Thinking about dual sport/ ADV bike

[Jewcati]

I have been doing a lot of dirt riding lately which I am really enjoying. Wondering if I would like dual sport on more dirt/fire roads. My only issue is I live in Framingham, and not sure there is anything anywhere near me for quick blast on some dirt roads for a few hours. Anyone know if this type of bike is “worth it” in metro west. My ability to do a long overnights is not really there right now.


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[Chippertheripper]

man, you're talking about a spectrum thats really wide.

do you use a street bike to commute? if so, an adventurey type thing should allow you to incorporate a few of those dirt roads on the way to/fro.
if not, I don't know that I'd advise someone to spend the money just to cruise some dirt roads...unless you were talking about just adding a $1500 klr, in which case I'd say just go for it, you'll at least get your money back out of it.

[Gixxer]

My friend bought a DR-Z this spring and I considered it, he regrets it. A lot of the rec trails around here apparently stop where you’re allowed to ride motorcycles for certain stretches so he says he can’t even follow it for any significant stretch.

The only appeal I see of the adventure bikes is the ride height and seating position, but I would still stick to street.

[Jewcati]

man, you're talking about a spectrum thats really wide.

do you use a street bike to commute? if so, an adventurey type thing should allow you to incorporate a few of those dirt roads on the way to/fro.
if not, I don't know that I'd advise someone to spend the money just to cruise some dirt roads...unless you were talking about just adding a $1500 klr, in which case I'd say just go for it, you'll at least get your money back out of it.

I don’t use a street bike to commute, not often at least. I wasn’t thinking of anything crazy expensive, but i fear I will regret not having enough to ride within an hour of me


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[e30addict]

An ADV bike trumps a dual sport for that type of riding, especially if you already have a full on dirty bike. Depends on budget and the rest of the big picture.

The right adventure bike is fantastic for spirited street riding and if the pavement changes you don't really have to slow down. The bike just moves around a little more beneath you.

[jimmycapp]

Adv bikes are great. Wish they had some decent options when I started riding. Instead of breaking my back on sport bikes on the street for 60k miles, before I learned.

[breakdirt916]

[noob]f-no, separate the duties[/noob]

[dankatz]

Depends on what you mean by dirt/fire roads. if it is simple dirt/fire roads than you can get some light adv-like bike for not much money -something like a CB500X or Vstrom. If you are leaning a little more dirt oriented than a DR650 will be comfortable enough to ride to the trails and is plentiful around. For even more dirt oriented riding, get a 250/300 bike like a WR250R or CRF250L. An hour of highway riding on those is tough, but anything less is no problem.

[Garandman]

Had a Yamaha WR250R for five years. It checks most of your boxes. A wag suggested the Colorado state flag should have a WR250R on it.

Honda has produced a similar bike, CRF250L Rally.

[boosten lebaron]

I cant really think of of any good riding spots near Framingham that would make a adv bike worth it. The closest place i can think of is Nipmunk state forest out by Union CT. You can probably get there in under an hour though but realistically how often are you going to do that.

[Chippertheripper]

An adventure bike goes wherever you’re willing to take it. Same with a dual sport, but with a more offroad bias.
Franklin and wrentham are both reasonably close legal trail spots to Framingham, but each of those favor little bikes.

There really isn’t a one size fits all solution here. Any of the above is going to have large compromises on one end or the other, likely both.

[Crconnor18]

Adventure bikes are Swiss Army knives. Good at all, great at none.

That said, I have a KLR & live in Woburn.

It does highway but not well. Sub 70mph is alright.

With the right tires & rider you can handle some single track. But it’s going to be a hell of a work out working a big bike in trails.

It’ll haul people easily cross country on dirt or street for years.

If I were to do it all over I’d go with a lighter bike like a WR250 & something sport touring. Most ADV bikes are bulky or big money. If you have to keep it to one bike I’d say check out Africa Twins or Yamaha Teneres. Vstroms are a great cheap option. An SV with some longer travel & ergonomics.

[maxim_X]

ADV bikes are the only ones that make sense to ride on the street to me. I see me more as able to do dirt roads, instead of searching them out. That said a modern ADV bike will have great performance anywhere.

My shameless plug is that I have a DL650 Vstrom that I would sell cheap. It's not modern or fast, but it will go down dirt roads.

[Crconnor18]

ADV bikes are the only ones that make sense to ride on the street to me. I see me more as able to do dirt roads, instead of searching them out. That said a modern ADV bike will have great performance anywhere.

My shameless plug is that I have a DL650 Vstrom that I would sell cheap. It's not modern or fast, but it will go down dirt roads.

If Jewcati isn’t interested in the vstrom I may have a buyer. Feel free to share some extra details/pics when possible.

Thanks!

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ADV bikes are the only ones that make sense to ride on the street to me. I see me more as able to do dirt roads, instead of searching them out. That said a modern ADV bike will have great performance anywhere.

My shameless plug is that I have a DL650 Vstrom that I would sell cheap. It's not modern or fast, but it will go down dirt roads.

If Jewcati isn’t interested in the vstrom I may have a buyer. Feel free to share some extra details/pics when possible.

Thanks!

[SRTie4k]

Being convinced to buy an adventure bike is the best thing that's ever happened to me, honestly. All I ever rode before was street bikes (aside from riding my mom's V-Strom around a little here and there). Street bikes are great when you've got miles of smooth, twisty tarmac, but up here in the northeast the pavement is garbage and the twisties are lacking in most places. The northeast is no place for a street bike IMO.

My Super Adventure is hands down the best bike I have ever owned. I've put 47k miles on it in 4.5 years, it's done everything from riding down to NC and ripping twisties down there, riding the entirety of the BRP a handful of times, to riding the MABDR and NEBDR, to bashing it off rocks on snowmobile and ATV trails in VT. It's been on damn near every dirt road that exists in VT, NH and MA. It's both a phenomenal street bike, a hooligan machine and it's more than capable enough to tackle nearly any offroad short of single track. It's got plush suspension to soak up the bumps offroad and on, the upright seating makes riding 500 miles pretty easy, it's got heated everything, ABS, TC and cornering ABS, cruise control. It's got so much power it'll power wheelie in 4th gear over crests.

The biggest downside to the bigger adventure bikes is, of course, their weight. Throwing them around offroad is not easy, primarily when the riding starts to get technical. That is why I own both my Super Adventure and a CRF250L Rally (which is similarly adventure outfitted). That didn't stop me from trying for 4 years, though.

I don't think I will ever not own an adventure bike. They are just too practical and, if you buy something like a KTM, ridiculously fun. If it's going to be your primary or only bike, I'd get a big or mid displacement adventure bike. If you only want to ride dirt within a ~200 mile radius of your home, I'd be getting a dual sport, like a CRF Rally (the upcoming CRF300L Rally looks pretty amazing), a WR250R or a KLX250/300. They can be made into very comfortable and capable dual sports.

[Chippertheripper]

Being convinced to buy an adventure bike is the best thing that's ever happened to me, honestly. All I ever rode before was street bikes (aside from riding my mom's V-Strom around a little here and there). Street bikes are great when you've got miles of smooth, twisty tarmac, but up here in the northeast the pavement is garbage and the twisties are lacking in most places. The northeast is no place for a street bike IMO.

My Super Adventure is hands down the best bike I have ever owned. I've put 47k miles on it in 4.5 years, it's done everything from riding down to NC and ripping twisties down there, riding the entirety of the BRP a handful of times, to riding the MABDR and NEBDR, to bashing it off rocks on snowmobile and ATV trails in VT. It's been on damn near every dirt road that exists in VT, NH and MA. It's both a phenomenal street bike, a hooligan machine and it's more than capable enough to tackle nearly any offroad short of single track. It's got plush suspension to soak up the bumps offroad and on, the upright seating makes riding 500 miles pretty easy, it's got heated everything, ABS, TC and cornering ABS, cruise control. It's got so much power it'll power wheelie in 4th gear over crests.

The biggest downside to the bigger adventure bikes is, of course, their weight. Throwing them around offroad is not easy, primarily when the riding starts to get technical. That is why I own both my Super Adventure and a CRF250L Rally (which is similarly adventure outfitted). That didn't stop me from trying for 4 years, though.

I don't think I will ever not own an adventure bike. They are just too practical and, if you buy something like a KTM, ridiculously fun. If it's going to be your primary or only bike, I'd get a big or mid displacement adventure bike. If you only want to ride dirt within a ~200 mile radius of your home, I'd be getting a dual sport, like a CRF Rally (the upcoming CRF300L Rally looks pretty amazing), a WR250R or a KLX250/300. They can be made into very comfortable and capable dual sports.

My fingers are crossed we see a 390enduro from ktm. A real lc4 style dualsport, a chill motor wrapped in a nice lightweight chassis.

[jimmycapp]

My fingers are crossed we see a 390enduro from ktm. A real lc4 style dualsport, a chill motor wrapped in a nice lightweight chassis.

Hopefully they can get the weight down. Looking at the 790 vs 1290, I don't think they pulled enough weight off the 790.

[Chippertheripper]

You can ride my 790 if you want to convince yourself.
It’s good. Real good.

[Crconnor18]

My fingers are crossed we see a 390enduro from ktm. A real lc4 style dualsport, a chill motor wrapped in a nice lightweight chassis.

I saw a set of spoked wheels available for these 390 adventures through the power parts.

[number9]

Being convinced to buy an adventure bike is the best thing that's ever happened to me, honestly. All I ever rode before was street bikes (aside from riding my mom's V-Strom around a little here and there). Street bikes are great when you've got miles of smooth, twisty tarmac, but up here in the northeast the pavement is garbage and the twisties are lacking in most places. The northeast is no place for a street bike IMO.

What do you have? 790 Adventure?

[jimmycapp]

He has a 1290 super adventure.

[Jewcati]

An adventure bike goes wherever you’re willing to take it. Same with a dual sport, but with a more offroad bias.
Franklin and wrentham are both reasonably close legal trail spots to Framingham, but each of those favor little bikes.

There really isn’t a one size fits all solution here. Any of the above is going to have large compromises on one end or the other, likely both.

I have the TE150 for the trails, I was thinking some stuff that would be a bit more open, dirt and gravel.

The 790 Adventure R looks sweet, but just not sure I would be able to use it for its intended purpose much.

[nhbubba]

If I were to do it all over I’d go with a lighter bike like a WR250 & something sport touring. Most ADV bikes are bulky or big money. If you have to keep it to one bike I’d say check out Africa Twins or Yamaha Teneres. Vstroms are a great cheap option. An SV with some longer travel & ergonomics.

Which "something sport touring" would you put next to the WR?

I ask because I've been there, done the shopping and came back with the opinion that there really aren't any great sport-touring bikes out there nowadays. You either go ADV or full-boat touring.
Quite frankly, most of the "ADV" bikes are really just ST bikes with a little less weight and a little more suspension travel. Slap some Pilot Road tires on it and it'll be just as fast, just as comfortable and handle just as well as any ST hardware.


I put 50k miles on a DL650 and loved it to death. I was itching for something new and different. I arguably should have stayed in the ADV bike realm, but did not. Instead I bought a tour-barge, which I also love.

IMO the perfect garage has a heavy tour-barge for 2-up cruising and highway abuse, a light woods bike for trying to kill yourself, and a middleweight ADV bike for everything else.
The minimum viable if you are only allowed to have one is the mid-point of that spread; the ADV bike.

[Jewcati]

You can ride my 790 if you want to convince yourself.
It’s good. Real good.

I am sure it is....the reviews are sick. Not sure why they had to go and up the CC this year, I am sure the 790 would be more than enough. Hell, The 390 is probably fun too, but doesn't really seem too offroad oriented.

Where do you ride it offroad around your area, I would imagine besides freetown there isn't much that way either?

[Jewcati]

Well....


I have the heavyweight touring cruiser with the Indian Chieftain. I have the lightweight woods bike with the TE150. I just don't have space or money for 3 bikes, and the TE150 isn't going anywhere (I am obsessed with this bike), so it would have to be trading the indian. I would like the versatility of being able to do some 4-5 hour rides and hit some dirt roads, but for the street the indian is just comfy and surprisingly fun.

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Which "something sport touring" would you put next to the WR?

I ask because I've been there, done the shopping and came back with the opinion that there really aren't any great sport-touring bikes out there nowadays. You either go ADV or full-boat touring.
Quite frankly, most of the "ADV" bikes are really just ST bikes with a little less weight and a little more suspension travel. Slap some Pilot Road tires on it and it'll be just as fast, just as comfortable and handle just as well as any ST hardware.


I put 50k miles on a DL650 and loved it to death. I was itching for something new and different. I arguably should have stayed in the ADV bike realm, but did not. Instead I bought a tour-barge, which I also love.

IMO the perfect garage has a heavy tour-barge for 2-up cruising and highway abuse, a light woods bike for trying to kill yourself, and a middleweight ADV bike for everything else.
The minimum viable if you are only allowed to have one is the mid-point of that spread; the ADV bike.