Ducati Monster Forum

Thinking of an off road light, quiet, smallish, dirtbike; I'm opening this one up for suggestions; what would you get?.

OK love my duc.

But I also do a lot of outdoor off pavement activities that I wouldn't think of taking a an Italian primadona for a date on....

So what robust off road (street legal, maybe) bike would you buy?  This is something that parts would be readily available and an all round reliable bike(jap?); preferably in the 125 - 250 cc range; not a strung out loud moto cross.  My first bike a long time ago was a Suzuki ts 75; fun, but not enough power or off roadish.  Oh and my first though would be KTM or BMW but that's too exotic; parts are expensive and hard to find in the boonies.

Cheers Duci Dave  [moto]

I rode a Suzuki DR200 dual sport at my MSF class. I kinda liked it. :) Had good pickup for a sigle cyl 200.

http://powersports.honda.com/2010/crf250r.aspx (http://powersports.honda.com/2010/crf250r.aspx)


http://powersports.honda.com/2009/crf230m.aspx (http://powersports.honda.com/2009/crf230m.aspx)

A bit larger than you wanted, but a great  popular bike.. suzuki DRZ400. I have the supermoto version

Yeah +1 for the DR's I had '98 250 about eight years ago. It's not gonna win any motocross competitions, and was a tad heavy but it had enough grunt to pull anything you'd find trail riding and enough size and engine that you could ride it on the street too. Plus it was pretty quiet with the stock silencer set-up, bonus is used ones are cheap.

http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=30286.0 (http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=30286.0)

thx DP ... nice bike; a little on the larger and weight-er side that I'd want.

2004 DRZ 400S; 5808 Miles; Has Acerbis Hand guards, Full Pro Circuit exhaust and rear cargo rack. Bike has low miles on it.

... Would like to get $3000 .... is it sold?  Also I'm on the left coast... its a long way across the continent ...

The Honda's & Suzi's DZR are good suggestions; another thought would be a trials style bike .... but then not enough in the high end ...

Yamaha WR250R.


Seriously nice bike.

Any Suzuki DR is fun!

My first bike was a DR350 dual-sport.  Went everywhere and was bulletproof!

I was thinking actually thinking about getting a new/used 650.

CRF250F.

Brutally reliable and tough. Also helps that there is nothing that can't be fixed on that bike using a leatherman and zipties. Nothing.

+1

the people i know with the yamahas are quite happy.

I would buy this

http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=31943.0 (http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=31943.0)

Great bike for trail riding, quiet, good  adjustable suspension soaks up air time well, powerful enough to zip along on fire roads  but wont rip arms ot of your sockets.  Low hour a few scrapes and bumps.  Four stroke bullet proof motor air cooled.

My kids outgrew theirs and have moved on to other interests.

I'll take the Yami for $1,111 - delv inc.; so-oz long as its delivered to Van BC Can.

I would go for the Yamaha as well.  They kick butt!

Yamah TW200... sort of a unique cult type bike and its road legal! very cool looking!!!! (reminds me of a modern Honda fat cat!

I love the look of the TW200, too! 

I owned a Yamaha XT350 for about a year and still regret selling it. Nice and light, kick start, and a 6-speed transmission that was good for an honest 65 mph on pavement if necessary (though not a huge amount of fun...) Yamaha made them pretty much the same for about a hundred years or so, which makes finding new or used parts really easy. It was street legal (hence the 6-speed), which I really prefer, since loading up a bike is almost always going to be more inconvenient than just throwing a leg over it and riding it to the trailhead.

I'm in the process of acquiring parts to build my own design -- Kawi FX85 engine, mtnbike downhill suspension, etc.  It's definitely a very niche / specialized application that I want to build for.  Essentially a superlight and super nimble dirt bike.

Inspiration for what I want --> http://www.fxbikes.com/ (http://www.fxbikes.com/)

Picture of the FXBike:
(http://www.fxbikes.com/wilde_fxbikes_pemberton022.jpg)

Now that ^^^^^ would be a very cool bike!

And to the OP, sounds like its not really what you what, but +1 on the DRZ400.  Had one before the monster.  Great bike if you do decide to go that route.

FX Bike - This just may be the ticket!

But what about the top end?

PM sent!

KTM [thumbsup]

Dave you had a similar question a while ago but it was for a street MX; what did you get in the end?


KTM; Yes ... but I had to go back to my original post to remind myself of the criteria ... noting exotic; hard to find or expensive parts ...  all opistti to ktm or the FX bike for that matter.

Wondering why no one has put forward the Kawasaki KLR 250?  Any experianced thoughts?

the Yami TW 200 looks intresting; a little concerned it wouldnt have enough pep.  Also am thinking something with a 6th gear for occasional highway steady 65 would be good.

Husqvarna.  My SMR 450 weighs and costs less than many smaller Japanese counterparts.  It has never broken down, always starts right up, and crashes better than I do.  The only money I have spent on it in four years of abuse is oil, tires, chain, and sprockets.

YZ250 http://www.yamaha-motor.com/sport/products/modelhome/30/home.aspx (http://www.yamaha-motor.com/sport/products/modelhome/30/home.aspx)

Or

YZ125 if you wanted something smaller
http://www.yamaha-motor.com/sport/products/modelhome/31/0/home.aspx (http://www.yamaha-motor.com/sport/products/modelhome/31/0/home.aspx)

Or, if I had more cash to throw around:
http://www.ktm.com/Offroad-Competition-XC.260.20.html (http://www.ktm.com/Offroad-Competition-XC.260.20.html)

if you are going to get a kawi, get the KLX.
also, having gone out with a couple of people on the 250 thumpers, 65mph is going to be pretty rough.

I've had a WR250 for a few years and it is a great bike, but I agree it is not a 65mph bike.  Despite the radiator, it also does not like to sit for long.  The DRZ is better suited for that. 

I just got this a few months back, a '00 Honda SL230. Light and fun. For me no other choice than street-legal. Bikes like this I want to be able to ride anywhere.

http://i36.tinypic.com/316ulpt.jpg (http://i36.tinypic.com/316ulpt.jpg)

If I ever buy any kind of dirt bike or dual purpose, and I really want to, it would have to have a kick start, no exceptions.

i would like it to be e-start with a kick option. i can't tell you how many times that would have kept me from having to push

Nope not sold.

TW200 or XT250 for a small/inexpensive bike ~

JM