Adventure/Dual sport bikes vs sports bikes.

[Smoke&Slide]

Hi folks, just thought i'd start a thread about this.Please tell us your reasons why you would have sportsbikes and/or dual sport bikes.

Nath.

 

[Bopop4]

Yay, "both" is an option.

It depends on what you want to do.

There are only a handful of road cars that can match a sportbike in acceleration, and none that can match the excitement.
But they are extremely specialized, to get the most out of one it takes a lot of time and effort.

A dual-sport or dirtbike is a lot easier to have fun on however, especially when the dual sport is just barely road legal. (Eww, compromise tires.)

Something like a KTM EXC300 is just about the perfect dual-sport, road legal, but also incredibly potent off-road.
Versus something like a KTM 640 or a V-Strom which are more suited to the road.

 

[eight6er]

I voted for sports bike, as I don't like the riding position on off road bikes.

I once had a ninja 250 and took it on dirt tracks and had great fun, so I got a D tracker which is like an off road version of a ninja 250 and it was not fun at all. I hated it as I didn't feel I had the same control over it as the ninja. I could make the ninja 250 drift but I couldn't have any fun on the D tracker.

So not only is a sports bike better on the road, but for me it 's better off road too.

 

[Bopop4]

I once had a ninja 250 and took it on dirt tracks and had great fun, so I got a D tracker which is like an off road version of a ninja 250 and it was not fun at all. I hated it as I didn't feel I had the same control over it as the ninja. I could make the ninja 250 drift but I couldn't have any fun on the D tracker.

So not only is a sports bike better on the road, but for me it 's better off road too.

What.

Normally when sportbike's tires go onto dirt they're shortly followed by the fairing, and then the rider.

Did you have MX tires on it? What kind of dirt track?

A dual sport can run rings around a sportbike on dirt because of the tires and the way it sits.

I can't believe that a Ninja is better on dirt than a dual sport, it's just not possible.

 

[eight6er]

Both bikes had road tyres, the dirt track was mostly flat, it had no jumps and was sandy dirt.

Now I should clarify, I'm not saying sports bikes are better than dual sport bikes off road. I'm saying I'm better at using a sports bike off road than a dual sport, or I have more fun as I am in control. The ninja 250 is a seriously easy bike to throw around, and I wouldn't be surprised if it was actually faster on this dirt track if they both had dirt tyres and experienced racers on board.

I also had more fun with a Yamaha R6 on the same track, but the D tracker would have been faster for sure.

 

[Bopop4]

Both bikes had road tyres, the dirt track was mostly flat, it had no jumps and was sandy dirt.

This is where I'm getting confused, how is a heavy Ninja (Compared to a dirtbike.) any good on a surface where going faster than 1st gear almost guarantees a crash if you try to put any amount of lean into it?

In low grip situations you have to lean the bike, not the rider, which is where a tall bike is king die to the seating position and the bar width. Being almost 100lbs lighter helps too.

 

[eight6er]

This is where I'm getting confused, how is a heavy Ninja (Compared to a dirtbike.) any good on a surface where going faster than 1st gear almost guarantees a crash if you try to put any amount of lean into it?

In low grip situations you have to lean the bike, not the rider, which is where a tall bike is king die to the seating position and the bar width. Being almost 100lbs lighter helps too.

I think you are getting confused because, you are thinking about speed and handling and I am thinking fun. Fun for me is going sideways, I don't really care how fast I'm going. The dirt bike didn't want to go sideways so much and I didn't feel as confident on it when it did go sideways.

I don't consider myself a very good rider, I only ever owned sports bikes, so someone who was brought up on dirt bikes would probably have the opposite opinion.

 

[Slash]

I think you are getting confused because, you are thinking about speed and handling and I am thinking fun. Fun for me is going sideways, I don't really care how fast I'm going. The dirt bike didn't want to go sideways so much and I didn't feel as confident on it when it did go sideways.

I don't consider myself a very good rider, I only ever owned sports bikes, so someone who was brought up on dirt bikes would probably have the opposite opinion.

If you like to go sideways then you'd like a old school trike. That's how you turn on them.

 

[eight6er]

If you like to go sideways then you'd like a old school trike. That's how you turn on them.

Yeah I tried one briefly before and had a bit of fun on gravel, but it would probably take me a while to get over the idea of 3 wheeler tipping over, even quads are a bit weird to me in that sense. I never fully trust them or me riding them lol.

 

[fastfox400]

I own oe each. I have a S1000r and a Honda XR600R. Both are fun but the BMW is more fun.

 

[Bopop4]

^Boo, traction control.

I think you are getting confused because, you are thinking about speed and handling and I am thinking fun. Fun for me is going sideways, I don't really care how fast I'm going. The dirt bike didn't want to go sideways so much and I didn't feel as confident on it when it did go sideways.

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

That makes more sense as I was trying to imagine going 60mph on dirt and not crashing.XD

I'm guessing what happened is that the Tracker had much less power, and way more grip.

It wouldn't slide unless you REALLY threw it into a corner and gave it gas hard out of it.



If you were on an MX bike then it would've slid very easily, especially on a hardpack surface.

 

[eight6er]

^Boo, traction control.



Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

That makes more sense as I was trying to imagine going 60mph on dirt and not crashing.XD

I'm guessing what happened is that the Tracker had much less power, and way more grip.

It wouldn't slide unless you REALLY threw it into a corner and gave it gas hard out of it.



If you were on an MX bike then it would've slid very easily, especially on a hardpack surface.

Haha if I was going 40mph at any stage it would have been a lot.
I was just spinning the back wheel when as much as I could and locking the back brake when I was slowing down for corners.
It wasn't a racing track just some kind of oval dirt track I found near a road. The corners were just hair pins, not fast at all.

 

[fastfox400]

^Boo, traction control.

I only use it to control wheelies. I dont like 1 wheel in the air..

 

[eight6er]

I only use it to control wheelies. I dont like 1 wheel in the air..

I've never been that interested in wheelies either, I've done wheelies, but never just for the sake of doing a wheelie.

I always thought when I feel at one with a bike as much as I do in a car, then maybe I'll start doing wheelies. But I never felt I got to that level yet.

 

[Bopop4]

Haha if I was going 40mph at any stage it would have been a lot.
I was just spinning the back wheel when as much as I could and locking the back brake when I was slowing down for corners.
It wasn't a racing track just some kind of oval dirt track I found near a road. The corners were just hair pins, not fast at all.

If you like that then you should try out a flattrack bike.
You have to slide it to get it to turn, rear brake (There is no front.) and continue the slide with power.

My profile pic is a CRF250R converted to flattrack spec that I borrowed of someone to run around an eighth mile dirt track. Fun bike.

 

[Slash]

Yeah I tried one briefly before and had a bit of fun on gravel, but it would probably take me a while to get over the idea of 3 wheeler tipping over, even quads are a bit weird to me in that sense. I never fully trust them or me riding them lol.

I agree they are fun. They take some time to get used to, that's for sure. Tipping over can be avoided if you know how to ride it.

I own oe each. I have a S1000r and a Honda XR600R. Both are fun but the BMW is more fun.

I saw a guy who took an XR600R and converted it to look and ride like a 350X. That's a fun ride right there.

 

[mustangGT90210]

I voted sport bike. I'm biased because I own one, but I have ridden my buddy's ttr250 or whatever the model is. Yamaha dual sport/enduro thing. I prefer the feel of the sport bike. Dirt bike feels like it won't stop, even with brand new brakes lol I was about to relief myself coming to an intersection on the road and had to be all over front and rear brake to get the thing to do what I do with 1 finger on the front brake of my gixxer

 

[eight6er]

If you like that then you should try out a flattrack bike.
You have to slide it to get it to turn, rear brake (There is no front.) and continue the slide with power.

My profile pic is a CRF250R converted to flattrack spec that I borrowed of someone to run around an eighth mile dirt track. Fun bike.

I always thought that looked like fun to do, but never got a chance to try it. I think they call it speedway over here.

 

[Bopop4]

I always thought that looked like fun to do, but never got a chance to try it. I think they call it speedway over here.

It's a bit different.

Flat track is MX bikes lowered, removed front brake, and special tires.

Speedway is purpose built frames with 500 singles running on alcohol and no brakes at all.

We have both, but the flat track is more similar to a normal dirtbike.

 

[eight6er]

It's a bit different.

Flat track is MX bikes lowered, removed front brake, and special tires.

Speedway is purpose built frames with 500 singles running on alcohol and no brakes at all.

We have both, but the flat track is more similar to a normal dirtbike.

Oh ok, I was thinking there was no brakes on a speedway bike alright. I don't think I ever saw flat track before, I wouldn't really try anything like that unless it was my own bike. Maybe I'll buy an old dirt bike and mod it myself some day.

 

[Bopop4]

Oh ok, I was thinking there was no brakes on a speedway bike alright. I don't think I ever saw flat track before, I wouldn't really try anything like that unless it was my own bike. Maybe I'll buy an old dirt bike and mod it myself some day.

The speedway bike has so much compression that it doesn't need brakes, the flat track bikes have a rear brake to get it to slide in though.

Lol, I rode 3 peoples bikes that day, the 450s were the most fun though.

I wouldn't change a bike over unless you were going to race it, too much work for only a limited amount of things you can do.
If you were to get a dirtbike then you'd be better off just having fun with it in fields and stuff.

 

[eight6er]

The speedway bike has so much compression that it doesn't need brakes, the flat track bikes have a rear brake to get it to slide in though.

Lol, I rode 3 peoples bikes that day, the 450s were the most fun though.

I wouldn't change a bike over unless you were going to race it, too much work for only a limited amount of things you can do.
If you were to get a dirtbike then you'd be better off just having fun with it in fields and stuff.

I wouldn't mind modding some old beater just to use it in fields, once those mods helped to go sideways. My friend and I often make plans to get dirt bikes to take down the woods or find some field we can use them in, but we never get around to actually doing it.

 

[Bopop4]

I wouldn't mind modding some old beater just to use it in fields, once those mods helped to go sideways. My friend and I often make plans to get dirt bikes to take down the woods or find some field we can use them in, but we never get around to actually doing it.

Modding a bike for flattrack makes it useless everywhere else. Way less suspension travel, and you need different rims too.

If you get a normal 250 2-stroke motocrosser it'll go sideways with nothing done to it.

 

[Slash]

I prefer to ride offroad honestly. I find it more fun. That's kind of why I like old school trikes. You kind of have to ride them like a bike but you've got more traction. Half worn tires are the best because it makes sliding through turns easier and that's key to going fast.

I will race on pavement but the dirt is my home.

 

[eight6er]

Modding a bike for flattrack makes it useless everywhere else. Way less suspension travel, and you need different rims too.

If you get a normal 250 2-stroke motocrosser it'll go sideways with nothing done to it.

Yeah I'd probably not bother modding it anyway once I started driving the thing. I imagine a 250 2 stoke would be pretty insane off road, I had a RGV 250 on the road and it was well able to move.

 

[Bopop4]

Yeah I'd probably not bother modding it anyway once I started driving the thing. I imagine a 250 2 stoke would be pretty insane off road, I had a RGV 250 on the road and it was well able to move.

A 450 4-stroke is better because of the power delivery, but a 90's CR250 is really cheap.

Ah, that 250 would be a fun bike, there's an RZ350 in the garage that I raced last year, it's pretty quick for what it is.
(Although the low weight of a 250/450 makes them pull WAY harder than a road 250/350. The 450 I flat tracked would have the front end up down the entire straight if you didn't get enough weight over the bars.

 

[Slash]

A 450 4-stroke is better because of the power delivery, but a 90's CR250 is really cheap.

Ah, that 250 would be a fun bike, there's an RZ350 in the garage that I raced last year, it's pretty quick for what it is.
(Although the low weight of a 250/450 makes them pull WAY harder than a road 250/350. The 450 I flat tracked would have the front end up down the entire straight if you didn't get enough weight over the bars.

 

[Bopop4]

.

Too bad that was a 370cc running on alcohol.

 

[Slash]

Too bad that was a 370cc running on alcohol.

You wish lol.

 

[Bopop4]

You wish lol.

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