Under 300lb dual sport bikes?

[neuro 0]

I'm currently on a Honda CRF230L and it's my first bike and I'm not in love with my suspension. George Spinali out in Alpine did a great job making it rideable in time for the Sheetiron 300 up north last weekend, but it's quickly becoming just not the bike for me.

I'm five foot four and in all my gear, weighed down with supplies and water, I come in at just under two hundred pounds. Most of my height is in my legs. Lots of folks I ride with love their DRZs, but to me they feel fat and clunky. I don't want to lose the agility of the little bike and I don't need to go real fast, but I do need a plated bike that's going to stay plated legally. I'm also still new enough that being able to properly get one foot down without having to do acrobatics is a real boon and when I drop it (and I'm gonna drop it) I really prefer to not have it be a major struggle to pick it back up.

I'm eyeing the Yamaha wr250 since it's small but seems to have a more modern suspension. Does anybody have opinions about it? Any better ideas?

[Spaugh 1]

More modern suspension is a good thing.

[Goofy Footer 539]

The WR250R seems like a more modern DRZ with fuel injection, better suspension and a 6th gear but they aren't terribly lighter and will probably be slightly down on power.

George could lower any bike you find through spacers in the suspension to fit it to you. Shaving down the seat foam or buying a lower seat will also help get your foot down.

In 2012 Husqvarna also had a lowered from the factory TE250. It will be way lighter than the DRZ/WR-R and have more suspension/power than the WRR but will require more maintenance and could be a bit pricier (although they are on massive discounts currently). Husqvarna was just sold to KTM so be aware that the model line is ending.

[Uncle Champ 116]

See the nice 450X in the for sale topic. Depending on your leg length it would be sweet!

[Bubbagums 42]

Putting your foot down is overrated. Not to be funny but you will out grow this need. Yes you will drop the bike at zero speed, repeatedly, but you will learn where to stop, where to get on and more importantly how to balance your bike...and how to become one with your bike. I bet quite a few people on here have found themselves horizontal on the ground with both feet on the pegs. Thought process "Oh sh_t! I got this, I got this. I don't got this"

[inhaleBLISS. 0]

Putting your foot down is overrated. Not to be funny but you will out grow this need. Yes you will drop the bike at zero speed, repeatedly, but you will learn where to stop, where to get on and more importantly how to balance your bike...and how to become one with your bike. I bet quite a few people on here have found themselves horizontal on the ground with both feet on the pegs. Thought process "Oh sh_t! I got this, I got this. I don't got this"

Agreed. I'm 63", 145lbs, and I ride a KLX400SR ('03 DRZ400S). I'm not saying "oh yeah I'm X height/weight and I ride x, I'm hard", no, I'm just saying like stated above, become one with the bike. Don't be scared to drop your bike, it's a dirt bike. Don't be scared to safely and legally experiment on your bike to learn you and your bike's capabilities. I rode motocross since I could remember, and never once did I have a bike that I could "flat foot" or touch both feet at the same time, including the YZ80 I started on. I just got used to it and became one with the bike. You can do it man.

To answer your question. Under 300lbs dual sport bikes?

The DRZ-400S/SM is:

-under 300lbs

-huge aftermarket parts base

-huge fan base

-agile, light, powerful

-easy to find/sell

-fairly easy to mod/repair

-capable of becoming Offroad/Street and Supermoto setups

People that say you need to flat foot or give flak to people that can't flat foot usually don't know what they're talking about.

Oh yeah, like you said, you could always go with the WR250X--EFI+SM!

[Goofy Footer 539]

InhaleBLISS brings up a good point with the supermoto versions of dualsport bikes. The DRZ-SM and WR250X come with 17" wheels and sit much lower than the regular dualsport models. You can put more aggressive tires on the SM 17" wheels or even swap/trade to a 21/18" dirt set-up.

I'm not certain on the WR-X but the forks and shock on the DRZ-SM are actually slightly upgraded units from the S and are internally lowered one inch from the factory. Every inch closer to the ground does count for a comfortable/confident ride for a newer rider.

I have the Suzuki gel seat ($80 on craigslist) on my DRZ-E and can get the ball of one of my feet down. Having a vinyl non-gripper seat cover allows me to skide my hip off the bike at stoplights.

George could lower any bike via the suspension for you. One inch in suspension and one inch in seat can actually make a big difference.

[dsfox 0]

Well, I can't chime in on as many of the technical, mechanical aspects, BUT, I can speak as an expert on being 5'4" and dealing with ALL the issues you mentioned....

and doing ALOT of research for lighter dual sports....

I ride a KTM450EXC , dry weight (without extras) 250 lbs +/-.....amazing suspension (hard to beat KTM on that one).....and 50 hp, which is very handy....

I did shave my seat down a bit, (I could help you do that also)........and I have my compression and rebound set pretty soft.....

with that said, I CAN touch with ONE foot , With a lighter bike, the one foot works fine most of the time.....(sure there are occasions when I drop the bike in technical terrain, when a taller rider could recover easier, but not too often any more...)

I can pick my bike up fine, and you are highly likely stronger than I am..

I'd highly recommend getting a decent high performance, light weight bike (that you will be GLAD you did later)...

Not saying your options are NOT that and not knocking any bikes...but The WR's are extremely tall from what I've seen.....and the smaller "play bikes" will leave you where you are now....DRZ'S are bulky, but many love them....

charlies 450x has almost identical specs to my bike, might be a good option for you? Your price range will make a huge difference in shopping....perhaps trying some bikes out may help you decide...

If we ever ride local at the same time, you are welcome to give my bike a try..

Good Luck

[marty 0]

i've got a wr250x and love it to death. it's only left me stranded twice - once when i was using heated gear in the dead of an IL winter for a short commute. After 2 days it killed the battery due to not getting charged enough while riding. the second time was when i slammed in to a rock and broke the water pump cover. you'll notice both instances were my own fault. i've put 18/21" wheels on it for offroad work. with the street wheels it is a fantastic city bike and incredible in tight twisties.

afaik, the suspension is the same on the wr-r, just with different anodizing on the forks and different base damper settings. the fork is compression/rebound adjustable, not sure what adjustments the shock has as i've never messed with it. for me the deciding factor over the drz was having fuel injection.

[robertaccio 412]

[bikeslut 1]

I'll pretend I didn't get my feelings hurt by calling the DRZ fat and clunky... my other bike is the KLR, and the DRZ is like a geisha next to the sumo

I'll echo what others said... keep your feet on the pegs. i see it ALL the time; people trying to put their foot down, and it causes more problems than it solves

We have quite a few smurfs here that ride quite well, and they do it by using the pegs and weight transfer

DRZ is 291 dry, and it's not light; you can do MUCH better in that realm... Husky 310, 410, etc. Any of the KTMs... a plated WR in the right year won't get the plate yanked

The WR250R is more modern than the DRZ but not lighter enough to matter

[97xr400r 122]

My vertically challenged friend loves his crf250l even though its a tick over 300 pounds. It was the first one off the FBC showroom floor and he has been riding it on an almost daily basis with no troubles. I think its got 8k on it now. a ride up to sacramento and one lowside on the street. It just keeps going! He got a 17 inch wheelset built up for it as well. It's not the fastest on the market but its bulletproof and a great price brand new. crf25l in action

[tntmo 901]

Lots of bikes under 300 pounds, but I doubt that the DRZ400S is one of them. I would bet a beer that it's a bit over 300.

Anyway, I did a bit of garage experimentation weighing the bikes I had handy a few months ago. The results are in this thread.

I will agree with everyone else in the height doesn't matter that much and the weight is really just a number unless you have to pick the bike up a lot. So, just don't crash!

[97xr400r 122]

Lots of bikes under 300 pounds, but I doubt that the DRZ400S is one of them. I would bet a beer that it's a bit over 300.

Anyway, I did a bit of garage experimentation weighing the bikes I had handy a few months ago. The results are in this thread.

I will agree with everyone else in the height doesn't matter that much and the weight is really just a number unless you have to pick the bike up a lot. So, just don't crash!

Cool thread!

[RobATK94 1]

XR250? XT225? The high performance bikes are much lighter. Hopefully in the next week or 2 I will ride my new bike to work. It's an 07 KTM 450XC. Your more than welcome to come by and jump on it. Way lighter then the ATK.

[2Wheels 0]

I'm currently on a Honda CRF230L and it's my first bike and I'm not in love with my suspension. George Spinali out in Alpine did a great job making it rideable in time for the Sheetiron 300 up north last weekend, but it's quickly becoming just not the bike for me.

I'm five foot four and in all my gear, weighed down with supplies and water, I come in at just under two hundred pounds. Most of my height is in my legs. Lots of folks I ride with love their DRZs, but to me they feel fat and clunky. I don't want to lose the agility of the little bike and I don't need to go real fast, but I do need a plated bike that's going to stay plated legally. I'm also still new enough that being able to properly get one foot down without having to do acrobatics is a real boon and when I drop it (and I'm gonna drop it) I really prefer to not have it be a major struggle to pick it back up.

I'm eyeing the Yamaha wr250 since it's small but seems to have a more modern suspension. Does anybody have opinions about it? Any better ideas?

I have a short inseam too and I ride a DRZ. When you're riding on the streets, you have to be able to put a foot down unless you don't stop at red lights. When I come to a stop, I scoot over to the side a little so my butt if halfway on the seat and I can get my foot down. I've seen guys even shorter than me ride tall bikes and they just scoot over even further when they come to a stop. They'll be standing with one foot on the ground and their knee hooked over the seat. When you take off, jump on the bike and go at the same time.

I also have the Suzuki gel seat which is a little lower than the original seat. I had a kouba link for the DRZ when I first got it, but I didn't like how it made the suspension so I took it off.

To me, scooting over to the side when you need to put a foot down helps way more than lowering the seat.

[robertaccio 412]

food for thought. For the foot on the ground question.

Jeff Ward 5-6

Jamie Lanza 5-4

GOAT Ricky C 5-5

Stefan Merriman 5-6

[bikeslut 1]

food for thought. For the foot on the ground question.

Jeff Ward 5-6

Jamie Lanza 5-4

GOAT Ricky C 5-5

Stefan Merriman 5-6

NOW... how many Endurocross riders?

I really DO understand how those "short of stature" have an issue with modern motorcycles. Even the Endurocross guys had TONS of experience before going to Endurocross. and obviously SX and MX guys have fewer issues than extreme trail riding and endurocross (trials riding is similar but with such a low "seat")

So... for the OP... I would suggest staying with that bike a while and develop some skills (Hucker rode his 250L on Ranger and he's not much taller than you) and once you get OUT of the dab habit, you can get pretty much any bike you want

[robertaccio 412]

more fun food for thought.

Lanza also does e-cross (ok only one from that list)

Merriman is multi time enduro world champ that railed feet up alot.

Taddy is 5-7.....that aint too tall. (Mike Brown is 5-11)

trials guys-

Taka Fujinami "FugiGas" is 5-6

Tony Bou is 5-7

but their seat height is super low---what seat height!!........if they touch ground (dab) they lose points, feet up all the time.

with all my pro level citations it does not matter at our level. its what feels comfortable to each rider, just try your best not to adjust the chassis to get lower. use low bend bars, a cut and/or soft compound seat, lowest profile tires available, before going after a chassis lowering set up (the others are all cheaper too). PS Ive test ridden a TE250 (low) it was noticably lower than standard but for my tank like weight and speed way more harsh than the TE310 with the same chassis/suspension (not lowered). my 3 pence

My rec for rider size skill is go with a 250-350 plated machine in 4T variety Yam 250 is a great choice as is Husky 250-310 for good price points. rider will enjoy the ride more, more smiles per mile with the little bike...unless doing lots of freeway type tranfer to offroad type stuff, then go 350-450

[neuro 0]

So, I do put keep my feet up, except when stopping. Honestly, dropping your bike at a stop sign is embarrassing to say the least. And I still crash. I'm probably not going to stop that any time soon. Learning power slides? Crash. Learning brake slides? Crash. Lose my line on a bad rut? Crash like heck.

I've seen people do the butt slide to one side and I've practiced it, but I'm just not that agile. I'm even less agile in thirty five pounds of gear. By five pm I'm not only not agile, but my hips are not cooperating, they're done. I'm cool with just being able to get the ball of one foot down, which was the case on the wr250. But I'm not going to be one of those people vaulting onto a bike. It'd be ugly.

So, sure, there are a lot of badass riders out there who are short. Gary LaPlante taught a class I took and that guy hops up sidesaddle onto a bike to get it going and then kicks one leg over to get going he's so short. But I'm not him. I've been riding less than a year.

I'd keep the CRF another season, but the suspension's getting me into trouble. If things get tough, it can't keep up and it bottoms out and the rebound makes it hard to control and you can feel the forks bend. It's an ugly, ugly feeling. Maybe it wouldn't bother a better rider, but I have trouble bringing it back once it's bottomed and bounced.

The 'what does your bike really weigh' thread was cool - but it looks like at least some of those are real dirt bikes and not dual sports? Sorry, I may need smaller words. I'm kind of guessing from pictures by the "That doesn't have a headlight" test.

I'm also a little intimidated by the KTM maintenance schedule. What can you tell me about that?

[dirt dame 561]

food for thought. For the foot on the ground question.

Jeff Ward 5-6

Jamie Lanza 5-4

GOAT Ricky C 5-5

Stefan Merriman 5-6

And Dirt Dame is 5-5.

[2Wheels 0]

So, I do put keep my feet up, except when stopping. Honestly, dropping your bike at a stop sign is embarrassing to say the least. And I still crash. I'm probably not going to stop that any time soon. Learning power slides? Crash. Learning brake slides? Crash. Lose my line on a bad rut? Crash like heck.

I've seen people do the butt slide to one side and I've practiced it, but I'm just not that agile. I'm even less agile in thirty five pounds of gear. By five pm I'm not only not agile, but my hips are not cooperating, they're done. I'm cool with just being able to get the ball of one foot down, which was the case on the wr250. But I'm not going to be one of those people vaulting onto a bike. It'd be ugly.

So, sure, there are a lot of badass riders out there who are short. Gary LaPlante taught a class I took and that guy hops up sidesaddle onto a bike to get it going and then kicks one leg over to get going he's so short. But I'm not him. I've been riding less than a year.

I'd keep the CRF another season, but the suspension's getting me into trouble. If things get tough, it can't keep up and it bottoms out and the rebound makes it hard to control and you can feel the forks bend. It's an ugly, ugly feeling. Maybe it wouldn't bother a better rider, but I have trouble bringing it back once it's bottomed and bounced.

The 'what does your bike really weigh' thread was cool - but it looks like at least some of those are real dirt bikes and not dual sports? Sorry, I may need smaller words. I'm kind of guessing from pictures by the "That doesn't have a headlight" test.

I'm also a little intimidated by the KTM maintenance schedule. What can you tell me about that?

Looks like you found your bike.

[Slaugo 35]

I have an old friend whom I haven't seen In years, but he rode a DRZ and rode it really well. He is 5'1" . He lowered the forks in the triple clamps as much as allowed, added a lowering link In The rear, had 80 profile tires, shaved the seat and used a shorter kickstand. Boot soles were a tad thicker (custom) but if you saw him ride yould never know. He could do what I call the Ten speed start and stop, but he also had the running/walking superman style start when he stopped in tough places. He also spent plenty of nickels lightening his DRZ to well below 300 lbs.

that Honda 250L is in my opinion a great concept but its suspension looks modern but falls way short of adjustment ability. I got to ride one briefly and felt the experience you're talking about. I would imagine that if you took some modern adjustable suspension. And put it on your 250 which is prolly around 270 stock it would be under 300 with the upgrade. So a more modern suspended bike would prolly do you a great benefit. And I'm a Honda Lover. But they failed on The 250 L susp In my opinion.

I bought a XT550 dual sport back in the 80's because my buddy had an XT350 and I really liked riding it. When I went to the Dealer he tried to talk me into the XT350 but I had CC's in mind. It wasn't but two weeks later and a few miserable rides with my buddy that I took a loss and went and got me a XT350. It stood a lot higher than the 550 but the difference in setup and suspension allowed me to enjoy rides with my buddy and he didn't have to wait for me so much.

My opinio. Is if you think this is a love you'll do for ever then do what ever you can afford to change not compromise.

[robertaccio 412]

food for thought. For the foot on the ground question.

Jeff Ward 5-6

Jamie Lanza 5-4

GOAT Ricky C 5-5

Stefan Merriman 5-6

And Dirt Dame is 5-5. :coolio:/>

My apologies for omitting you from the short list or is the long list the short, list? good reply!! PS Camry is is doing great, shes back in town from phoenix.

[robertaccio 412]

WR250 is an awesome choice, I for one highly recommend it.

http://www.yamahamotorsports.com/sport/products/modelhome/595/0/home.aspx