Dual Sport Fever.... need advice!

[ujoint]

I'm reaching out to you guys for some advice! I'm thinking of purchasing a dual sport soon. It will be my first bike. Quite a few of my buddies have bikes (some street, some dual sport) and I know with the weather getting nice, I'll want to join them. I'll also want to get out on the great WNC roads & trails and do some exploring! The bike will be used for short trips around town to lower my fuel costs as well. I've ridden my friends Yamaha WR250R around his property, and I really like it. He seems to think I'll need a bigger bike? (650) I'm 6'2, 220. I feel that the WR has enough power for me. Also, I don't want anything I have to tinker with, just fuel it up & ride. I really like that the WR is fuel injected. I know it's silly, but I like the looks of it too!

So, as a novice rider, should I get a 250 or step up to a 650?

Thanks, and I look forward to seeing what you guys think! --Chris

 

[efuentes]

Here is some info on the Yamaha, maybe it will help to see if its your bike.

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=329337

Saludos.

 

[Howard70]

I suspect you'll eventually want a bigger bike if you do very much highway time, carry camping gear, or ever consider riding two up. I'm 6' & 200 lbs. Started with a TW200 for trail work - liked it fine, but then decided to commute. Went to a Kawasaki KLX250s, that was fine also - but the 250 was always running at 6.5 to 7.5 K. Pulled OK, but seemed to be working it's heart out on the highway for more than 20 miles. After 8,000 miles on the KLX I've now settled on Husqvarna TE610 with fuel injection. That's my bike. I love the quality of the ride, the torque, the power when I want it, and the fact that I can cruise down the freeway at 75 mph turning 5,100 rpm. The motor never seems to be working. Fuel economy is about 60 mpg.

Should I have started with the TE610? I don't think so. It's a tall bike and probably would have suffered a number of falls as I built my skill level.

I'd suggest you get a used 250 (KLX or WR250R) for less than $3,000 (easy for the KLX may not be possible with the WR250R). Ride it around, drop it, find out how much time you'll really spend on the slab, then keep it or sell it and get a TE610! If the Husy's call you you should check out http://www.cafehusky.com, lots of helpful people over there. Of course, if you have to be orange when you step up you'll want to go elsewhere.

Howard

 

[atavuss]

I am 6'3" and 205lbs. I ride a 07 Honda XR650L. it fits me fine, plenty of power in stock form (lots of mods to really uncork it). I rode my buddies 230cc Honda dual sport and it was too small for me. he can only go around 50 mph on some high country highways wide open while my 650 will go as fast as I want. the Yamaha 250 fuel injected would be a good starter bike for you.

 

[jkam]

The Yamaha WR250r is a great bike. It should haul you around fine, especially since you are new to the sport. Get it, ride it, and then decide if you want something bigger after you've learned how to get around on the 250.

I have a few rather large riding friends that have that bike and they love it.
It makes a great single track and trail bike and an OK get around town commuting bike.

 

[grahamfitter]

Any 250 will be fun, and despite what they say, they're not that small and light when you first start riding them! A DR-Z 400 might be good for your taller frame, too.

My only real advice is make sure you take the MSF training class and don't sweat about the bike choice.

Cheers,
Graham

 

[ujoint]

Thanks guys, i appreciate the advice. I'm definitely leaning towards the WR250R as my first bike. I'm gonna start shopping around, see what I can find. I'll keep ya posted! ---Chris

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

There are a lot of good choices out. The one thing you want on any dual sport is the magic button aka electric start.:bike_rider:

 

[EMrider]

Dual sport can emcompass a very wide variety of riding so IMHO the 'best bike' question is quite tricky.

I know dual sporters who basically want a high performance race bike that happens to be street legal for connecting trails. Others who like to cruise fire roads and explore at a mellow pace. Still others who enjoy multi-day rides into remote areas where they carry all of their camping gear.

In the past, I've leaned towards the high performance dirtbike that happens to be street legal. KTM and Husky own this category (again, just my opinion).

But my riding habits and tastes have changed and I'm now more interested in bikes that are easy to ride, versatile and fun. Something in the 250 class fits this profile very well. I'll probably be selling a bike and buying a wr250r or something similar for the same type of riding you describe. 250s don't have gobs of power, but they have plenty to handle almost any situation. One of my favorite bikes of all time was a dual sport xr250 that I deeply regret selling.

If I ever migrate towards long distance multi-day exploration type riding, then I'll get a Husky 610. I think Husky makes outstanding bikes.

 

[ujoint]

Dual sport can emcompass a very wide variety of riding so IMHO the 'best bike' question is quite tricky.

I know dual sporters who basically want a high performance race bike that happens to be street legal for connecting trails. Others who like to cruise fire roads and explore at a mellow pace. Still others who enjoy multi-day rides into remote areas where they carry all of their camping gear.

I think I'll be in the mellow pace group. I have nothing to prove, no one to race, and I especially don't need to get hurt right now. I also won't be talking
any extended trips on the bike, that's what the van is for!

But we never know what will happen in the future!

 

[deserteagle56]

Chris, I've been riding for 40 years now, mostly dirt bikes. For many years I had at least 3 - 4 dirt bikes at any one time. Why? Because, as the bikes increase in engine size their steering geometry changes also. A 650 is designed for better stability at higher speeds and is great for cruising pavement or fast dirt roads - but if you put it in a situation where the trail is tight and speeds are quite slow, it becomes a real handful. If you can, throw a leg over a big Husky or KTM or even a Honda XLR, get up on the pegs and just try some slow-speed maneuvering and you'll quickly see what I mean. On the other hand, a 200 or 250 size bike has to work hard at maintaining freeway speeds and is really twitchy at those speeds to boot. But when things get slow and tight they are in their element, being much lighter and quicker steering. So, I had a bike to fit the riding I intended to do that day. If I expected I would be following some cow path along the side of a canyon wall I took the 250. If I was going to be on good dirt roads all day, the 600 was the way to go. A 350 -450 class bike splits the difference between the two.
So you'll have to decide what kind of riding you'll be doing most, then choose the bike that fits that. Currently I find myself spending most of my time on my Yamaha XT225 - highly maneuverable, light weight, low seat height, dependable as a rock, and street legal to boot. That last is very important if you may be riding in any national parks or monuments as I do in in the red rock areas of Utah. You will be stopped and ticketed if the bike is not licensed for the street. But that is my preference for the riding I do most these days and is not meant as any particular endorsement. From what I've seen and heard, any of today's bikes from all the major manufacturers are a good bet - you'll just have to decide which kind of riding you'll be doing the most of and choose the bike best suited for that.

 

[Trail Monkey]

hey chris

i have a wr250r a dr400 and a 990adventure. love all three, all very differnt. i cant say anything bad about the wr250r, its just a really well designed bike, and fuel injection rocks. the only minor issue to me is the smallish fuel capacity. for local use not an issue. for any type of multi day trip you will need to address that.

if your buying used you probably will have a hard time finding wr250r, in which case the next bike for you IMO is the dr400 which is abundantly available. also i remember you being a decent sized guy, you may prefer the dr400 in short order anyway..

hey if you come back to LI, bring the bike well go for a ride..!

 

[ujoint]

Thanks Deserteagle. I understand now that one bike isn't going to do everything for me, so the decision is tough! Since I haven't been riding, I really don't know what I'll enjoy & spend most of my time doing.

Trailmonkey-- I'll be on the island next week! No bike though.... not yet. I have been looking for a WR, and there's nothing out there. I'll look for some DR400's. ---Chris

 

[Howard70]

Used WR250R

Hello Chris:

I'm not sure how far you're willing to travel, but there are a lot of 2008 WR250R's available on Craigslist. Doing a national Craigslist search is a good way to get an idea of prices. Try searching Google for:

wr250r site:craigslist.org

That will turn up a bunch of bikes.

Howard

 

[ujoint]

Hello Chris:

I'm not sure how far you're willing to travel, but there are a lot of 2008 WR250R's available on Craigslist. Doing a national Craigslist search is a good way to get an idea of prices. Try searching Google for:

wr250r site:craigslist.org

That will turn up a bunch of bikes.

Howard

Thanks! There are some good deals out there. ---Chris