My new ride

[Brake Weight [Veteran Member]]

I'm gonna bring this thread back from the dead.

I'm thinking of getting a dual sport of some kind and would like opinions from anyone that knows them. I turned wrenches on Jap bikes for 4 years through high school and continue to turn wrenches on everything at the house. That said, a fixxer upper does not scare me because there'll be room for upgraded parts. I have access to whatever would be needed for repair work from a boring machine to the tire tools.

But a bike in working order is just fine if the price is right. I hate to admit that I haven't kept up with ATVs/bikes since the late '90s. Lately I've spent some time on Craigslist and found quite a few that I wouldn't mind owning. But not having prior knowledge of a particular brand or model I don't know what to look for besides the obvious. On the same thought, I saw several dirtbikes that were converted to being street legal. Some of which were 2 stroke. I found one supermoto that was street legal down around Mandeville, but it quickly sold.

I'm mainly just needing some help and pointers in the right direction.

[Reserector [Veteran Member]]

How much trail, gravel road, rural road, highway, and interstate do you think you will run?
What is your riding history in terms of time on road, and time off-road. Any racing background?
What is your inseam measurement?
Would you favor off-road or supermoto?
What will your budget be?

There are no wrong answers to these questions, by the way.

[Brake Weight [Veteran Member]]

Some trails cut into the woods behind my house, some highway into town, and rural roads.

No on road time and no racing. I haven't ridden a dirt bike since maybe 2000. But I can drive the wheels off of most anything except a unicycle.

I have a 30" inseam.

Supermoto has a nice mix of both. I hardly take my truck off-road but the functionality of it is there if need be. So I'd say I want an even mix of both on/off road capabilities if possible.

Budget is what ever I can weasel out of the wife for another toy. We have 4 vehicles in the stable here and only two drivers, as well as a tractor. But not a single ATV or SxSide. So funds are stretched some, but not totally limited. I'm also looking for a big tired go cart that I can govern down for the kids. Budget wise, I'd say $3-4K. I also can get parts at a family discount because my uncle still owns his ATV shop in Columbia. I can get him on the lookout for something that fits the bill, too. But I'm just now getting the bug again and was wanting some suggestions on what would fit my bill.

The bike you have Res looks like a potential candidate in my eyes.

[Reserector [Veteran Member]]

The Suzuki DRZ400S that I have is tall, whereas the SM version is lower, and would be a better fit. They make super moto tires that do ok off road.

I think the best bike for you would be a Yamaha WR250R trail, or WR250X super moto. It will do everything my DRZ will do, but it's much lighter. Fuel injected, too. The down side is the price. They hold their value.

An older Suzuki DR350 or a Yamaha XT350 would be a good find because you have the ability to freshen one up. They are cheap, if you can find one for sale. Both are simple air cooled bikes with outdated, but usable suspension.

You might also like a Kawasaki KLR 650, or Honda XR650L. Again, simple machines that have had long production runs. The KLR is shorter, but the Honda has better suspension. Both are a bit heavy, but rather happy at highway speeds.

Used, the WR250 sells in the 5k range. The DRZ runs around 4k. The 650s run around 3-4k. The older 350s are under 2k.

Here's the thing, though. Good luck finding any of them for sale. Dual sports are an elusive breed. I found mine on bamarides.com and had to drive to Birmingham to buy it. Took out a loan and searched for two months after I got the money.

Is it worth it? Oh, yes! The sense of freedom is amazing. As a former AMA enduro competitor, it takes me back to my glory days, as I find that I am still quite fast.

[Brake Weight [Veteran Member]]

Thanks Res. This is what I needed. The fuel injection is beyond my skills for repair and trouble shooting as well as the baby ECU to operate it. A carb isn't an issue. Older bikes with outdated suspension doesn't bother either as I can get a new suspension for cheap.

I travel through New Orleans once a month and that opens the search range a lot. I can easily spread it out from HWY49 over to i55 and all the way up to HWY98 then only add about 45 minutes to my travel time without stopping. It's just a matter of catching something on Craigslist before it's sold and get dibs on it. I did see a few in the N.O. area and around i12 near the Causeway last month when I just started thinking about getting something.

Do you know what is involved to convert a dirt bike it the street legally? Aside from lights and signals, is there a certain qualification?

[Reserector [Veteran Member]]

There are conversion kits for many bikes. The engine electrical and harness upgrades are the most model-specific. Most kits run around $1,500.
Many dirt-only used bikes are pretty ragged out, and crashed half to death. Good ones are not cheap. The conversion option basically opens up options for hardcore guys that want the best suspensions on their DS. Guys like me, who would be able to press the limits of a WR450.
But in a nutshell, it is not a cheaper option. I don't think it would be too hard to get a proper title in Mississippi. You would have to research that on some forums.

KTM makes some sweet DS bikes, but they are very pricey.

Don't limit yourself to Craigslist, which sucks in my opinion, anyway. http://lmgtfy.com/?q=used+motorcycle+search+sites

[Brake Weight [Veteran Member]]

I'll take my truck next time to work and if I can score something then I'll have the option to load it up right then and not have to come back the next day.

Here are today's CL finds:

http://neworleans.craigslist.org/mcy/5548661024.html

Very local
http://gulfport.craigslist.org/mcy/5596990265.html

Doable
http://batonrouge.craigslist.org/mcy/5567351871.html

I'm liking this one
http://neworleans.craigslist.org/mcy/5605951294.html

Lose the stickers and meet me halfway
http://mobile.craigslist.org/mcy/5612833854.html

[Reserector [Veteran Member]]

The WR450 would need conversion and title. Figure in $1500 more on that, but the end result would be great.

DR650 would be good for commuting. Kind of heavy for trails. Similar to the Honda 650, but lacks the good suspension. Kind of an adventure bike.

The first DRZ400SM looks really good. Offer him 3k cash

The DRZ400SM with the hour-old big bore kit sounds sketchy. I wouldn't trust it. Might be worth the risk at 2200

The DRZ400SM in Mobile looks good. He says too many options to list, but he needs to list them to quantify that price. Otherwise its worth around 3500. Rockstar decal kits don't qualify as upgrades even though they cost about $150. LOL

[fun in dirt [Veteran Member]]

I was at Village Cycle, in Starkville, just killing time at lunch last week and saw this CRF250L.
http://www.vccms.com/default.asp?page=xP...dInventory
Looked super clean & I was surprised at the good price. I have a 250X now & love it. If not trying to $ave up for a toy hauler camper right now, I'd get it myself.

[Reserector [Veteran Member]]

The guy I bought my DRZ from had one of those. His was a service nightmare. Had several issues that involved going into the engine. I'd research before jumping at one of those.