Talk to me about dual sport motorcycles

[edoz]

I'm thinking I want a dual sport motorcycle. I have never owned a motorcycle, and only ridden one once. 90% of my riding will likely be in town, if I'm honest about it. I would love to do longer trips on it when I'm a decent rider, but there will be lots of riding to work in there as well.
There seem to be two camps, 1) get a nice bike now and 2) get a crap wagon to learn on.

I know people love the KLR650s. Someone also recommended the Honda CB500X. The Yamaha WR250 was also a suggestion.
I probably don't want to spend more than $5k on the bike, and initial riding gear is going to be a separate budget.
I'm 5'10" and a fairly strong 200lbs.

What say the Salonistas?

[becomingblue]

If you get a crap moto now, you'll be ready for a nicer one after 1,000 miles or less.

Based on your weight, a 250 is going to be under-powered. The smaller bike will be lighter and more maneuverable, but you say you are strong and unless you are going to get crazy on it, the bigger bike with a bigger output will be better.

Have fun! When I took a riding class years ago, one of the instructors, an old war horse with who knows how many miles under his belt, looked out over the students and said, "Today's a good day, we get to ride our bikes."

[Corso]

Take a look at the Suzuki DRZ-400. Suzuki's been making them forever, so bikes at a deal are out there.
Google it, and you'll be buried with info. Start with Thumpertalk.

I have the KLX400, which Kawasaki put out for one year, by buying them from Suzuki. It's 100% a DRZ, but green.

There are basically 3 versions: Dirt, dual sport and supermoto.

Mine is the dirt version with a street lighting kit. The bike can idle down low cleanly, but it pulls strong when you open it up.

It's no KTM, but it does the job!
KLX400-ME.jpg

[sailor]

If you don't want to go on any trails but want easy dirt road capability and cagro capacity look at a kawasaki versys, I had one for a while for the type of riding you describe. It is bigger and has more omph than a honda 500x and more character than a dl650 v-strom which are also both good options.
If you actually want to trail ride get a real dirt bike.

[PaMtbRider]

Dualsports are a great bike. I have a DR650 and my wife has a Yamaha XT250. They are relatively lightweight, good for maneuvering in around traffic, and give the option of exploring dirt roads.

Skip the WR250. If you were planning on riding a larger portion of dirt and interested in riding more than a gravel road it would be worth considering.

The Kawasaki KLR650 and Suzuki DR650 have both been around forever and are good options. Either of these used, in good condition will come in below your budget and will be able to be resold with very little loss.

Advrider.com is the place to go for an overload of information. Be forewarned that the DR650 thread is over 8000 pages alone. I spend entirely too much time there, as it is easy to get sucked into so many different discussions.

Check with your state and see what they offer as a training program. Most states are using the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) for training and licensing. It is typically a free or low cost class and is worth your time.

Feel free to pm if I can answer any specific questions.

Dan B.

[David Tollefson]

My thoughts are:

* What is "around town" for you? Does it involve more than a few minutes above 50 mph?
* How much off-pavement riding do you think you'll do in the first three years?
* What kind of off-pavement riding is available to you, and that you would ride?

[XR2]

Why a dual sport when you say the riding will be in town? And that some longer distance is in the future. Any bike can be ridden off road if necessary. You want new or used? How much do you plan on riding?

And by all means take a beginning riders course.

[VertigoCycles]

I bought my first moto ever, a a used KTM 990 Adv, with no experience at all other than a rider training course. I was advised against it but knew that I had one chance to get what I wanted so I went for it. While I'm sure that it's possible that I would have been a better rider had I had the opportunity to goof off on a much smaller bike for a period of time, I doubt I'm much worse off taking the path I did. If you're the type of person who knows your limits and don't want to take off like a hooligan right away, get what you want. If you have halfway decent skills on a mountain bike, some of them are applicable on a moto as well. I've ridden it year round, through snow, rain and a little ice (never again) and have only dropped it once and that one time was making a right turn from a T intersection on a heavily crowned road with no sightline for oncoming traffic...I guessed wrong and couldn't recover.

Anyhow, take a class and if you're a reasonable human being, get whatever you want that fits your budget.

[edoz]

Why a dual sport when you say the riding will be in town? And that some longer distance is in the future. Any bike can be ridden off road if necessary. You want new or used? How much do you plan on riding?

And by all means take a beginning riders course.

I will likely use it for daily transporation that doesn't require passengers or cargo, but the roads here are garbage and I will definitely take some trips to less than metropolitan places. Why a dual sport? I'd much rather have road tires on my cross bike 90% of the time than try to race cross on my road bike the other 10%.

I'm not ruling out new, but I know I'll get more for my money if I buy something slightly used.

[edoz]

I bought my first moto ever, a a used KTM 990 Adv, with no experience at all other than a rider training course. I was advised against it but knew that I had one chance to get what I wanted so I went for it. While I'm sure that it's possible that I would have been a better rider had I had the opportunity to goof off on a much smaller bike for a period of time, I doubt I'm much worse off taking the path I did. If you're the type of person who knows your limits and don't want to take off like a hooligan right away, get what you want. If you have halfway decent skills on a mountain bike, some of them are applicable on a moto as well. I've ridden it year round, through snow, rain and a little ice (never again) and have only dropped it once and that one time was making a right turn from a T intersection on a heavily crowned road with no sightline for oncoming traffic...I guessed wrong and couldn't recover.

Anyhow, take a class and if you're a reasonable human being, get whatever you want that fits your budget.

That sounds like I'll be ok, I do have good mtb skills and I'm the type of guy who wears steel toes in a shop that doesn't mandate it.

[Mabouya]

90% of my riding will likely be in town, if I'm honest about it. I would love to do longer trips on it when I'm a decent rider, but there will be lots of riding to work in there as well.

The key question is whether you really need the dual-sport for your first moto.

If you're not sure about this, then definitely buy something used and at the lower end of the price range, and use that to figure out what you want / need to do the sort of rides you like.

Also, you might want to join the ADVRider forum - there's tons of info there for all sorts of riders and a diverse group of guys. Also a large Classifieds section (visible only to members) that will give you a good idea on prices.

Adventure Rider

[monadnocky]

Also, you might want to join ADVRider - there's tons of info there for all sorts of riders and a diverse group of guys. Also a large Classifieds section (visible only to members) that will give you a good idea on prices.

Adventure Rider

Listen to this wise man. Great stuff there.

[edoz]

The key question is whether you really need the dual-sport for your first moto.

If you're not sure about this, then definitely buy something used and at the lower end of the price range, and use that to figure out what you want / need to do the sort of rides you like.

Also, you might want to join ADVRider - there's tons of info there for all sorts of riders and a diverse group of guys. Also a large Classifieds section (visible only to members) that will give you a good idea on prices.

Adventure Rider

Need? No, but I don't need a motorcycle period. I joinded ADVRider yesterday and started looking at pictures. I'm already planning trips for a bike I haven't bought yet. I found a guy on Instagram planning to ride up through Canada to the Arctic Ocean. I so want to do that.

[Mabouya]

I joinded ADVRider yesterday and started looking at pictures. I'm already planning trips for a bike I haven't bought yet.

So I'm sure that by now you know that if you get a KLR you have to also get a milk crate to go with it... ;)

This guy really went all out and got one that matched the rest of the bike.

[Too Tall]

Edoz can I throw in here? Since the bike I'm looking at is in the same price range maybe we can draw some good mutually useful comments.
I may have the opportunity to purchase a BMW1200GS from a well known local instructor. The bike has extensive suspension mods. and a continuous service history from the shop I used to use and it purrs like a kitten. The catch is that the bike has 150,000 miles. I've owned a R100 and a K75, both were incredible. The GS fits me 100 times better than the street bikes ever did or could.

[Corso]

I found a guy on Instagram planning to ride up through Canada to the Arctic Ocean. I so want to do that.

Then I retract my DRZ400 suggestion. Your gonna need a bigger bike!

I also plan on a bigger adventure bike in the future. A relative has an older BMW I have my eyes on.

[PaMtbRider]

Edoz can I throw in here? Since the bike I'm looking at is in the same price range maybe we can draw some good mutually useful comments.
I may have the opportunity to purchase a BMW1200GS from a well known local instructor. The bike has extensive suspension mods. and a continuous service history from the shop I used to use and it purrs like a kitten. The catch is that the bike has 150,000 miles. I've owned a R100 and a K75, both were incredible. The GS fits me 100 times better than the street bikes ever did or could.

The BMW GS is a great bike. I've owned an R100GS, R1100GS, R1150RS, plus several other BMWs and other brands. With 150,000 miles I am going to guess the bike is a few years old and not the newer liquid cooled R1200GS. The big thing to look for is when the driveshaft was last replaced. Very few boxers of that generation go that far without having the driveshaft and / or the transmission input splines go bad. Last I heard you are looking at a $3000- $4000 repair when that happens. The splines on my R1150RS went out with only 38,000 miles. The newer liquid cooled boxer motors have a different design and reports are that they have corrected the problem. Google BMW motorcycle driveshaft failure for all the horror stories.

I currently have the Yamaha version of the GS, a Super Tenere. These are reliable as an anvil and can be picked up with low mileage relatively cheap. Bikes that are 4-5 years old with less than 30,000 miles typically sell in the $6000 range.

[edoz]

Edoz can I throw in here? Since the bike I'm looking at is in the same price range maybe we can draw some good mutually useful comments.

Hell yeah, c'mon in!
Maybe we need a permanent dual sport thread here:)

[Too Tall]

The BMW GS is a great bike. I've owned an R100GS, R1100GS, R1150RS, plus several other BMWs and other brands. With 150,000 miles I am going to guess the bike is a few years old and not the newer liquid cooled R1200GS. The big thing to look for is when the driveshaft was last replaced. Very few boxers of that generation go that far without having the driveshaft and / or the transmission input splines go bad. Last I heard you are looking at a $3000- $4000 repair when that happens. The splines on my R1150RS went out with only 38,000 miles. The newer liquid cooled boxer motors have a different design and reports are that they have corrected the problem. Google BMW motorcycle driveshaft failure for all the horror stories.

I currently have the Yamaha version of the GS, a Super Tenere. These are reliable as an anvil and can be picked up with low mileage relatively cheap. Bikes that are 4-5 years old with less than 30,000 miles typically sell in the $6000 range.

It is a 2007 and I'm going to assume NOT the low version. It sits really tall. I felt like it was the first bike that ever fit me well. He is talking $7K. I think there is that much in suspension, exhaust and bags!

[Mabouya]

Josh,

I'm no expert on BMW dual-sports, but based on what I've seen on the ADV forum I think that at that price and that age and mileage, I'd pass on the GS.

Unless you're in a serious rush and can't wait, keep in mind that many, many other dual-sports have also had suspension mods.

My suggestion would be to keep an eye on the ADV classifieds to get a feel for what's available at what price, and I think you'd probably find something more recent with a lot less mileage.

Good Luck