Bandit Alley
GENERAL MOTORCYCLE FORUMS => GENERAL MOTORCYCLE => Topic started by: Swamp Rat on February 21, 2007, 06:07:49 AM
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And what I mean by that is how many of you street ride and also ride track or trail too?
I saw that cw4gunner also has a Drz like I do and got me to thinkin bout how we like many aspects of the sport not just one or the other.
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I've got an old Yamaha 250 Trials and a little Chinese copy of a Honda 50 for the grandkids to ride when they come over. Mostly just ride them on my property and the wooded lots in the neighborhood. I've been thinking of a real dual sport that could be riden to/from the trail.
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Ive got a Honda Atv, a Honda CT-70 replica and a CRF250R. I love dirt riding either on 2 wheels or 4. Thats how it all began and my sheer love for the dirt will probably never end. Broke my foot off my right leg in late 04, I think Ive been riding harder the last 3 years than the 33 years before that!
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The technology has certainly improved since 1968. Although I own an Ozark 250 ATV, the dirt bike is still a much better ride over a long distance on the trail. Dirt bike riding is the only motorcycle sport where the front and rear wheels are repeatedly spinning at different speeds making it much more difficult to stay on board until you become accustom to it so that when on very rare occasion street riding your wheels slip, instead of highsiding to the pavement your dirt bike skills kick in and compansate with body enlish and avoid the crash.
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I have a DR650 bought to go places my Bandit is too much bike for. I bought it a couple months ago, started riding it on crappy twisty paved back roads and was thinking of doing the 17 wheel converstion.... and then I discovered gravel roads, Oh my, way hoopie fun steering with the back tire, so off comes the tail trunk, and the search for DOT knobies begins.
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Currently no dual sport, but I think about it some times. Lots of great gravel roads here in the Canadian Rockies...
Garage currently has:
87 CR250R - mine
81 KDX 175 - oldest son
02 TTR125L - youngest son
94 XR80 - just hanging around
03 KDX110 - youngest daughter
(not counting the Bandit and my 55 F100 Panel)
Likely will sell the XR and KDX as their too small, and get a TTR230 or CRF230 trail bike for youngest son and cascade the TTR to my daughter.
Dirt Bikes are great. Here in Cranbrook the bush is 1/2 block from the house and you can ride as far as your gas will take you.
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I mis wrote the subject header. I didn't litterally mean "dual sport". I meant other forms of motorcycling such as trail riding or MX or even trials.
I wood go with the Honda 230 as it is lighter and better suspended. I think they both have electric start. Wished I lived near you I'm wanting a used 110 or a 90 for my youngest daughter. I'll more than likely get the 230 for my 2 oldest daughters. The boy is currently riding a TTR 125 that I'm putting a 150 kit in this summer unlees he finishes the year with straight A's then I promissed him the new Honda CR150f. I think my money is safe so far.
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Well, if you have a Bandit and a dirt-only bike, that's dual-sporting, isn't it?
You're just using separate machines to do the street & trail thing. :beers:
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That's what I was thinking too!
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I hate having to load up dirt bikes into a truck for a short trip to county lands so I bought a duel-sport DRZ400s 85% dirt and 15% street bike. I am so tempted to sell it now and move of to the 50 state legal KTM 450EXC, probubly the ultimate off road duel sport motorcycle.
Definition: Dual-Sport refers to a street-legal motorcycle that is designed primarily to be used in off-road situations.
Dual-purpose refers to a motorcycle designed primarily to be used on-road with the capability of be used off-road in limited situations.
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I'm well aware as to the meaning of dualsport I was simply using a play on words that was taken too litterally.
I agree with you about the new KTM. March Dirt Rider has a write up on it. If I were to go the dualsport route the 450 or the 525 KTM's would top my list of prospective buys. But for now, at my current level of riding skill [none or just butt ass slow], the old Drz 400e suites my needs.
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The KTM's are top notch, and I've always had a soft spot for them since the days when they were called Pentons. I also find myself attracted to the Aprilia 450/550 twins.
OTOH, the beauty of the DRZ and other Japanese d/s bikes is their lower maintenance requirements. I'm not looking for something to go racing with, I'm just looking for something to go trail riding on and ride it from the campground to the store or an occasional commute. I'd be plenty happy with a bike that I can ride more and wrench less. Even if it's heavier and slower.
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I guess I'm confused, I bought my DR to ride where I didn't want to ride my Bandit. thats off pavement, ok it's not a true dirt only bike, but I'm planing to race it in some dual sport events/ enduros. It may not be the best woods bike but it's a great desert bike and we got both out here. Ride what makes you smile.
Mike M.
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Dont get me wrong I like my DRZ and think it's a good trail bike. But I dident realize when I bought it how much better a machine I could have gotten in a KTM or CFR450x. When I rode my neighbors CRF450x I was blown away and how much better a rider I could be, its that good. Granted not nearly as plush as the DRZ but that comes with adjustment and a soft seat. Believe me I tried being partial to my DRZ, just do yourself a favor and don't test ride CRF450x off road because it will make you very sad as the nimble handling and performance is nothing short incredible, compared to my DRZ is like comparing a Ford Crown Victoria to a Z28 "literally".
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Hey Gunner, I agree, but it keeps going. In my opinion, a 2-stroke like the CR250R is even better. Lighter, great snap, etc., but not street legal, (neither is the CRF450X).
The KTM's and CRFs are closer to a real race bikes, and have the maintenance schedules to match. The DRZ is pretty easy to ride hard and put away wet. I keep thinking of one, as in this area, I could go for an all day ride in the Rockies or Purcells and still stop at a cafe for lunch or coffee. My CR250R is great, but isn't as casual as I am sometimes.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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!!
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.