Dual Sport Bike instead of a TOAD!

[Diesel-Lover]

Hey, How about a nice dual sport bike. Upright seating, ABS, even have some with traction control and suspension control. Rather reasonable compared to toads and if you get a hitch carrier the 400 lbs plus minus 50 will be well totally awesome. Ducati makes a hyberstrada which is a smallish bike so its easy to manage and has all the technology needed. Yea it may rain but hey thats what rain coats are for correct. Yes it can do light trails and dirt roads like a minivan or it can go off into the dirt and single track too if you want, its nice and comfortable and lots of power too. Or if you want old reliable technology go with a Royal Enfield himalayan for 6G fully loaded its the cats meow brand spanking new. Any other bikes being used out there?

[WYO George]

I have about 22,000 miles on my 2013 DR650 and don’t see it going away anytime soon. My wife has a TW200 that’s great for short, novice riders. I have a half dozen other bikes, but those are the dual sports. I own a bike shop so if you have any questions on particular models I’ll gladly answer as best I can.

[ThomB]

I see a lot of the TW200's and some Yam's WR250R's being used. I'd love to bring my Triumph Tiger 1050 with me but it's way too heavy for a hitch mounted rack.
I took a Husky 250 (the new ones are FE250, I believe) out into the desert on one of those last spring and it did well for the 200 mile round trip. I don't think it moved at all.
I think if you're looking at it as your only mode of transportation when parked I'd be looking in the 300-350cc range so that you have the top end for the highway if you ever need to take it out there.
The Husqvarna FE350 seems to be calling my name for some reason but just when it does my better half wakes me up from that dream...

[Diesel-Lover]

Hi George,


Thanks for the shout back that is totally awesome. I had a cycle endorsement but when my wife was 8.5 months pregnant and carrying our first child we made a trip to the DMV and she made the lady there remove the endorsement from my license! The agreement was at 60 I can get it back. Well on my 60th I signed up for a shortcut refresher to re-certification and an endorsement. As so happens our DMV provides the bikes and mine was a TW. It was literally sleeting but the iron willed instructor would not cut us any slack. I was so stiff I could no fold my legs over the TW without using my hands to bend the knees! But bygolly I did it. Controlled the skid stops etc etc. Like the TW but wanted some technology and so am leaning toward the hyperstrada 2014 to 16 I believe. Have yet to get buy in from me oldwomanboss, thought for her I could get a grom or that other two headlight type bike the name escapes me. I like the Grom's price point but wish it had abs and traction control. Thanks again for the shout back if you have any suggestions for equivalents that would be cool. Do you carry em on a carrier mounted to RV or in a trailer, I would like to avoid the trailer if possible.

[Alan_Hepburn]

We don't have a method of carrying it so we just use it when we camp within a short distance from home when we can drive the toad home and swap out - and it's not what you would call a dual sport:

[WYO George]

When camping they go in the toy hauler or if tent camping they go in the truck bed. I’ve used hitch haulers in the past, but I have no need for one now so I don’t use them.

I also tent camp off the bikes several times a year. That’s the best way!

[WYO George]

Oh yeah, technology is great on a street bike, but I do a lot of very remote back country riding so I like to keep my dual sports about as complex as a hammer. I save the gizmos for trips that don’t have the potential to break down in a desert 50+ miles from civilization.

Opinions vary though. There’s really no bad bikes on the market nowadays, just different ways of accomplishing the same goal.

[Twomed]

Suzuki s40/Savage...650cc big single cruiser, under 400 pounds for easy loading.

[Finance]

DRZ400 for me. But it's not instead of the toad, we carry it in the pickup bed so we have the toad and bike.

[barmcd]

I've used a Triumph Tiger 800 and just love it. 95 hp and less than 500 lbs. It's small enough for fire roads and easy single track and big enough for comfortable two up riding at highway speeds. We took it on a couple local trips, but for longer trips we need the room in the truck in case we have to take our dogs somewhere.

[DbleDutch]

Have my eyes on a Suzuki VanVan, similar to a TW200 but a better cushy seat and fuel injected. Under 400 lb and can do trails and hwy 55 mph.

[tcg]

We have a Suzuki Bergman, awesome scooter, 75+ miles an hour with two of us on board.

Enough storage under the seat to carry a ton of groceries. I needed some extra levelers one trip and I even managed to get two stacks of Lego levelers from Walmart under the seat.

I've ridden motorcycles all my life, riding rain or shine is not a problem.

We carry a set of Frogg Toggs for each of us so riding in the rain is not a problem.

The thing weighs 350lbs, one person could load it but two of us can load and unload in a matter of minutes.

I had to add an extra leaf spring to keep the rear from sagging when we loaded it up and I had to get some trailer lights and mount them to the carrier because the scooter blocked the rear lights on one side.

I had a hitch mounted to the front so we could carry our bikes in a rack.

Between the scooter and the bikes we don't really miss having a car along.

[Diesel-Lover]

Wow you all have some cool bikes. Alan what is that bike very unusual. As to my need for technology, the refresher course I took they had a u with a tail on it and we were to ride up the tail and at the last minute you were directed to one side or the other and after the turns come to a panic stop as it all had to be done within a set time 30 secs if I recall correctly. Give the sleet I was sliding but the old techniques burned in my head from me younger days kept me from sliding out and I passed the course! With me old woman on the back seat, I would rather have some technology to help me just in case, if the conditions are less than ideal. So far the multistrada in the used market looks really good, but the Royal Enfield Himalayan at a little less brand new looks good too though it does not have the traction and adjustable rear suspension. The vale adjustment every 18000 miles is a bit worry some as to costs. In my past life I rode a bunch of bikes starting with an old circa 55 Indian, later a honda 140, kawasaki, yamaha, suzuki back to a honda then last one was a water buffalo suzuki 2cycle totally amazing none of em had heavy maintenance. just chain, oil, battery, tires, plugs for the most part. Never touched the valve adjustments on any.



Should be reaching a solution by mid spring, getting the itch for a mechanical horse badly!

[Alan_Hepburn]

Originally Posted by Diesel-Lover

Alan what is that bike very unusual.

That is a 1994 Honda Goldwing GL1500SE with a California Sidecar Friendship 1 attached - makes for an awesome touring machine that draws attention wherever we go!