Dual Purpose Bike Advice

[IgniteTJ]

Hey all, so I'm looking to get some advice on getting a nice dual purpose bike (On and off road dirt bike) and I'm wondering what CC engine I need to look at I'm a new rider but I'll be taking the motorcycle safety course first.. I'm 6'1" 260 lbs so I know with something like a 250cc  I'm not going to have the most power available but it should get what I want done (just zipping around town and down the highway 8km to work.. maybe the odd trip into calgary, and just trail riding no jumps or anything) or should I lean more towards the 650 ish CC (I can't seem to find many dual purpose bikes in the 450 CC range..) I'm not looking at it from a beginner point of view so much as something that will carry me around without being too sluggish

[jkrubi]

You're gonna have to decide on what you want more, on road or off road.   The 250 are gonna be lighter and more dirt bikish, then the 650. But for riding on the street the bigger one is nicer, you won't need to shift if you need to speed up in traffic. My two sects go for a bigger one, as you'll grow into it for your riding skills and not wish for a bigger bike.  But that would be for street. For dirt can't help you. Sorry

[hps4evr]

pm Tom aka Spinalguy, hes been playing with bikes for many years.

[Raspberry]

Have you looked into a KLR650?

[IgniteTJ]

The KLR650 is a sharp looking bike.. I really like the KTM's too they look nice. I'm going to be doing more on road then off road - the off road is mostly guys from work going camping at mclean or something.. throw my tent and bed roll on the back of the bike and go join them, follow them through a trail or so.

[Spinalguy]

KTM 530 or Husaberg 570. It would be the smallest i would go for any street time.
The 450 KTM's, Bergs and Yamahas can be done but you would wish you went bigger.
IF money is not a problem, than a KTM 690 Super Enduro would be ideal.

[IgniteTJ]

http://calgary.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicles-motorcycles-dirt-bikes-motocross-2003-Ktm-625-SXC-W0QQAdIdZ309670653

Its ones like that I'm kinda looking at. I'm not looking to spend over 5g preferably.. Preferably a little less even as it'll be my first bike

[Spinalguy]

You know what, that would work.
Find out how many hours on it.
It definitely is low kms for an 03, like really low. The hours will be the tell tale sign on use.
Here is a very good discussion reagrding that bike:
For some reason, the pages are not loading for me again
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=291527

[Spinalguy]

The site might be temporarily down, but definitely check it again.
Here is another good discussion and in one post there is a link to the 03 review:
http://www.thumpertalk.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-185636.html

[IgniteTJ]

May not be that exact bike, but thats what I'm looking for.. I'm saving my pennies for it this winter so I can get it before the spring and take the motorcycle school course for it. Thanks for the links though I'll definitely read through both (both links do work for me)

[FiEND]

Have you looked into a KLR650?

OK so you have, good bike.

If you can ride a mountain bike you can ride a motorbike.  There's so much information and videos on the web and youtube you can study all winter.  By spring, a course will be kinda pointless...

[IgniteTJ]

I'll take a look at the info online, the course just seems like a good idea.. But come spring I may just try without it to get my license (I have places I can practice without worrying about the law or anything since I'm only allowed to learn on  like a 125 CC bike thanks to the class 5 haha

[FiEND]

and who told you that?   you can learn on a 3000cc motorbike if you want.   you can learn on any bike you buy.

[IgniteTJ]

http://www.transportation.alberta.ca/Content/docType41/Production/small_vehicle_booklet_final.pdf

Specifically page 5 and 11.. They removed the CC limitation though. When I took my learners license they touch briefly on motorcycles and it states (or used to at least) that the maximum cc you could learn on was 150 or something.

[Spinalguy]

i would absolutely take the course. Every time i see a crappy rider not hugging their lane or casually riding in the middle of their lane, i think no course for that guy. Same goes for the guy that can not hold a line through a corner. The course teaches you to ride, evade and learn some basics that watching videos does not.
Hey, maybe i can watch videos of driving race cars and practice with Playstation and i should be good to go racing Indycars, Nascar and Formula 1 :rolleyes: