so i'm moving to a place that puts me less than 5 miles from work...since i've got a fair number of minor off-road photography projects coming up (where either a 4-wheeler or dirt bike would come in handy), i'm thinking about buying a dirt bike to use for riding to work (which is all small-road city driving, no highways or majorly busy roads) and to use for my off-road work

suggestions? i'm looking at buying used and it's really only of benefit to me if it's relatively cheap...i used to have an '86 nighthawk 650, but i hadn't ridden it for a year or two before i sold it, and that was a few years back...i'm not really looking for a motorcycle anyway

is this a bad idea? are permits or insurance required for dirt bikes? do you have suggestions as to what i should look for (size, brands, models, etc.)?

4/27/2008 3:28:09 PM

drz400

4/27/2008 3:30:29 PM

bmw dual sport

4/27/2008 4:23:52 PM

Kawasaki Versys

badass, but you probably won't find one for cheap

4/27/2008 7:24:04 PM

drz 400 is prolly the best for cheap and all around riding. or i mean even a DR would be ok but for something to beat DRZ got it

4/27/2008 7:28:28 PM

superduke.

4/27/2008 10:54:17 PM

+1 for the duke


or you could put some knobbies on an sv650 and be my hero--paging Hurley

4/27/2008 11:11:36 PM

a 4 wheeler would probably be safer for your equipment...

4/28/2008 6:54:14 AM

Quote :

"are permits or insurance required for dirt bikes?"

only if you want to get a tag and ride it on the street

4/28/2008 7:59:19 AM

motorard ftw

4/28/2008 9:02:45 AM

you spell like you are typing with a bowling ball.

4/28/2008 9:32:46 AM

DRZ-400S is probably the best off road bike out there, but I doubt you'll be jumping doubles on it so it doesn't matter. They also have a supermotard version called the DRZ-400SM.

The Suzuki DR-650, Honda XR-650L and Kawasaki KLR-650 have been almost unchanged for the last 15 years. They're pretty solid bikes and easy to find and easy to fix.

I had a BMW F-650 Dakar (pics in my gallery.) It's probably the best street bike of the bunch. It was a sweet bike, but it felt heavy as hell for any kind of offroad use. When you flop it it'll be a chore to pick it back up. They're available with ABS which is pretty nice.

4/28/2008 9:49:48 AM

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/mcy/638659723.html ?

4/29/2008 2:00:19 PM

^ Not street legal.

There are some smaller dual sports out there that I didn't mention. I think Kawasaki makes a KLR-250, Yamaha makes an XT225 or something, and there are a few others.

4/29/2008 2:28:02 PM

what size should i be looking for? i'm not small (6'1" and 225lbs) plus equipment (which isn't much, really)...my off-road will be minor (as in, pretty smooth, and i'm not looking at jumping or anything)...would 250cc be okay?

^ is there anything you can do to make it street legal (like getting tags)? what makes it illegal for street use?

[Edited on April 29, 2008 at 3:29 PM. Reason : .]

4/29/2008 3:21:46 PM

250's are fine for putting around town and trail riding, but you might look like a dweeb since most of them aren't physically as big as their 650cc big brothers. They are fun and easy to maneuver since they are so light and short. Kinda like a nice moped without the drunk driving stigma.

To make it street legal you'd need taillights, turn signals, a headlight (which is already there), and DOT approved tires. Not sure what else, but from what I've read you're better off just to find one that came street legal from the factory. You could call the DMV to find out more about the requirements.

Here is one of the KLR-250's I was talking about.
http://raleigh.craigslist.org/mcy/625442826.html

4/29/2008 4:06:31 PM

metal fuel tank required also? i've heard that one

4/29/2008 4:18:19 PM

There could be all types of wonky stuff. You probably have to title it and get some sort of inspection before they'll give you a plate. Too much trouble IMO when I've seen plenty of KLR-650's under $1500 in the last few years.

4/29/2008 4:23:10 PM

i was really trying to keep it under $1000, if possible

seriously, though, i might be asking way too much...this started as a passing thought, and i (obviously) haven't delved too deeply into what's required

thanks for all the suggestions so far, though...who on here can help me fix up a dirt bike if i get one that isn't quite in running order?

also not street legal: http://raleigh.craigslist.org/mcy/650819878.html ?

[Edited on April 29, 2008 at 4:45 PM. Reason : .]

4/29/2008 4:29:42 PM

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/mcy/639070210.html

Could be had for around $1000.
I actually thought about taking a look and picking this up last weekend when I was in that area, but I have too many projects going right now anyway.

4/29/2008 4:35:43 PM

colter got what you need for sale in the classifieds. i dot dibs on it first but i might be going out of the country soon possibly no more bikes for me in the near future

4/29/2008 10:33:34 PM

Olllllllllllllllld ass XL 500 if you can find one. With rear springs and a round headlight. There's one down the street I'm drooling over. Old school wreckery.

DRZ 400 is hands down my favorite, but you won't find it cheap. Plenty of other older bikes out there for cheap with the same smile factor.

[Edited on April 29, 2008 at 11:40 PM. Reason : .]

4/29/2008 11:38:53 PM

XR hands down...........you can sometimes find one locally. Just look for a XR model with the suffix "L". The XR650L would be ideal.........plenty of power for street use, and same goes for offroad. Like someone else said........reliable is what they are all about.

I ride offroad with a couple of friends with older XR's.........a '92 XR250R, and a '91 XR250L. Both are completely stock......and run great. Both of them picked these bikes up less than a year ago.......and get them dirt cheap (and local).

4/30/2008 11:34:47 PM

seems like the honda XR line and and the suzuki DR-Z 400 are the favorites, though the XRs seem to be a lot cheaper and easier to find...what does the number denote? the size? as in, an XR250 is 250cc and an XR650 is 650cc? what would be the smallest i could safely and realistically go?

5/1/2008 11:59:12 AM

Yes they designate cc's. The smallest you would want for street use would be the 250. The last "R" in XR250R designates "race".....or just better known for being strictly offroad. The "L" in XR250L stands for "light"......or better know as the street legal version. Besides lights, it has quieter exhaust and a wider ranged gearbox.

5/1/2008 5:15:38 PM