Dual Sport Bikes

[Jeff Higgins]

I'm starting to entertain the idea of a dual sport thumper in the 500 to 650-ish range. There seem to be no shortage of bikes in this field, which is a good thing. They range from the more street-oriented BMW to the enduro race bike with lights Hussaberg, and everything in between.

I am most certainly not looking towards the race bike with lights end of the spectrum. I want a bike I can ride comfortably on the road for several hours (if need be), like accross the state, or even as far as Idaho and Montana. I want to be able to ride logging / fire roads, some cross country in more open terrain, but not so much technical single track or anything.

I also want to be able to carry some stuff, like a tent, sleeping bag, enough food for a day or two, and that kind of thing. I spend a lot of time riding and camping off of one of my street bikes (Road King), and while I understand I'll never match that carrying capacity in an enduro style bike, I do want some. Without wearing a back pack.

I also value simplicity. As such, the only air-cooled bike in the pack kind of appeals to me - the Honda 650 (I forget all the letter designations, but they only make one). It also has a carburettor, which I like as well.

Other contenders are the big KTM (670? 690? something like that), the ubiquitous Kawasaki KLR 650 (although it's well down my list, being by far the heaviest of the bunch), the BMW with the funny name (650 single update of their old "Dakar", now named after some Brazilian desert), and maybe the big Husqvarna.

Any thoughts?

[motion]

I'm a big KLR650 fan, and have done everything you mentioned on my KLR. I'm only 175lbs, and don't find it too heavy at all, even when loaded up with gear. Some guys put lowering links on them to make them a bit more manageable. They are absolutely bullet proof and CHEAP!

[Rot 911]

The KLR650 and the BMW 650GS are the big dogs in this game and I would stick with either of them. The biggest reasons are reliability, parts and farkles.

[Jeff Higgins]

One of my riding buddies rode one of the "new" KLR's (the year of the much ballyhooed design changes) all the way to Prudhoe Bay about three years ago. I've ridden that bike, and it was o.k. It did feel a bit heavy - hell, it's only 30-40 pounds lighter than my (admittedly much lightened) Ducati 900 Super Sport.

I've also ridden a couple of the new Husabergs with the "upside down" motor and, while almost two hundred pounds lighter than the KLR, I couldn't see riding one over our own Cascades, much less any further.

Seat height is no problem. I'm 6'0", 240 pounds, with a 34" inseam, and (formerly) a pretty serious weight lifter. I raced motocross and some cross-country desert stuff (on an air-cooled 250 two stroke, if that dates my participation a bit) in my younger days, so I'm no stranger to tall dirt bikes. I can horse a big bike around, I just prefer not to. The prices on those KLRs are just amazing, though... how on earth do they sell them so cheap?

[chocolatelab]

check out the suzuki drz, bullet proof

[ODDJOB UNO]

bimmers and klr's are PIGS-OINK!



husaberg/ktm -pick flavor cc


or be smart and get a used ATK 605 DS lak us.


bulletproof ROTAX 4 stroke. still light enough NOT TO BE A PIG beyond the forest service roads ie. cowtrailing.



look up WOODS ROTAX and you'll understand. best of all NO STOOOPID RADIATORS TO BREAK WHEN YA FALL!

[scottmandue]

Honda XL650?

I loved my old XL500

Edit to add, if were doing it again Suzuki DR650SE

[Eric Hahl]

Simple, for that kind of riding just get the Suzuki V-Strom 650.

[intakexhaust]

Nice thoughts and missing a dual sport about now. Used to ride an XT600 (bit piggy) and a fave DR650. Also had a KLR250 as a spare bike for guest that was super reliable, road pokey but very much trail worthy. Ultimately I would love to have a MIL spec diesel powered KLR complete with rifle rack. Endless MPG for deep country. Scott

[motion]

Originally Posted by Eric Hahl

Simple, for that kind of riding just get the Suzuki V-Strom 650.

Its just a street bike with some goofy styling. Not at all appropriate for off road riding.

[motion]

Originally Posted by chocolatelab

check out the suzuki drz, bullet proof

Way, way underpowered. A DRZ is good for maybe 60mph pinned with no gear.

[motion]

Originally Posted by ODDJOB UNO

bimmers and klr's are PIGS-OINK!



husaberg/ktm -pick flavor cc


or be smart and get a used ATK 605 DS lak us.


bulletproof ROTAX 4 stroke. still light enough NOT TO BE A PIG beyond the forest service roads ie. cowtrailing.



look up WOODS ROTAX and you'll understand. best of all NO STOOOPID RADIATORS TO BREAK WHEN YA FALL!

The reason the BMWs and KLRs are so popular is because they have broad surfaces that you can actually strap stuff onto. KTMs are great bikes, but they vibrate like nuts, and they're too dirt oriented. Its difficult to strap anything onto them. Great for day trips, though

[motion]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

One of my riding buddies rode one of the "new" KLR's (the year of the much ballyhooed design changes) all the way to Prudhoe Bay about three years ago. I've ridden that bike, and it was o.k. It did feel a bit heavy - hell, it's only 30-40 pounds lighter than my (admittedly much lightened) Ducati 900 Super Sport.

I've also ridden a couple of the new Husabergs with the "upside down" motor and, while almost two hundred pounds lighter than the KLR, I couldn't see riding one over our own Cascades, much less any further.

Seat height is no problem. I'm 6'0", 240 pounds, with a 34" inseam, and (formerly) a pretty serious weight lifter. I raced motocross and some cross-country desert stuff (on an air-cooled 250 two stroke, if that dates my participation a bit) in my younger days, so I'm no stranger to tall dirt bikes. I can horse a big bike around, I just prefer not to. The prices on those KLRs are just amazing, though... how on earth do they sell them so cheap?

You might actually be too heavy for a KLR! The BMWs have quite a bit more grunt. Funny, I went from a BMW 1150 Adventure to my KLR. I used to take the Adventure places it had no business going. Crazy stuff, like spinning the bike around on its cylinder to get it turned around out of tight spots. Going to the KLR was like riding a 125!

[Rick Lee]

Originally Posted by motion

I used to take the Adventure places it had no business going. Crazy stuff, like spinning the bike around on its cylinder to get it turned around out of tight spots. Going to the KLR was like riding a 125!

I did that on my first R1200GS and it was a lot lighter than your 1150GSA. The new 1200's are around 450 lbs and very versatile. I don't take my current one on the crazy boulder terrain around here. But it's fine for fire roads and light offroading. It sure is comfy for long rides too. I've taken it to LA and back probably 10x in the last three years. 500 mile days are a breeze.

[intakexhaust]

Years ago we would get away with street riding off-road bikes called 'enduro's. If it came with a title, we would just check the box for plates and in the mail it would come. Good enough for me and my riding buds who rode the Rickmans, desert packaged Puntah's, etc. As for the rest of the legal ramifications, we played dumb.

So funny now when I think of my old green machine KDX400 aircooled, two-stroke with expansion pipe, non-legal street knobbies, magneto powered only lightiing, trip odo and a single bicycle mirror to pass that check mark please... umm... signal device... a whistle strapped around the neck. Hilarious antics riding that thing everywhere including thru a buddies livingroom! Scott

[on2wheels52]

Originally Posted by motion

Way, way underpowered. A DRZ is good for maybe 60mph pinned with no gear.

The 400 will do a little better than that, I can't say I've "pinned" mine but I'd expect it to pull 90 at the least.
I've had a couple of KLR's and a BMW 650 Dakar. I kept the KLR. They do nothing great but do a lot of things half-ass well. You can pick one up for $2500 or so. A mule of a bike.
Jim

[teenerted1]

i guy i work with swears by the KTM's. he now rides one of their big twins. but has done trips to MT on the smaller bike, has done 900mile days coming home from the whitefish area. week long mixed terrain trips all over the pacnorwet. his bike before his 900 was one of the 600-650 size with the rotax single. he is a bigger boy than you 6'8".

[Rich Lambert]

You need a Multistrada 1000DS and I know where one is!

Come up and take it for a ride.

[yetibone]

I have a '97 XR650L, which is a nice bike that's well built, and durable. Parts are also easy to find when they're needed. Honda made a blue million of them from the early '90s 'till now, and they haven't changed much throughout they're span of production.

So, here's what I hate about it:

First and second gears are too far apart. On a slow trail, you need to go faster in first, without the BIG torque coming on right there at the speed you need to negotiate rocks, or tight trees. Second gear at that speed means slipping the clutch. If it were a six speed, this wouldn't be an issue.

The seats' hard. If you ride on the road, you'll want to stand up every 45 minutes after the first couple of hours, then every 30 minutes for the next couple of hours, and so on until you have to get off to stretch, and then scratch yourself all over.

It's buzzy. Real bad on the highway, but I've got DOT knobs that are more dirt, than street intended, but even when I wore the last set bald, the engine is still thumpy enough to be noticeable at higher RPM.

The fuel mileage is not as good as I expected. I can get about 90 road miles on a tank, before reserve.

No kick-start anymore, which isn't bad I guess because I doubt it would be easy to kick start anyway. Sucks though, when the battery is flat.

[Jeff Higgins]

Rich, I thought you were keeping it...

The KTM's are certainly very, very appealing. Problem is, I just spoke with our local KTM dealer - 3 to 4 months out on the 690's, and they won't be getting many. They want money down to claim one. Sorry, went through that a decade back with H-D; no desire to do that again. This year's 500 EXC or last year's 530 EXC (I wonder why there is no 2012 model?) are more available, but are also leaning towards that "race bike with lights" end of the spectrum.

Scottmandue mentions the DR650SE in his post above. Folks seem to be pretty loyal to those things as well, and they fit into that weird niche of the 20 year Japanese enduro lifespan. It, the KLR, and the Honda XR650L seem to be stuck in some kind of a time warp, which is o.k. by me, I guess. The KLR stands out from this crowd, however, in that it's the only water-pumper. Hell, I don't even own a water cooled car, and none of my other three bikes have that evil green slime in their veigns, so I find the DR650SE and XR650L appealing on that front. That, and both run that very familiar (to me) Mikuni CV carb. No fancy injected hokus-pokus.

It kinda looks like I'm steering myself in that direction - air-cooled, carbureted, simple. The DR looks more street-worthy, while the XR looks more dirt-worthy. Both are in stock at a number of local dealers, or both have several newish examples on Craigslist that I might be interested in. Both have very good aftermarket support, with tons of hop-up parts and accessories available. Both are dirt cheap compared to the KTM's and BMW's, like $4-$5 grand less. Any thoughts regarding how these two compare?