I'm not flipping out about anything...

I like anyone who rides any type bike... I don't discriminate.

Just get out and ride on whatever you feel most comfortable with.

Remember... your bike is YOU!

 

I'd recommend a Kawasaki KLR 650. The aftermarket for that bike seems a bit larger than the Honda XR 650. That being said, I owned a Honda XL125 enduro, even if it was an '82, and that thing was indestructible. I think it all depends on what you expect to get out of the bike and what your price range is.

 

just a bit of an update... i decided that it's too late into the year to get a motorcycle license, because it would require me to do a road test in november, and i also don't feel like paying insurance either.

so for now, for the fall, i am going to get a dirt bike and ride that thing and go from there. in the spring i will reconsider a motorcycle. makes much more financial and logical sense.

i looked at a 2003 Yamaha YZ 450F tonight that had troubles running and seemed like way too much bike for me. now i'm considering either a 230 or 250 four stroke or a 125 two stroke.

that's where i'm at so far.

 

Harley's leak oil?
Mine doesn't.

 

If you want a dual sport that will actually be fun and fast on the trails I would look into WRs or CRFs (you would have to mod those to be street legal) or I think there are some KTMs that come street legal. My buddy has a Husquavarna TC450 that came street legal and that thing is pretty fast off-road as well, i'm just not too sure about the longevity of them as they aren't one of the major 5 brands.

It really just boils down to what you are going to use it for. pretty much any bike can do just fine on pavement, but some are more comfy than others and have things like electric start etc. I would say that what you want to do with it off road will really determine what you should get. Do you want to cruise powerline roads or do some easy quad trails or hit some gnarly technical single track etc?

 

Dont get a 230 four stroke, not even a full size frame and you will want more bike within the month. the early YZ-Fs were not great starters (especially when hot) so I would steer away from those. What kind of budget are you looking at? you can get an awefull lot of bike for cheap if you go with a late 90s two stroke, but they aren't the friendliest thing to learn on either. are you going to be doing motocross, jumps, casual trail riding, aggressive trail riding...? this will narrow your choices (or at least it should).

PM me if you have any questions, I love talking bikes and would be happy to help.

 

I am biased, but I have to say Yamaha's have great bikes. Wr450f has got great power and with the appropriate tires you could do road travel as well, just throw on a "road" package..turn signals, tail light etc... Honda also makes a great on road off as well... I vote Yamaha!!

 

I forgot to mention just in case you didn't know, you wont be able to make a two stroke street legal so if you got a four stroke now it could save you money down the road and I would really only look at 450s (or larger) if you plan on keeping it for a while as you will want more bike eventually if you get a 250.

 

Two words that should not be used in the same sentence unless there is a "not" in between them. lol. There is a huge difference between something like a WR250F and a KLX250 in both power and suspension. Just like an XR650, while being able to do 100+ mph in stock form couldn't out accelerate a WR450F. CCs are not everything in dirt bikes, what they are made for plays a huge role in power characteristics.

Suspension is something else you should heavily consider. Suspension plays just as much if not more a part in going fast off road as power does.

 

Then consider yourself lucky. Everyone i have seen leaks oil. But other than that I dont mind Harley thats what i wanted when i first got into street bikes but then i found Victory.

 

Knuckle heads and shovel heads are notorious for leaking.
Harley cleaned it up a little with the evolutions.
But with the twin cams I hardly see any with the oil leakage problem.

 

Didn't know that.
I got nothin against Harley's a couple of my friends have some.
I Perfer my Victory.

 

I would go for a Yamaha as well!!! Have owned several and they are good bikes!! Go for a 2 stroke they are simpler maintainance wise and are quicker therefore more fun to ride. Personally I have never been a real fan of Kawasaki's in my experience they start to look rusty & tatty quicker than the other Japanese brands. The thing that u will need to be careful about is tyres. Off road or 'knobly" tires are not as good on a wet road as a traditional roadbike tyre so u will need to bear that in mind if riding it on the road in the wet.

 

I have just looked at the big three's web sites, they suck!! Even the country I am from u can't get a 250cc or above 2 stroke!!! See if u can get a TDR 250, plenty of performance!