On/Off Road Bikes??

[Blstr88]

Hey guys, me and a buddy were thinkin of treating ourselves to any early graduation present and on/off road bikes are on the list. Any suggestions? I was thinkin Honda XR650s? I dont really know much about these bikes, so any info would be great. Thanks!

[ny300exrider]

I'm planning on getting one in a few years to go exploring for new riding spots and cruise around town. I’ve been doing some research on them so hopefully I can help you out.

The xr650l comes street legal stock, is good on power, very reliable, but very heavy and big. The xr650s have a nickname of BRP which stands for big red pig so just from that you can see what I mean. From what I read, it can be handful off-road due to its 325lb weight but is a great on-road bike.

If you wanted something a little lighter but still dual sport worthy, the Suzuki drz400s may also be an option. The drz also comes street legal stock but is around 30 pounds lighter than the xr (still very heavy compared to pure off-road bikes). The 400 is extremely reliable, and can be made off-road ready with some minor mods (knobby tires, etc). The drz can be related to the power of a z400 quad but can cruise at highway speeds with no problems. There is a HUGE aftermarket for the drz, and they can be turned into some pretty sweet machines. If you visit www.thumpertalk.com you can learn pretty much anything you want to know about these bikes.

Also, ktm's 2007 525 and 450 exc models will be street legal from the factory as well. These bikes are true street legal off-road race bikes. They are lighter and more powerful than the drz, and rip off-road. However, with the high performance comes maintenance and limits. Unlike the xr or drz, it isn’t recommended to ride the ktms on the street much. They are made to be raced in the dirt and extended road use can lead to bad things. Oil changes and valve adjustments are needed much more frequently than the drz as well. Lastly, the 07 ktm's are BIG BUCKS, probably going to be pushing 9g by the time you’re done with it all.

For me, I think the drz is the best choice. I don’t want to be limited on my riding, and I like the fact that I could take the drz down the highway, pull off into a trail, and get back on with no problems. The reliability is great, and with some mods, they can be a good looking, fully functional bike.

Hope I helped a little, in my opinion; dual sports are one of the best kept secrets in the motocross world. I'm looking forward to having one in the future.

[Blstr88]

Thanks man, thats awesome. Yeah the DRZs are nice looking bikes...how about the KLR's? Any word on those? Also, where you from on Long Island? Im from Sayville, but Im up at school in Maine right now. I get home every so often though.

[ny300exrider]

im from riverhead but i once i get a dual sport ill be all over the island looking for new offroad spots to ride through. i already have a list of spots that i wanna check out. i havnt looked into the klrs much just because i dont want something that big and bulky, mainly because i still want some "dirtbike" in it when i hit the dirt.

[Alessi800]

Personally, I would get a KTM, their power is Undiscribable! The Drz are a bunch of Bull. KTMs are the future of the Dirt Bike world. On Road or off it. Take it from me, I'm Mike Alessi