Dual Sport or ADV

[02SE]

I had a Honda XL back in my late teens early 20's. I rode that thing everywhere. Including hiking trails that it was probably frowned upon to ride...

A different time, with nowhere near the traffic the canyons see today. I never encountered another person.

Anyway, I'm thinking a Dual Sport that is street legal, to get to the dirt roads that are legal to ride, might be the ticket. A big 500+ lb ADV bike might be too much bike for some of those trails.

Any advice or suggestions? I was thinking XL650 or DR650, as bikes that can get to the trails and back, at a leisurely pace.

 

[Spork]

Been looking at the Honda crf300l or the Kawasaki klx300 both can be bought new for about $6k. My kids make sure I don't have the funds to look at them too hard though

 

[Greg]

100% DR650! I've owned a few, great simple bikes that excel everywhere. I have a few DR650 threads in here and plenty of rides posted.

 

[glockman]

I agree with Greg. A DR650 is a great bike for the money. There is a ton of aftermarket support. They aren't fast but they aren't too heavy either. They will do great on highways (55-65mph) and also do great on dirt roads.

 

[02SE]

What do you guys think of the KLR 650. It's heavier, but I think that's mostly including the wet weight of it's much larger gas tank. And it's FI, which would improve running during a ride that changes elevation significantly.

 

[85CUCVKRAWLER]

An ADV is more setup for long road trips with some dirt in between. Think like drive the bike to moab, comfortably, then hit some trails, then drive back. It can also handle alot of weight while doing 80mph.

A dual sport is more like lots of offroad with some road in between. You would trailer a dual sport down to moab, then hit all the trails, then put it back on the trailer.

Do you get the difference?

 

[Greg]

What do you guys think of the KLR 650. It's heavier, but I think that's mostly including the wet weight of it's much larger gas tank. And it's FI, which would improve running during a ride that changes elevation significantly.

Terrible bike, I owned one... the forks started shaking violently front to back, on the freeway at 75+ while passing a semi. Sold it after 2 months. The KLR can do everything, but it does nothing well. DR650 is 10x the bike.

 

[rholbrook]

Here is my take for what it is worth. Anything single cylinder, make sure you Loctite any and all bolts if you are going to be riding much above 50-60 mph. The vibration will be a problem. Do get a spare nut and bolt kit. Once off road, you will like the lightness over an Adv Bike. I have been thinking about something in the 500 range to add to my stable. I love my 300 and I love my 890. I have ridden my 890 in places that it really shouldn't be but that is part of the fun of it. It can be a handful but really the only place I don't like riding it is in deep sand.

There was a group of us that rode all the big peaks on SW Colorado. It was the same time as the Colorado 500. One of the roads was in bad shape and we actually beat a group of guys on 300-450s down the mountain. One of the guys in the other group came over to shake our hands and called us Bad Asses and then when he found out most of us were pushing 60 he gave us a bow. I wouldn't want to ride anything bigger than an 890 in some places but it is doable. @glockman can attest to this. He now rides an 890, you just want to be standing off road. I dropped a tooth on my countershaft sprocket which helped a ton off road. I don't need to do over 100 on the hwy so I would rather have the lower gearing.

 

[Tonkaman]

I don’t have any real world experience, but I’d be tempted to get a Husky 501 for dual sport setup

 

[Greg]

One of my favorite DR650 rides...

Getting Lost; Oil field roads, Petroglyphs and Canyons

An opportunity presented itself and I had 4 days away from work. Despite the nagging need to do yard work, I loaded up the dual-sport for a good amount of riding. I had no real plan, just a loose list of general destinations and a whole lot of time on my hands... the perfect combination for a...

www.rme4x4.com

That bike came with a massive 8 gallon Safari tank, it was overkill. Swapped it out with a 5 gallon tank that fit the bike so much better.

 

[Gravy]

This is my take on dual sports.
I've ridden lots and I mean lots of them.
I could write double this and another double just on adv bikes.

Unpopular opinion:
Forget the Japanese dual sports:
xr650L, DR650 0r the klr650. They're OLD and slow and heavy. I've ridden all three in anger and compared to anything new... They kinda stink: the Honda is the very best off-road, the DR is the middle, The klr is better on-road (it's actually quite decent onroad: albeit painfully slow) All three are almost 35 year old designs and all make 34hp.

For a dual sport that can do freeway speeds without issue: a used ktm 690r is twice the bike: 72+hp (double the power) and significantly lighter. (Like 100lbs+) And significantly better suspended. It will go almost anywhere a real dirt bike will go. (I took mine over an entire NHHA desert race loop and all over AF canyon).

Honestly a new ktm 390 adventure makes way more power (43hp) than the old Japanese dual sports and it's better in many many ways (lighter, better tech, better ergos etc...)
Ask @glockman it's a VERY good bike.

For a street legal dirt bike: a KTM 500exc/ husky fe501s cannot be beat. There are dozens of people who have cataloged RTW efforts on them.


I'd never say this a few years ago but I'd look hard at the new Chinese dual sports including the KOVE and cfmoto. Their motors are proven in MANY Japanese and Austrian machines.

 

[Tonkaman]

I'd never say this a few years ago but I'd look hard at the new Chinese dual sports including the KOVE and cfmoto. Their motors are proven in MANY Japanese and Austrian machines.

Blasphemer! 😂

 

[boogie_4wheel]

I will echo what Gravy said.
I've owned an XR650L (my last dirt bike), and a friend had a DR650. The XR was better in the dirt, but both were capable of highway travel, overnight camping trips, flying across the desert. A major flaw of the XRL is the weak subframe. We rode them all over Moab, the Uintas, to work.

The simplicity of the XR/DR is appealing. Air cooled, 10 minute valve adjustments, 'cheap' to purchase. But they lack everything else; power, suspension, weight. I don't know why it took me so long to get with the times and get a proper dirt bike with an aluminum frame, inverted forks, ect.

The question is, how much road do you plan on riding, and how hard of trails do you plan on riding? The 500EXC checks a lot of boxes, so does a Tenere 700.

My Africa Twin is an ADV that I can daily to work, do a weekend in the mountains, or go across multiple states carrying way too much luggage. However it is too big to realistically ride in the sand, or on tight singletrack.

 

[Rot Box]

I’m gonna throw Husqvarna TE610 into the mix. Not nearly as common as some of the others listed but it is one of the best 50/50 bikes out there imho

 

[J-mobzz]

450 Rally Street Legal - 2024 — Kove USA

www.kovemotousa.com

This bike has been on my radar. I have a V Strom 1050xt Adventure and it’s a really fun bike but far from an off road killer. It’s a bike I could ride to Alaska while hitting dirt roads and some back country and still set cruise control at 90mph without issues on the highway. But I do want something like the Kove.

 

[glockman]

I can attest to all the @'s. I currently have a 1090, 890 and 390. Before that I had a KTM 690 and before that a DR650. The 1090 is awesome for more highway miles and eats dirt road great. It sucks on anything like rough 2 track and worse. The 890 as Russ said is a great do all. As Stratton points out, the 690 will do 65 all day with just an upgraded seat and iIt will also easily do AF single track. @cruiseroutfit even rode his up mineral fork. If I could only have one bike to do it all, it would be a KTM 690 or 701. The DR650 is all the things Stratton says, but it's still a good value for the money they cost. My dad has a pristine KLR650 (2008) for sale right now if you are interested in it. I will say, I had my DR650 when he bought the KLR and I was really happy I didn't have a KLR every time we swapped bikes. However on my 1090, I have to push to keep up with my 70 year old dad riding Payson or Hobble Creek canyon pavement on that KLR. He can ride that thing through the twisties.
The 390 is a good bike but it is small. Short in height and wheelbase. I would not recommend one for a full sized adult male. It's a great bike for my wife though.

 

[TRD270]

Damn you people. Why did I open this thread. I miss ripping around AF single track. Now I want a damn 690

 

[Hickey]

Damn you people. Why did I open this thread. I miss ripping around AF single track. Now I want a damn 690

Yea. Damn this entire thread.

 

[Gravy]

There's no one perfect bike for everyone.
Why putt with a driver? Or chip with a 3 iron?
That's why I have like 12...
I'm building a superlight ADV for my friend with a CRF450x.
I wanted more on road ability than my 690 so I got a slightly more adv-ish machine: my Ducati scrambler desert sled. It's a big twin dirt bike that cruises (albeit windy) at 100+ and is pretty stupid capable off-road.
I'd likely be happy with a Tenere 700 as well or a KTM 790/890 (same bike).
I've done almost a thousand miles straight on a gs1200 and my wife cruised the same distance on a gs750.
My wife is very happy with her Ducati scrambler classic as she only wants to do the occasional dirt road.

Figure out what you like and we can direct you.

I will say this though: I never feel quite so much alive anywhere else as I do on two wheels. Being outside in place you are: smelling the air, feeling the change in temperature blasting in the wind: unbeatable.

Four wheels may move the body, but two wheels moves the soul.

 

[Greg]

Damn you people. Why did I open this thread. I miss ripping around AF single track. Now I want a damn 690

A 690 and AFC singletrack don't go together though, it can be done but it won't be easy. That's smaller bike territory for sure.

I made the mistake of riding my DR650 up AFC on the singletrack once, ended up dragging my bike back up the mountain after blowing a corner. Took about an hour, took everything I had and was absolutely exhausted, ending my day early.