Thursday, May 23, 2013

Want to Buy A Dualsport Motorcycle?

Since we both want to have fun riding a motorcycle and keep our hands, feet, legs and head where they are, one of the most important things is to assess your skill level before you buy a Dualsport Motorcycle.

For example, I started riding a Wren mini-bike by Bird (2 1/2 horsepower engine with centrifugal clutch) when I was around 10 or 12 that I ordered through a mail order catalog when I was 10 or 12 and kept it until I was about 37 and eventually let my kids and their friends ride it out in the desert at my father's house there. I also rode a friend's Vespa in the desert once and destroyed the clutch on it and my father had to pay to replace the clutch. I had a Matchless 600 from England that was modified to be a Hill Climber with a huge sprocket on the back when I was about 17 I believe and blew that up and burned my legs on the hot oil by driving it too fast for the engine to survive(since the top speed with the hill climbing sprocket was only about 45).
Then I got a BSA 500 that was a British Army bike used in North Africa in World War II which was the most reliable motorcycle I ever owned up to that time. It had no battery but could run a headlight just on the magneto that only generated electricity when the bike was running. Amazing bike! But very heavy.

So, what I'm getting at is your experience with on road motorcycles and off-road motorcycles is very important if you want to get a Dualsport and ride on dirt or rocked roads too. For example, if you have ONLY been a street rider did you know that using your front brake in the dirt while moving might cost you your life? This is the first thing you have to learn about off road riding. Otherwise you are going to lay your motorcycle down at any speed below about 45 mph. Sometimes, if you are going faster than that you might have the time to recover from that mistake under good conditions but below that speed more than about 1/2 second with your front brake on you will lay the bike down and grind yourself against the ground. The only time when I'm in the dirt that I use my front brake is getting on and off the motorcycle or keeping it in one place when stationary on a hill or something like that.

So, off road riding is a completely different experience than riding on the pavement. Understanding this will keep you alive with all your body parts still attached and working. I presently own a 2009 Kawasaki KLR 650. In 2009 when I bought this new I got it because it was simple(built still a lot like bikes in the 1970s) was capable of going around the world if I wanted to. And because I'm bigger than I was when I rode a 1974 Honda 250 XL dualsport from 1975 until 1989. So, your height, weight and ability do make a difference. For example, I realized after I bought my KLR 650 that it actually is built ideally for someone 170 pounds because it is built for the Japanese essentially. And I probably should have done more research and bought a Husqvarna Motorcycle that is made for taller guys with adjustable shocks and a stronger front end for more weight because I'm about 6 feet 5 inches tall with a lot more of me than when I was in my 20s and 30s.

I also liked the fact that a new Kawasaki KLR 650 at that time was around $7000 in 2009 which is easier to bear than the $20,000 plus for a BMW Motorcycle. Also BMW has all the automatic stuff that might cause problems if it breaks down out in the country somewhere in Mongolia or something. However, someone made a point that you don't want to try to find Japanese motorcyle parts in the middle of Russia or Mongolia either if you are touring on a Dualsport there. The KLR 650 in some ways is like buying a simple VW BUG of the 1960s in some ways so it is easy to work on if you have the tools and parts. (Parts being the main problem some places on earth for all bikes). The weights of a pre-2007 klr 650 are:

Dry Weight	337 lb (153 kg) claimed, 402 lb (182 kg) wet weight actual
GVWR	738 lb (335 kg)

The last category GVWR 738 lbs is the maximum weight it is rated at carrying riders. So, if you take 402 and subtract that then 336 pounds is the maximum weight of passengers and luggage rated by Kawasaki (not including a trailer).

The above photo is from Wikipedia. I love the bike parked in the middle of a stream so if this person isn't wearing sandals or rubber boots his riding boots are definitely wet(unless he is barefoot).

Also, most people over 40 might not be able to take the wear and tear of riding back roads every day around the world unless they are already toughened up from a very physical life already. I find protecting your lower back from shocks and your kidneys from shocks is the most important thing. And if you are over 40 or 50 you have to think about protecting your eyes with retinas from detaching over severe bumps. So, whenever you can stand up to take the shocks with your knees and legs when the bumps are going to be severe. Also, be aware of how much your bike can take and still keep going. No bike is completely indestructible and it is important to think like that when you are 100 miles from the nearest gas station or person. I have broken down 10 miles from the nearest person in the desert when it was 110 degrees Fahrenheit and that wasn't fun. So, carrying drinking water and a protein bar might be important even that far out away from people if you break down.

Here is an article I found that is pretty good regarding finding a Dualsport for you:

Buying a Dual Sport Motorcycle - Sound RIDER!

soundrider.com/archive/tips/buying_a_dual_sport.htm‎

Okay, let's face it, buying a dual sport motorcycle isn't all that complicated. It ranks ... (You may be wondering how I can afford such Zen-like calm after the theft of ...

Since 1999

Buying a Dual Sport

It’s the fastest growing segment of motorcycle sales in the the Northwest. Dual Sport ownership doubles in the Northwest nearly every three years and has since the turn of the century. People want to catch an interstate in the morning, have lunch in the mountains mid-day and then return to civilization via an unimproved fire road. But with so many choices, which is the right one for you?

Okay, let’s face it, buying a dual sport motorcycle isn’t all that complicated. It ranks right up there with making Top Ramen on the degree of difficulty lists. But some people still manage to screw it up.
Like me.
After 12 years of not riding, I went out and bought the motorcycle I thought made sense after a long hiatus away from the sport - a 325 pound (dry) Honda XR 650L. Along with being just a tad heavier than Anna Nichole Smith, it was tall. My ears would pop when I got on the thing. It scared the rabbit pellets out of me the first few times I rode it.
That doesn’t mean the XR650L is a bad motorcycle. Not at all. It just was a little much for my transition back into the sport.

Above: It's tall design means there's plenty of fork travel on a Honda XR650L. (Confidential to Randy Newman, this is not the bike for you)

Thankfully, someone stole it, which allowed me to go back and repeat the purchase process. What luck!
(You may be wondering how I can afford such Zen-like calm after the theft of something so important. Well, I got even. On a recent trip to Jamaica, I paid a witch doctor to place a curse on the thieves. Now, I can talk about the event completely anger-free, comfortable in the knowledge that, as you read this, their genitals are turning black and falling off. It’s amazing what twenty dollars and a vile of chicken blood will buy you these days.)
So my advice is to be smart and ask a few questions before you buy.
What’s your ability level?
Seriously, be honest here. You’ll save yourself a lot of money if you do. If you’re a beginner, buy yourself a small used bike and get comfortable on that. Give yourself three to six months to learn how to manage it. Take the motorcycle safety course and get your endorsement. Then go get yourself one that you can grow into. Buying yourself a sparkling new bike right off the bat will probably result in broken turn signals and a bruised ego. (After you drop it following a two mile-an-hour spaz-out in the Supermarket parking lot-in front of a school bus full of kids that all laughed and pointed at you. Not that I’d know.)
Better to do that with a clapped-out Yamaha XT-350 or something.
How tall are you?

If you are shorter than 5’6", the world of dual-sport motorcycling is going to be tougher for you to enjoy. Because of long-travel suspensions and the tall valve trains of four-stroke cylinders, modern off-road motorcycles tend to be a leggy bunch. The aftermarket does provide kits that shorten the suspension on most popular models.
Otherwise, look to models in the 250 range such as the Honda CRF230L, Kawasaki's KLX250, Suzuki's DR-200SE and Yamaha's WR250R and the XT250.
While some manufacturers sell street legal dual sport bikes under the 230cc range, you won't get far on a major highway without ticking off a line of drivers behind you. Continuous speeds exceeding 50 mph on such small bikes is not a good idea.
Remember too, that over the years BMW has offered lowering lits for their popular F650GS models
Or look into some platform Alpinestars.

Above: BMW's F650GS was offered with a optional lowering kit.

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What kind of riding are you really going to do?

This is where you’ll have to separate fantasy from reality. Sure, in your imagination you’ll be riding a BMW GS to Terra Del Fuego. But in reality, you’ll probably be riding horse trails in Redmond on your way back from getting a box of Lucky Charms for the kids.
So ask yourself a couple of questions.
What kind of off-road riding will you be doing? Mostly unpaved Forest Service fire roads? Or gnarly single track barely wider than your handlebars?
The tighter and more aggressive the off-road riding, the smaller and more dirt-oriented the dual sport should be.
Above: Aprilia's ETV1000 Caponard handles the unimproved roads and fireroads well, but may be a bit too cumbersome if you plan to do any single track riding.
How much do you want to spend?

Dual sports can cost anywhere from $500 for a used bailing wire special to more than $20,000 for a pimped-out BMW GS Adventure model. How much you can afford is really between you and your CPA. But if you’re at the low end of the used spectrum, your two main concerns are safety and reliability. So while $650 may seem like a great deal for an old motorcycle, it’s rather a lot to spend for a roadside bonfire. If you don’t know anything about buying used motorcycles, talk to someone who does.
Just do your research and take your time, because if there is one thing worse than buying the wrong bike, it’s doing it twice.

Above: Kawasaki's KLX400SR is a low priced dual sport you can find used, but would you consider riding one around the world?

World Traveler Advisory

When selecting a dual sport, consider where you plan to be riding it. If you’re going on the next Globe Riders world tour to China, Russia and Germany, a Kawasaki, Suzuki or Yamaha would not be the weapon of choice. The unreliability factor of some of these bikes over the long run can really cause you grief when you’re in the middle of Russia looking for Japanese motorcycle parts. Your best move is to talk with other dual sport enthusiasts that have ridden internationally and see what they have found to be durable through the various road conditions that change by the kilometer. BMW is the one brand most will tend to agree is both durable and easy to find parts for all over the planet.
Above: BMW's R1150GS is the weapon of choice for many who take their dual sport abroad. Whether it's the streets of Bejing, or the deserts of Africa, parts and service are often available within hours on many cities in the world.

By John "Dirt Clod" Schofield/Spring 2002/Revised 2010

Northwest Dualsport Links and Resources

Dualsport Northwest Rally

Puget Sound Dualsport Enthusiasts

Dualsport Clubs

Used Dualsport Bikes

Dualsport Community

Dualsport Rides through Western Washington (book & GPS files)

Who makes what?
BMW
F650GS, F800GS & R11/1200 GS models, HP2
Notes: These are absolutely amazing motorcycles. Some are more ideal for hardcore technical dirt riding, while the larger models will go practically anywhere else for as long as you want them too (e.g. 600 miles a day).
www.bmwmotorcycles.com

For Northwest Dealers CLICK HERE

Honda
CRF230L, XR650L
Notes: The XR650L is a very tall motorcycle. But it offers a long-travel suspension, rock-solid reliability and tremendous aftermarket support (including lowering kits). Honda's technology is ancient dating back to 1988 for the XR. However that means you can fix the bike alongside the road a lot easier than something fuel injected or utilizing a computer system. But honestly, why not sell the larger Varadero in the US.
www.hondamotorcycles.com/motorcycles/off-road