Looking for a Dual sport to add to the stable. Help needed

[firffighter]

Well, my Gasser is getting lonely in the garage and needs a stable mate. I have been wanting a DS for a while and thought I would ask around to some of you for some info.

I live 5 min. from Mt. Hood Nat'l Forest and am looking for a bike that I can zip up the country roads and explore old logging roads, 2-track and some old trails. I do not want a road/street oreinted bike and am not interested in an adventure bike. I want something that can handle some short road stints (60 mph max), but is more oreinted to the type or riding listed above.

I am considering KTM 450/520 (used), a new 2009 Beta (RFS engine), maybe a DRZ400 with mods, possibly a Husky TE, or ....?

Any advice?

[stainlesscycle]

i have owned a early drz400y/k (the early one with kicker/dirt suspension - 1999 or 2000?) and a 04 te450... the drz was very capable but heavy, the suspension on that year was amazing for a big heavy bike - i rode it many times at hatfield mccoy trails... the 04 te450 was a bad year.. a friend i ride with has a 2010 te310 that he runs 90% dirt. he does quite well with it...it was terrible until he got it reprogrammed with ibeat.. then it was very very capable offroad. sorry i'm not a lot of help.. i know that for ds it's all about the tires. the closest thing to full on knobby makes a huge difference. them 50/50 tires suck in anything that's not dry.

[Cruiser]

I have a04 ktm 450 exc as my DS bike.. mainly cause I could not find a GG 450 at the time.. once I found it they pop-ed up all over the place. Its a good bike.. a bit big for the tight stuff but it will go anywhere I ask it to.. the road.... it sucks.. I sold my 03 KTM 625 sxc for this one.. had the big LC4 as my rehab bike and I think I was faster in the woods on that bike than the 450.. I just liked it better,, had a better feel. and it could handle the roads better.. in fact.. I could take a passenger down to the diner for a bite 20 miles away on the tight twisty mountain roads and it was fun.. I dont like riding the 450 more than the 8-10 miles to the trail head..
I do have some sumo wheels for it I'll be trying out soon.. maybe with those I may like it better..
good luck.. the 525/530 has better legs on road,, just a fyi..

[CACTUSREID]

my d/s bike is a 07 525 exc,that i've got set up for mainly baja trips ie: big tank,big springs,all the guards,ht oil cooler,steering dampner etc, i use it for dualsporting around here in the summer when it's to hot to ride my gasser. it's a great bomb proof bike,lots of low end grunt, and it tops out at about 160 km with stock gearing! for a full on dirtbike (albeit a 4 stroke that's street legal), I really can't think of a better choice.

[desertgasser300]

I've owned a KLX300r that was a great enduro bike that I also truned into a street legal bike. The new 250's that are set up from the factory as a d/s are popping up every where I go. And they look great to!

[firffighter]

Awesome input. Thank you.

I have been thinking that I dont really want a 450 with street gear because I do plan on hitting the pavement from time to time and I have to ride 10 miles of country hwy to get to the trails near my house.

I think that a 525 KTM or Beta would work pretty good, or a husky 610.

I also think that a good old Japanese DS might be a good fit as well. The reliability of a DRZ or KLX are rock solid. I know they lack performance, but I have the Gasser for that!

I can get a screaming deal on a '09 Beta 525 with the KTM RFS motor. Tempting, but I dont know where Beta is headed in the market.

[Robby45]

Another vote for 525EXC. I had an 04 I bought new and just sold last year. Did everything with that bike: Enduro, supermoto races, roadracing, trail riding, dual sport. It spent the last 3years in dual sport mode and was perfect for riding forest service roads with an occasionl jaunt off on some single or two track that we have here.

If I was going to buy another dual sport, I would buy a LC4 version, just because the amount of offroad stuff available to the public around here is getiing slimmer and slimmer.

[PEB]

The Beta is the clear choice from my perspective.

[SpeedyManiac]

Not sure what your price range is, but the new bergs make wicked dualsports. I have my 390 plated and it's a great do-it-all bike. If I still had a Gasser in the stable, I'd go for a Husaberg FE570 for a dualsport.

[HuskyDude]

I've got an older 08 TE510 I use for D/S'n around. It's OK and handle both dirt and payment quite well.
But if I was to do over I would not hesitate on the new Husky TE630.
I really like it.
It might be a little big if you're in the dirt all day but man it sure would handle the longer trips nicely.