Best Dual Sport Motorcycle Based On Your Needs [2023] - Motocross Hideout (2023)

Looking for the best dual sport motorcycle but not sure where to start? There are many different models available, but I want to show you the simple process to narrow down which bike will be best for you based on your specific needs.

In this article, I’m going to show you why a dual sport bike may or may not be good for you, the difference between types of motorcycles, and how to pick the right bike for you.
Or if you just want to know what the top 3 cheap used dual sport bikes are, click here.

What exactly is a dual sport motorcycle?

It’s essentially a street legal dirt bike that can be ridden on and off-road. So, if you want to legally commute, go on long distance adventures, and still be able to ride in the dirt, a dual sport motorcycle is the best type of bike for you.

Are dual sport bikes good off-road?

First, you have to come in with the right expectations – some dual sport bikes are better than others when riding off-road.

For example, a 250cc dual sport bike is good for riding off-road comparing to a big 650cc dual sport. But, that same 250 is not as good riding off-road as a 250cc trail bike that’s purpose-built for riding in the dirt.

So, as a general rule, the lighter weight dual sport bikes are easier to ride off-road on trails. Choosing the right bike setup makes a huge difference as well, such as tires, gearing, and suspension.

Dual sport vs enduro bikes – what’s the difference?

The biggest difference is that a dual sport bike is street legal and weighs more because it has accessories for being legal on the road, while a modern enduro bike is more of a high performance trail bike.

Back in the 70s, an enduro meant the same type of bike as a dual sport, but now they’re different types of dirt bikes. This is because there are so many new dirt bikes available to better suit your needs based on what kind of riding you want to do most.

Dual sport vs Adventure bike (ADV)

You can ask 5 people and get 5 different answers, but my definition is simple. A dual sport bike is basically a heavier dirt bike with all of the legal accessories to make it street legal. An adventure bike is built more like a sport touring street bike with tires and suspension that can handle some light off-road riding but are much heavier than a dual sport bike.

How to know if a dual sport motorcycle is right for you

This may be a hard question to answer, especially if you can only own one dirt bike, whether it’s due to financial or storage room reasons.

The top reasons why a dual sport motorcycle is right for you:

• You need a street legal dirt bike to ride on and off-road
• You can only have one bike
• You aren’t able or willing to convert a dirt bike to be street legal

Can you make a dirt bike street legal?

Depending on where you live, you may be able to convert your off-road dirt bike to make it street legal. For example, it’s fairly easy to get a dirt bike registered for the road and plated in Minnesota and North Dakota in the USA due to regulations.

Obviously, you’ll need the minimum required parts to make it street legal, such as:

• DOT tires
• Mirror
• Horn
• Headlight
• Taillight/brake light

Best Dirt Bike For Dual Sport

If you want a dirt bike that’s good for dual sport riding, these are the best dirt bikes to get plated for dual-purpose riding:

• *Yamaha WR450F
• *Honda CRF450X
• *KTM 300 XCW
• KTM 350 EXC-F
• KTM 500 EXC-F

*Not street legal from the factory.
These are hardcore dirt bikes and not adventure bikes. So if you’re doing mostly trail riding and just need to legally ride on the road to connect trailheads and whatnot, these are some of the best ones I’d pick.

They’re all very reliable, most of them make good power throughout the RPM range, and they can be good at riding single-track to cruising at 55 mph on the road.

Which dual purpose motorcycle is best?

The best dual purpose motorcycle is the one that is made for the type of riding you’re doing most. For example, you don’t want a big and heavy adventure bike if you’re going to do mostly trail riding with some light road riding.

You also don’t want a small, lightweight dual sport if you’re a bigger rider that wants to do long-distance adventure riding that’s primarily on the pavement.

I’m going to show you what each dirt bike brand has to offer, and then help you narrow down the categories for each type of dual sport motorcycle to make it easier for you to pick the right bike to start on.

Best dual sport motorcycles of 2023

Now we’ll look at all of the available models from each of the popular motorcycle companies so that you can choose the right size that’s built for the type of riding you enjoy most.

Honda dual sport

Honda has one of the most versatile lineups of dual sport and adventure bikes. They range from a 125cc beginner dual sport town bike to a 1000cc adventure bike for long-distance riding.

These are Honda’s current dual sport/adventure bike lineup:

• Trail 125
• XR150L
• CRF300LS
• CRF300L
• CRF300L Rally
• CRF450RL
• XR650L
• Africa Twin 1000 (ADV)

Yamaha dual sport

Yamaha’s dual sport lineup isn’t quite as extensive as Honda’s, as they have a couple of beginner bikes and a couple of larger adventure motorcycles that can be ridden off-road.

These are Yamaha’s current dual sport/adventure bike lineup:

• TW200
• XT250
• Tenere 700 (ADV)
• Super Tenere (ADV)

Kawasaki dual sport

Kawasaki recently updated their dirt bike and dual sport bike lineup with a wider range. The 230 and 300 are good street legal dirt bikes and the Versys models are more for long-distance adventure bikes because they’re heavier and harder to handle off-road – especially if you’re a beginner.

These are Kawasaki’s current dual sport/adventure bike lineup:

• KLX230 S
• KLX300 S
• KLR650
• Versys-X 250 Tourer (ADV)
• Versys 650 (ADV)
• Versys 1000 (ADV)

Suzuki dual sport

Suzuki is the one brand that hasn’t changed their dual sport motorcycle lineup much in the past 10-20 years. It’s simple, affordable, but pretty effective. Don’t expect high performance, but you will get reliability and functionality.

Simply meaning, if you’re on a budget and want a dual sport bike that’s easy to ride, they have 3 options from lightweight, to midweight and larger for adventure riding.

These are Suzuki’s current dual sport/adventure bike lineup:

• DR200S
• DRZ400S
• DR650S

KTM dual sport

KTM continues to revolutionnize their dual sport models that it’s hard to keep up. They sell what people keep buying and throw out models that aren’t popular enough.

Most of them are high-performance compared to a dual sport for beginners, so I wouldn’t recommend a KTM (except maybe the 390 Adventure) unless you have some confidence riding off-road.

These are KTM’s current dual sport/adventure bike lineup:

• 350 EXC-F
• 500 EXC-F
• 450 Rally
• 390 Adventure (ADV)
• 690 Enduro R
• 890 Adventure (ADV)
• 1290 Super Adventure (ADV)

Husqvarna dual sport

For the “white KTM” models, Husqvarna’s lineup is very narrow and basically for you hardcore riders that know what you want in a dual sport motorcycle

These are Husqvarna’s current dual sport/adventure bike lineup:

• FE 350s
• FE 501s
• FE 701s

Beta Dual sport

Beta has been around for a while and they’ve been making good dual sport bikes for years as well. Similar to KTM and Husky, their dual-purpose machines are limited in sizes and design.

Beta might not be to the same degree of performance as KTM, but they’re good if you want a quality street legal dirt bike.

These are Beta’s current dual sport/adventure bike lineup:

• 350 RR-S
• 390 RR-S
• 430 RR-S
• 500 RR-S

Best budget used dual sport motorcycle 2023

Maybe you can’t afford a brand new motorcycle, so it’s time to look at what’s available in the used market. There are many dual-purpose motorcycles out there, but I’ll narrow down the best ones you can buy based on reliability, performance, cost, and overall value.

These are the best used dual sport motorcycles in 2023 if you’re on a budget:

• Honda CRF250L (beginner/lightweight adventure)
• Kawasaki KLR 250 (beginner/lightweight adventure)
• Yamaha WR250R (beginner/midweight off-road/adventure)
• Honda XR650L (midweight adventure/off-road)
• Suzuki DR650 (midweight adventure/off-road)
• Kawasaki KLR650 (long-distance adventure/heavyweight off-road)

What’s the best dual sport of all time?

It’s tough to pick one out because there are so many different models and they haven’t always been around for the same amount of time.

Just for practical dual sport riding the best dual sport motorcycles of all time are the Suzuki DRZ400 and Kawasaki KLR650. Neither of them is great at anything, but they’re good at so many things, and they’ve always been popular for multiple decades.

The DRZ400 is much lighter, making it much more capable of off-road trail riding. The KLR650 is just rock solid and is the quintessential budget adventure bike that can be ridden around the world because it’s so reliable.

Best dual sport for beginners

If you’re a new rider to dirt biking or riding off-road, then it’s easy to get caught up in all the new and cool models. But if you want to start outright, then you want a bike that will be easy to ride to build your confidence.

They might not be the fastest, but you will learn how to ride off-road more easily, as well as what you do or don’t like in a dual sport bike.

Here are the best beginner dual sport motorcycles if you’re an entry-level rider:

• Honda XR150L – New for 2023
• Suzuki DR200S
• Yamaha TW200
• Kawasaki KLX230 S
• Yamaha XT250
• Honda CRF300L/S

Best off road dual sport bike for trail riding

Just need a street legal dirt bike that’s good for trail riding? Unfortunately, there aren’t many good lightweight dual sport bikes that are great for trail riding, but I put together a list of your top choices.

These are the top rated off-road dual sport motorcycles for trail riding:

• Honda XR150L (short rider – beginner)
• Kawasaki KLX230S (short rider beginner)
• Honda CRF300L/S (beginner)
• Kawasaki KLX300 S (bigger rider beginner)
• KTM 350 EXC-F (experienced rider)
• Honda CRF450RL (experienced rider)
• KTM 500 EXC-F (experienced rider)

(Best) Small dual sport motorcycles

Maybe you have short legs like me and can’t touch the ground on most bikes. You don’t need both feet touching the ground to be comfortable, contrary to what many people think.

All you need is one foot to reach the ground, even if you have to shift your butt off the side of the seat when you come to a stop. The key to being confident is your technique and learning to stay balanced.

With that said, these are the top small dual sport motorcycles for short riders and their seat height:

• Yamaha TW200 – 31.1” (79cm)
• Honda Trail 125 – 31.5” (80cm)
• Yamaha XT250 – 31.9” (81cm)
• Suzuki DR200S – 32.0” (81.3cm)
• Honda CRF300LS – 32.7” (83cm)
• Honda XR150L – 32.8″ (83.3cm)
• Kawasaki KLX230 S – 34.8” (88.4cm)

Most reliable dual sport

Just want a bike that will last thousands of miles without breaking down on you in the middle of nowhere? Most dirt bikes are fairly reliable if you just do simple maintenance and pay attention to what it’s telling you.

With that said, some motorcycles are built with a little better durability. Whether it’s going a little longer on an oil change or a smooth running engine that doesn’t constantly vibrate bolts loose, these are my picks for the most reliable dual sport motorcycles:

• Honda XR150L
• Yamaha TW200
• Suzuki DRZ400
• Honda XR650L
• Suzuki DR650
• Kawasaki KLR650

I choose these because these models have been around for many years and are proven to be reliable and long-lasting with few problems based on countless owner reviews.

Lightweight dual sport motorcycle

There are many advantages to riding a motorcycle or dirt bike that is lightweight (in comparison). For one, it’s easier to handle and control, especially if you’re short or not very strong (that’s me!).

Riding a lighter dual sport bike also helps you improve your balance and technique quicker.
Think about it…

If you ride a heavier bike, it’s easier to stay balanced once you get moving because the extra weight keeps it more stable – your body input (and mistakes) won’t have as much effect on what the bike does.

But, when you ride a lighterbike, it moves and bounces out of balance more quickly. This forces you to have proper technique and balance.

These are the top 5 name brand lightest dual sport motorcycles:

• KTM 350 EXC-F (Same as Husky 350) – (est.) 243 lbs/229 lbs dry*
• KTM 500 EXC-F – (est.) 254 lbs/240 lbs dry*
• Honda Trail 125 – 259 lbs
• Suzuki DR200S – 278 lbs
• Yamaha TW200 – 278 lbs
• Honda XR150L – 282 lbs

Cheapest dual sport bike

Maybe you’re just looking to get started on a tight budget with an inexpensive motorcycle. While street legal dirt bikes generally cost more than an off-road dirt bike, there are still some affordable bikes to choose from.

These are the cheapest dual sport bikes:

• Honda XR150L – cheapest new name-brand dual sport motorcycle
• Yamaha XT250 – cheapest used dual sport bike
• X-Pro Hawk DLX 250 EFI (Amazon) – cheapest new off-brand dual sport bike

Best mid-size dual sport motorcycle

Moving up to the best dual-purpose motorcycles that are more stable riding at higher speed – maybe you need more weight and powerto carry luggage or to put on some highway miles to get to the trails. A midsize dual-sport would be in the 400-700cc.
Any smaller and it’s more of a lightweight entry-level size, and bigger would be for long-distance adventure riding.

The best mid-size dual sport motorcycles are:

• Honda CRF450RL
• KTM 500 EXC-F
• Suzuki DR650
• KTM 690 Enduro R
• Husqvarna 701 Enduro
• Yamaha Tenere 700

Best dual sport motorcycle for highway riding

Just need a motorcycle for riding on the road that is still capable of hitting the gravel road or dirty every once in a while? These bikes are heavier and more stable, making it easier and more comfortable to cruise on the highway without feeling cramped.

The best dual sport motorcycles for highway riding are:

• Kawasaki KLR650
• Kawasaki Versys-X 250 Tourer
• Kawasaki Versys 650
• Kawasaki Versys 1000
• Yamaha Tenere 700
• Yamaha Super Tenere
• Honda Africa Twin 1000
• KTM 390 Adventure
• KTM 690 Enduro R
• Husqvarna 701 Enduro
• KTM 890 Adventure
• KTM 1290 Super Adventure

Best lightweight adventure motorcycle

Maybe you’re specifically looking for an adventure bike that you can tour the country. Putting a lot of miles on a dual sport dirt bike can be done comfortably with some mods, but a true adventure bike will be able to haul luggage and do a lot more highway miles.

These are the top lightweight adventure bikes:

• Honda CRF300L – Good for beginners, off-road, and versatile
• KTM 500 EXC-F – plenty of power, best for off-road and experienced riders
• Honda XR650L – simple, reliable, stable/heavier, and good all-around
• KTM 690 Enduro R – Great engine, a little heavier and more stable than the 650 dual-sport bikes
• Husqvarna 701 Enduro – Same as KTM 690 but “white”
• Suzuki DR650S – good power, off-road capable, reliable, good do-it-all adventure bike
• Kawasaki KLR650 – good budget adventure bike, comfortable on highway, reliable
• Yamaha Tenere 700 – good all-around performance, better for road, gravel and light off-road riding

Most comfortable dual sport motorcycle for long distance riding

And last, but not least, this list is similar to the previous list, but I just weeded out some bikes that aren’t as comfortable for riding all day.

The most comfortable dual sport bikes for long distance riding are:

• Kawasaki KLR650
• Kawasaki Versys 650
• Kawasaki Versys 1000
• Yamaha Tenere 700
• Yamaha Super Tenere
• Honda Africa Twin 1000
• KTM 890 Adventure
• KTM 1290 Super Adventure

Best 650 dual sport bike

Maybe you just want a big single cylinder dual sport bike that has good power but can still handle some off-road riding.
These are the best 650cc dual sport motorcycles:

• Suzuki DR650 – best power-to-weight ratio
• Kawasaki KLR650 – most durable and more comfortable for long-distance adventure riding
• Honda XR650L – lightest and tallest

What’s the fastest dual sport motorcycle?

For being considered a street legal dirt bike, the Husqvarna 701 Enduro is the fastest dual sport motorcycle in production. It may not have the most power, but it has the best power-to-weight ratio for dual sport motorcycles.

With that said, it’s still fairly heavy for off-road riding – I wouldn’t recommend it for hardcore single-track riding because you’ll get exhausted very quickly.

What’s the best dual sport motorcycle for you?

Just want a small list of the top dual-purpose motorcycles? I put together the best model from each category, whether it be for beginners, short riders, trail riding, combined riding, lightweight adventure, or long-distance riding.

These are the top 7 dual sport motorcycle based on your specific needs:

1. Kawasaki KLX230S
2. Yamaha XT250
3. Honda CRF300L
4. Honda CRF450RL
5. KTM 500 EXC-F
6. Suzuki DR650
7. Kawasaki KLR650

How fast is a 250cc dual sport bike?

There aren’t many options for 250cc dual sport bikes in 2023, but lets look at the recently discontinued CRF250L and WR250R. They’re very close in power and target user, so it’s a good comparison.

The Honda CRF250L has a top speed of about 80 mph in stock form, while the Yamaha WR250R top speed is almost 90 mph. You can change the gearing to make them accelerate faster or increase the top speed within reason.

Is a 250 enough for dual sport riding?

If you’re a smaller guy or girl or power isn’t an issue (you don’t need a lot), then a 250cc motorcycle is just fine. It’s plenty of power if you’re a beginner.

Even if you want to do some light adventure riding, these smaller lightweight dual sports can handle some luggage and even do some casual trail riding.

Best tires for a dual-sport motorcycle

I don’t have a lot of experience with different dual sport tires on a dirt bike or motorcycle, but I know that Jimmy Lewis does. He always recommends the Kenda Big Blocks (Amazon) as the best dual sport motorcycle tire.

The best dual sport riding gear

Now that you know what dual-sport motorcycle is best for you, it’s time to get the right riding gear. Many people make the mistake of having not enough gear, but some people don’t get the right kind.

If you care about safety, then you need to invest in the proper gear. You don’t need the best – In fact, the best might not even be the safest. I show you what you need, step-by-step in this article on the best dual sport gear.

How to enjoy riding & stay safe

Being able to explore the country on two wheels is an amazing thing, but if you’re struggling to handle your bike, it kills a lot of the fun, especially if you fear getting hurt.

That’s why I want to help you out by giving you a free basic technique guide that shows you a quick and practical list of riding techniques that many beginners make the mistake of not learning. Once you master the fundamentals, then you will have more control and confidence, allowing you to ride better and stay on the bike. Click here to get your free basic techniques.