How many dual sporters here?

[CWO4GUNNER]

Ya, I needed dirt learner bike so I could teach my daughter and son how to ride without falling with the 300 pound wet DRZ400. So I bought a used like new 03 RM100 for $1600 and converted it to a trail bike by changing the pipe, sprockets and adding a heavier flywheel. It only weighs 145 pounds but man does it have power for its size. I almost made the mistake of buying a 4-stroke 125 play bike which are not even close. But like you say it cant be on-road driven especially since its a 2-stroke. I hardly drive my DRZ on-road as its top speed is only 60 MPH screaming with the 12-50 sprockets I have installed. To and from the ride area and incidental on road use to get gas or buy beer between trail stops. On road I use the  B12 or my Vino 125 scooter for short trips.

[Swamp Rat]

Depending on what state you live in,it isn't as hard as you might think to make a true dirt bike street legal.

Here in Louisiana,you simply by the after market kits such as Baja Designs bolt them on and wire them in,get the state troopers to inspect it and certify it,then go to the DMV and pay the fees,get in inspected again by a state inspecter and get the isurance and BAM! you got a street legal dirt bike....even the 2 smokes.

The guy that got me riding dirt bikes did these same things to his WR 426 and his wifes KDX 220 and now he takes them where he likes.

[CWO4GUNNER]

Same here in Arizona. They ask you when you register if it will be on or off road. Even a 4-stroke quad you can get a street plate if you have a horn, left rear view mirror and license plate light and stop light. But I'm afraid even the police here are smart enough to know about the EPA moratorium against 2-stoke engine on-road use which has been in place for almost 3 decades (except 50cc scooters). Thats pretty thick wool and our sheriff  has the impound yard to prove it.

[banditII]

I have only owned one dual sport, and a couple of pure dirt bikes.  It's been years since I've owned one.  Big fun in the dirt for sure.  But I'm afraid to go off riding in trails by myself in case of accident etc...  At least you don't have to worry about speed traps out in the dirt, just miss that tree!!

[banditII]

Back in the seventies everyone referred to these bikes as "Enduro's".  Somewhere during the long hiatus I took from motorcycles the designation "Dual Sport" came into being. Also, motorcycles sure do handle better today than they did in the seventies.....lots better than that 1973 Honda CB175 I had.

[CWO4GUNNER]

In a way you cant even call them big anymore because a CRF450x only weighs 240 pounds. As far as trail riding alone, I always try and get someone to come along but most retired men prefer to go out twice a year and watch TV the rest of the time. So If that the case I just carry a weapon, cell phone, GPS, map, water, tools/tire patch and make sure I'm not sick and in good health (work out every other day). Then give a sincere prayer asking the Lord to come along. I figure if I take reasonable precautions and the good Lord wants to let me die the desert is as good a place as any.
   My alone trips are usually 5-7 mile circles so I am never more then 10 miles from home or the main road. The desert isen't like the forest and has many land marks. But its happened to me. Before I had gotten my RM100 tuned properly for trail use I was still running race plugs which are designed to be burned wide open throttle, so a spark plug fouled on me without a spare 7 miles in the desert in 80 degree heat and rising (9am). Since the RM100 only weighs 145 pounds it was almost easier to walk it out then walk alone except crossing 3 canyons down and up hill. But I made it out and when I reached the corner store I bought and drank 1 gallon of water before walking the rest of the way home.

[Red01]

Depending on what state you live in,it isn't as hard as you might think to make a true dirt bike street legal.

Here in Louisiana,you simply by the after market kits such as Baja Designs bolt them on and wire them in,get the state troopers to inspect it and certify it,then go to the DMV and pay the fees,get in inspected again by a state inspecter and get the isurance and BAM! you got a street legal dirt bike....even the 2 smokes.

The guy that got me riding dirt bikes did these same things to his WR 426 and his wifes KDX 220 and now he takes them where he likes.

We can't do that here in WA. I had a Yamaha IT400 back in the day that was snuck thru DMV. One of my high school buddies that was working at the local Yammie dealer slipped the IT's paperwork in with the weeks batch of street bikes and it came back licensed as a street-legal bike (with NO state inspection - and no mirrors, turn signals, brake light, DOT tires, etc.). Back then, you could get a bike like that thru on your own if you'd made the mods and got it inspected, I just got lucky and didn't have to jump thru those hoops. Nowadays, if it doesn't come with paperwork from the manufacturer saying it's a DOT-approved street machine, you won't get street registration. One of my co-workers had his WR426's street papers pulled by the state after it's first year with a plate. He ended up selling it because of that and bought a KTM 525 EXC (and a Supermoto kit) because the KTM came with DOT approval.

[CWO4GUNNER]

You make a good point Red01. That is why I am leaning toward the KTM450exc instead of the Honda 450x. Although the Honda is 2K cheaper then the KTM it is not street DOT legal. Although you can get it slipped through because there in no state inspection in my county when inspections do occur it will get hit, whereas the new 07 KTM450exc are now all 50 state DOT legal so they will show up on future database and be grandfathered. The bike that  was the first true dirt bike to meet the new DOT street legal requirements was the DRZ400s but its like an agile cow in the dirt or a pregnant gazelle.

Depending on what state you live in,it isn't as hard as you might think to make a true dirt bike street legal.

Here in Louisiana,you simply by the after market kits such as Baja Designs bolt them on and wire them in,get the state troopers to inspect it and certify it,then go to the DMV and pay the fees,get in inspected again by a state inspecter and get the isurance and BAM! you got a street legal dirt bike....even the 2 smokes.

The guy that got me riding dirt bikes did these same things to his WR 426 and his wifes KDX 220 and now he takes them where he likes.

We can't do that here in WA. I had a Yamaha IT400 back in the day that was snuck thru DMV. One of my high school buddies that was working at the local Yammie dealer slipped the IT's paperwork in with the weeks batch of street bikes and it came back licensed as a street-legal bike (with NO state inspection - and no mirrors, turn signals, brake light, DOT tires, etc.). Back then, you could get a bike like that thru on your own if you'd made the mods and got it inspected, I just got lucky and didn't have to jump thru those hoops. Nowadays, if it doesn't come with paperwork from the manufacturer saying it's a DOT-approved street machine, you won't get street registration. One of my co-workers had his WR426's street papers pulled by the state after it's first year with a plate. He ended up selling it because of that and bought a KTM 525 EXC (and a Supermoto kit) because the KTM came with DOT approval.