dual sport bikes

[deesiexj]

im thinking about trying to get started riding. anyone have any tips, or good cheap starter bikes i should look into? i want to be able to ride onroad, but also go play and have some fun offroad with it. thanks!

 

[IslanderOffRoad]

I've never ridden before and want to get a dual sport as well. Planning on taking a safe riding class later this year. After some time on the sand with the bike, I'll have something that can ease me into street riding on brief errands... mainly to get the mom and girlfriend comfortable with the idea of me riding on the street.

 

[jeepboy381]

http://www.allpar.com/cars/concepts/tomahawk.html

This should be a great bike, it should have more than enough torque for playing offroad and in the sand. You don't even have to worry about balancing due to teh super wide tires. It will also teach you to never tip a bike over.......especially when 2 people cant pick it back up!!

 

[deesiexj]

ehh. looking for something a bit smaller. does that come in a v8?

 

[bcmaxx]

My first dual sport was a 2001 yamaha xt350- I think they only make a 250 now, It was an awesome first bike, I put 24,000kms on it in two seasons, then I wanted something a little better in the dirt, went with a 2001 honda xr400 with a baja designs street kit.(wasn't so good on the street) less practical, good for short trips and terrible on the highway even with a different front sprocket.) My current bike is a 2005 ktmexc450 with a oem ktm street kit-nla, Baja designs offer a kit as well.It handle very well on the road and highway, though you get into headshake at about 140km/h, and it rules offroad

 

[IslanderOffRoad]

I really like the KTM bikes, my friend has a nice one with the street kit.

 

[Darky]

The one I'm lookin at is the Yamaha TW200

80 mpg, fat tires for floating in the sand, somewhat low to avoid being as tippy, 200 is powerful enough for me yet not so fast/powerful as to get myself killed...

 

[magimerlin]

ehh. looking for something a bit smaller. does that come in a v8?

No but this does :worship: http://www.bosshoss.net/products.asp

 

[GRIMUS99XJ]

No but this does :worship: http://www.bosshoss.net/products.asp

I have rode my share of these either being bikes, trikes or there Hoss Fly(look it up) man are they fun and powerful. It helps that there headquarters is only 5 minutes from our shop and not to mention there lead fabricator is the father of our R&D lead engineer.

 

[deesiexj]

The one I'm lookin at is the Yamaha TW200

80 mpg, fat tires for floating in the sand, somewhat low to avoid being as tippy, 200 is powerful enough for me yet not so fast/powerful as to get myself killed...

if im not mistaken, you were posting up on jf about this as well. looks neat, but honestly im looking for something as cheap as i can get, just to learn on. then ill probably get something nice if i like it enough

 

[Kittrell]

I really like the KTM bikes, my friend has a nice one with the street kit.

Werd, get a KTM 990 Adventure.

 

[Darky]

if im not mistaken, you were posting up on jf about this as well. looks neat, but honestly im looking for something as cheap as i can get, just to learn on. then ill probably get something nice if i like it enough

They run somewhere around $3500ish new IIRC.
Not posting on JF, but did show this pic in a different thread before seeing this one.
EDIT: checked site and its $3799MSRP meaning if you're good at negotiating you could get it for $3500 probably

 

[bcmaxx]

The one I'm lookin at is the Yamaha TW200

80 mpg, fat tires for floating in the sand, somewhat low to avoid being as tippy, 200 is powerful enough for me yet not so fast/powerful as to get myself killed...

An excellant choice, great first bike, electric start and low maintenance. Not really meat to do over 55mph, same inner workings as the yamaha xt series. I own the brother of this machine the bw200, amazing offroad machine ,same bike just sans street legal kit and electric start and it runs atv tires front and rear, and geared for the offroad. The only downsides from an offroad/dirtbike perspective is the engine is an integral part of the frame but who really cares,and the aircooled thing, I've never seen one break. good choice you won't be dissapointed.

the ktm adventure and kawi klr's are huge mammoths of heavy machinery and they mostly suck ass offroad because of the weight. They like to plow in loose dirt or sand ,more like havinbg a rudder up front, And you do not want to dump it facing downhill.


oh and the metal tank dents pretty easily when dumped. Actually headin to a friends house right now to help install some stiffer fork springs in the front of his tw200, as well as do an oil change on my ktm

 

[Daedalus454]

My brother got one of these (he claimed that it was a "dual sport"):

Awesome bike, especially for a big guy like my bro, he's like 6'5" and 240lbs.

 

[spudly]

Try to find a used KLR650. They are fairly bullet proof and run forever.

A few simple mods and they are good distance bikes. Just don't go trying to jump them over 20 buses

 

[Darky]

My brother got one of these (he claimed that it was a "dual sport"):

Awesome bike, especially for a big guy like my bro, he's like 6'5" and 240lbs.

Yeah, some of these bikes are more like a street bike with a dirt bike "body kit". Like the Suzuki DRZ400SM.

 

[Gerr]

I no likey my boss has one and it sounds really good looks kinda ok but runs like a 3 legged dog on hot days

Edit: Im not sure this is his exact bike it looks very simular though

 

[METAL MONKEY]

take a look at the suzuki drz400 line. You can get an S, which is street legal out of the box. Very low maintenence, very reliable, and a ton of aftermarket. An E model can be made street legal with a kit, has hotter cams, better header, and about 20 lbs lighter than the S. Still very reliable. If you are looking for new and money is no object, I'd plunk down some money for a FI Husqvarna. Next in line would be the KTMs.

 

[Del00XJ]

Zuki's aren't that bad of a bike. Underpowered from the factory with the restrictions but that's with any bike these days. Nothing quite wrong if you're just looking for a different mode of transport. The blew moose ass this weekend in the enduro here in Delaware. I purchased a used SX450 six months ago and really couldn't be happier. Fairly cheap to pick a KTM these days also. Just find something with a six speed... Makes highway riding more interesting.