For bike#2 -dual sport recommendations?

[Northern Rob]

Anyone also ride a dual sport? The gravel beckons. Lots of great logging roads in my neck of the woods, with access to lakes, beaches, mountain views etc... The ST is definitely not the ride for these roads (yes, I've tried).

I'm thinking more tourist type riding (gravel roads, pot holes, loose gravel and sand) than hard core "jumps and flips motocross"...

So, what dual sports do you like?

:tent3:

[Killtimer]

KLR 650. Cheap (compared to the twins), thumper simplicity, decent road manners, so-so dirt manners, very large after market farkle supply :) , large user groups ( Yahoo for one), seems to be the Dual Sport of choice for ST riders....... I love mine but have to confess. The new BMW 1200 GS Adventurer is still my DS wet dream. ;)

[racer1735]

My advice is to stay away from the 'big-bore' DS bikes...they are too heavy to lug around (if you get in trouble) in the soft stuff. Anything 650cc or smaller will give you miles of smile, and it needn't be current, either. I purchased a clean, low-hour, 1983 Honda XL600R this past summer to use chasing after my 5-year old who rides a JR50. It's a blast and also gave me a second outlet for 'farkleing'. KLRs, Suzuki's DRZ's and Honda's XRs are all good choices for solid, inexpensive dual sports.

[motomac]

Guys I don't have a dual sport, but have been to AK three times and I really kicked it around for a while to do the dual sport thing. I looked at all of the ones available and the costs and in my mind the best bang for the buck was the KLR 650. The deal clincher there was the tank capacity. Most of the others have smaller tanks than the 6.5 gallons the KLR sports. When on the gravel roads up there, gas stops are sometimes as far as 200 miles apart. I did the Dempster Highway in '99 on a Wing with a Bunkhouse behind and my fuel would not allow me to get from Dawson City to Eagle Plains without spare gas on board. There are after market companies that sell those classy looking aluminum panniers for any of the dual sport bikes in the vicinity of $1000 and other farkles as well. That's my $.02.

[tdeboeser]

Aprilia Sxv/Rxv 450 or 550. V-twin dirt/supermoto, W00T!!!! The 550 has 70HP, weighs in at 282 dry :eek::bow1:.


http://www.motorcycledaily.com/10february06_sxvrxv.htm

Thats what I'm savin' for...

Tom de

[Jeff F]

KLR here too. Good & cheap, rough & ready.

[st_rider]

Lots of choices out there and it really comes down to your intended use and budget. I've had the following DS/DP bikes:
Honda TransAlp
BMW R100GSPD
BMW R1150GS
Kawasaki KLR650
BMW F650
Suzuki V-Strom DL-1000

The big ones can be a real handful when you get into the stuff beyond the fireroads - but can be the most comfy for one-up or two-up riding on the slab. I did several 1,000+ mile days on the R1150GS and also had it in a couple places that I wish I hadn't.

FWIW, my personal favorite as an "all around" DS is the V-Strom.

Good Luck!!

rod

[yoitsmatt!]

ive had 2 xr 650l's one new and 1 used, they are great bikes and hard to kill, i was looking at a drz400 supermoto when i bought my st, the drz's and the ktm's are the most offroad capable, it really is a matter of what you intend to do with it.

[dannyk]

KLR hands down due to the large aftermarket for them plus that large fuel tank. great for dirt roads. Had a XR650L, good bike added a larger fuel tank the 2.7 dont cut it, better tires and geared it down for the woods, but not a big selection of things for the long haul and camping. If I was to do it again it would be the KLR. The Honda or the DRZ are better in the single tracks and pure off road but if gravel and some two tracks are your flavor I really would look at the KLR. The thumpers sip fuel pretty good to as long as your not trying to go 70mph down the highway. The big Honda would give me 50mpg or a little better if ridden sensibly:biker:

[Bora20]

check out www.dualsportbc.com for lots of local content, reviews, and classifieds.

[ChucksKLRST]

KLR 650. is the only way to go. Check out my pics of Colorado KLR-ing

[texxter]

I had a '99 KLR and loved it, very competent (but not excellent) on/off the road, simple, reliable, fun. I also have the DS bug, and I may consider a low mileage KLR. On the other hand, I think that the DL650 V-Strom is a more comfortable bike, less vibration and a more modern engine. It would be hard to choose between the two, each has advantages.

[dbst1300]

I own a 2002 KLR650 and a 2003 DL1000 VStrom. With that in mind, I would never give much rational thought to using the VStrom on anything rougher than rock or hardpacked roads.......never on trails. The KLR650 is capable of going almost everywhere and is a jack of all trades. Good at a lot of things, but certainly not great about anything. The VStrom gets 36-44MPG and the KLR650 gets 48-52MPG (plus it has the 6.1 gal gas tank). I have owned four KLR650s since 1992 and rode one with three other buddies/KLRs from Montana to the Arctic Circle via the Alaskan Hwy in 1999. They are bulletproof if you complete the "doohicky" balancer tensioner modification. I like the VStrom, but if I had to get rid of one bike, it would be the VStrom before the KLR. The KLR and the VStrom both have huge online support like this ST site, but the KLR has been around for 20 years and supports a huge after market. You can find used KLRs for $3000.00 to $3500.00 in excellent condition and only a couple of years old. My vote is for the KLR650!!

Now back to riding my ST1300!!

Dennis

[Tiny]

I desperately need a Triumph Tiger, although this is more along the lines of the BMW "adventure tourers" than a "dual sport". Damn near as sexy as the sT, though!

[beatlejuice]

my first dual sport was a 1985 suzuki sp 600 next was a xr 600r w/ baja designs kit both great bikes but heavy. i think the klr is a great bike but under powered if you want to ride highways to the dirt. the v strom would be my first choice for power and aftermarket goodies to make the alaska trip. i would give the v strom a hard look. imho :04biker:

[racer1735]

I still stand by my 'old' XL600R...what more fun could you have for $350??

[Tray]

I have ridden both. I own a F650GS. Both are street bikes with dirt tendancies.

If you are going to ride to Alaska and want to cruise the interstates to get there then the F650 is the best choice. I say this from the aspect of on the road comfort. The KLR is a good bike but it's not in the same ballpark as the KLR. It will cruise at 85 90MPH all day and not vibrate you to death. Keep it 70-75 and get 55-60 MPG doing it. The KLR has a slight advantage in dirt but not near enough to overcome its road manners (bad vibration, buzzy, etc...)
:D
It will go everywhere the KLR will and in better comfort if you travel above 60-65mph.

[dbst1300]

I just purchased a used 2003 Suzuki DR-Z400S Dual-Sport bike to complement the ST1300 and the KLR650. Like most used bikes I have purchased, the previous owner does not have the owner's manual. Does anyone on this site own a DR-Z400S and if so can they send me the instructions via PM for the digital speedo/trip/clock meter?

Thanks in advance
Dennis

[roginoz]

dbst - PM sent, hope it's not too confusing. Thumpertalk.com has an excellent DRZ forum.

Northern Rob - If it's just you, the DRZ400S is good. Won't carry two. More of an off-road bike than the KLR650, but still street legal. Very nimble, more capable than I am. Not too good over 60 mph, but great for around town, too. Lots of aftermarket stuff available. Electric start, but you can add the DRZ400E kickstarter.

[BigTom]

It's a KLR for the riding I do. Desert tracks, fire roads, washboard gravel, almost no "pure" off road.

My riding buddy has a 650 V Strom, it is a ton better on the road, but get on the back tracks and the KLR wins hands down.

400 miles is a LONG day on the KLR, even if it is a pavement mix. 400 miles on the V Strom is comfy, particularly if there are some twisties involved:) On the KLR that means gassing up once:)

DAMHIK, but KLR top speed is about 80 with pretty agressive knobbies...

So, if your mix is more on than off, I'd get a V Strom...if more off than on, a KLR.

BTW, I didn't comment on the FS650, but I thought I had one bought right before I got the KLR. I think the FS does the road a little better, and is as good off road. I just don't have any miles on or around one...

Oh, and no question. The KLR is the best Farkling platform. You can buy stuff for your stuff:)

[Northern Rob]

Northern Rob - If it's just you, the DRZ400S is good. Won't carry two. More of an off-road bike than the KLR650, but still street legal. Very nimble, more capable than I am. Not too good over 60 mph, but great for around town, too. Lots of aftermarket stuff available. Electric start, but you can add the DRZ400E kickstarter.

Thanks Roginoz, I went out and bought a KLR last fall after getting all this good feedback. Been having a lot of fun but just crashed it yesterday on a logging road. Hit a corner too hot, found a patch of deep gravel, and over the edge I went. Hit a tree.

and after my riding buddies realized I wasn't actually going to die (at least not from this one), they had a grand old time taking pictures (no doubt so they can rub it in for years), but for your entertainment pleasure, here you go...

http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k60/kolencr/assorted%20bike%20pics/IMG_1735.jpg
Man that hurts! Can you believe that bike in the picture started right up after we winched it out and I rode it home. What a tough bike!
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k60/kolencr/assorted%20bike%20pics/DSCN0136.jpg
And if anyone out there isn't riding with armour, I gotta tell you I think it saved my life yesterday - I have this dent in my helmet where my head hit the second tree. And I have bark marks on my left side arm and elbow where I hit the side of the first tree on the way down. The armour absorbed most of it. The Arai XD helmet did a great job. Money very well spent. And I feel very lucky to have gotten out of this one without a stretcher. From now on, I think I'll ride a bit slower...

[BigTom]

Rob

1st. Glad you are ok. Hertz, donnut?

Yes, I can believe that you rode home. The KLR gets you back, the McGiver of MC's.

But it's so clean! Did you wash it off a little for the pictures???:)

[George]

I think the ST1100 does pretty good on gravel and solid dirt. Not so much in the wet. the 18" front tire is a plus compared to the 1300.
831307EuSAtY]http://thumb7.webshots.net/t/57/757/8/39/89/2431839890052831307EuSAtY_th.jpg[/URL]

[DHTracker]

KLR 650. It's called The Swamp Thang. Ugly and functional, you can’t hurt it. But… be aware, it is top heavy and not well suited for short inseams. My muscular neighbor dropped mine in the drive while trying to balance it on his tip toes. Now I got a bit a bend handle bar – just enough to bother me when I notice it.

[Caper]

I'm thinking of getting a KLR myself, I think it would be the perfect second bike.

[Ken]

DR-Z400S easily modifoed to an SM too.

[dogdoc]

Another vote for the KLR. Had an Xr 600 several years ago and it was better on dirt . Wife has an F650 GS which I think is better on the road. Rode the KLr about 350 miles on dirt roads this weekend- first sigificant extended romp in the dirt and couldn't be more pleased with its manners. There were about 150 riders at the event and after the KLR fell when the kickstand sunk in soft dirt breaking one of the blinkers-I just taped the pieces together with electrical tape and no big deal- wouldn't have felt right doing that to the Beemer.