MotoNews Posted July 29 Share Posted July 29 Published in: BikesFor Short and Tall Riders, All Under $8,000 New One question I’m often asked is, “I want to learn off-road adventure riding; which motorcycle should I buy?” Whether you’re new to motorcycles or off-roading, the learning curve can be long and steep—and it can be much more difficult if you’re trying to do it on a big, heavy, adventure-style machine. If your end goal is to be able to ride a large adventure motorcycle through all kinds of terrain, here’s my basic recipe: Start with small, lightweight motorcycles Get off-road training Progressively build your skills, experience, and confidence before venturing into larger motorcycles, especially off-road. What type of bike should new adventure riders look for? The main characteristics to look for are: Lighter is generally better You need to be able to get your feet on the ground Not too much power Not too expensive to buy, maintain and repair The biggest mistake new adventure dual-sport riders make is attempting to learn off-roading on heavy motorcycles, over 400 lb. or 180 kg. This is why I advise learning off-road techniques on a dirt bike or dual-sport instead of a big adventure motorcycle. Learning basic off-road skills is exponentially more difficult if you’re wrestling a behemoth. When you learn to throw around a small bike off-road first, those skills will translate to handling a larger bike later. We’ve compiled a list below of recommended motorcycles for new off-road dual-sport or adventure riders. There are a few requirements: • The bikes are all road-legal from the showroom floor, meaning you can legally ride them on public roads in all 50 states. This is important because if you buy an off-road-only model, you are extremely limited in where it can be ridden, and you lose the versatility of being able to commute to work or ride around town. • The list is in order of engine size. Riders looking to do more road riding and willing to sacrifice some off-road capability can look at the larger bikes. But I recommend buying as small as you can if you’re new to off-roading. Also, most of this list will be available to purchase new in 2024, at least in the U.S. Did we leave any bikes off this list you think should be there? Got any tips you’d like to add? Shoot us an email at info@adventuremotorcycle.com and let us know! • What are the Best Motorcycles for Dual-Sport Adventure Beginners Listed by Engine Size? 1) Honda XR150L MSRP: $3,099 Weight: 282 lb. Seat Height: 32.8 in. One of the smallest and most affordable motorcycles I’ve ever tested, the little Honda XR150L is more capable than its small motor suggests. For less than the price of most new full-suspension mountain bikes, you can have a street-legal dual-sport. It won’t go much over 55 mph, but this won’t matter if your primary use is trail riding. Pros: Affordable, easy, fun Cons: Lacking power for highway rides 2) Yamaha TW200 MSRP: $4,999 Weight: 278 lb. Seat Height: 31.1 in. With its signature fat tires, the TW200 (a.k.a. the Turtle) is a favorite for riders who regularly need to tackle mud, sand, or other slippery conditions. With a very low seat, even shorter riders should be comfortable. It has been around since the Stone Age, and parts are easy to find. The machine is very reliable and simple with a very passionate community behind them. You can often find TW200s on backroads, farms, trails or even downtown! Pros: Big traction, low seat, fun to ride. Cons: Limited suspension capability, slow Click here to read "Test Ride: 2006 Yamaha TW200 Review" 3) Kawasaki KLX230S MSRP: $4,999 Weight: 290 lb. Seat Height: 33.2 in. Baby brother to the larger and taller KLX300, the KLX230S (also available in a non-S taller version) is an amazing bike to learn off-road riding. It’s simple, easy to use, and versatile, and doesn’t cost too much. Pros: Available ABS, great performance Cons: The seat is still fairly tall, not very powerful Click here to read the "2023 Kawasaki KLX 230 S First Ride Review" 4) Yamaha XT250 MSRP: $5,399 Weight: 291 lb. Seat Height: 32.7 in. The XT250 in various versions has been around for a long time—a very long time. That means it’s a proven design. Models from 2013 on in the USA received fuel injection. While still a good choice, it seems to have been outpaced by newer competitors from Honda and Kawasaki. If you don’t mind a taller seat, a second-hand Yamaha WR250R, which is currently out of production in the US, is an amazing light-weight dual-sport to consider. Pros: Simple, easy to use, reliable Cons: 5-speed transmission, limited power 5) Yamaha WR250R MSRP: Second-hand only Weight: 295 lb. Seat Height: 36.6 in. Yamaha’s WR250R is no longer available as a new model in the US, but it’s worth mentioning. They are so reliable and fun, that many people simply don’t sell them. If you can find a good one for sale, they will likely not be cheap. The MSRP was around $7,000 and low mileage samples can be found for around four to six thousand dollars depending on condition. These are some of the lightest, trail-worthy and most reliable dual-sports made in recent years. The downside is they are quite tall don’t have much power or gearing for highway cruising so they do better on back roads. We often see them thumping around town as well. Hard to go wrong with one of these if they were well maintained … and many of them were. Pros: High-revving bullet-proof engine, requires only normal maintenance, light weight and crazy fun on trails. Cons: Limited power for highway-speeds Click here to read the "Eight Great Yamaha WR250R Upgrades" 6) Honda CRF300LS MSRP: $5,749 Weight: 311 lb. Seat Height: 32.7 in. The LS version is a lower-seat version of the venerable CRF300L but still retains legitimate long-travel suspension for good off-road performance and ride quality. You can’t go wrong with this bike. This is the bike from the list I’d buy for myself. If you want a sportier look and more wind protection, check out the CRF300L Rally. Pros: Long-travel suspension, good power, reliability, great aftermarket Cons: Soft suspension for heavier riders Click here to read the "2021 Honda CRF300L & CRF300L Rally First Ride Review" 7) Kawasaki KLX300 MSRP: $6,199 Weight: 302 lb. Seat Height: 35.2 in. Unlike the Honda 300, the Kawasaki has much nicer suspension components—albeit at the cost of a higher seat height and bigger price tag. This is the bike to get if you’re taller (5'10″ or more) and don’t want to outgrow the bike’s performance anytime soon. Plus, the supermoto versions are crazy fun! Pros: Great suspension, highly capable, good power Cons: Tall seat height, expensive Click here to read the "2024 Kawasaki KLX 300 and 300SM Review" 8) BMW G310GS MSRP: $5,695 Weight: 386 lb. Seat Height: 32.8 in. Technically an adventure bike, the G310GS sacrifices some off-road chops for more highway comfort. Able to hit upwards of 85 mph, this is an option for riders who want “more” than a dual-sport for highway rides. Pros: Highway ability, great financing through BMW Cons: Much heavier than any dual-sport Click here to read the "BMW G310GS Adventure Upgrades from Rally Raid Products" 9) KTM 390 Adventure MSRP: $7,599 Weight: 379 lb. Seat Height: 33.6 in. If you want to give some larger bikes a run for the money on the street and still have some decent off-road ability, look no further than the 390 Adventure. It’s a total riot to ride, very quick, has tons of features, and is travel-ready. There's some dececnt aftermarket support around for the bike and it's rumored an updated version with a more complete fairing may be available in the next couple of years. Pros: Fast, amazing features, extremely fun Cons: Ground clearance and suspension are limited for true off-roading Click here to read the "2020 KTM 390 Adventure Review" 10) Suzuki DR-Z400S MSRP: $7,100 Weight: 317 lb. Seat Height: 36.8 in. If you have a longer inseam and want a light weight, tried and true dual-sport bike with more of a trail/off-road bias, then Suzuki’s stalwart DR-Z400S is worth checking out. Although even new ones are still carbureted, second hand bikes can be found which often have a lot of upgrades. Last, but not least, there’s tremendous aftermarket support for this model so getting it set up for your adventures is easy. Of all the bikes listed here, this is one we wish Suzuki would update the most. Check out our concept bike art and article which highlights how the DR-Z400S could get a whole new lease on life with only a few important updates. Pros: Fun, versatile dual-sport with plenty of power, light weight and decent stock suspension. Cons: Dated technology in need of an update and tall Click here to read the "Bike Review: 2005 Suzuki DRZ400S" 11) Triumph Scrambler 400X MSRP: $5,595 Weight: 395 lb. Seat Height: 32.9 in. Although Scramblers don’t have the larger wheels of a traditional dual-sport bike, they can handle gravel and dirt roads just fine. Triumph’s recently introduced Scrambler 400X is a fun and affordable way to get into mostly street riding, without having to worry about getting a little dusty. The 33-inch seat height is manageable for many riders and scramblers are fun just about anywhere you take them. Pros: New model with smooth motor and fun both on and off-road Cons: Limited suspension travel, Aftermarket accessories may not be as plentiful as more established models. 12) Royal Enfield Himalayan 410 or 450 MSRP: ~$6,000 Weight: 438 lb. Seat Height: 33.6 in. Although these two bikes share the same name, they are worlds apart in terms of looks, performance and handling. The original generation Himalayan (410cc) is a wonderful, easy-going, retro-mod thumper that is comfortable on gravel or paved roads. It has a fairly low seat height to boot. Another variation of the Himalayan is Royal Enfields’ SCRAM, which is naked (no fairing), uses the same frame but has smaller wheels for an even lower seat height. The new Himalayan 450 version is a fully modern dual-sport adventure bike with more power, high tech features and sportier handling. It underwent several years of considerable testing in the Himalayan mountains before arriving in the US. All of these models are ready to explore backroads, commute to work or travel the world! Pros: Unique styling, huge bang for buck ratio, highly versatile, decent aftermarket support Cons: Ground clearance is limited for technical off-road/trail riding Click here to read the "All-New 2024 Himalayan 450 Review" Click here to read the "Royal Enfield Himalayan 410 Review - You've Come a Long Way!" Click here to read the "Royal Enfield Scram 411 Test Ride Review" ****** Once you’ve become proficient and confident in handling your dual-sport or small ADV bike off-road and have put in the time to be comfortable with it, then and only then do I recommend stepping up to larger ADV bikes. Remember—keep it light, low, affordable, and small—and get as much training as you can. Don’t feel pressured by friends to “upgrade” until you know you’re ready. With some common-sense planning, you can have a fun, safe and affordable life of adventure riding. Ian Schoenleber founded Big Rock Moto in 2018 after a long career in nonprofit management. From his home base in the mountains of Southern California, Ian produces video content about motorcycles, focusing on in-depth bike reviews, gear tests, and buyer’s guides. He has been an avid motorcyclist since the age of 12, and enjoys all aspects of riding from street to dirt. You can follow Big Rock Moto on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook.Read more ...View the full article Link to comment
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