New Bike Advice

[Dukester]

I am currently looking to purchase a new or newer model dual purpose bike. Living in Iowa I would use it more for pavement and dirt roads with some infrequent off roading. 5'10, 190 lbs.

Thinking about a 650 honda, kawasaki or suzuki. Yamaha doesn't seem to carry anything bigger than a 225 xt which I think might be too small. Have not given much thought to a KTM.

My history with bikes is that I bought and rode a 73 yamaha 250dt street legal enduro right out of high school and within the last couple of years purchased a pristine 74 honda 350 xl which, I recently sold as it brought back a lot of great riding memories but I must have forgotten just how heavy a bike those old ones were. Still have a 72 honda 175 cl (scrambler) with 2700 miles in the garage but I save that bike for an occasional ride around the block.

Whatever I purchase next will in all likely hood be my last bike and I do not intend to modify it.

I have heard the honda seems to be noisy on pavement and at high speeds.

Are all the 650's 2 or 4 cycle?

 

[TimberPig]

The 650's are all 4 strokes. If you thought that old XL was heavy, try looking up the weights of the 650's you're looking at. Whatever you buy will be a compromise, as in dual sport bikes, the ones that are good in the dirt, aren't very good on the street, and the ones that are good on the street, don't work well in the dirt. The Honda is more dirt oriented than the Kawasaki and Suzuki's, but less so than a KTM. A KLR 650 is a decent compromise between street and dirt, as is the Honda XR 650L. The Honda is much better in the dirt than the Kawasaki, but the KLR is better on the street. You have to be honest and balance your dirt needs versus your street needs, as whatever bike you buy won't be a the best at both.

 

[kawicam125]

like timberpig said, the klr 650 is more street-oriented, while the xr 650 is more dirt-oriented. i dont know much about the suzuki. the suzuki is the hardest to find, at least where i live.