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2-wheel toad


jacks

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Hi All,

Does anyone have any experience with using a motorcycle as a toad versus a 4 wheel vehicle?

I know nothing about motorcycles but as a single guy I think I would only need and enjoy having it.

For me I'm thinking lightweight off roader but could use for grocery store runs, emergencies or fun.

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Since you have no motorcycling experience, the initial limiter would be riding in foul weather. I've done it many times, and it SUCKS!! But, if you don't HAVE to go out, you can just stay in your RV.

 

Instead of an "off road" bike, that some RV parks prohibit and might not be road legal, consider a "dual sport" bike, like a Suzuki VStrom 650. It is light, maneuverable, and you will not out grow it with a few months of riding experience. Best part...ride in all over, including forest service roads.

 

I spent about 10 yrs riding a bike to/from work and everywhere in between, VERY rarely taking the car. Since moving to Florida, the bike gets MUCH more use when RVing. IMO, motorcycling in Fla SUCKS like riding in foul weather.

 

Oh, yeah, TAKE AN MSF COURSE!!!!!

 

http://www.msf-usa.org/brc.aspx

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For a first time rider , definitely take an MSF course . So much good to be had from them .

 

A lot of us 'tote' bikes . I haul 3 : a Yamaha XT350 ( dual sport ) ; a Suzuki FA50 and my Simplex Automatic .

 

If you have a bike as 2nd transportation , be sure to have decent rain gear and some good cold weather gear .

Plan on at least a rack on the back and maybe a tail box . Our first year FTing I used the XT for 'in between' grocery runs and would pack the box full .

I use the 50 for town runs if the items we need are not too heavy .

Goes around , comes around .

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I carry my Kawasaki KLX-250 on a ramp. I would have preferred the off road model but I got it at a great price. It's a great little bike except for the seat. An off road is fine as long as it's street legal and licensed. If your intent is to use a ramp, make sure your hitch can handle the tongue weight. I had to beef up the bumper structure on mine.

 

1-ramp_zps7702e1a7.jpg

Tom
—————————————————
2005 Born Free 24' Rear Bath
Towing 1978 VW Bug convertible
Minneapolis, MN

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Are you thinking of going on the road fulltime, or just for trips and weekends? While not into motorcycles, I have observed that far more part-time folks are happy with the bike only, than are those who live in the RV for very long periods. Remember that it not only has weather issues, but it will also have limitations on what you can carry from the store.

Good travelin !...............Kirk

Full-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.
Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure

            images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQqFswi_bvvojaMvanTWAI

 

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Hi All,

Not having exp with bikes except the time I went camping as a kid with a friends family to Mexico on a sand peninsula on the beach they brought a Kawasaki off roader and it was great! That was one of the best times of my life. The freedom! But being 62, solo and not a strong fellow Im more thinking of a 2-wheeler for grocery runs and if the RV broke down. (SuzikiFA50. Hard to find prices on those.)

I may be jumping the gun with this idea, not sure. I plan on going full-time and am torn between getting a class A under 30' versus a class C. I wont be happy sitting in an RV park a lot, and want to boondock and have mobility in the city and get in all the national and state parks. I know one thing for sure, I don't want the expense and effort to haul a toad, hence the motorcycle idea.

Tom are you full-time in the BornFree?

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The first thing I would check would be the cargo carrying capacity of the rigs you are considering. Having a bunch of it used by a bike could be a problem on some rigs.

 

Linda Sand

Blog: http://sandcastle.sandsys.org/

Former Rigs: Liesure Travel van, Winnebago View 24H, Winnebago Journey 34Y, Sportsmobile Sprinter conversion van

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Thanks Linda, good point. I'm thinking a smaller class A and a really light weight tote almost like a moped on a rack supported by the rear hitch so the weight, I think should be ok? A larger off road motorcycle would be fun but too much for me;)

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Tom are you full-time in the BornFree?

I'm not full time yet. I spend winters in south Florida. My bike weighs about 300 lbs and is about the most I would dare hang on the rear of my 24' class C. I've been hauling it around for 6 years and 60,000 miles now and have had no issues.

Tom
—————————————————
2005 Born Free 24' Rear Bath
Towing 1978 VW Bug convertible
Minneapolis, MN

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Hi All,

Not having exp with bikes except the time I went camping as a kid with a friends family to Mexico on a sand peninsula on the beach they brought a Kawasaki off roader and it was great! That was one of the best times of my life. The freedom! But being 62, solo and not a strong fellow Im more thinking of a 2-wheeler for grocery runs and if the RV broke down. (SuzikiFA50. Hard to find prices on those.)

I may be jumping the gun with this idea, not sure. I plan on going full-time and am torn between getting a class A under 30' versus a class C. I wont be happy sitting in an RV park a lot, and want to boondock and have mobility in the city and get in all the national and state parks. I know one thing for sure, I don't want the expense and effort to haul a toad, hence the motorcycle idea.

Tom are you full-time in the BornFree?

 

Ours was a well (ab)used barn find . I tore it down and rebuilt it to something close to factory correct . I installed a box and a windshield . Now both those are mounted on the XT . Here's a pic with those installed on the 50 :

FYI : The FA50 only weighs a hundred pounds .

HPIM1351.jpg

Goes around , comes around .

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Remember that when you add weight to the rear of the RV it has an effect if more than the scale weight because the distance behind the rear axle causes a multiplying effect which removes some weight from the front axle and moves it to the rear. The amount of this effect is dependant upon the distance it is behind the rear axle, due to leverage. If you wish I can share the formula to use for this.

 

It is also important to understand that unhooking a car towed on it's wheels takes little more than to unload a motorcycle, depending upon the size of that bike. While there is cost in the equipment to tow a car, a lift for any bike that weighs too much to easily load is not all that cheap either and the care adds no significant extra weight to the rear axle.

Good travelin !...............Kirk

Full-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.
Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure

            images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQqFswi_bvvojaMvanTWAI

 

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We took our two 800 pound motorcycles along when we went full-time RVing. It was the main reason we went. Being able to ride year round. We put on around 15,000 to 17,000 miles a summer season when we lived in a stick and bricks and lived up north. When full-timing it was great the first couple of years being able to ride year round. But then it slowly got old. Think about everyplace you go in no matter what weather it is, has to be on the motorcycle. Yes we could take our truck to places and did, but after four years we wanted a car. Got the car sold the motorcycles. I don't miss the motorcycle at all. Love our car. You can see it in the picture on the left and me following in our truck. That was the day we picked up the car.

 

If you decide on a motorcycle, I agree take the motorcycle safety course. Plus you are going to have to get some gear. I'm a big supporter on wearing a helmet. Not a cheap one either. Price them some time. You will need hot weather gear, cold weather gear, rain gear. A car you can wear whatever you want. Plus the cost of maintenance on a car is way less money then a motorcycle. Price tires some time just to get an idea.

 

However if you are just RVing on weekends or vacation and have a stick and brinks to go home to where your car is. Won't be a big deal to take the motorcycle.

 

Good luck on your choice.

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It's a lot easier to take a bike into town than to unhook and re-hook ( re-set up ) the MH every time .

 

Is that from experience? For awhile we carried a Segway mounted on the back of our Class C. Then we towed a car behind our Class A. The car was easier for me because I never had to manage the weight of it.

 

Linda Sand

Blog: http://sandcastle.sandsys.org/

Former Rigs: Liesure Travel van, Winnebago View 24H, Winnebago Journey 34Y, Sportsmobile Sprinter conversion van

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I'm a big supporter on wearing a helmet. Not a cheap one either.

 

I recently read somewhere--maybe here--that when buying a helmet you need to decide how much your head is worth.

 

Linda Sand

Blog: http://sandcastle.sandsys.org/

Former Rigs: Liesure Travel van, Winnebago View 24H, Winnebago Journey 34Y, Sportsmobile Sprinter conversion van

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We carry a Honda 1300VTX on a swivel trailer attached to our fifth wheel bumper, we use to have a Goldwing 1800 but have since down sized. I put a large T bag on the back rest and can carry a weeks worth of groceries for the 2 of us. We really enjoy the bike for site seeing and touring new areas, but do use the pickup during foul weather. For us it's the best of 2 worlds, a pickup for hauling the camper and a motorcycle that gets 50 mpg for touring. Maintenance is cheap if you can do your own work, I recently bought a set of tires for less than $250 Fed Ex'd to our camp site and installed them with a couple of screwdrivers and the bike tool kit, good for another 20k miles.

Last summer we rode the mc into San Francisco and parked near Pier 7 in a free mc parking area. There are benefits.

Greg

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I had a Yam 225 dual sport carried across the rear of a 28 ft class A on a tow hitch carrier.

 

It would carry two at a pinch but was much better solo. Was excellent both on and off road and could manage 65 - 70 comfortably if needs be.

 

Used more for fun exploring than grocery trips.

 

If I knew I was going to stay on the pavement and make lots of shopping runs I would consider a big wheel scooter around 200 250 cc.Something like a Bergman. They are warmer dryer and it is truly amazing what you can pack away in one.

FT since September 2007

Safari Trek + M/C

http://johncarolandcharro.blogspot.com/

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Motorcycles are my passion (25+ years) and one of the main reasons my wife and I want to go full time. We love to go exploring on our various motorcycles and although we've had some great trips over the years, we almost always come back feeling we were rushed trying to squeeze so much into a week trip here or there, so now we are looking at being able to go to places we want to visit and take our time exploring.

 

First off, if this is your first bike, I agree with others to take the MSF course. It will give you the tools you need to become a good rider along with lots of practice added in. My next suggestion, especially since you said you were 62, solo, and not that strong is to keep the bike smaller, light weight, and easier to handle. There is nothing more frustrating to a new rider than for you to keep dropping your bike or struggling because it's too heavy or too powerful for you to just get the basics down. I kind of chuckled when someone called a Vstrom light. I've owned 5 vstroms 650 & 1000 and put many miles on them over the years. They are a fabulous adventure bikes and a great value, but I wouldn't recommend one for a new rider and although it's lighter than some other adventure bikes, it has a very top heavy feel to it. I would not encourage someone to start off on a bike that size. If you decide later down the road you want a bike that is more highway capable and you have some miles under your belt, the Vstrom is a great bike.

 

IMOP, a small street legal dual sport makes a perfect companion to the back of an RV and is also a perfect starter bike. They handle all types of terrain, make great city bikes, are okay on short highway jaunts, and once you get comfortable on it, you may find you like exploring off the beaten path on it. My wife and I both have 250cc dual sport bikes that we love. I have the Yamaha WR250R and she has the Honda CRF250L. The WR250R is definitely a taller bike, a little more aggressive with more powerful on the top end, while the Honda is a little shorter, does better in the mid range torque and overall a lot more user friendly due to the torque lower in the RPM range. The Honda CRF250L would make a great beginner bike and something you could enjoy for a long time. The engine is so smooth, the FI is spot on, and it's a Honda and so reliability is awesome. It's the one bike we own that I never worry about starting if it's been sitting for awhile. Someone mentioned the Yamaha XT225 and my wife owned one of those before. It's another awesome bike, although they have a carburetor and very cold natured. There is nothing wrong with a well setup carbed bike, but we have gotten away from carbed bikes just because FI to us is so much easier to deal with and the bikes seem to do a much better job of staying running nicely, even if they aren't ridden regularly. Very small carburetors seem to be very sensitive to fuel sitting in them not being used regularly. Plus if you frequently travel in the mountains or widely varying elevation, you don't have to mess with the jetting as the FI just takes care of it for you.

 

To protect yourself while you ride, I would definitely suggest gearing up from head to toe. A good full face helmet or dual sport helmet is a must. Please always wear your helmet regardless of what the state says for helmet laws. Next you need a comfortable motorcycle jacket with the padding and protection in it, and good over the ankle boots. We tend to wear the protective pants too just because jeans and other material do not hold up in a crash. Oh yeah, don't forget about the gloves. inclement weather isn't the most fun on a bike, but if you are dressed for it with a good rain suit, it really isn't terrible. Sometimes I enjoy riding in the rain when I'm all protected.

 

Here is a list of good dual sport bikes to check out. Just as an FYI, a lot of these come in the super moto trim which means they have 17" wheels front and rear vs the normal 17/18" rear and 21" front. Because of this, they sit a bit lower to the ground. They are of course less capable off road because of the smaller diameter tires and usually the fact you run street tires on the rims, but they are a blast. A lot of people get 2 sets of rims and swap back and forth which opens up a whole realm of riding. But even normal dirt bike size tires have decent street type tires available for them if you don't plan to venture off road much.

 

  • 2013+ Honda CRF250L/CRF250M - This would be my top choice and is an all around great bike. It is a very reliable fuel Injected motorcycle with a nice 6 speed transmission. Easily handles 55-65mph and cruises all day there. They are very reasonably priced.
  • 2008+ Yamaha WR250R/WR250X. These are hard to beat, but tend to be the most expensive of the 250's and unless you have a decent inseam for your height, they tend to be on the taller side although the rear shock has a height adjustment on it that can be used to lower the rear and then you can drop the front forks. If you are tall enough, these are great bike. They are lightest of the 250's due to the higher end components used with the best suspension in stock form. They are fuel injected and 6spd also. These bikes will have a little better top end than the CRF250L as they make more power.
  • 2006+ Kawasaki KLX250S/KLX250SF. - They are carbed, but still great bikes. The 2009+ are a little shorter than the previous models due to suspension changes. These bikes easily take a 331cc/351cc big bore kit with good reliability if you need a bit more power.

The above 3 bikes in this list are watercooled which means they make a little more power, are less cold natured than their air cooled counterparts, and overall can run higher rpms which gives them a wider power band. The air cooled ones below are simpler since there's no radiator, but comes at the cost of performance and less top end, but still great bikes.

  • 1992 - 2007 Yamaha XT225 (any year). Awesome little air cooled 225cc bike. Carbed and cold natured in stock form, but correctable with jetting. Very wide ratio 6spd transmission. There are tons of these out there and they can be found very reasonably. Nice after market for them too. Can get a 4.1 gallon fuel tank that gives it an amazing fuel range at 70+ mpg.
  • 2008+ Yamaha XT250. This was the next generation XT225. It got a 25cc bump although not really a huge difference overall. It mostly helped the low end torque. It started off carbed, but became FI in 2013. These bikes are almost as good as the XT225's. My only beef is they took away the awesome 6 speed transmission and gave them narrower 5spd. Bummer. Still great bikes.
  • Kawasaki Super Sherpa 250. These bikes are very similar to the XT225/250. They are kind of a cult bike and had a run in the early 2000's, disappeared for awhile, then came back for a couple years. Great bikes if you find one on a deal. Not much aftermarket though. great 6 speed transmission. (Do not confuse the Kawasaki Super Sherpa with the KLR250. The KLR250 is kick only and not really as agile as the Sherpa.
  • Honda CRF230L. This is another option and fits right in line with the air cooled XT225/XT250 & Super Sherpa. It's not nearly as nice as the CRF250L, but would still make a nice bike. Carb'd and maybe a 6speed, not that familiar with it.

 

Another two bikes you'll see out there are the Suzuki DR200 and the Yamaha TW200. These are good bikes, but you start get to where their top speed is around 55mph or so, maybe 60 with a tailwind, but could slow down to mid 40's up hill. This may start to afect the roads you feel comfortable riding them on due to their lower top speed. The TW200 is interesting because it has some huge wide tires that make it handle totally different off road. Nothing wrong with these bikes, but I tend to feel the FI 250'cc's make better overall dual sport bikes, especially if you are depending on them to get to town where their top speed keeps you comfortable on higher speed roads.

 

Some honorable mentions.

The 2000+ Suzuki DRZ400S & SM models is possibly another option. Stay way from the E model which was not street legal from the factory. This is a carb'd 400cc water cooled dual sport, so a bit faster than the 250's, but also a bit heavier too. It also tends to be quite a bit taller too although the SM model isn't as bad. This honestly would be one of the most perfect DS bikes if it wasn't for the fact Suzuki gave it one of the most narrow 5 speed transmissions you can find. It is the most crappy transmission spread ever and my huge pet peeve with this bike. It's fine if you gear it high for the road or low gear it for off road, but it is really hard to find a good compromise if you do both. These can picked up very reasonably and they still make them today.

 

The Suzuki DR350 was the predecessor of the DRZ400 and most years is kick only, but in 1998/1999, they had an SE model that was electric start. If you can find a nice example of one of these SE models, it's not a bad bike. They are getting kind of old and most dual sport bikes get beat up sometimes.

 

1996 - 2017 Suzuki DR650. I'm hesitant to even mention the DR650, because it's getting on the 'a lot bigger' side compared to the 250's, but the DR650 has a very mellow tractor like motor. It has a really low seat height, and overall just a great all around bike. It is old school technolgy and hasn't changed since 1996, but is still being made today. It still has a 5 speed transmission, although not nearly as bad as the DRZ400's. It's livable, but you do kind of wish it had a 6th gear. It is oil cooled, carbed and pretty simple motor. There are a ton of them out there, they are very reasonably priced, and just a great all around bike. Again though, the larger size kind of goes against my recommendation of keeping it light weight and smaller. Stay away from the 1998 model year and early '99's.

 

Don't even bother with the Honda XR650L or the Kawasaki KLR650. Both are just getting to big and heavy for what you are wanting.

 

BTW, all the bikes I listed above are street legal single cylinder bikes (aka thumpers). Dual sport bikes are interesting because they can cover such a wide variety of riding, they tend to be more rugged with less plastic so they drop well, and overall are just a great bike to ride. You can add a nice rear rack to them to be able to carry all kinds of stuff on them. Now one of the downsides to dual sports is they generally have very little wind protection (although there are options for windshields), and being thumpers, they aren't the most comfortable for high speed runs for long periods of time. There is always trade off's and that's the trade off on these. I have ridden every single bike I mentioned above and the latest 250cc Honda CRF250L & Yamaha WR250R are some of the most smoothest thumpers out there and do an awesome job. That's why my wife and I each own these because we have been through all the others. :D As you go up in size, they tend to get more vibey on the higher speeds, so keep that in mind. None of these dual sports are really interstate bikes (although they can do it speed wise, just not comfort) and even longer highway jaunts might wear you out, but they do great everywhere else.

Dan (Class of 2017) - 2012 Ram 3500 & 2005 Alpenlite Valhalla 29RK
Contact me at rvsolarconsulting.com or Two Wheel Ramblin

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Once you get some miles and experience under your belt, then you can decide if longer motorcycle traveling distance is something you'll enjoy and can look at a twin cylinder mid level adventure bike which opens up a whole new world of riding. Let me know if you have any specific questions about any bikes, as I have a pretty wide range of knowledge covering them.

 

I'm not brand specific or even bike type specific. I like anything with 2 or 3 wheels and have pretty much ridden it all at one time or another. I've owned 50+ motorcycles since about 2001 and never pass up an opportunity to throw my leg over friends bikes.

Dan (Class of 2017) - 2012 Ram 3500 & 2005 Alpenlite Valhalla 29RK
Contact me at rvsolarconsulting.com or Two Wheel Ramblin

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Motorcycles are my passion (25+ years) and one of the main reasons my wife and I want to go full time. We love to go exploring on our various motorcycles and although we've had some great trips over the years, we almost always come back feeling we were rushed trying to squeeze so much into a week trip here or there, so now we are looking at being able to go to places we want to visit and take our time exploring.

 

First off, if this is your first bike, I agree with others to take the MSF course. It will give you the tools you need to become a good rider along with lots of practice added in. My next suggestion, especially since you said you were 62, solo, and not that strong is to keep the bike smaller, light weight, and easier to handle. There is nothing more frustrating to a new rider than for you to keep dropping your bike or struggling because it's too heavy or too powerful for you to just get the basics down. I kind of chuckled when someone called a Vstrom light. I've owned 5 vstroms 650 & 1000 and put many miles on them over the years. They are a fabulous adventure bikes and a great value, but I wouldn't recommend one for a new rider and although it's lighter than some other adventure bikes, it has a very top heavy feel to it. I would not encourage someone to start off on a bike that size. If you decide later down the road you want a bike that is more highway capable and you have some miles under your belt, the Vstrom is a great bike.

 

IMOP, a small street legal dual sport makes a perfect companion to the back of an RV and is also a perfect starter bike. They handle all types of terrain, make great city bikes, are okay on short highway jaunts, and once you get comfortable on it, you may find you like exploring off the beaten path on it. My wife and I both have 250cc dual sport bikes that we love. I have the Yamaha WR250R and she has the Honda CRF250L. The WR250R is definitely a taller bike, a little more aggressive with more powerful on the top end, while the Honda is a little shorter, does better in the mid range torque and overall a lot more user friendly due to the torque lower in the RPM range. The Honda CRF250L would make a great beginner bike and something you could enjoy for a long time. The engine is so smooth, the FI is spot on, and it's a Honda and so reliability is awesome. It's the one bike we own that I never worry about starting if it's been sitting for awhile. Someone mentioned the Yamaha XT225 and my wife owned one of those before. It's another awesome bike, although they have a carburetor and very cold natured. There is nothing wrong with a well setup carbed bike, but we have gotten away from carbed bikes just because FI to us is so much easier to deal with and the bikes seem to do a much better job of staying running nicely, even if they aren't ridden regularly. Very small carburetors seem to be very sensitive to fuel sitting in them not being used regularly. Plus if you frequently travel in the mountains or widely varying elevation, you don't have to mess with the jetting as the FI just takes care of it for you.

 

To protect yourself while you ride, I would definitely suggest gearing up from head to toe. A good full face helmet or dual sport helmet is a must. Please always wear your helmet regardless of what the state says for helmet laws. Next you need a comfortable motorcycle jacket with the padding and protection in it, and good over the ankle boots. We tend to wear the protective pants too just because jeans and other material do not hold up in a crash. Oh yeah, don't forget about the gloves. inclement weather isn't the most fun on a bike, but if you are dressed for it with a good rain suit, it really isn't terrible. Sometimes I enjoy riding in the rain when I'm all protected.

 

Here is a list of good dual sport bikes to check out. Just as an FYI, a lot of these come in the super moto trim which means they have 17" wheels front and rear vs the normal 17/18" rear and 21" front. Because of this, they sit a bit lower to the ground. They are of course less capable off road because of the smaller diameter tires and usually the fact you run street tires on the rims, but they are a blast. A lot of people get 2 sets of rims and swap back and forth which opens up a whole realm of riding. But even normal dirt bike size tires have decent street type tires available for them if you don't plan to venture off road much.

 

  • 2013+ Honda CRF250L/CRF250M - This would be my top choice and is an all around great bike. It is a very reliable fuel Injected motorcycle with a nice 6 speed transmission. Easily handles 55-65mph and cruises all day there. They are very reasonably priced.
  • 2008+ Yamaha WR250R/WR250X. These are hard to beat, but tend to be the most expensive of the 250's and unless you have a decent inseam for your height, they tend to be on the taller side although the rear shock has a height adjustment on it that can be used to lower the rear and then you can drop the front forks. If you are tall enough, these are great bike. They are lightest of the 250's due to the higher end components used with the best suspension in stock form. They are fuel injected and 6spd also. These bikes will have a little better top end than the CRF250L as they make more power.
  • 2006+ Kawasaki KLX250S/KLX250SF. - They are carbed, but still great bikes. The 2009+ are a little shorter than the previous models due to suspension changes. These bikes easily take a 331cc/351cc big bore kit with good reliability if you need a bit more power.

The above 3 bikes in this list are watercooled which means they make a little more power, are less cold natured than their air cooled counterparts, and overall can run higher rpms which gives them a wider power band. The air cooled ones below are simpler since there's no radiator, but comes at the cost of performance and less top end, but still great bikes.

  • 1992 - 2007 Yamaha XT225 (any year). Awesome little air cooled 225cc bike. Carbed and cold natured in stock form, but correctable with jetting. Very wide ratio 6spd transmission. There are tons of these out there and they can be found very reasonably. Nice after market for them too. Can get a 4.1 gallon fuel tank that gives it an amazing fuel range at 70+ mpg.
  • 2008+ Yamaha XT250. This was the next generation XT225. It got a 25cc bump although not really a huge difference overall. It mostly helped the low end torque. It started off carbed, but became FI in 2013. These bikes are almost as good as the XT225's. My only beef is they took away the awesome 6 speed transmission and gave them narrower 5spd. Bummer. Still great bikes.
  • Kawasaki Super Sherpa 250. These bikes are very similar to the XT225/250. They are kind of a cult bike and had a run in the early 2000's, disappeared for awhile, then came back for a couple years. Great bikes if you find one on a deal. Not much aftermarket though. great 6 speed transmission. (Do not confuse the Kawasaki Super Sherpa with the KLR250. The KLR250 is kick only and not really as agile as the Sherpa.
  • Honda CRF230L. This is another option and fits right in line with the air cooled XT225/XT250 & Super Sherpa. It's not nearly as nice as the CRF250L, but would still make a nice bike. Carb'd and maybe a 6speed, not that familiar with it.

 

Another two bikes you'll see out there are the Suzuki DR200 and the Yamaha TW200. These are good bikes, but you start get to where their top speed is around 55mph or so, maybe 60 with a tailwind, but could slow down to mid 40's up hill. This may start to afect the roads you feel comfortable riding them on due to their lower top speed. The TW200 is interesting because it has some huge wide tires that make it handle totally different off road. Nothing wrong with these bikes, but I tend to feel the FI 250'cc's make better overall dual sport bikes, especially if you are depending on them to get to town where their top speed keeps you comfortable on higher speed roads.

 

Some honorable mentions.

The 2000+ Suzuki DRZ400S & SM models is possibly another option. Stay way from the E model which was not street legal from the factory. This is a carb'd 400cc water cooled dual sport, so a bit faster than the 250's, but also a bit heavier too. It also tends to be quite a bit taller too although the SM model isn't as bad. This honestly would be one of the most perfect DS bikes if it wasn't for the fact Suzuki gave it one of the most narrow 5 speed transmissions you can find. It is the most crappy transmission spread ever and my huge pet peeve with this bike. It's fine if you gear it high for the road or low gear it for off road, but it is really hard to find a good compromise if you do both. These can picked up very reasonably and they still make them today.

 

The Suzuki DR350 was the predecessor of the DRZ400 and most years is kick only, but in 1998/1999, they had an SE model that was electric start. If you can find a nice example of one of these SE models, it's not a bad bike. They are getting kind of old and most dual sport bikes get beat up sometimes.

 

1996 - 2017 Suzuki DR650. I'm hesitant to even mention the DR650, because it's getting on the 'a lot bigger' side compared to the 250's, but the DR650 has a very mellow tractor like motor. It has a really low seat height, and overall just a great all around bike. It is old school technolgy and hasn't changed since 1996, but is still being made today. It still has a 5 speed transmission, although not nearly as bad as the DRZ400's. It's livable, but you do kind of wish it had a 6th gear. It is oil cooled, carbed and pretty simple motor. There are a ton of them out there, they are very reasonably priced, and just a great all around bike. Again though, the larger size kind of goes against my recommendation of keeping it light weight and smaller. Stay away from the 1998 model year and early '99's.

 

Don't even bother with the Honda XR650L or the Kawasaki KLR650. Both are just getting to big and heavy for what you are wanting.

 

BTW, all the bikes I listed above are street legal single cylinder bikes (aka thumpers). Dual sport bikes are interesting because they can cover such a wide variety of riding, they tend to be more rugged with less plastic so they drop well, and overall are just a great bike to ride. You can add a nice rear rack to them to be able to carry all kinds of stuff on them. Now one of the downsides to dual sports is they generally have very little wind protection (although there are options for windshields), and being thumpers, they aren't the most comfortable for high speed runs for long periods of time. There is always trade off's and that's the trade off on these. I have ridden every single bike I mentioned above and the latest 250cc Honda CRF250L & Yamaha WR250R are some of the most smoothest thumpers out there and do an awesome job. That's why my wife and I each own these because we have been through all the others. :D As you go up in size, they tend to get more vibey on the higher speeds, so keep that in mind. None of these dual sports are really interstate bikes (although they can do it speed wise, just not comfort) and even longer highway jaunts might wear you out, but they do great everywhere else.

 

 

Probably one of the best summaries of motorcycle models I've come across. Some I even forgot about. Nod of the helmet visor, good Sir.

I have been wrong before, I'll probably be wrong again. 

2000 Kenworth T 2000 w/N-14 and 10 speed Gen1 Autoshift, deck built by Star Fabrication
2006 smart fourtwo cdi cabriolet
2007 32.5' Fleetwood Quantum


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