New and bikeless

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northernexplorer

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Hey guys,

Im new to this whole dual sport thing. Any recomendations on a goodbike? I want something fairly competent offroad as im thinking i would be riding 50/50 on/off. Im not a big guy by any means so power won't be an issue (and im coming from a 500 shadow). I was thinking dr650, or drz400, or maybe a couple year old klr. Any suggestions. To be honest I like the look of the little klx250's but the tank is much to small for around here.

hopefully I can get into this and come on a ride or two.



cheers
 
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mint400

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ok, the million dollar question yet again!

In order for any of us to answer this you'll need to provide the following details:

1 - what type of riding do you wish to focus on?

hairy off road situations - mixed use favoring twin track and FSR - mixed use favoring commuting and highway comfort - long distance "adventure touring"

2 - how big are you?

height and weight

3 - how much maintenance are you willing to perform / what kind of reliability are you willing put up with?

regular maintenance / next to no maintenance


I chose the extremely popular reliable cheap to operate DRZ400S and I'm really happy so far. I'm a twin track occasional off road guy. Lots of minor upgrades and mods were necessary to get performance and fit at 6'4" 210lbs. It lacks on the highway, and has a narrow ratio 5 speed tranny that is annoying. Power or Speed, not both...

In hindsight the KTM 530 or 450 EXC would have been my choice due to the ready out of box factor. However it has slightly more maintenance demands and cost.


I can't comment on the bigger bikes for highway use... Don't know, yet a 650 is definitely a minimum for highway traveling longer distances comfortably.

m400

afterthought: My DR350SE was an awesome starter bike, light, mellow capable, cheap!
 
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northernexplorer

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Seems more details are in order.

Im pretty light, 5'9 160 pounds so power for most applications wont be too big an issue. im gonna say 50% road/highway, 35%fsr, and 15% will be the rougher stuff. I like the sound of the telkwa pass trip the guys here did. That type of thing would be right up my alley so it needs to be highway useable. As far as maintenance, low is best. I hate when things spend more time in the shop than in use. any other details about me... well i enjoy long walks on the....

Couple trips or areas im interested in. Any FSR in the terrace area will lkely be explored. Looking to go further than the truck will allow, and its always more fun on two wheels.

cheers.
 
sparklr

sparklr

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Welcome northernexplorer! As mint400 stated, there are many variables to consider. It is always a compromise it seems one way or another. I purchased the KLR myself mainly for the Huge gas tank and ease of modding, upgrade and maintenance. This was supposed to be my starting back into the game bike so to speak. I based my purchase also on the premise that, long pavement rides and mainly FSRs would be the majority of my ventures. I am somewhat experienced and take the PIG to more adventurous locales that really aren't always KLR friendly due to its' weight. However it can be done and any given day there are enough adventurers to help get it uprighted. I'm short at 5'5 and 170-180 lbs.

Kickstart in Terrace has, or had a DR650 for what seems a reasonable price, it's lighter but range is shorter.

The DRZ400 can have a bigger tank fitted, still you won't get the same mileage for the long hauls, but it can be made survivable. If you just want to tear abut locally or close this or the KLX250 would be a blast, or perhaps for some more coin the WR250.

:hb:
 
bchunter

bchunter

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Again, it has all been said here by the above posts, which are bang on the money. It is really what you want to do with the bike and how you like to ride. I have a DR 650, but I am more FSR, highway, and quad track riding. I don't plan on doing any trials riding with it. If I do plan on trials riding, I will bum a trials bike. I wanted something with long legs for the highway but still light enough for tougher quad trails in the area. The DR is a dream on the highway if you don't mind wind and no fairings. Tons of get up and go and bottomless torque. It is a breeze to work on, parts are cheap and readily available, plus it is air cooled so that makes it simpler. I find it quite light and not too big, but I am 6'3" 220 lbs and I have not hammered it thought he bush yet. Still waiting for the snow to disappear. The DRZ 400 is an awesome bike, just not my style. I am not a fan of the 400 class of bikes, not saying they are bad, just not my thing.

The best thing is hook up with the Terrace gents and oogle their KLR's. That will give you a good feel of one style, then after coffee with them, mosey into Kickstart, sit on the DR, give him your Visa and purchase the best bike known to man kind :p
 
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northernexplorer

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yeah, that sounds much like the type of riding im looking to do. I just wanted to make sure i don't get into something that limits me. i doubt i'll ride much single track.. but quad trails for sure.

Im going to go check out this bike at kickstart. I see theres one in pg, a 2009 for 5500. What do these things run new?
 
bchunter

bchunter

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$5500 new :hb:

The guys at Kickstart are great and I know they want to move that DR ;)

$5500 for a used DR is way to high in my opinion, but I guess it depends on what is has on it for bling.
 
Kitimat KLR

Kitimat KLR

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Welcome... I got my 06 KLR for similar reasons noted above: highway & great fuel range...to get me out on the FSR's and paly around a little deeper offroad. I'll let the others tell you that I usually chicken out of the rougher stuff ...after all these years I think I now know my limits :(. As Sparklr said the KLR is a bit of a handful but a "skilled" rider can do most of what the more speacialist bikes can. Put on some good knobbies and other bits ...and off you go. They have a few quirks but essentially they arebullet proof ...well my old model is (a lot less plastic to fall off).

When you get to tyre choices - select the ones most appropriate for the "worst" condition you'll be riding in :shock: ...cos that's when you'll need them.

I'll be kicking around all week-end & no doubt will pass through Terrace at least once or twice. PM me if you want to meet up and kick some tyres - maybe even give it a spin if you want. I thought it was going to be good weather but looks like cold and rain (as usual)


...or leave message somewhere on here
 
bchunter

bchunter

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Ya, that is a bit steep.

I rode the other day with a buddy that has a DRZ and I was able to have a good look at it. I also have ridden another friends WR 450. For me, I just love that deep grunt and thump of the 650 class of bikes.

Another thing I have always thought is to buy a bike that you can get parts for in Northern communities and that are easy to fix on the back roads before the bears start to eye you up.

Let us know how your bike shopping makes out. If you are ever in my neck of the woods, let me know and you can kick the Doc's tire.

Have fun.
 
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mint400

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Are you an experienced rider off road? Are you in excellent shape?

if you answer no to both, I'd suggest you go with a used lighter learning bike to start. The first season your going to be picking that sucker up every 20min on your 15% off road sections until you learn to keep your feet up and maneuver through irregular terrain.

A few years ago I had a DR350 and my buddy a DR650 - surprisingly very similar off road , both bullet proof, yet the DR650 was far far far superior on the highway.

Don't forget to get really good boots... Dual sport machines can easily land on your foot and there is no crash/engine guards... crunch!!!
 
bchunter

bchunter

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mint400 wrote:
Don't forget to get really good boots...  
Click to expand...

Very good point. I tried to cut corners on protective equipment until my old TS decided that it didn't want me to ride it anymore when I was trying to get home in a hurry cause I said I would be back 20 minutes ago and home was 45 minutes away. I am very lucky I did not break any bones.
 
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mint400

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My TS crushed my ankle into 16 pieces... beetch

yours sounds like it loves u!
 
bchunter

bchunter

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mint400 wrote:
My TS crushed my ankle into 16 pieces... beetch

 yours sounds like it loves u!
Click to expand...

I guess it does as it let me continue riding it home, alot slower then when I was ejected. The front end washed out on me while I was taking a corner way to fast and I hammered onto my left shoulder. I am amazed that I did not break my collar bone. The bike continued off into the rhubarb and kept running on it's side.

Man, that is one tough bike. I also had a get off in a mud puddle and the bike kept running half submerged in the wetter part of the puddle, still in gear, hucking mud happily on it's side. It was a neat sight, out of my one eye that did not have copious amounts of mud in it.

I started it up the other day. Fired right up on the 3rd kick. Gotta love a 31 yr old bike that runs like a hot darn.

Did you ride yours on the road much? I plated mine and have bombed it here and there, but rely on the DR for any real road running.
 
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mint400

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I loved my TS, as my first bike and vehicle in small town Ontario I rode it everywhere all the time. It was a bit heavy and awkward on trails but I drove it there anyway. Damn injector would spew huge smoke screens and sparks periodically... once all over a cops hood at night!

To bring the thread back on topic. I'm glad the bike was smaller, as I really learned to ride better on and off road, and respect the instant death nature of a motorcycle.

The modern decendant of the 2stroke TS250 is likely the DRZ or the DR350.
 
Chuck

Chuck

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Hey Northernexplorer,

I'm relatively new to this. Bought my first MC at the end of the 2008 season: a '09 KLR650. Love it, but don't have much for a standard of comparison since I haven't ridden many types of bikes, so I won't hand out any recommendations or advice.

However, I know someone in Terrace who is selling his '09 KLR650.Low Km. Likes the bike, but a change in medical condition is forcing his hand :(. I think he's replacing it with a quad (if the boss will let him).

PM me if you are interested and I can put you in touch.
 
Farp

Farp

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Northernexplorer, I'm about the same size as you - 5'10", 170 pounds. I'm an experienced rider but I'd been out of the sport for about 25 yrs. Last year I bought a DR650. It was great on the highway, OK on the FSRs and, for me, it totally sucked on the single tracks. It was just a big heavy pig and my 31 inch inseam did not allow me to plant a foot in time to keep it from going over.

So I got a Honda CRF230L and I couldn't be happier with it. Off road it's a great bike, I have no problems going 80 to 90 kph on the FSRs and it's really easy to ride on the single tracks. It's not so great on the highway but you won't have any problems on any road with a speed limit of 80 kph or less. The bike has a top speed of about 115kph. I would not ride it on the freeway unless I couldn't possibly avoid it.

The CRF230L is very similar to the Yamaha XT225 Serow. There is an internet article titled "big bloke on a girls bike". Give that article a read and everything the writer says about the Serow is equally applicable to the CRF.

Bear in mind that the better a bike is on the street the worse it is off road and vice versa. Of the small bore dualsport bikes I think the Honda is the best off-road and the worst on the street. You might think that you're not that interested in riding single track but as you get more experience that will likely change, so the question you've got to get right is what's going to be best for you. Ho hum performance on the street but a ton of fun off road, or a more satisfying street experience and more of a struggle off road. When you're riding a gnarly single track the most important factor is weight; the lighter a bike is the easier it is to ride in the weeds.

Good luck with your shopping

John
 
wjm

wjm

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Imeet upand rodewith people in Death Valley and they are pleased with the KLX 250.

A very impressive bike in the price range.

Bill
 
bchunter

bchunter

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That is the thing, there is no PERFECT bike for everything. Find the one that suits what you want to do the most and that is as best as you can do. For me, right now it is the DR as I am really grooving on the hwy stuff since I have never really done that before. Most of my life has been spent on quads and sleds and the concept of taking something that is off road worthy on the hwy really appeals to me. Sure it is not a single track machine, but for the one time that I will try that and scare the daylights out of myself, that will be good enough, then back to 80 km/h on a FSR, just cruising and thumping along.

The main thing is that you get something that blows your hair back and makes YOU happy. For me, my helmet time on the DR is wonderful, way more fun then on other bikes that I have ridden.
 
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