikes are getting trendy for some reason, their prices are flat to slightly rising

- I'd recommend S over street legalized E - much lighter on maintenance

- get a stock one or make sure you like the mods there are on the bike - many "mods" are ******/laughable

- once you get one plan your budget on willing to customize it to your needs - guards, plates, lights, seat, risers, tires etc add up quickly

- stock tires are crap - good ones make huge difference regardless if they are 50/50 or more aggressive

- do not plan on converting S to SM or backwards unless you get a screaming deal - just the wheels are $$$

- it is a tall bike - 32 inseam minimum in my opinion - any dirt heavy dual is going to be like that - lowering it makes it plush and soft

- bike does well on highway but without any screen 70+ mph sustained is PITA very quick

- it is about 40-70 lbs lighter than DR650 - not much but you can feel it quite a bit when working it on a trail

Another option but a bit more pricey would be the Yamaha WR250R.

 

[2wheels4fun]

Since you appear to be in Asheville, NC like me, I assume bent creek, wash creek, yellow gap, and a few other gravel roads in the area? I had a XT225 and was too much of a pain on paved roads. I'm looking at the Versys x300 right now. Currently using a '12 NC700x for those roads with skid plate.

 

[Hudson]

How old are you? How much dirt experience do you have? Do you have to ride far to venture off road? Do you want to tour over nite or just do day rides? Are you going to far flung places or just down the road a spell? Do you want to ride fire roads or venture farther off road into single track? Whats the most you think you want to spend?

Cant really answer your question properly until I have some sense off what you mean by dual sport, which the following questions help narrow down.

I have a smaller 300cc dual sport, a vintage 750cc scrambler, and a larger 1190 Adventure bike, and Ive ridden several in between bikes, across multiple types of trips, from 30 mile single track, to 300 mile trails to 1800 mile adventures, all in a wide variety of roads.

Heres what I can safely say without answers to the above: you can get by on a WR250, youll enjoy a DRZ400 (unless you have a short inseam or a wide butt), youll LOVE a KTM 690R, you probably dont need anything bigger than 800cc unless you only have one bike, and...sorry if this last part is controversial...dont waste your time with a KLR, which does nothing particularly well but is better than nothing at all, and which Id only ever use if one were given to me and I had few other options.

But adventure and sport is where you find it so whatever you end up with, just get on it and get out riding. and if you plan on venturing to more than just a few local dirt roads, take a class if you dont have previous and recent dirt experience. Youll save a lost of time and frustration and shorten the learning curve.

 

[MrZappo]

I'll respond to that

I get the idea. And agree to some extent.

But, here is a thing to think about.

I have a 2002 KLR. And a 2008 FJR. And my next bike will likely be a 1290 KTM of some variation.

A buddy of mine sent me a pic of a new KTM 790. Asked me what I thought. I said, I bet you would feel really bad when you drop it. Which you will.

We ride all over. On FJR's and KLR's. If I ever dropped my FJR I'd cry a little. When I drop my KLR (a lot), I laugh.

If I dropped my brand new shiny KTM 790, I'd need a therapist.

So is a KLR great ? Nope. Do I love riding mine with friends where she is on the ground a lot ? Yep. Do I care when it happens ? Nope.

I have fun on both bikes as I will on my KTM when my wife clears me to get one !

Either way. Great friends, great rides. Bike ? Love em all. For me it aint about that.

I'm often wrong though. And this is just something to consider.

 

[PJ4863]

All food for thought.. I'm mid 40s.. average height, avg weight and no idea where I'm taking this thing yet. If it's all highway, well then I'll stick with the FJR. I probably never need more than 500ccs. Thats plenty to in trouble.

 

[Hudson]

A buddy of mine sent me a pic of a new KTM 790. Asked me what I thought. I said, I bet you would feel really bad when you drop it. Which you will.
If I ever dropped my FJR I'd cry a little. When I drop my KLR (a lot), I laugh.

If I dropped my brand new shiny KTM 790, I'd need a therapist.

So is a KLR great ? Nope .

Funny story: I had a wee 150 miles on my KTM 1190r when a pal asks to ride it. We swap, me on his Motoguzzi V7 (not the hipster cafe but the pedestrian version, which ties the KLR for the least impressive bike I've ridden). He stands astride the too tall KTM, and before I can yell at him to stop, throttles it with the idea of throwing his leg over it horsey mount style as it shoots forward. Like he's done a billion times on his lighter KTM dirt bikes.

Down goes the shiny 1190r. My face shows a mix of horror for the KTM and concern for him. Mostly horror if I am honest.

The shiny side guards fall on their sword and donate a swath of orange paint in service of their duty. He's beside himself in apologies and later ships me a vial of orange KTM touch up paint. I cover the rashed section with electrical tape and decide he has really done me a favor. A few months later when I gently drop it while off kilter after a sudden stop, I had no such horror since the first scuff already occurred.

Life is too short to worry about such things.

Of course, I will commit hari kari if I ever drop my Metisse.

 

[Fred W]

Ive been bouncing around on different off road and dual sport bikes for decades. Grew up riding trail bikes and MX bikes, and had an XR400R Honda for a long time, but trailering to a riding area doesnt have much appeal to me anymore.

Had a KLR650 briefly, but it was a dog, IMO. Had an Aprilia Pegaso 650 (same as BMW F650) for a number of years and that was a better version of the KLR. Neither of the 650 bikes was very dirt worthy, and they both sucked moist ass cheese on pavement. My most recent true dual sport was a 2014 WR450F that was plated. It was really an off-road enduro race bike with a dual sport kit and a plate on the back, along the same theme as a KTM EXC. There really wasnt anywhere that that bike couldnt go. But it still sucked to ride on road more than a few miles. It was a trailer to the trail bike IMO.

I found I like riding the bigger ADV type bikes more than true dual sports. Sure, you cant go as fast off-road, or get as deep into the woods as on a true enduro bike, but it is way, way more comfortable on the pavement between the gravel sections. I got rid of my old VStrom, which had been a pretty fun ADV bike in its own rights, and replaced it and the WR with an Africa Twin. The AT is lighter than my old Strom was, and much better off road. I never had any issues picking up the Strom, so Im sure the AT will be no different.

Again, it all depends on where you think youll want to ride the thing.

 

[Redfish Hunter]

My OPINION(s) They are free and worth exactly what you are paying.

There is NOT a perfect answer, there is no One Perfect Dual Sport.

250s may be light but they are not much fun on the open road. They are not much fun after a long day on ANY paved road. They can be lots of fun but as the day grows long and there is more blacktop in front of you, the 250 will get old quickly.

The KLR650 is too heavy and too bulky for some things and too light and underpowered for other things. A great motorcycle and yes it can do pretty much anything. For every "The KLR Cannnot Do" statement there are a hundred folks who can prove they already did that thing with their KLR.

The DR650 is great but it has its issues too.

Last year I got a DR650, Pop got a CRF250Rally and a friend of mine got a XR650L. They are all Great and they all Suck.















If you have any specific questions about the bikes or the MANY modifications please ask.