Hi guys looking to buy my first dual sport. I want somthing that will perform off road really well and will ride on the road decent. I may ride the bike to work once in awhile...about 20 miles. Im looking for somthing that has a really strong motor and is fairly light. I have expierience riding the drz and im really not impressed with its power. Im from Pa so i have to buy a showroom street legal bike. We cant turn off road titles into on road titles. Im really liking the Ktm but not liking the almost 10k price tag. I would even buy a nice used bike. Just looking for some opinions here.

Thanks.

It cost me $1600 to take my drz from 30hp to 48hp. Just something to consider when doing your pricing. It will never be a ktm 500 but I never really expected it to be one. It is nice to have the huge aftermarket support but if your looking for hardcore just spend the 10k on the ktm.

You can make dirt bikes street legal in Pa. My brother has a ktm 250, 300, and 360...all two strokes...legal in Pa. Just a little work to do so.

jcbikes, on 12 August 2012 - 02:57 PM, said:

From what I understand ktm's are easy to convert because they come with a mc title, however the Japanese dirt bikes have an offroad only title which requires the enhanced inspections and some DMV legwork (good luck with that one).

Yes, the mc title helps alot. For the jap bikes you have to do a reconstructed title with inspection to follow.

I'm looking at the 350 EXC-F or the 500 EXC myself. Motorcycle Consumer News (MCN) really liked the 350 a lot.

You can plate any dirt bike in PA and it’s not hard at all. Install  some DOT parts (Tusk DS or BD kits)and time. It is worth researching more to save the $$ on a new bike. KTM 350 and 500exc come plate able from the factory but as you said are expensive. Husqvarna has some good bike and are less expensive. However the new X-lite 310cc bike is not the best DS but is a great off road race bike. Another bike that works very well as a DS is a Beta 520/350rs. Harder to find and will be very reliable. Yamaha has the WR250x and after EFI, exhaust and the free mods are done runs well. Not as powerful as the KTM, Husky or Beta but better all-around than the DRZ off road. Older bikes are the KLX300, 525-530EXC, KLR450r, WR250/450 and a CRF250X.  

What is your price range?
Where are you at in PA?

Edited by weantright, 15 August 2012 - 11:29 AM.

NORTY, on 15 August 2012 - 09:31 AM, said:

I like smaller bore bikes and perfered the 350 over the 500. 350 was light feeling and made me feel like I can ride all day long.

weantright, on 15 August 2012 - 11:27 AM, said:

350 weighs 11 pounds less than the 500.

I went from a DRZ to a 530, best decision I made. Even considering buying a new 500, stripping all the street legal stuff off and racing it. My 530 is so nice that after reading reports, the 500 is just that much better...

NORTY, on 16 August 2012 - 11:15 AM, said:

Yep, the overall feeling was more agile compared to the 500.