My next bike????

[GreyWolf]

Okay, I've had a blast in the last five years or so of getting back into sport bikes and all the fun that comes with riding a crotch rocket with velocity speeds approaching daring and beyond, but I think I might be looking for a bit of a directional change here.

I'm thinking dirt bike. Something that doesn't entail gravel shoulders on hairpin corners or the crazy teenager approaching me in the oncoming two lane highway on a cell phone (or worse- texting!) or the LEO's making quota's. I loved the hours, nay days, of track time at Laguna Seca and Buttonwillow. The hours of tape I have from those many, many days spent fine tuning riding skills I will never forget. The 400 miler runs to various outposts in my region to grab lunch and return home, completely drained both emotionally and physically.

But, what about riding for hours on old logging roads or single tracking some long forgotten trail in the high Sierra mountains? What's it like people?

I'm looking for any all input......please.

[LaurenOE]

Ah...my *other* passion. Yes, Dual Sporting is an awesome thing. I highly recommend it.

My Steed.



Some of my Adventures!

Devil's Creek Adventure Ride

Twisty Sisters Rally 2008

2009 North Carolina Dual Sport Adventure

Dixie Dual Sport

TitusVille Dual Sport Ride May 2008

[LaurenOE]

Hopefully, I will have more adventures in the coming months!

Whatever you get, don't get something big and heavy. Light is good in dirtbikes.
Don't go the GS route.
The KTMs are great, but they are $$$$$$$$$$$$$$ to maintain and buy.

Can you guess which bike I recommend? C'mon, I'll give ya a hint. Nah, I think you can figure it out.

[LaurenOE]

These are the options for "normal" people. I left off the 600cc and above because for someone just getting into dual sporting, they will get you into trouble because of their size and weight.

Kawasaki KLX250S - 1st Choice - Overall
Yamaha WR250R - 1st choice if you want a high performance machine
Yamaha XT250 - 1st choice if you want an air-cooled bulletproof low seat height bike
Yamaha TW200 - 1st choice if you want BIG tires
Honda CRF230L - 1st choice if you want a Honda
Suzuki DRZ400 - 2nd Best choice Overall and in production for almost 10 years, by far the most common dual sport out there and there's really not a bad thing to say about it. Of course it was co-developed by Kawasaki in the early 2000's and was the same bike as the 2003 KLX400, but I digress.
Suzuki DR200SE - Another good bike, but until recently was too expensive for what you got. It appears to be discounted as much as $1000 now, so it might be ok.
KTM 450EXC - Is probably the best Dual Sport out there, except - you can almost buy TWO of the above bikes for the cost of ONE KTM.
HUSQVARNA - Great bikes, but they are 2 stroke and are expensive and might not be allowed in California.

[Süsser Tod]

Not all 650s are that bad, the DR650 is quite good. I do understand why you've listed the smaller bikes, as they are WAY better off road. The downside is that they are WAY worse on road, unless you can get to your favorite trails without getting into the highway, or by trailering it, the smaller bikes won't be that good.

[Joe]

this guy may help to convince you, I'm wanting a dual sport just for the 100's - 1000's of miles of back country roads around here

Mark's Webpage


Oh yea for got to add this man takes A LOT OF AWESOME pics

[LaurenOE]

Originally Posted by Joe

this guy may help to convince you, I'm wanting a dual sport just for the 100's - 1000's of miles of back country roads around here

Mark's Webpage


Oh yea for got to add this man takes A LOT OF AWESOME pics

Notice he rides a small bike - a 250.

[Joe]

yea keep reading that's just one, he's got a big KTM also, though he has nothing but praise for the WR, I think yamaha got a ringer with that bike

[LaurenOE]

Originally Posted by Joe

yea keep reading that's just one, he's got a big KTM also, though he has nothing but praise for the WR, I think yamaha got a ringer with that bike

Yeah, it's a great bike, but like my Yamaha Zuma 125, the fuel pump seems to give out. I guess the WR might have the same fuel pump. On a Dual Sport, in the middle of nowhere, that's not something you'd want to happen.

Besides, can a WR take a kickstarter? I put one in my KLX250S.

KLX250s Kickstarter

Also, here is how I get my KLX to the trails - when they are in another state.

[Joe]

yup some of em come with a kick starter from the factory, I haven't heard to much about the fuel pump problem. I'm sure there's and after market fix though, besides would ya really want a bike that required no tinkering? mmm yea I would lol