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N. TX two wheel fix? (w/o ownership)

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Jul 6, 2017
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Location
Grapevine, TX
Howdy - I recently took the MSA course just for the purpose of being able to scoot around town; however, I'm already dreaming of bigger bikes for longer trips!

I'm curious as to what riding options are available to N. TX residents that don't currently own bikes? I'm primarily interested in riding dirt/gravel.


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There are a few places scattered about that rent Harleys and such, but I don't know about dualsport/adventure rentals. On the other hand, the prices I've been quoted for those Harley rentals, well, it wouldn't take many rentals to cost enough to buy your own dualsport or adventure bike. $2K is plenty if you are not trying to impress anyone. Here are some options. How well you shop can make a huge difference in price. Also, I'm assuming you'll ride somewhat conservatively like I do, not assuming every dirt road is your private race track like so many riders do.

The problem with small dualsports is they don't provide much in highway performance and are a real chore to keep up with 80mph traffic. The problem with bigger dualsports and adventure bikes is they don't provide much offroad ability and are a real chore to wrestle through the tight technical stuff, mud, and sand off the highway.

The good thing about smaller dualsports is they are a lot easier to ride, even running errands around town. The good thing about larger dualsports and adventure bikes is they handle the highway with comfort and confidence. With patience you might luck in to a 400-500cc dualsport from a bygone era, like when you could reach the ground while sitting on a wide, cushy seat. Think Honda SL or XL, Yamaha had 400 and 500cc versions, but all the Japanese makers built such bikes as did many of the Europeans. When it comes to compromise for the purposes you state, these are hard to beat. Unfortunately, most seem to have been trashed over the years, and those still available bring a high price.

What it sounds like you really need is a scrambler. Strange as it seems, over the years I've seen many small and midsize street bikes with standard ergos, ranging in age from the 1960s to new, with happy riders. With a set of tires like K270s that provide good performance compromises for dirt and pavement and usually a lower final drive ratio, most any 250-400cc street bike will handle roads ranging from dirt to interstate safely. The Honda CLs from the 1970s are still around, and providing riders exactly the services you specified.

Triumph still makes a Scrambler, but knocking on 500 pounds wet, it is a lot of bike for mud and sand. An experienced rider might can handle it. A newbie will ruin his day, pronto. The Triumph website has a blurb about the common conversions of street bikes to scramblers, and it is still done by many riders because the happened upon a used bike cheap. The other alternative is $9500 for a new Triumph.

Some old wrecks that have been made into scramblers were free for the hauling. Doesn't take much to total a street bike once you add up the labor, and if you go back with cheap aftermarket stuff off the internet instead of OEM, do the labor yourself, and you know you are going to add a few dents and dings to the existing cosmetic damage, you can have a totaled streeter in scrambler mod for $400 or less, easy. That would include new tires, tubes, sprockets and ringed chain, straight handlebars, grips, mirrors, turn signals, another light or two, brush guards, homemade skid plate, and a few other cheap farkles.

There are other options, too, like the Zong Shen RX3, which is my current backroad burner. About $4000 delivered, all it really needs to get started is a brighter H4 headlight bulb. Comes with everything else (like luggage and high enough alternator output for electric gear in winter and extra headlights), though there are precautionary chores before you ride (because it is Chinese). Now that I have some miles on mine, if I had it to do over again I'd check the hubs for square mounts for rotors and sprocket, lower the final drive gearing a tad (I'm spoiled to TW200 torque off idle), and if I'd be hitting the dirt and gravel secondary roads of north Texas, some street legal knobbies replacing the OEM adventure tires. Not a bad deal for your future.

So, there's a passel of own-your-own from practically free to $17,000. Rental near home really doesn't make much sense for most people.
 
This is awesome information i appreciate you taking the time to respond! I was hoping there would be a budget friendly option to 'test the waters' before I go all in (ownership); however, you provided some good direction regarding entry level bikes. Thanks I'll be in the market for a low budget camping rig.


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Go ask jimhaleyscomet, who got back in to dualsporting a few years ago. He just had to have a KTM or two and thoroughly enjoyed them on the rare occasions he could keep them running. Generally, most European bikes are quite specialized and require a lot of unusual maintenance work. They are very expensive to maintain, unless you do the maintenance yourself, and even then it isn't cheap.

I'd look for an abandoned 350-500cc or Japanese single or twin stuck in a garage or shed somewhere. It usually doesn't take much to get such bikes running, but you can waste a good part of your next 30 years doing mods and repairs, and it will still need TLC.

By the way, I've done a SS1000 and BB1500 on a Yamaha TW200, as well as ridden with others on interstates in Texas, so it can be done. I've also ridden desert on a 70hp, 750cc twin, so it can be done. Would not recommend either to a beginner. Get something in the middle to start. Remember, it's your first, and if you learn something valuable it will be okay to sell it in three months and choose a different bike based on your experience.
 
If you knock out 70-80 mph highway charges it get's easier. I have had a wide variety with intended use from single track to highway munchers.

Dirt Gravel, is where it starts getting more subjective.

That can be a big GS, KTM down.

Not paved? A Triumph/BMW or NC with aggressive tires is excellent, or a DL650 (Wee Strom). Both okay for longish distances, again subjective.

Two track? Single Track? Then more XR650, KLR or DRZ or middle weight above.

Single track WR, KTM, ?

The highway manners are better at the top decreasing as you move down. There are folks who have taken any of the above around the world. It's a matter of where you want to do the work. A WR250 is not a highway bike. But if you don't mind a relaxed pace it's fine. Just like a GS is not a dirt bike, but there are guy's who ride them that way.

I think you kind of need to look at a more specific segment research it then focus a bit on a bike. Go from there. There are tons of used bikes out there that are all great, you need to decide what you want to try. It might be a guess. I've had a couple that I loved and wished I still had and had a couple I didn't mind parting with. Unfortunately motorcycles are a "personal" decision. Different folks will walk away from the same ride, on the same bike, with different impressions. I just bought a new bike and it was a very soul searching, honest with myself, what "do I want out of this" debate.
 
Thanks folks I went ahead picked up a stock DR650. Look forward to catching y'all on the dirt!


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DR650 is one of the best bikes capable of 80mph on the interstate, and still capable of handling most anything short of a trials course off road. It is especially well suited for dirt and gravel desert, forest, and farm roads. I've gotten an itch and the DR650 is one I always look at to scratch it.

Skinny tires are the only reason I bought a different bike last time. Going to a wider, more aggressive front tire on a 19 inch rim will help the bike feel a lot more comfortable just sitting and cruising a couple hundred miles of such roads in a day. A 19 inch front street tire combined with the dropped rear suspension kit would be a good thing. A 120/90-19 only lowers the front axle about 1/3 inch compared to a 90/90-21. That would be a good match with a 130/90-18 0r 140/80-18 rear. Say goodbye to washouts. Save the 21-inch wheel for tracks with berms. Each has a place.

Fat front knobbies don't exist. Find a DOT rear knobby with closely spaced knobs. They work pretty good.

All of the dirt bikes I hope to put back on the street when I retire have two sets of wheels. Takes just a few minutes to swap street or dirt, which cuts down on excessive (expensive) dirt tire wear while on the street. Best thing on any cruising bike on dirt or gravel is fat, aggressive knobs on both ends. If you plan to ride like a racer, then things might be different.

The problem with the DR is not enough space between the forks and next to the chain for significantly fatter tires. New triples, axles, spacers, and caliper mounts are a bit more than I want to tackle.

A pair of Lycra shorts with gel pads in your right places can actually make that seat almost comfortable.
 
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