What is a good 'dual purpose' bike?

[jonbuoy]

I've been thinking about getting a KLX650 myself - I don't know anything about off road riding - why don't you want a 600? Too heavy?

[avgas]

SL230 was the nicest i rode on the road. the rest felt to light and dangerous on the tyres. Huskys are ok.
XL/XR always will have the most reliable motor - much to my disgust

[Crisis management]

Absolutely sure. If you're gonna use one on the road as much, or more than on dirt, it's a good mod. As standard they are geared way too low.

Learnt something new, again..... thanks Chris.

[pervert]

I've been thinking about getting a KLX650 myself - I don't know anything about off road riding - why don't you want a 600? Too heavy?

Pretty much...

[laRIKin]

I had a look at a KLX400 yesterday, damn good looking bike...but the sales rep was pretty honest and said they aren't exactly fast...

Well what can I say, he is right to a point.
They are fast enough unless you are racing and there are lot's of happy rider's on them.
My mate can keep up with me on my KTM 640 in the dirt, unless I pull the pin. (I hope I'm a better rider as I have been doing it longer, but he is getting faster all the time)
But when we are just ride at a good pace he keeps up with no problems.
They are said to be top heavy and some guy prefer them with out the E-star to save weight. (guys that use to race them when they were new)

On the road you do have to rev them as they are geared low, but you can gear them up (as said) quite a bit, but that is at the cost of trail riding.
Never done it but we are going to so my mate can ride his KLX400 down to the Brass Monkey from CH.CH.
And he loves his 400 as it does every thing he wants it to do.

If you want a low maintenance bike to use on and off road they are Bee's Knee's.
If you want a fast small bike then you will have to go to a 2 stroke or if you want more power on a 4 stroke you will have to go to a heavier big bore 4 stroke.
Or a high maintenance 250 4 stroke and unless you have money to burn, say away from them.

I still think that they are a real good all round bike in the real world.
I would buy one, and I nearly did.
But I have been riding for years and liked the power and can handle the weight and the power on the KTM 640 I have, otherwise I would have one.

You really will have to ride one and see if you like it.

[Coyote]

I think your 'h' and 'a' keys could be sticking, your keyboard must be unreliable too...

He's right though. The bike that started the high revving 4 stroke craze was the YZ426F, and the engine was basically a single cylinder F1 car engine (Yamaha got the technology off someone, forgot who). They're powerful, but they've sacrificed reliability. They're more of a hassel and more expensive than maintaining a 2 stroke

This excludes your DRZ400 and KLX300. They're water cooled, but not high performance

[clint640]

Yer gunna be scratching to find a sub $5k, sub 400cc, reliable, power wheelieing motard.

As mentioned the DRZ400 would be good, if you don't mind a kickstart an XR400 would also fit the bill pretty well. You might find a good example for not too much more than your $5k, then you can start saving for some 17" hoops.

& in case you weren't aware, KLX400 = DRZ400, they're the same bike.

Cheers
Clint

[pervert]

Yer gunna be scratching to find a sub $5k, sub 400cc, reliable, power wheelieing motard.

Hahahaha I know, I've increased my budget a bit. Just got to sell my GPX first.

& in case you weren't aware, KLX400 = DRZ400, they're the same bike.

What? As in similar...or exactly the same?

[mazz1972]

If you aren't interested in 2 strokes then the obvious choice to me is a DRZ400 which you can get in road legal form - although to get one for under 5 grand will take some searching. It is at the top of your cc limit but will do all you ask for, the engines are well proven and relatively low maintenance, comfort seats are available and a motard version is sold new so motard bits should be available if you want to go that way in the future.

I agree with you there Ruralman....hubby's 01 model has just chugged over 15,000 km's and he hasn't done a thing to the motor. There would maybe be 3,000 of road riding and the rest full on trail/enduro riding. The only let down as you mention is the plank that Suzuki laughingly call a "seat". The newer models have much nicer seats but essentially the same bike. What is this "comfort seat" you are talking about? Hubby got a price for a new Suzuki standard seat and it was about $500 ouch!

[chris]

I agree with you there Ruralman....hubby's 01 model has just chugged over 15,000 km's and he hasn't done a thing to the motor. There would maybe be 3,000 of road riding and the rest full on trail/enduro riding. The only let down as you mention is the plank that Suzuki laughingly call a "seat". The newer models have much nicer seats but essentially the same bike. What is this "comfort seat" you are talking about? Hubby got a price for a new Suzuki standard seat and it was about $500 ouch!

12,000km, full on trail/enduro riding, on a stock(?) Dr-Z400!! He deserves a medal.

[NordieBoy]

What? As in similar...or exactly the same?

The colour is different.

That's it...

[pete376403]

I'm down for a KLR650 when the new model (cosmetic mainly) is released in about April. Will be 90/10 road/adventure.

[eastlight]

Pervert, I'm pretty much in the same boat, looking for a decent Dual Purpose as well. I test rode a 2002 WR 426 the other day, thing was road legal, but too much a mx machine than spending a great percentage on the road. Thing went like stink though and would be fun on the weekends, would prefer something a little 'road worthy'. I have been recommended an XR400, DR 400, or as previous posts have said a KLX300. I would go down to a 250 (owned one many eons ago) they appear very capable these days.

Just joined this very educational site, some of your comments are extremely helpful.

good luck on your search pervert (for a bike! )

[tipper]

I,ve been down the WR road, bit like my last wife, fast, scary, exciting, but really high maintenance and too much of a compromise - ended up being a trailer queen. DRZ is an excellent bike, makes for confident riding for average Joe, WR types better on serious trails (ie fall off regularly).
As with most things in life, all bikes are a compromise; in aperfect world my garage would have a Ducati 800S2, a GasGas EC200 for dirty days, an LC4 for exploring and a XT660 for carving up traffic.

[eastlight]

Roger That Tipper, the WR is an angry beast and I would expect riding around town would be an adventure!, so it's back to the drawing board and keep hunting for that 'compromise', hard to find good XR400 road legal bikes these days!!!