Southern,
It was not all that long ago that real dirt bikes hovered just over 200 pounds. 125cc two strokes (I'm not suggesting this) were 190 pounds! There is a reason for the incredible capability of these light weight bikes, and it has nothing to do with picking them up after a tip-over (we won't call it a crash.....
The 4 stroke "revolution" resulted in some very heavy bikes. The engines are heavy, the batteries and starter motors are heavy, and they are less powerful when compared by displacement.
I initially thought you were talking about a true dirt bike, for off road use only. If that's still a possibility, then get something that will perform well in your riding area. You would not take a Ninja 300 street bike and ride it in the woods and expect good results. Yet, that's exactly the direction some people go when they pick a heavy bike with low quality "street" level components, not intended for real off road use. The pogo-stick ride is much the same.
If you want a dual sport bike, know that all of them (with the exception of the KTM's and a few other exotics) are a serious compromise towards street performance. Many are 90% street, 10% dirt by design. They are very overweight off road, and therefore, can be difficult to control. Especially in sand or mud.
One interesting indicator of off road prowess is fork tube diameter. Thin fork tubes are flexible, leading to poor handling. Another indicator is suspension travel in inches. Anything less than 10 inches of travel will not do a great job in the dirt.
Here is a 190 pound dirt bike and a good indication of how they look on rough terrain. You can't see the massive fork tubes, but they are there. Notice that the bike "looks like" it's on top of the dirt, not digging in and fighting the rider? While it's just a picture, that's the "feel" of a light weight bike.
Here is a picture of a modified Suzuki DRZ400 in the sand. It's a typical 4 stroke dual sport. Notice it's not on top? That's how the weight feels in sand.
Again, these are just pictures in my attempt to show the affect of dirt bike weight and how it "feels" to the rider. Obviously, the heavy bike is a real handful in the sand.
It was not all that long ago that real dirt bikes hovered just over 200 pounds. 125cc two strokes (I'm not suggesting this) were 190 pounds! There is a reason for the incredible capability of these light weight bikes, and it has nothing to do with picking them up after a tip-over (we won't call it a crash.....
The 4 stroke "revolution" resulted in some very heavy bikes. The engines are heavy, the batteries and starter motors are heavy, and they are less powerful when compared by displacement.
I initially thought you were talking about a true dirt bike, for off road use only. If that's still a possibility, then get something that will perform well in your riding area. You would not take a Ninja 300 street bike and ride it in the woods and expect good results. Yet, that's exactly the direction some people go when they pick a heavy bike with low quality "street" level components, not intended for real off road use. The pogo-stick ride is much the same.
If you want a dual sport bike, know that all of them (with the exception of the KTM's and a few other exotics) are a serious compromise towards street performance. Many are 90% street, 10% dirt by design. They are very overweight off road, and therefore, can be difficult to control. Especially in sand or mud.
One interesting indicator of off road prowess is fork tube diameter. Thin fork tubes are flexible, leading to poor handling. Another indicator is suspension travel in inches. Anything less than 10 inches of travel will not do a great job in the dirt.
Here is a 190 pound dirt bike and a good indication of how they look on rough terrain. You can't see the massive fork tubes, but they are there. Notice that the bike "looks like" it's on top of the dirt, not digging in and fighting the rider? While it's just a picture, that's the "feel" of a light weight bike.
Here is a picture of a modified Suzuki DRZ400 in the sand. It's a typical 4 stroke dual sport. Notice it's not on top? That's how the weight feels in sand.
Again, these are just pictures in my attempt to show the affect of dirt bike weight and how it "feels" to the rider. Obviously, the heavy bike is a real handful in the sand.
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