I need a goat trail commuter bike.

[corndog67]

I used to have an SV650.   Real good little around town bike.  Reliable as all get out.   Standard style bars, lots of leverage made it a good flickable, reliable bike.  I'd buy another if I could find the right deal. 

[the_Journeyman]

I'm thinking an SV650 isn't the best bike for banging around on trails with. 

I still say DRZ-400 or KLX250 ~

jm

[gregrnel]

I'd definitely go with the Husqy, they are stupendously loud with the right pipe, are cool looking to boot, oh, and scandinavian, it'll go well with your IKEA living room ensemble.

[silentbob]

and scandinavian

My first choice too, but not Swedish anymore.  Italian made since 1980's.  Now under German management.

[Popeye the Sailor]

I used to have an SV650.   Real good little around town bike.  Reliable as all get out.   Standard style bars, lots of leverage made it a good flickable, reliable bike.  I'd buy another if I could find the right deal. 

Far too large and heavy.

[somegirl]

I'm thinking an SV650 isn't the best bike for banging around on trails with. 

Yup, this road is better suited for a bicycle than anything else, more like a paved fire road.  Think single narrow lane for both directions in many parts, mostly blind corners, many off-camber and/or decreasing radius, with cliffs to go off of if you miss.  Plus branches and/or tree trunks and/or rocks all over the road during the rainy season.

[Monsterlover]

2010.5 KTM slated to release electric dirt bike

[Fox]

I just picked up a 08 KTM Duke. 63 Hp single (with a counter balancer), 327 pounds dry, put a Leo Vince titanium exhaust on it and you drop another 30 pounds, wp suspension front and rear and there are very few of them in the US so lots of folks stop and stare. The only problem is they are not giving them away (read pricey).

[JEFF_H]

some friends of ours have (had?) a Husky 250 with plate for sale.
that would be fun.

[KnightofNi]

can you still plate offroad bikes in CA?

it might be a bit bigger than you are looking for, but the xr450r seems pretty decent.

i was riding with a lot of plated 250 cc ktms in an enduro over the weekend. they seemed pretty much perfect for what you are describing.

[HB3]

Price no object!!!! The ultimate thumper!!

          http://www.motorcycledaily.com/06april09_supermono.htm

[JEFF_H]

AFAIK you can only 'plate' CA bikes that have a street-legal VIN
makes it much harder than it used to be...cant do 4 strokes like the DR400 or TTR anymore.

that's why i moved to ID...i can get a plate to drive a Rhino to work 

[Willwork4aMonster]

A used DRZ400SM sounds about right, I love mine.

Glenn

[causeofkaos]

Wow still havent picked one ?
I cant be that responsible, i would have probably bought one by now and traded it back in for a bigger one

[corndog67]

I was under the impression that your road was a paved little pig trail type road.  You are right, SV650 wouldn't be good on dirt.   Buy  real dirt bike.  I've got a YZ450F that is a total blast to ride, anywhere from the dunes to the trails to fireroads.  Reliable as all hell, fast, fun.   That and my streetbike, and I'm good to go.   Most dual sports generally don't work real well on the road or in the dirt, they just kind of do both acceptably.