No big bore dual sport? Same two under powered bikes for the last "how many years?"

RobertN said:

Yeah they should have kept producing overweight underpowered big bore's like the rest of the Jap companies! I think the road legal TT600(660) was available in Europe and Australia until like last year, whoopee. You can still find some clean XT600s on Ebay from time to time, just buy one of those, it's still up to date when compared to current 650s offered by Honda and Kawazuki.

Now I do think KTM was stupid to discontinue the rehashed 625sxc. It would have been great competition for the newly rehashed Husky TE610. Even though these bikes are heavy and "old school", they're powerful and more up to date than Jap offerings.

When will they build a relatively light weight powerful big bore, that's comfortable on long trips, and has a large fuel capacity? If the SXC had the TE's 6 speed, or the TE had the SXC's more comfy seat, and you could shave 40lbs. off and add more fuel capacity, then you'd have something! For now I'm stuck with my Husaberg for short commutes, and the couch like '95 Husky 610 for longer range duty.

Let's see.....never rode anything but Yamaha DS bikes from 1980 until 2003. Now on an XL600R.

My best riding buddy....nothing but Yamaha for even longer than me. Now he is on a BRP.

To me, 225cc equals a trail bike. A dual sport bike that can't make road trips is really just a single sport bike that is legal to connect trails. When you have some road distance to cover, it just plain sucks having to hold a little bike WFO all day while praying no trucks run over you.

It seems like Yamaha could at least tweek the WR450F into an offering that might stack up well against dirt oriented bikes from Husky and KTM.

I'm with you guys, I truely believe that Yamaha needs to build a dualsport now that it is almost impossible to convert a off road bike to street use legally. Suzuki has the DRZ s model which handles differantly than the "e" model. We can only hope that Yamaha will wake up to what SOME of the public wants.
Jim

Buy an 07 KTM EXC, all street legal. Put some Yamaha stickers on. You'll have the bike you're looking for.

pete156 said:

No different than the Husky's already offered except one: Husky made the 250 street legal as well. It's good to have a plate! Still a small bore but definitely more capable than an XT220 or TW.

jim-in-so-ore said:

It wasn't that hard. I just walked out of the Norco DMV today with my new plate for my 06 WR450. :ride: :ride: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: Call Trick Dual sport and ask for Dale.

I don't know why Yamaha still sells their "dual sport" bikes. They can't sell many of them and I never see any on the trails.

LTK300 said:

I hope you have better luck than my friend who got a plate for his 06WR a couple weeks ago and has since received a letter from the DMV telling him he has to either provide a certificate of compliance, which is impossible on a WR since it isn't street legal from the factory or relinquish is plates. Oregon no longer plates converted dirt bikes, at least officially.
edit: Oh wait just noticed your from california not oregon.

WR450F_RDR said:

Man, that sucks! Can your buddy go out of state for a plate ( like Arizona ) and do it that way?

I can't beleve Origon is worse than Kalifornia.

I am surprised you can plate a WR in California myself, Oregon used to be by far one of the easiest to get a plate for a conversion bike in. I was looking to plate a new WR when they came out with the aluminum framed one, maybe even aluminum frame and fuel injected, that would have been nice. I will have to look elsewhere for my next dual sport unless Yamaha gets with the program. Is there anywhere we can start an e-mail campaign for a new big bore Yamaha dual sport.

Oregon DMV will do that, but not here in CA.

Ive heard of that hapenning ALOT in Oregon. Too bad the DMV employees arent as educated as the auditors so people dont get jerked around.

WR450F_RDR said:

jim-in-so-ore said:

Hopefully the Japanese companies (and Euros) will take notice of Husqvarna's success in street legalizing it's off-road line. I'm sure KTM will set sales records next year with it's street legal offerings. High fuel prices should also aid the success of modern Dual sports. Still, I would love a 280lb, wide ratio six speed, water cooled, 600cc+, electric start, dual sport with a comfy seat and large fuel tank. My Husaberg almost fits the bill except the large tank, and more comfortable seat, oh yeah, and the fact I had to make it street legal.

Have you seen the new Yamaha XT660 Supermoto? When are they bringing it to the US?
http://www.motorbike.../yam_xt660x.htm

LTK300 said:

UGH.....................

CAxt350 said:

I wish they would, I would buy one.

C'mon.... 700cc FI Raptor engine in a D/S bike:applause: Keep it under 300lbs let'r carry 4 gallons of gas with a soft seat.

LTK300 said:

It'll be recalled like the others I suppose.

It's not just Yamaha. All of the Big 4 companies have dropped the ball. They have known for a long time what we've wanted, but have refused to give it to us. The problem as I see it is that too many people are Brand loyal and will keep buying whatever crap Japan is making instead of buying what they really want. I ride a DRZ400E with a BD kit on it. Here in PA it's legal. It's an OK bike. It could have been a really good bike, but no, can't give them what they really want. So, I have a reliable bike, that has a 5 speed transmission that holds it back. And don't get me started on the seat that slopes toward the rear of the bike. And how about when the J-Bikes start a model line and they don't change anything but the decals for the next 10 years or so. Good on Husky and KTM. I hope they sell every bike they make. They deserve to. They're giving us what we want and I'm giving one of them my business when I buy my next bike.

I have Yamaha blue blood, but I bought a husky TE610. most fun toy I have ever had.