Saint Alphonzo
05-18-09, 08:30
An 'enduro' is basically a dirt bike with a headlight & taillight, built specificaly for off-road endurance racing, so you can see in the dark... and other racers can see you from behind. They're popular with hare scramblers and desert racers, too. And of course, us weekend warriors.
Back in the day we called them 'on-off bikes'. Nowadays the street legal models are called 'dual sports'. Many dirt bikes can be equipped with lights and turn signals (street kit), pass an inspection, and get 'plated'. Most are 4-strokes, 2-strokes don't pass smog tests easily... but state laws vary.
Lots of riders use them for city commutes during the week, and trail riding on the weekends. Stick a set of 17" wheels and street tires front & back, and call it a 'super-moto'. But whatever you call 'em or use 'em for, they're fun as hell. Whether you ride to the trails, or trailer to the deserts, enduro bikes/dualsports can go just about anywhere.
I happen to be partial to Suzuki DR models. I have a '90 DR350S and a '08 DR650SE, both street legal. The DR350 is a kickstart only, it can be a chore to get going sometimes, but it's lighter and nimbler than the 650 on the gnarlier trails. The 650 is electric start, and much more comfortable on longer highway rides required to get to some of the off-road areas. Either one would make a good choice for cross-country trips where most of the riding is off road, such as the Trans Am Trail (see thread elsewhere).
So what is your favorite enduro or dualsport bike, or bikes? What type of terrain do you like to ride? What do you look for when choosing the right bike?
Back in the day we called them 'on-off bikes'. Nowadays the street legal models are called 'dual sports'. Many dirt bikes can be equipped with lights and turn signals (street kit), pass an inspection, and get 'plated'. Most are 4-strokes, 2-strokes don't pass smog tests easily... but state laws vary.
Lots of riders use them for city commutes during the week, and trail riding on the weekends. Stick a set of 17" wheels and street tires front & back, and call it a 'super-moto'. But whatever you call 'em or use 'em for, they're fun as hell. Whether you ride to the trails, or trailer to the deserts, enduro bikes/dualsports can go just about anywhere.
I happen to be partial to Suzuki DR models. I have a '90 DR350S and a '08 DR650SE, both street legal. The DR350 is a kickstart only, it can be a chore to get going sometimes, but it's lighter and nimbler than the 650 on the gnarlier trails. The 650 is electric start, and much more comfortable on longer highway rides required to get to some of the off-road areas. Either one would make a good choice for cross-country trips where most of the riding is off road, such as the Trans Am Trail (see thread elsewhere).
So what is your favorite enduro or dualsport bike, or bikes? What type of terrain do you like to ride? What do you look for when choosing the right bike?