How different is a dirt bike from street bike

[byke]

I think it's a great idea, except I'd recommend a proper dirt bike instead of a dual sport, mostly because dual sports tend to be fat pigs and that's not the best to start with imo. I think the best thing about dirt bikes as trainers for street bikes is that they help you keep a cool head when things go awry. You will lose traction often and typically ride very close to other people, both of these things are good emergency training for street riding, again just imho. The consequences usually aren't as severe in the dirt, but just painful enough to commit to memory.

 

[ScottRNelson]

in my own OPINION i found them weird to ride

If you had started out riding dirt bikes, the street bikes would feel weird to ride.

Any bike that is different from what you're used to often feels strange for a while.

 

[MC BumSlap]

Best of both worlds....'busa off road

 

[High-Side]

Best of both worlds....'busa off road

You're not going to get a busa up here.

 

[louemc]

Only thing I can add is, put bark buster/hand guards on the bike. .. Before you do anything else.
Think of them as lever guards, and price levers, to know what you're guarding.

And..a dual sport, is kick ass value..If you spring for two sets of wheels...
One set with real knobs for dirt (and nothing but dirt).
The other set with a tread that is pavement tread (and only pavement).

 

[louemc]

Best of both worlds....'busa off road

Possible...I do this to get out of sight in my find a place to camp for tne night.
But..it's limited....generally it could be called the worst of two worlds ... A bike that doesn't like dirt and ruts...and getting put there

 

[fast4ward]

I think it's a great idea, except I'd recommend a proper dirt bike instead of a dual sport, mostly because dual sports tend to be fat pigs and that's not the best to start with imo.

Well that's all well and good, but he's going to need a truck to transport a dirt bike, whereas a dual sport can be riden to the off-road riding areas.

Fine if you've already got a truck (or a network of buds who will transport you and your dirt bike), but a big extra expense you'll need to factor in if you haven't.

 

[corndog67]

Maybe he's got a truck.

 

[High-Side]

A cheap dual sport that is not too heavy is an older DR350S. It's street legal and works as an off-road trail bike. I rode mine for fourteen years and it was a lot of fun. I think there is one for sale right now on barf.

 

[louemc]

That was the hardest to start bike, evah.
Unless the S meant electric starter...

 

[High-Side]

That was the hardest to start bike, evah.
Unless the S meant electric starter...

Once you learned the secrete it was a piece of cake. The S was the street version and the SE was the electric street version - my buddy had one of those.

If anybody is having trouble starting one, let me know and I'll let you in on to the easy way to start it.

 

[louemc]

Once you learned the secrete it was a piece of cake. The S was the street version and the SE was the electric street version - my buddy had one of those.

If anybody is having trouble starting one, let me know and I'll let you in on to the easy way to start it.

I wish I knew Ya, back when I had mine.

 

[Caddywumpus]

Once you learned the secrete it was a piece of cake.

mmmmm, gooey.

 

[High-Side]

mmmmm, gooey.

I don't know how that extra E got there.

 

[High-Side]

I wish I knew Ya, back when I had mine.

I bought it used and it was a pain for me too. I used to kick it until my foot hurt. I’d push it up the hill by my house and start it on compression.

Then one day at the local Honda/Suzuki dealership I saw the tech kick it one time and it started. I told him if he could show me how to start it in less than five kicks I would buy him a six pack of his favorite brew. He took me up on it and showed me a simple procedure and from that day on I could get it to start in three kicks or less.

I made sure I went over the starting procedure with the new owner when I sold it and he could start it on the first kick too.