Are Dual Sport Motorcycles Good for Off Road? With Examples

I learned to ride dirt bikes when I was about 13. My first bike was a Yamaha YZ125,  a motocross bike.  Eventually I developed the desire to ride on the road while still satisfying my need for dirt so I bought myself a dual sport.  I wondered if this would be a motorcycle that could be ridden on the road but still be good for off road use.

With proper bike setup and appropriate tires a dual sport motorcycle is very capable for off road riding.  Good off road performance comes at the expense of on road manners but dual sports can provide a good balance of both.

While Dual sports are meant to bridge the worlds of dirt and asphalt, some do a better job than others off road.  I’ve heard people say Dual sports suck off road and I would like to kindly disagree.  Some do, some don’t.  Not only can bike choice make a difference, but bike setup is important as well.

What makes a Dual Sport good for Off Road riding

I want to start by saying, some dual sports are much better for off road than others.  And conversely some are better for on road riding.  Some of this is in the bike setup but let’s look at the meat and potatoes of the issue first.

Size and Weight makes a big difference Off road

If your main purpose for a dual sport is to ride it off road, in other words more than 50% of its purpose will be for off road use, then you’ll want to choose a bike that is lighter and physically smaller to some extent.  I am in no way saying you can’t ride reasonably well off road with a large dual sport, but it’s going to be a lot more cumbersome.

Popular large dual sport bikes such as the iconic Honda XR650 are great motorcycles especially for when you ride a fair amount of pavement but also want to go off road.  However, these bikes (XR650, KLR650, DR650, etc) are big heavy pigs.  Off roading with one of these bikes is sure to give you one heck of a workout, and they aren’t nearly as nimble as their smaller brethren. 

Look for bikes in the 200-400cc classes, this is where you’ll find more maneuverable and lightweight bikes that are much more enjoyable off-road while still being capable of riding the pavement to and from the trail.  My current bike, the RPS Hawk 250 is great off-road and my former bike, the legendary Suzuki DRZ400 was an animal in the dirt and mud.

Specifications and Features That make for a good Off Road Dual Sport

Most dual sport motorcycles made in the last 30 years are arguably similar in construction.  They typically all use spoked rims, a mono shock rear suspension, dirt bike style ergonomics, and 4 stroke single cylinder engines.

There are some important specs to watch for in order to maximize your off road capabilities however.  For example, tire/rim size.  A 21” front rim is much preferred for off road use and a common sight on dual sports but not always. An 18” rear rim is desirable for the dirt, although motocross bikes will often come with a 19” rear.  Here are some examples of Front & Rear tire combinations for popular dual sport models.

As you can see the 21″ front rim size dominates the market, although there are a few other sizes that crop up now and then.

Ground Clearance and suspension travel are worth paying attention to as well.  The more you have of both, the better.  While riding off road you’ll find no shortage of obstacles to traverse and a low ground clearance will have you hanging up and high centering your bike.

Longer suspension travel means more ability to soak up that rough terrain you encounter off the beaten path.  If you plan to jump the bike at all, this is especially important for when your rubber once again contacts the earth after soaring like an eagle.

Top 3 Dual Sport Bikes to avoid if you want good off road performance

1. Any 650 class Dual Sport:  These are your KLR650’s, XR650’s, DR650’s, etc.  Don’t get me wrong, many of these bikes are great in their own rite but if off road performance is your goal avoid these big heavy bikes.
2. Kawasaki KLE500: More of an early small Adventure bike, good for fire roads and such but in true off road conditions it’s capability is notoriously poor.
3. Honda CRF250L Rally: Great for back roads, not so much for off road.

Top 3 Dual Sport Bikes with excellent off road capabilities

1. Suzuki DRZ400S (a personal favorite)
2. Yamaha WR250R (a nimble warrior)
3. KTM 525 exc (street legal with serious performance off road)

Tips for getting better off road performance from your dual sport

If you were to go to a dealership and purchase a brand new dual sport motorcycle, something like a Honda CRF300L or Suzuki DRZ400S you would find that they aren’t really setup for GOOD off road riding from the factory despite being great bikes. 

That’s not to say they aren’t capable, they just need some tweaking to squeeze that off road performance out of them.  Here’s 2 things that will help you out tremendously off road.

1.  Tires:  Having the right set of tires on your dual sport is paramount.  If you, like me, prefer to have better off road performance and don’t care as much about the pavement you’re going to want to toss out those 50/50 tires and mount up some full DOT knobbies, like a set of Dunlop D606’s or Pirelli MT21’s

2. Gearing:  When you spend your time in the dirt, especially on trails, single tracks, and other such areas, you want good low end torque.  Stock gearing on dual sports can sometimes be rather tall, which is great for hitting 75-85mph but not so great for navigating tight sections of trail with logs and rocks in your way.  If you don’t mind taking a bit of speed off the top, you’ll be much happier with lower gearing.  

In addition there’s a slew of accessories worth considering such as hand guards, skid plates, and more but that’s a different topic altogether.  Now get out there and BRAAAP a huge smile on your face!