Hunting & Fishing Dual sport/purpose "Dirtbike"

[g3ninfinite]

For those of you that are in the know... What should I be looking at?

Edited to add-

Experience is 125cc and 250cc dirt bikes as a small child through teenage years.

Have not ridden anything as an adult so Ive been off a bike for 15+ years.

Just looking for something I can tear down to the super market with but be able to at least accompany my friends on the trails over the weekends(they ride offroad/dirt specific bikes).

Maybe haul a small load on the tail etc.

Can I get a way with a Honda CRF250L for this?

 

[Killswitch Engage]

klr650

 

[rgrmike]

Check out advrider.com They have an excellent forum section. It really depends on what kind of riding you want to do. Will you be on the road more or dirt? Do you value comfort or performance more? Just like with firearms, everything is a compromise. In my experience dual sports kinda suck on the road and in the dirt. Having said that I really had a lot of fun on mine and will most likely get another when we move out to Colorado in a few months. I've owned/ridden DRZ's, XR's, WR's, KTM's etc. My favorite was my 2010 KTM 450 EXC. Acerbis tank, Highway Dirt Bikes clamp, mirrors, bark busters etc, Enduro Engineering seat etc. It would run about 95 and was a rocket off road. Tons of power but was geared towards an aggressive style of riding. That will be what I'm looking for in Colorado. If I was going to be spending a lot of time on the road I would get a BMW GS 800. Oh and the KLR is one of those tried and true bullet proof designs that has been around for ever. They're not going to have near the performance but fun non the less.

 

[1911fan]

Second everything he just said. Last ride was a KTM 990 Adventure (w00t!) and my wife and I are riding BMW 650s now. Your choice depends on a lot of variables, such as riding experience, physical stature and strength, percent off vs percent on-road, etc. If you want to talk about it, PM me your phone number.


1911fan

 

[Duc]

Proof that you can hunt from the saddle...Just don't shoot from the road!

Lots to see

 

[ahhshoot]

What are you looking FOR? There are multitudes of enduro/dual purpose bikes. Are you spending the majority of time off-road? If so, look into one of the motocross crossovers such as the CRX250/450, WRF, DRZ, etc. You will get better components and performance that way. If you are spending a good bit of time on the road then KTM offers some really nice options as mentioned above as well as the KLR which is a bit outdated but still a very good choice. You wouldn't want to get the KTM above if you were going to be bombing around motocross tracks half the time and riding woods/trails/roads the other half. On the same token you would be better off with the KLR or the big Katoom if most of your time was on the road with some occasional dirt roads, woods riding, etc.

I raced motocross for about 10 years and can tell you that the best technology and components will be found in the machines designed for that purpose, for me I would lean towards the CRX because Honda has a fantastic reputation and those bikes are very capable. I do see a good bit of DRZ's on the road, though.

 

[EasyGravy]

 

[steve123]

I like the Husky 610 although it's a little more biased for dirt. It'll still do 100mph+. Just needs a soft after market seat is all.

 

[g3ninfinite]

thanks for the replies guys. Added some more detail up top.

 

[ahhshoot]

I would go for whatever Honda is now calling the enduro-ized crf450. You get most of the mx components and the extra power will be appreciated when on the pavement.

 

[Nate O.]

With what specs you've added, if it were me I'd look hard at the Honda crf450x.

 

[45.308]

For those of you that are in the know... What should I be looking at?

Edited to add-

Experience is 125cc and 250cc dirt bikes as a small child through teenage years.

Have not ridden anything as an adult so Ive been off a bike for 15+ years.

Just looking for something I can tear down to the super market with but be able to at least accompany my friends on the trails over the weekends(they ride offroad/dirt specific bikes).

Maybe haul a small load on the tail etc.

Can I get a way with a Honda CRF250L for this?

I know we can add a head and tail lamp to MX and register it for road, doubtful in Kali. I am no guru but what I do know from riding for years road and dirt, no one single bike will do both very well with dual purpose bike better suited for road than dirt. Those heavy large thumpers will get dusted by a small light bike. I prefer a trials or true enduro trials bike. Last enduro I rode a 175 dusted all 250 and all open class due be small and nimble, HP was not needed. Good rider too. Once we got to open straight dirt path, my HP caught the leader when both us to the stop on the throttle but then it was back to dirt and his small bike left all of us again. The main reason I quite riding was last time on eduro trials on the pavement portion of the course I was dead last and I rolled the throttle to the stop and was pulling on everyone when I was about to pass by at full throttle, rider decided to cut me off, he hit my bars, tire wiggle and loose pea gravel and I hit the pavement then ditch and then wire fence. Wife said done sell it.

I guess you have to define dirt and trails because the ones I rode, mx, trials, enduro bikes was a must. Todays 650 thumpers stuck in goo, rocks, logs, hills so if your friends are on MX, no hope for you to stay with them or go the places they can but your ride down for groceries I guess they cant go with you with your either, at least in Kali.

Rocks, ruts and rooster tails!!

 

[565fitter]

I had a wr450 that I made street legal and would be just what your wanting. I converted mine to a supermoto so it spent most of its time on pavement.