Exactly! I've been "converting" my wr450 into more of a dual sport machine. The only thing that the WR lacks is more oil capacity! I know the DRZ had much better capacity, but I like the light weight nature and off road capabilities of the WR over the DRZ. If they ever mad a WR with the service intervals of the WR250R its game over imho.
So fix the fucking emission and move on. Who cares. The style is awesome and isn't going anywhere. I just looked at a 2017 KLR650 and went back 2 weeks later it was sold. Have to order.
Emissions standards are a joke...why regulate a 650cc motorcycle that gets 60 plus mpg?! Meanhile jerkoffs with four door trucks drive the gas guzzlers to office jobs and use them for nothing but fashion statements... THAT should be regulated!
To play devil's advocate a bit, motorcycles do pollute a lot more than cars PER engine cc due to smaller cats and an overall shorter exhaust line. So it makes more sense than you think to regulate emissions on bikes.
@@simonmarty99 ...plus small utility engines on lawn mowers, weed eaters, chainsaws, snow blowers, etc. produce more emmissions than all motorcycles combined.
And yet here we are, nearly 5 years after this vid was made, and I just bought a new DR650, which admittedly has not changed ANYTHING in more than 15 years, but which doesn't really need much upgrading (in my opinion) to be a really good dual sport. When I picked it up at the dealership, it was sitting next to a fuel injected KLR, that can likely pass emissions for another decade. The thumper is NOT DEAD!
Honestly Idk why they even bother with so many emissions laws, everyone just undoes the restrictions with aftermarket stuff any way. Plus its not like a small single cylinder engine produces that much pollution anyway, the offroading community is just an easy target for politicians.
Mr Murders the problem is with the update comes the update of prices. They would have to totally redesign the bike. It’s the only reason these old style hikes are still out. They are cheap and grandfathered in. I don’t agree with a lot of our emission laws. Don’t even get me started in diesel particulate filters lol.
@@01superduty89 which produce nothing, so comparing something against nothing will always project a bad image but the reality is the singles produce tiny amounts and i'm not so certain that that has any effect on anything.
@@Username-2 You can't really think I was serious about Harleys becoming the norm right? LOL, I mean like a set of Tractionators on a Harley and an Eagle exhaust, for off road? That's like running a marathon on a bulldozer.
Here in Israel the offroad and dual-sport/adventure craze is going strong. Most people can only afford one bike, and with a year-round riding season, with two thirds of the country being an open desert, many tend to buy a dual sport (mainly the DRZ400, CRF250L or WR250) or ADV bikes (mainly the 650 V-strom or Versys, or the Tenere 660). Last year they reintroduced the DR650 and DRZ400 to our market, and they've been selling redicolously well. I can see the 400 in particular in almost every commute. People just like a bulletproof, easy to fix thumper.
The original name for that land is Israel and Judea and Samaria and not the West Bank. Palestine is where the Philistines were which is Gaza. When ancient scrolls are found in the West Bank, they are always in Hebrew and not Arabic or "Palestinian". All that aside, peace will come when an Israeli and Palestinian can go on a long distance adventure ride as friends on their KLRs (or V-Stroms) from Tel Aviv (Israel->"Palestine"-->Jordan->Iraw->Iran-Pakistan->India) to India without any roadblocks or worries from instability or borders. Can adventure riding friends create peace? That would really be an amazing trip!
The DR and KLR are perfect the way they are. There's a reason these bikes remain popular, it's because they work. Simple tech is what you want in the middle of no where. I hope they never change these two tuff machines.
it's true that the single cylinder and carburator can be more easily fixed with simple tools. but anywhere you go you'll find mechanics that can fix modern motors too. service your bike as the manufacturer tells you and you'll hardly ever run into trouble. run anything past 100k miles and you'll regularly have to replace parts. I would trust a modern motor with tighter fitting parts with regular service internals to last longer than thumpers tbh
Pah! Where do you find an electric fuel pump out in the boonies on a Sunday? Huh? I don't care how out of tune my carburetor is, (A.) it'll still run, and (B.) I can correct it. Anywhere. Furthermore, exactly where DOES that fuel pump go? In the gas tank (as on all cars & trucks, for cooling purposes), where it reduces fuel capacity? No big deal in a 15-22 gal. fuel tank, but in 2.3 gal. motorcycle tank that'd be quite a chunk. And how about the ECM? Where does THAT go? And what do THEY cost? How 'bout when, not if, you run out of gas? Do you merely damage your fuel pump, or do you destroy it? Hell of a question, huh? Not only do you suffer a retail price hike for the motorcycle, but your cost of ownership takes a hike upwards as well. EFI on a motorcycle? No, thanks! So don't tell me about 'modern' motors, Conrado. There's nothing obsolescent about any of the current big singles. What they need to get rid of is the overhead cam and its' long drive chain. After being a motorcycle nut for over 40 years I've become very appreciative of the merits of pushrods.
I don't think they realize how many would sell. If someone made a updated DRZ E street legal type machine. We are begging Japan 🇯🇵. We have waited long enough.
The T7 would be great. Coming from a guy that owns a Wr450 and a fz07. Combined those bikes and you will have something amazing. The fz07 motor has great low end torque.
Indeed the mt-07 motor is awesome, and the mt-03 and r3 motor is very similar just lighter. A Yamaha T3 would compete with the versys-x, g310gs and the like.. it would out-sell everything in Brazil. still there is space for something lighter with the same motor, a dual cylinder 320 XTZ maybe
Yamaha confirms 205kg.... ...452 llbs wet .....and will be $10K minimum ABSOLUTELY ...My brother just bought the 650 Vstrom and it was 10k out the door ....heavier and less dirt worthy than the new T7 certainly will be and hence they can command more bucks so why would they not?
I love your production value. Epic drone shots and voice overs are the best format ever!!! I can throw your vids up on my tv and watch it like a tv show.
EFI, 6th gear and drop a few pounds in the process. If KTM can do it the Japanese shouldn't have a problem. I mean the R&D has already been done. There has to be more to it than that.
tyler, i must inform you i am allergic to excellent investigative motojournalism... you are killing me man lol! excellent vid as always and some very interesting thoughts in there.
A few things: A. Loooove the rodcam B. Athena just became a collectors item C. I hope Yam or Suz makes a bike to compete with KTMs 350EXC model! Gahhh, we might have to all band together and make our own perfect adventure bike. 250lbs, 3 gallon 65mpg tank, WR maint intervals, 35-40hp, capable suspension, loves to get dirty in the dark, wet, jungle.
Lower seat for sure with so many high seat options and only the TW200 is the low seat options. I can't understand why there is not one powerful low seat option on the market.
Bike companies should sponsor RUclipsrs to spark excitement. Big companies the firearms world learned tgis a while back and are doing great with that type of marketing to the regular guys.
perhaps if we dualsporters were more organized and were members of AMA the true numbers of us could be counted, and maybe we are a bigger market than anyone thinks. A lot of us are riding 15-30 year old machines that keep getting rebuilt. I am just as guilty as anyone for not making my voice heard. I hope thumpers aren't dead and I'd love to go out and by a new one before they're gone. it's just not a reality for me now. as always, great job Tyler A thought just occurred to me, if emissions are to be blamed for the WR demise, how is it that the archaic XT 250, and TW200 would remain in the line up? also the XT received a fuel injection update not that long ago. so it certainly leaves several questions as to why?
because the 650's create waaaaaay more heat than a little TW200 or 250 and can be air cooled instead of using radiators etc. so they pass emissions with flying colors. Nobody ever bought a 650 because they are efficient!! hahahaha! KTM is the only company that has put advanced tech into their big thumpers- comparing a 690 to anything else is a joke, but you gotta pay for it.
Great vid, thanks for the plug mate! Yamaha Japan website states the WR250R is at the end of its production and your US website does not list it on the 2018 model lineup :-( Lets hope Yamaha are just getting ready to unleash a dual sport unicorn :-)
WR250R is discontinued in Europe as well as of 2017, since it does not meet Euro 4 emission standards. The introduction of Euro 4 killed loads of bikes over here.
Lets hope for that unicorn! I wonder if they might have only had it planned for only a 10 year life cycle? I didn't even think of that until right now...
One reason they are so popular with seasoned riders is we realize beauty of simplicity of a single cylinder thumper. These bikes have a huge following that is not going away. I could get on mine tomorrow and ride across the country for peanuts.
That one made me laugh, and I have a similar problem. At fifty-six, I want to commute to work all week on 2 gallons of fuel and have a chance to make it look intentional if I doze off and run off the road. #please don't take my Yamaha away
And Im All Out Of Bubblegum , most people just getting into dual sport can't afford to start with that price tag on a bike. Some of us that have been riding DS for a few years either don't want a bigger heavier bike or just don't want to throw that much money at a bike just to take it out and thrash it.
This is probably all you'll ever need. Admit it's a bit costly, 10k€ new here in Portugal, but it's an amazing dual sport, with really low maintenance and amazing mileage. Comes with GPS standard and you can ride it at 140km/h comfortably on the highway. motoajp.com/enduros/models-features/pr-7/
The funpocalypse is never going to happen. The old will be made new, thumpers never die they just get rebuilt. Sad to hear the WR250R is finishing its production run.
KTM 500 will run rings around them old heaps of crap and it eats 650s for lunch ,,, their is a guy blogging his world trip on a 016 500exc so far his done 500 hours 40.000+ klm with one valve adjustment , still ticking over like a clock ,no high maintenance just oil change every 2000miles,
My father has an XT225 which i am currently riding since he has a second bike as well. It has been with us since 1998 and i would rather drain it and put it on display in my living room than selling it. I am gonna keep it in good running condition for as long as i can even when i end up with a bigger displacement bike. I am very disappointed by the fact that every dual sport nowadays is either a race ready machine that's expensive to buy and own, or a anemic and obese machine that some old man would use to pick up the grocery. Here in Greece at least when you search in the catalogs of the most known manufacturers things are heartbreaking. XR's gone... XT's apart from the breathless XT125 almost gone (the 660's future isn't very bright looking at the sales elsewhere because here its like the national bike or something everyone has or had one)... DR's...we are left with an 125cc air-cooled bike. The Drz400 was the third best seller motorcycle for Suzuki after the Gsx-r's (what a surprise) and the V-strom's. Maybe a Ktm or a Husqvarna could do the trick but they are so expensive. Maybe i would risk buying a used one...if i didn't know what the previous owners usually do with the maintenance. As for the klx250 and the crf250l...considering the economical status here they are not worth their money in my opinion at least as new...5500 euros (that's the price here) for a 250cc is extreme especially when a 20-year old machine is lighter and probably faster than them in its current state of 90.000+ km. Maybe i sound biased and bitter but they really don't convince me to invest the money they ask for. Maybe people's taste has changed and doing 50km/h in traffic on a 1000cc to get chicks is 90% of the population's limits of adventure but the companies' indifference has played its part in this. The ideal modern 250's and 400's only need FOUR things electric start,fuel injection, water-cooling and 6 speeds...aw and NO FUCKING ELECTRONICS, thank god i was given a pair of hands and legs and i am willing to use them!!!! Fun fact is i believe they would sell so many of them considering the things i read on the internet from people from abroad. Many wish for a kind of bike like this, but when they can't find it plated and with reasonable maintenance and price for the amount of bike they get they will look elsewhere. Until they decide to produce something of actual value and worth spending my money in, i am gonna turn the xt225 into a spaceship from the upgrades! At least i will get the pleasure of owning something unique...Keep your heads up and your spirits higher because we ''thumpers'' are distinguished and rare!!!
I think it's also important to note that since the designs of the "Big Three" 650's have had only minor changes in over 20 years, they are arguably MORE popular with some long distance ADV riders. If you are broke down in South America, 250 miles from a larger dealer, a local shop may have the ability to provide an emergency fix or have a needed part.
If the WR250R is getting the ax, you can be sure something better is on the way. They didn't just take an engine from a 250f & call it good enough until emissions standards got to be too much, it was a brand new engine built on the R1 crossplane platform just 9 years ago. That's not a long run for an engine design, even for Yamaha. Seriously doubt they're done with it. Not to mention that around here (N GA) WRRs sell well new & go for a premium used, people love them. And all the thumpers need are water cooling & EFI to do fine with emissions, even the big boys. Even just EFI would probably be enough in a lot of cases where the engines aren't very high compression & don't put as much stress on rings & such. I think the best is yet to come, KTM is putting the pressure on the Japanese to update, upgrade, & expand their selections.
This is what I am hoping for too. The dropping of the WR250R is definitely a strange move, but they did something similar with their boat lineup last year by dropping a model for a year and re-introducing it a year later with updates (and in that case, new engines). Lets hope they are doing something similar with the WR250R.
Phillip Squires this is crazy talk. I never owned a bike that consumed sprockets, chains, tires, levers, batteries etc like my dual sports. Road bikes have it easy on parts. Dual Sports are money makers for parts.
Haha Phillip, I see where you're going with this. I think you have the right idea that dealers don't make money off them because "most people" just want a fast city bike. People who buy dual sports and love them use their bike enough to warrant buying new parts. However, it's not the dealers that make the money off parts, it's the manufacturers and 3rd parties that do. Once the dual sport leaves the dealer's door, it usually never comes back, and that's because we love our bikes.
Old multibrand mechanic here. Nice paranoia but dealers don't rely on parts sales revenue (most of their parts sales are in conjunction with repairs they perform in-house)) and your proposition ignores online parts vendors who aren't factory dealers, and independent shops. Dirt bikes of any type, like offroad trucks, break often and wear out quickly when used offroad. DP bikes don't last forever unless they sit in a garage.
Transmission failure as described is not intrinsic to dual purpose machines. Short top end life from being worked harder than a larger multi is intrinsic to dirt/DP bikes. 24K is simply poor longevity unless you were abusing the machine like many of us, self certainly included, do.
Where there is a will, there is a way. Even if production of all dual sports ended tomorrow, there are still options. Engine rebuilds on existing bikes can keep things going for a number of years until parts dry up. An aftermarket of detuners would pop up to increase the longevity of pure dirtbikes. KTM could put the Duke 390 engine in a dirt chassis. In the 60's many a dual sport was made from a pure streetbike. Where there is a demand, it will get filled one way or another.
On a KTM 690 Enduro R and love it! Big power, plenty of suspension & brakes, & handles solidly. Outside of the price, this bike rocks! Compete Japan! All riders will benefit if so.
The WR250r has been removed from the Yamaha website in Canada. News of the forthcoming T7 are extremely intriguing but time will tell if they have a hit or missed the boat. Suzuki has been focused on their V-Strom platform so I wouldn't hold my breath for anything there and Honda's answer was the 250 Rally (Nice bike but a bit low on power). @everide your logic is sound though depressing. Let's hope that a "Second Wind" does come in the form of a renaissance for dual sport in the 400-800 range. I will say that the KTM/Husqvarna 690/701 are absolutely incredible thumpers that seem to have managed the emission requirements quite well. Unfortunately the cost of those bikes is very high. Great video my man. Hope you're recovering and feeling MUCH better.
indeed they produced the DL250 V-Strom, a dual cylinder 250, which is really surprising to see rather than a 350-ish range. Out of all the Tenere, Versys, GS' and Tiger, etc, the V-Strom is the most road bike of all. 300 to 400 cc on a dual cylinder motor with EFI and water cooling would make a great platform for a new low range dual sport. I'm confident the T7 will sell like the freshest lemonade you ever saw on a hot summer day
I don't need a better single cylinder motor than the XR 650 R . AND NEITHER DOES ANYONE ELSE PERIOD! IF THAT IS THE ONLY BIG SINGLE WE EVER GET I'M GOOD BRO!
Love them or hate them, Ktm is keeping high performance single cylinder dual sports alive, as well as excellent contributions from Husqvarna and Beta. The Japanese brands may be falling short in recent years, which is a shame because they make some machines that are practically bulletproof, but the European manufacturers are pushing the sport further than its ever been pushed before, and as long as someone is making bikes for us, the future is bright.
As a newcomer to the dirt with two wheels, (KLR), I watch in awe as you have a thoughtful narration while raging around on trails... And here I thought I was a pro chewing bubble gum and riding at the same time. 👍). On a more thoughtful note, it seems to me, in so much as I can tell, that DP’s and ADV’s have a bright future. Like the Jeep Cherokee XJ’s, even if the manufacturer stops making them, people will continue to use them and love them, and ultimately convince the producer to bring them back into production in a meaningful way over time. You now have my original thought for the day. 😁 Great Video. Thx!
Yes sir, I agree, it would be pretty cool to see DRZ 400 fuel injected and or a bigger WR would be cool as well. This video makes me wish I had kept my KLR, but hopefully they are not all gone for. Thanks for sharing and have a blessed week my friend.
As was already said by a number of people, thankfully the dual sport community happens to be mostly populated by gear heads. Even the old bikes like my '91 DR350 will continue to be well maintained and ridden on a regular basis. Here's to another 25 years of riding these old bikes!
I think you may be right Tyler about our thumpers. Rumor has 2017 will be the last year our beloved KLR is produced. We can take solace in the fact that the big singles are so bullet proof that they'll be on the trails for years to come simply because they run forever...
I got a 2012 wr250r and love it. It's the first bike I've ever bought new and I'm glad I did. I really hope Yamaha is just getting ready to release the next big thing in the dual sport world.
I disagree with emissions standards for bikes. its such a small market in the grand scheme of things, and they really aren't that bad in comparison to even today's cars. it becomes another rung of the ladder which ends up costing everybody more money when in reality, its not going to save the world.
I would love to see the Suzuki drz 400 with a different gearbox containing a lower first and a roadworthy 6th.. Or a Yamaha WR of higher displacement .. they both seem like a near miss to greatness to me..
I've been following your channel for quite a while now... almost from the beginning , before you quit your job and went full time. Anyway, I just wanted to say this is the best video I've ever seen of yours. I hope everything is going well for you. regards from Nottinghamshire
i like how they cite emissions as a reason for decline when there are literally new 2 stroke bikes being built.... i mean the klr650 cant be dirtier than a freakin 2 stroke right>
Well done my friend! Excellent video, great coverage/footage, well edited between shots, and concise. Some thought and a great deal of time was spent making this video. Thank you. Although some of your points could be considered assumptions, they did not stray too far off base and make a great topic to debate amongst riders. MY ASSUMPTION is that trends have caused a lot of manufacturers to move beyond dualsports and now they are focused on the demands from the public, i.e. side by sides and other platforms. Only the true enthusiasts are seeking out the duals as others see them as a fad that has come and almost gone. Not as sexy as they once were. Keep up the good work, brotha!
Great report......We need high torque bikes, however they try to achieve that end. I'm more the adventure bike type, but stilll love simplicity, and not having some computer making more adjustments to itself than I would be comfortable with. But, times do change. My biggest fear is being priced out of adventure biking because I can't afford the massive beast twins, or not being able to effectively wrench on a bike because of its complexity.
Disappointing if true. Still hoping to snag a WR250R asap. I'll ride it off into the thump-pocalypse. It really does fill a niche for riders who want a newer tech, lower maintenance bike capable of reasonable adv riding.
Best to come from Japan for 2019 is the Honda crf450L dual sport. But because of emissions and stuff it costs as much as a ktm or husquavarna. It's a racible bike that's not orange but costs as much as the orange one :(
I just recently switched from a DL 650 Suzuki to a Kawasaki Versys X 300 . The almost 100 pound weight advantage with low seat and an actual useable fuel tank and low cost have impressed me . For a stock bike it handles twisty roads well and also handles fairly good in lose gravel . The amazing thing to me is how well the little twin preformed off the pavement . Mine has ABS and after other riders asking me how it worked after 80 miles of off pavement , I had to say I do not know . The engine braking works so well I hardly touched the brakes . So on the next ride I hit the rear brake on a washboard lose gravel steep downhill . I did not lose braking , just felt pulsing in the pedal . I have owned many bikes of all sizes and I have to say that this 300 is just plain fun . Note , I had to fab up a skid plate before going to our June ADV Jamboree in eastern Oregon . I was surprised how well it did riding up a dry creek bed . My skid plate earned it's keep on several of these rides . Just have to get used to reving the little power plant , it loves RPM . Try one !
I'm hoping to see a crf500l or something to rejuvenate the segment. Regardless, lots of valid points, but 🤞🏽the dual sport market has legs enough to make it through the "downfall"
Great video. I used to have the DRZ400S and a bunch of friends all had XR650s and DR650s. I sold the DRZ in favor of the '05 WR250F. Its bout 80lbs lighter and has roughly the same HP, from what I've researched. Yes it's oil change intervals are indeed a lot closer together, but the trade off of weight difference and handling was well worth it. I found mine on CL with a title, so I was able to get it switched over to a street legal title pretty easily.
All great points that have been brought up in the video, but I think what playing a larger role is market saturation coupled with changing trends towards greener recreational trends by younger buyers, driven in part by the closure of OHV trails on public land creating a lack of areas to ride. There are just so many good used bikes available that are still on the road it diminishes new bike sales. The investment into new mountain bike and ebike technology has also given rise to a reasonable alternative to exploring these same areas that where once only accessible by motorized transportation. I ride both a KLR and a modern mountain bike and I've seen far more interest by beginners into the cycles that are pedaled.
I've heard rumors of a WR450 dual sport, that would be absolutely badass. Also looks like 250 class mini-ADV bikes are taking off with a CRF250 based one, the Versys 300X and a 250 V-strom coming out, not to mention a certain Chinese bike that beat them to the market and is actually non-terrible ... for a Chinese bike.
The dr650 or even the drz400 and pretty much all of the bikes mentioned except the fuel injected ones can't be sold in Germany essentially since ~2000 because of emissions. So here you see dr650's from 1997 with 45000 km beeing sold for 3000€+ it's ridiculous
tolga1cool Yeah i was lucky finding a drz 400 with 17000km for 3900€. And looking at how much it originally costed and how old these are 3900 is still way too much but u just cant get them anymore because of those stupid emission regulations
Hi friend, I'm Joshua from Costa Rica! Big fan of your channel and videos, amazing tips and reviews you make. Talking about reviews, I was wondering your opinion on the Honda XR650L? I'm thinking to buy a new bike, and I'm really undecided about the KLR, DR or the XR. I like all kind of bikes, but dirt bikes are my favorites brap brap haha. CRF450!!! Besides, here in my country there is a lot of places where you need a dirt/dual sport bike, if not you will miss all the nature and amazing places to visit. So, since I like the dirt bikes, but I'm also want and adventure bike, the XR seems the be pretty good option, it keeps the dirt style combined the the dual sport features. I don't like the fuel capacity, but I live in a small country anyways, and nothing a rotopax can fix :D So, what do you think? I'll appreciate you opinion and help, thanks in advance. Greetings from Costa Rica, pura vida!
Not so sure the emissions argument holds water. If a single 650 is too large to pass emissions, how do the 1300, 1500, 1800 etc v-twins pass? The US is not the world market, many countries do not have the same road quality, if the road is even paved at all. Dual sports are road bikes in these conditions...
I have always had 2 stroke dual purpose bikes. There is something about that top end rush that can't be beat.Rich Yamaha produced two versions of the DT200r. The last was the DT 200RR dual rads. Oil injected.with power valve to give lots of low end torque and that massive 2 stroke rush up top. I owned both. And since then there hasn't been a 4 stroke that can compare. A couple of years ago i purchased a new Yamaha WR. After reading how great a bike it was. I hoped it was good enough to bring back the days of my DT200RR.But no the WR was not even close. It was a very disappointing bike. I dumped it after just one year. With all the land closures of late and true off road riding places almost gone. I decided it was time find a lite bike that was more road worthy than dirt. But still able to get me off road to check out some trails. I purchased a Kawasaki Versys 300.Yes it's no dirt bike, but it will get you out there. If they would put this motor in a true dirt bike or update the Versys suspension I believe they would open a new dual sport market.Kawasaki needs to squeeze a bit more power out of it, but, this motor is smooth as an electric motor. And it loves to rev..... it pulls from 4K to just under 14K with no fuss no complaints. The motor is small so that shouldn't be an issue.Even with ery short gearing the Versys will do 100 mph.I think this is the future small bike motor. Ultra smooth, wide rev range, big high rpm growl, all in a very small package. Rob
So...dual sport is dead because it hasnt changed in a decade!? Maybe it hasnt changed because it is exactly what it was meant to be. Maybe I'm gonna keep my "dying-breed" KLR Tractor until it NEVER dies.
Hey man loving the format of the video with the backpack cam! Your videos are what convinced me to get an FDRx3000 over another GoPro. Glad to see you riding again!
So the SWM 500s just passed Carb, which I think are going to be great dual sports, and the 650 should pass carb any time now. Then their is the ajp pr7 coming out to the states at the end of the year. I don't think thumpers are dead, maybe japanese ones are, but im ok with that. Let SWM and AJP take over. The SWMs should be especially cheap (I think on facebook the importer said 7k) and the AJP isnt too shabbily priced either (the importer said they are shooting for 10k). One sun sets and another one rises
I scrolled down to find this comment. SWM took an older design Husky, put EFI on it, and passed the new EURO4 emissions. Thats the 600cc, 54hp, 6sp, 320lbs enduro model. They sell for roughly $7300 usd in Australia and europe. It can be done and sales is the only thing stopping manufacturers. Why spend the money on R&D with a WR250R when the XT250 is cheaper, gets better margin, and is priced more competitively. I've seen someone put a cb500f twin in a crf230 frame and make the bike of our dreams. Even the Versys-X 300 would be acceptable with more than just single digits of suspension travel. The only way to get what we want is to hurt them in the pocketbooks and stop buying old design or "good enough"
Alex Colon swm is a small company so they slip unde the radar. Same as beta. KTM used to but now they have to go through all the emissions stuff as well. They still managed to get a 320lbs 74hp 701 past emissions
74 hp is probably "claimed" at the crank. in reality, its in the late 50s on a dyno. Not sure if you can even call it a husqvarna. its just a KTM with different plastics. and KTM stands for - Keeps taking money. lol
Alinel Woundhorn have you ever owned a Ktm? They are no worse than any other bike for replacing parts. Husqvarna Parts actually are usually cheeper than parts for my Honda. Ktm has a good solid bike now. The older ones weren't so much though And the 701 only shares the frame with the Ktm. Entirely Different motor and body
Its not an "entirely" different motor. Its got a different map, and a second balancer shaft to arrest vibes. Its the same SOHC head as the 690 with a bigger bore (and a shorter stroke, which KTM claim add's 1000 rpm of usable power) ... Different plastics. thats about it. I know plenty of folks doing an RTW on690's and all of them have had catastrophic failures. Why should I own a KTM again?
actually the fact that they are not updating them as one of the reasons why I love my KLR! I like the old technology because it is more reliable and easier to work on. I don't want a whole bunch of newfangled electronic gadgetry hanging all over my back waiting to get wet and go bad and give me problems and cost me money. I want simple and straightforward and cost-effective. that's the market that these bikes sell to
I bought the first 2006 KLX 250S in Western Washington back in November of 05. I currently have 17,500 miles on it and have loved every single second on the bike. Recently (last Sunday) I got to ride a 2017 Husky 510, and I was blown away at the power, in fact so much so that when I got back on my KLX I seriously thought I either had a flat tire or something was wrong with the motor. I could seriously pull a wheelie in the first 4 gears on the Husky, something my KLX can only do in first for me but then again I have a lot more "Girth Units" than most. This video talked a bit about emissions, and while that is true, that things will only get more restricted in the future, a huge percentage of owners will remove what makes these bikes bottle-necked from the factory. While I love my little KLX and when I first bought it all those years ago the CC's were higher than my weight....and now...well, let's just say its not anymore. But if I had a time machine I would go back and buy either the DRZ 400 or the Honda 650. But do I have a time machine? No I don't have the sense to have a time machine. Where was I going with this? I have no idea. It's like I walked into a room and forgot why I came in here. And in the infamous words of Forest Gump..."That's all I got to say about that"
Hey Tyler, I have a couple questions and one is fairly newbish. First have you tried Lectron carbs on your ADV bikes? and secondly if you had to chose between a 400 or a KLR and could only have 1 what would you pick?
Well im glad you were wrong, im also glad your videos are top notch. Iv been trying my own spin off’s of your videos... but your just amazing and I have no idea how you make these videos so well. Such a good story and voice over!
The moto industry is a very competitive one, always trying to fill in the gap where another manufacturer is lacking.... Ill bet we see some really awesome fuel injected dualsports in our future.....
Dirt Rider Magazine has been talking about how there's pressure on off-road bikes to conform to emissions standards now, meaning that manufacturers may just end up taking their off-road models and put the things on them to make a street legal variant. I believe KTM is one of the manufacturers trying to do that. If so, I think there is definitely a future for dual sports, even if in a more dirt bike form. Would love to get your thoughts. Btw, love your vids! I recommend your videos to anyone I meet who works on their own bike.
My opinion is that the big 4 japan bike manufacturers will have to learn quick if they're going to keep up with the euro bikes (KTM specifically). All they need to do is engineer fuel injection onto their bikes, and most of the hurdle will be overcome. The motor doesn't really even need to change, it's just a big pump. To add fuel injection, manufacturers need to engineer space for a tank mounted fuel pump with bypass, throttle body with injector, an 02 sensor, map or airbox sensor, emissions canisters, with the appropriate ECU and wiring, and you're good to go with tunable fuel mapping and clean emissions. A great example is the venerable KTM 950 adventure, which has a twin carbureted twin cylinder LC8 motor that was manufactured before the stringent emissions standards were enforced. Thus, in 2007, in order to pass more stringent emissions laws, they used the same basic engine (LC8) but added twin throttle bodies with 02 sensor controlled fuel injection, with it's charcoal canisters, as the new fuel injected 990, which passed the emissions standards even with poor fuel mapping from the factory. Same basic bike as the 950, just fuel injected. It is easy for the japanese bikes to just slap on an appropriately sized carburetor, and be done with profits rolling in. Unfortunately, KTM, beta, Husky's are blowing the doors off the Japanese manufacturers in innovation, and will be way ahead of them for a while as they try to figure out how to keep some of the dual sport market share. The big Euro's will have the lionshare of the market for a while, but I'll bet in our lifetime we will have very competitive sweet dual sports to choose from. Motocrossers are already a step in that direction, and at least in Utah, could be converted easily.
4:20 that is what happened to me over the years . i lost all my off road trails . The old railroad track lines were all turned into walking trails. The old abandoned strip mine properties were sold and closed off. I miss that mind clearing ride I use to take on those old trails. Now they are gone and so is the KLR . I sold it.
Never owned a dual sport or riden a single trail. Always wanted to. Now I’m 61 years old and amazed that it’s still even allowed. When you think of the noise, trail damage, litter, land scarring on others property, lack of funding for public lands all before this subject even begins.... you have to realize how fragile what you have taken for granted is. Where is the mobility of the off road community to give back, Fix public attitude, and build the future? Motorcycles as a whole are losing ground because of public perception right now. The fringes will be the first to crash and burn. I love your sport, but be real. It’s not always about your tune, tweek, and upgrade.
Bongo Dave Boi. the Democrats are no longer in power. we're allowed to defend ourselves outside Florida now, what with their castle doctrine. again I say -NO STEP ON SNEK!
Bongo Dave you don't have to but I want to have that choice. there are very few places on earth left with that choice, everywhere else snek is gettin stepped on.
lol people who believe in "fair fights" and "honor" on the street and in the wild. PROTIP: Actual fights are about winning at any cost, not fighting fair. Anything else is a sport.
I'm from Indonesia and smaller displacement dual sports are selling really well over here. I myself ride a Kawa KLX 150 BF (KLX 150BF is the Indonesian street legal model of KLX 140L) for everyday commuting and trail riding. In fact, most of us trail riders in Indonesia are using the 150cc and a handful of 250 cc Kawa dual sports (thay don't sell KLR in here). And as of today, the only real competitors to Kawas in Indonesian dual sport market is an Indonesian brand called Viar with its 150cc and 200cc bikes. Sherco, Beta, Gasgas, Husqvarna, and KTM enduro and duals are not selling that well in terms of quantity due to the price tags. I heard some news that Honda will also enter the market with 150cc dual sport CRF model. Yamaha WR 250R is also not selling very well here due to the lower price tags of the Kawa KLX 250 and Honda CRF 250 Rally. Those with enough money to buy a WR will often opt for KTM or Husqvarna. Funny, because Yamaha is a big player in the Indonesian street bike market. Suzuki used to be successful in the dual sport market in the 80s and 90s with their TS 125 two stroke. So was Yamaha with their DT 100 two stroke.
You said that one reason dual sport bikes are dying is that trails are being closed. While single-track trails might be closing, closing all trails would affect ATVs and jeeps as well. I think there would be some pushback before that happened. Finally, most sports that rely on the environment, for example climbing and whitewater boating, have organization that defend use of those spaces. Maybe the dual sport community should consider something similar. And as someone else pointed out, electric bikes, while still very new, might offer a way to address emission standards. Great video by the way.
Emissions??? On a dual sport bike ? mostly off-road? Out in the desert riding towards a pile of burning tires marking the course? EPA gone crazy. I want a XR650L.
1:52 Thats cool you used a light bar on your bike too. I mounted a flood & spot combo bar on my XR and it works amazingly well. Its like turning on the sun!
Just got rid of my 09 klr,traded it in a kawasaki concours 14. Just nowhere to ride off road anymore. I'm from north of philadelphia,pa. Planing on checking out the US.Wish i lived out where you live or CDSport. Well anyway Cheers !Keep your feet on the pegs!
greetings, this was a great video and pretty enlightening. I think we're suffering from a lot of the same problems in the sport ATV industry. Only difference being, that lack of updates in the sport ATV segment is leading to the market completely dying because consumers can go by eight-year-old used machines for half the price of new ones and since they haven't changed their not giving up anything except having a new machine. we have heard that excuse directly from manufacturers when it comes to smaller dirt bikes like the KDX 200, klx300, and some other Japanese models in regards to Trails being shut down killing off the demand. Only problem with that story is they continue to make larger and larger UTV's for $20,000 and more. we have seen a lot of old cool dual Sports come and go including some of the older two strokes. we hope the current offerings don't go anywhere anytime soon. good luck to the Dual sporters
Like the republicans aren't out to privatize public lands, thus putting an end to any petitions for types of public use. Try thinking past the end of your nose.
David Gough stop making stupid accusations to cover the politics of your party. Democrats are the ones trying to close civilian use of government land, PERIOD! and if you have ANY questions on that go to any chat room for people who are Sierra club members and ask them which president got the most government land closed off from the public to protect it and you will see people arguing about whether it was Bill or Barry.... NOBODY is going to say it was Donald, the Georges, or anyone else. And when the government does oil, range, timber, or mineral leases the land is still open for the public to go through.... so stop making up BS.
Quoting the video, "It's heartbreaking..." Why such love for these aged out bikes? Spare us the drama. Guys! It's time to move on! Let your KLX's and DRZ's die! Husky, KTM and Beta all make some great dual-sports. You will love them. I know that these bikes new are expensive, but so are new Japanese bikes. Remember: Dual-sport = plated dirt bike. This means you ride it 80% of the time in the dirt. Adventure Bike = Street bike with skid-plates, protected pipes etc, so bike can go on dirt roads. Not necessarily graded dirt roads, but not rugged rutted-out double tracks either.
Love your Vids, I have a DL650, Not been off road much since my younger days, now I am age 76 yrs, bones tend to break easier the older one gets, You say they dont update the ADVs but Suzuki keep updating the DLs. Wonder why that is, they still seem very popular.
Hi, great vid. Quick question, where was this filmed, I'm heading to the states soon on my Africa Twin and would love to try out some of these desert trails.
Great video, man. I'm a lifelong fan of big single dualsports. It would be a sad day if they went away. Twins are rather nice as well however! An SV650 motor with modern tech housed in a modern chassis would be nice as well! Anyway, what's that camera mount arm that's attached to your backpack? Is this something you made? Tell me me more! 👍
I was surprised by this video having watched it after you’re video on the Honda CRF450L. That bike seems to meet all the criteria you mention in this video. I believe the price is what turns most people away from the new 450L (possibly followed by maintenance). Why do people think there should be a newer, faster, lighter, better-suspended, dual sport for the same price as the old technology?
I wish they would make a street legal version of the WR450F available here in the US. I think the dual sport world would benefit by having a few options that were a little more like a dirtbike. Most 650s are heavy, and then it jumps down to 225s, or 250s, which leave something to be desired in the power department. I would love a good in-between, even if it means sacrificing a bit of comfort on the road, but adding to the offroad capability. I know there is the DRZ400, and I think that is as close as dual sports have come to being the perfect balance, but as you mentioned, they haven't changed much in the past 10 years.
I have a 1999 TT-R 250 and that things runs nice and clean. I've never had issues with it, I launch it at the house and run it pretty hard, but I've only had the fork seals need replaced and a new bolt for the foot peg.
An updated DR-.Z 400E would be THE bike! EFI, 6th gear, shave some weight off and add better suspension. I'm already in love :D Would sell like hot delicious bread.
As long as dual sport riders are out there dual sport will never be dead.
Exactly. I just picked up a 1978 TT500 for dual sport riding.
i just got a TW200 last night still needs some work.
Exactly! I've been "converting" my wr450 into more of a dual sport machine. The only thing that the WR lacks is more oil capacity! I know the DRZ had much better capacity, but I like the light weight nature and off road capabilities of the WR over the DRZ.
If they ever mad a WR with the service intervals of the WR250R its game over imho.
Join the Yamaha TW200 forum on line there are over 12,400 of us members lots of information.
So fix the fucking emission and move on. Who cares. The style is awesome and isn't going anywhere. I just looked at a 2017 KLR650 and went back 2 weeks later it was sold. Have to order.
WR250R is back for 2018
Upvote so people see!
Eggsr2bcrushed also a klx 250!
i just bought i 2019 this dude is a tard
Yep! They should have street legal 450 too! buddy of mine just got a KLX250 im interested to ride... i got a drz
I'm going to stick with my 1971 Kawasaki F7 that think kicks ass it's a two-stroke 175 dual sport
@@Joe-uc4lc How do you like your 2019?I am thinking of picking one up.
Emissions standards are a joke...why regulate a 650cc motorcycle that gets 60 plus mpg?! Meanhile jerkoffs with four door trucks drive the gas guzzlers to office jobs and use them for nothing but fashion statements... THAT should be regulated!
Cameron Boyce, thats a great point. Maybe the answer is with UN agenda 2030. If the Left has their way, there won't be any off road bikes in America.
To play devil's advocate a bit, motorcycles do pollute a lot more than cars PER engine cc due to smaller cats and an overall shorter exhaust line. So it makes more sense than you think to regulate emissions on bikes.
@@simonmarty99 ...plus small utility engines on lawn mowers, weed eaters, chainsaws, snow blowers, etc. produce more emmissions than all motorcycles combined.
thats a good point i never looked at it that way. i bet a lawnmower makes more emissions than that pickup though
They shouldn't regulate any of it. Not the governments business
And yet here we are, nearly 5 years after this vid was made, and I just bought a new DR650, which admittedly has not changed ANYTHING in more than 15 years, but which doesn't really need much upgrading (in my opinion) to be a really good dual sport. When I picked it up at the dealership, it was sitting next to a fuel injected KLR, that can likely pass emissions for another decade. The thumper is NOT DEAD!
Honestly Idk why they even bother with so many emissions laws, everyone just undoes the restrictions with aftermarket stuff any way. Plus its not like a small single cylinder engine produces that much pollution anyway, the offroading community is just an easy target for politicians.
hamhead1005 you’d be surprised how bad these 650s are compared to modern 4 cylinder cars.
It's about control. Emissions standards are soon gonna wipe out most true manual transmission cars
@@01superduty89
You're probably right, in lab tests..
But bikes don't get stuck in traffic
Mr Murders the problem is with the update comes the update of prices. They would have to totally redesign the bike. It’s the only reason these old style hikes are still out. They are cheap and grandfathered in. I don’t agree with a lot of our emission laws. Don’t even get me started in diesel particulate filters lol.
@@01superduty89 which produce nothing, so comparing something against nothing will always project a bad image but the reality is the singles produce tiny amounts and i'm not so certain that that has any effect on anything.
Dual sports are not practical?? Well try to go somewhere with a streetbike where the roads arent paved and tell me that streetbikes are more praktical
Exactly my thought!
that road bike will seesaw on a foot rock
Wait till Harleys become the norm. Just add some Motoz' and an eagle exhaust with tune. All set for a Mud fight.
@@Username-2 You can't really think I was serious about Harleys becoming the norm right? LOL, I mean like a set of Tractionators on a Harley and an Eagle exhaust, for off road? That's like running a marathon on a bulldozer.
Even with the conditions of some of the paved city streets where I'm at, a dual sport is more practical.
Here in Israel the offroad and dual-sport/adventure craze is going strong. Most people can only afford one bike, and with a year-round riding season, with two thirds of the country being an open desert, many tend to buy a dual sport (mainly the DRZ400, CRF250L or WR250) or ADV bikes (mainly the 650 V-strom or Versys, or the Tenere 660).
Last year they reintroduced the DR650 and DRZ400 to our market, and they've been selling redicolously well. I can see the 400 in particular in almost every commute. People just like a bulletproof, easy to fix thumper.
BassOutcast Palestine* not Israel
Ibrahim Abey earth
The original name for that land is Israel and Judea and Samaria and not the West Bank. Palestine is where the Philistines were which is Gaza. When ancient scrolls are found in the West Bank, they are always in Hebrew and not Arabic or "Palestinian".
All that aside, peace will come when an Israeli and Palestinian can go on a long distance adventure ride as friends on their KLRs (or V-Stroms) from Tel Aviv (Israel->"Palestine"-->Jordan->Iraw->Iran-Pakistan->India) to India without any roadblocks or worries from instability or borders.
Can adventure riding friends create peace?
That would really be an amazing trip!
Ibrahim Abey oh go fuck yourself
Man I wish we could get the Tenere 660 here in the US. I always here nothing but how awesome it is.
The DR and KLR are perfect the way they are. There's a reason these bikes remain popular, it's because they work. Simple tech is what you want in the middle of no where. I hope they never change these two tuff machines.
it's true that the single cylinder and carburator can be more easily fixed with simple tools. but anywhere you go you'll find mechanics that can fix modern motors too. service your bike as the manufacturer tells you and you'll hardly ever run into trouble. run anything past 100k miles and you'll regularly have to replace parts. I would trust a modern motor with tighter fitting parts with regular service internals to last longer than thumpers tbh
Pah! Where do you find an electric fuel pump out in the boonies on a Sunday? Huh? I don't care how out of tune my carburetor is, (A.) it'll still run, and (B.) I can correct it. Anywhere. Furthermore, exactly where DOES that fuel pump go? In the gas tank (as on all cars & trucks, for cooling purposes), where it reduces fuel capacity? No big deal in a 15-22 gal. fuel tank, but in 2.3 gal. motorcycle tank that'd be quite a chunk. And how about the ECM? Where does THAT go? And what do THEY cost? How 'bout when, not if, you run out of gas? Do you merely damage your fuel pump, or do you destroy it? Hell of a question, huh? Not only do you suffer a retail price hike for the motorcycle, but your cost of ownership takes a hike upwards as well. EFI on a motorcycle? No, thanks! So don't tell me about 'modern' motors, Conrado. There's nothing obsolescent about any of the current big singles. What they need to get rid of is the overhead cam and its' long drive chain. After being a motorcycle nut for over 40 years I've become very appreciative of the merits of pushrods.
lmao alexander gets his panties in a bunch when conrado literally agreed with you in his very first sentence
Conrado Buhrer I think a big benefit of carbs is you can run them on shitty gas no problem.
I don't think they realize how many would sell. If someone made a updated DRZ E street legal type machine. We are begging Japan 🇯🇵. We have waited long enough.
The T7 would be great. Coming from a guy that owns a Wr450 and a fz07. Combined those bikes and you will have something amazing. The fz07 motor has great low end torque.
Indeed the mt-07 motor is awesome, and the mt-03 and r3 motor is very similar just lighter. A Yamaha T3 would compete with the versys-x, g310gs and the like.. it would out-sell everything in Brazil. still there is space for something lighter with the same motor, a dual cylinder 320 XTZ maybe
Just put knobbies on your FZ, Jake. It would make for good content.
Do you know the weight of T7? Is that power a dualbike? I think not...
Yamaha confirms 205kg.... ...452 llbs wet .....and will be $10K minimum ABSOLUTELY ...My brother just bought the 650 Vstrom and it was 10k out the door ....heavier and less dirt worthy than the new T7 certainly will be and hence they can command more bucks so why would they not?
Figure around 70hp based on existing motorcycles with same motor platform
as soon as Tyler brought out the lemonade stand analogy, i got thirsty so I rode my drz and grabbed me a lemonade. best day ever.
I love your production value. Epic drone shots and voice overs are the best format ever!!! I can throw your vids up on my tv and watch it like a tv show.
suzuki just needs to add EFI and a 6th gear on the DRZ.
Yep. at least then we could get it here in Europe as well.. Emission regulations have killed off all the simple fun dual sports
some CAD designer needs to one prototype injector made and use the computer from another bike. This would make someone very rich indeed.
and inverted front forks
EFI, 6th gear and drop a few pounds in the process. If KTM can do it the Japanese shouldn't have a problem. I mean the R&D has already been done. There has to be more to it than that.
The SM has them already, (owner).
tyler, i must inform you i am allergic to excellent investigative motojournalism... you are killing me man lol! excellent vid as always and some very interesting thoughts in there.
A few things:
A. Loooove the rodcam
B. Athena just became a collectors item
C. I hope Yam or Suz makes a bike to compete with KTMs 350EXC model!
Gahhh, we might have to all band together and make our own perfect adventure bike.
250lbs, 3 gallon 65mpg tank, WR maint intervals, 35-40hp, capable suspension, loves to get dirty in the dark, wet, jungle.
Not too wet, though
AccidentalBroadcast more cinema 's of Athena!! she looking super sexy. welcome back :D
AccidentalBroadcast A Japanese 350 would be 👌
AccidentalBroadcast you just reminded me, I need to watch like all of your vids again
Oohhh... make our own perfect adventure bike... I like that idea!
I love my KLR and I will never change it, except for the younger one! DR, KLR, XR... true adventure workhorses.
If tomorrow Suzuki announced a new DRZ400sm with fuel injection and a lower seat height I'd have one yesterday.
Lower seat for sure with so many high seat options and only the TW200 is the low seat options. I can't understand why there is not one powerful low seat option on the market.
Yeah all the short guys have is the TW200 and the XT250.
Atomsk0192 I'm short...5'3"...you've just got to learn to ride and stop without out ever putting more than the tip of one boot down. It can be done.
It's great that you can ride like that, but some of us need more help
Atomsk0192 man I'm 6'5.. lol.. do not lower the seat height!
Bike companies should sponsor RUclipsrs to spark excitement. Big companies the firearms world learned tgis a while back and are doing great with that type of marketing to the regular guys.
perhaps if we dualsporters were more organized and were members of AMA the true numbers of us could be counted, and maybe we are a bigger market than anyone thinks. A lot of us are riding 15-30 year old machines that keep getting rebuilt. I am just as guilty as anyone for not making my voice heard. I hope thumpers aren't dead and I'd love to go out and by a new one before they're gone. it's just not a reality for me now. as always, great job Tyler
A thought just occurred to me, if emissions are to be blamed for the WR demise, how is it that the archaic XT 250, and TW200 would remain in the line up? also the XT received a fuel injection update not that long ago. so it certainly leaves several questions as to why?
because the 650's create waaaaaay more heat than a little TW200 or 250 and can be air cooled instead of using radiators etc. so they pass emissions with flying colors. Nobody ever bought a 650 because they are efficient!! hahahaha! KTM is the only company that has put advanced tech into their big thumpers- comparing a 690 to anything else is a joke, but you gotta pay for it.
Watching this in late 2021 after completing a 1000+ trip on a Honda CRF 300 L. Dual sports are not dead by a long shot!
Great vid, thanks for the plug mate! Yamaha Japan website states the WR250R is at the end of its production and your US website does not list it on the 2018 model lineup :-( Lets hope Yamaha are just getting ready to unleash a dual sport unicorn :-)
WR250R is discontinued in Europe as well as of 2017, since it does not meet Euro 4 emission standards. The introduction of Euro 4 killed loads of bikes over here.
Maybe the T7 will be the closest they come to a dual sport soon
Lets hope for that unicorn! I wonder if they might have only had it planned for only a 10 year life cycle? I didn't even think of that until right now...
Stupid euro 4 😩
Matts 1234556 this! i now have to spen 2k to get rid of these damn cats on my s1000rr
One reason they are so popular with seasoned riders is we realize beauty of simplicity of a single cylinder thumper. These bikes have a huge following that is not going away. I could get on mine tomorrow and ride across the country for peanuts.
Man, I'm just getting into the Dual Sport action and the 650's are the only thing that'll haul my fat ass. #depressed
That one made me laugh, and I have a similar problem. At fifty-six, I want to commute to work all week on 2 gallons of fuel and have a chance to make it look intentional if I doze off and run off the road. #please don't take my Yamaha away
Get an African Twin.. it will haul your fat ass on road or dirt and do it better than any 650.
And Im All Out Of Bubblegum , most people just getting into dual sport can't afford to start with that price tag on a bike. Some of us that have been riding DS for a few years either don't want a bigger heavier bike or just don't want to throw that much money at a bike just to take it out and thrash it.
KTM 500 EXC or 690. Dont like Orange? Husqvarna FE501...
This is probably all you'll ever need. Admit it's a bit costly, 10k€ new here in Portugal, but it's an amazing dual sport, with really low maintenance and amazing mileage. Comes with GPS standard and you can ride it at 140km/h comfortably on the highway. motoajp.com/enduros/models-features/pr-7/
I don't think it's the death of them, I think it's the rebirth of them!
The funpocalypse is never going to happen. The old will be made new, thumpers never die they just get rebuilt. Sad to hear the WR250R is finishing its production run.
So true... there will never be an end to the fun :)
KTM 500 will run rings around them old heaps of crap and it eats 650s for lunch ,,, their is a guy blogging his world trip on a 016 500exc so far his done 500 hours 40.000+ klm with one valve adjustment , still ticking over like a clock ,no high maintenance just oil change every 2000miles,
Adventure Moto Enduro QLD ktm 500 is the absolute pinnacle of dual sports! but theres alot of misinformation about ktm in general.
exactly, why buy a wr250r when you can buy a ktm 350 exc
My father has an XT225 which i am currently riding since he has a second bike as well. It has been with us since 1998 and i would rather drain it and put it on display in my living room than selling it. I am gonna keep it in good running condition for as long as i can even when i end up with a bigger displacement bike. I am very disappointed by the fact that every dual sport nowadays is either a race ready machine that's expensive to buy and own, or a anemic and obese machine that some old man would use to pick up the grocery.
Here in Greece at least when you search in the catalogs of the most known manufacturers things are
heartbreaking. XR's gone... XT's apart from the breathless XT125 almost gone (the 660's future isn't very bright looking at the sales elsewhere because here its like the national bike or something everyone has or had one)... DR's...we are left with an 125cc air-cooled bike. The Drz400 was the third best seller motorcycle for Suzuki after the Gsx-r's (what a surprise) and the V-strom's. Maybe a Ktm or a Husqvarna could do the trick but they are so expensive. Maybe i would risk buying a used one...if i didn't know what the previous owners usually do with the maintenance. As for the klx250 and the crf250l...considering the economical status here they are not worth their money in my opinion at least as new...5500 euros (that's the price here) for a 250cc is extreme especially when a 20-year old machine is lighter and probably faster than them in its current state of 90.000+ km. Maybe i sound biased and bitter but they really don't convince me to invest the money they ask for.
Maybe people's taste has changed and doing 50km/h in traffic on a 1000cc to get chicks is 90% of the population's limits of adventure but the companies' indifference has played its part in this. The ideal modern 250's and 400's only need FOUR things electric start,fuel injection, water-cooling and 6 speeds...aw and NO FUCKING ELECTRONICS, thank god i was given a pair of hands and legs and i am willing to use them!!!! Fun fact is i believe they would sell so many of them considering the things i read on the internet from people from abroad. Many wish for a kind of bike like this, but when they can't find it plated and with reasonable maintenance and price for the amount of bike they get they will look elsewhere.
Until they decide to produce something of actual value and worth spending my money in, i am gonna turn the xt225 into a spaceship from the upgrades! At least i will get the pleasure of owning something unique...Keep your heads up and your spirits higher because we ''thumpers'' are distinguished and rare!!!
I think it's also important to note that since the designs of the "Big Three" 650's have had only minor changes in over 20 years, they are arguably MORE popular with some long distance ADV riders. If you are broke down in South America, 250 miles from a larger dealer, a local shop may have the ability to provide an emergency fix or have a needed part.
If the WR250R is getting the ax, you can be sure something better is on the way. They didn't just take an engine from a 250f & call it good enough until emissions standards got to be too much, it was a brand new engine built on the R1 crossplane platform just 9 years ago. That's not a long run for an engine design, even for Yamaha. Seriously doubt they're done with it. Not to mention that around here (N GA) WRRs sell well new & go for a premium used, people love them. And all the thumpers need are water cooling & EFI to do fine with emissions, even the big boys. Even just EFI would probably be enough in a lot of cases where the engines aren't very high compression & don't put as much stress on rings & such. I think the best is yet to come, KTM is putting the pressure on the Japanese to update, upgrade, & expand their selections.
This is what I am hoping for too. The dropping of the WR250R is definitely a strange move, but they did something similar with their boat lineup last year by dropping a model for a year and re-introducing it a year later with updates (and in that case, new engines). Lets hope they are doing something similar with the WR250R.
Even the Honda XR650R should make a return, but everything on it should be updated.
I just bought one last night. It's gonna be a great cross country bike.
they probly wanna get rid of them to because they last forever and dealers don't make them alot of money on maintenance and parts
Maybe last forever compared to an MX bike, but the average street bike is rated for twice as many miles as the popular dual sports and supermotos.
Phillip Squires this is crazy talk. I never owned a bike that consumed sprockets, chains, tires, levers, batteries etc like my dual sports. Road bikes have it easy on parts. Dual Sports are money makers for parts.
Haha Phillip, I see where you're going with this. I think you have the right idea that dealers don't make money off them because "most people" just want a fast city bike. People who buy dual sports and love them use their bike enough to warrant buying new parts. However, it's not the dealers that make the money off parts, it's the manufacturers and 3rd parties that do. Once the dual sport leaves the dealer's door, it usually never comes back, and that's because we love our bikes.
Old multibrand mechanic here. Nice paranoia but dealers don't rely on parts sales revenue (most of their parts sales are in conjunction with repairs they perform in-house)) and your proposition ignores online parts vendors who aren't factory dealers, and independent shops.
Dirt bikes of any type, like offroad trucks, break often and wear out quickly when used offroad. DP bikes don't last forever unless they sit in a garage.
Transmission failure as described is not intrinsic to dual purpose machines. Short top end life from being worked harder than a larger multi is intrinsic to dirt/DP bikes. 24K is simply poor longevity unless you were abusing the machine like many of us, self certainly included, do.
4 years later and we're in a cool spot where shiny new 300s and 700s are alive and well.
Would still like a 350-400. 300cc isn't quite enough. We are getting closer at least!
Where there is a will, there is a way. Even if production of all dual sports ended tomorrow, there are still options.
Engine rebuilds on existing bikes can keep things going for a number of years until parts dry up. An aftermarket of detuners would pop up to increase the longevity of pure dirtbikes. KTM could put the Duke 390 engine in a dirt chassis. In the 60's many a dual sport was made from a pure streetbike. Where there is a demand, it will get filled one way or another.
On a KTM 690 Enduro R and love it! Big power, plenty of suspension & brakes, & handles solidly. Outside of the price, this bike rocks! Compete Japan! All riders will benefit if so.
Maintenance is too much
The WR250r has been removed from the Yamaha website in Canada. News of the forthcoming T7 are extremely intriguing but time will tell if they have a hit or missed the boat. Suzuki has been focused on their V-Strom platform so I wouldn't hold my breath for anything there and Honda's answer was the 250 Rally (Nice bike but a bit low on power).
@everide your logic is sound though depressing. Let's hope that a "Second Wind" does come in the form of a renaissance for dual sport in the 400-800 range. I will say that the KTM/Husqvarna 690/701 are absolutely incredible thumpers that seem to have managed the emission requirements quite well. Unfortunately the cost of those bikes is very high.
Great video my man. Hope you're recovering and feeling MUCH better.
indeed they produced the DL250 V-Strom, a dual cylinder 250, which is really surprising to see rather than a 350-ish range. Out of all the Tenere, Versys, GS' and Tiger, etc, the V-Strom is the most road bike of all. 300 to 400 cc on a dual cylinder motor with EFI and water cooling would make a great platform for a new low range dual sport. I'm confident the T7 will sell like the freshest lemonade you ever saw on a hot summer day
I don't need a better single cylinder motor than the XR 650 R . AND NEITHER DOES ANYONE ELSE PERIOD!
IF THAT IS THE ONLY BIG SINGLE WE EVER GET I'M GOOD BRO!
Love them or hate them, Ktm is keeping high performance single cylinder dual sports alive, as well as excellent contributions from Husqvarna and Beta. The Japanese brands may be falling short in recent years, which is a shame because they make some machines that are practically bulletproof, but the European manufacturers are pushing the sport further than its ever been pushed before, and as long as someone is making bikes for us, the future is bright.
As a newcomer to the dirt with two wheels, (KLR), I watch in awe as you have a thoughtful narration while raging around on trails... And here I thought I was a pro chewing bubble gum and riding at the same time. 👍). On a more thoughtful note, it seems to me, in so much as I can tell, that DP’s and ADV’s have a bright future. Like the Jeep Cherokee XJ’s, even if the manufacturer stops making them, people will continue to use them and love them, and ultimately convince the producer to bring them back into production in a meaningful way over time. You now have my original thought for the day. 😁 Great Video. Thx!
Kawasaki brought back the (now) fuel injected KLX 250. A lot of fun for $5500 (camo version). My first dual sport!
Yes sir, I agree, it would be pretty cool to see DRZ 400 fuel injected and or a bigger WR would be cool as well.
This video makes me wish I had kept my KLR, but hopefully they are not all gone for. Thanks for sharing and have a blessed week my friend.
Here's how u solve the end of thumpers make them fuel injection
And make them 2 stroke
As was already said by a number of people, thankfully the dual sport community happens to be mostly populated by gear heads. Even the old bikes like my '91 DR350 will continue to be well maintained and ridden on a regular basis. Here's to another 25 years of riding these old bikes!
I think you may be right Tyler about our thumpers. Rumor has 2017 will be the last year our beloved KLR is produced. We can take solace in the fact that the big singles are so bullet proof that they'll be on the trails for years to come simply because they run forever...
Oops
I got a 2012 wr250r and love it. It's the first bike I've ever bought new and I'm glad I did. I really hope Yamaha is just getting ready to release the next big thing in the dual sport world.
I disagree with emissions standards for bikes. its such a small market in the grand scheme of things, and they really aren't that bad in comparison to even today's cars. it becomes another rung of the ladder which ends up costing everybody more money when in reality, its not going to save the world.
MrSnowrocks AGREE !
Good point. I call it reasonable moderation!
Cars have catalytic converters so their emissions are very minimal. that's the point.
Motorcycle emissions are so minimal we in Arizona do not have to test our bikes emissions ...ever!
I'll take "How Many Things Can I Get Wrong in One Video" for a thousand, Alex.
I would love to see the Suzuki drz 400 with a different gearbox containing a lower first and a roadworthy 6th.. Or a Yamaha WR of higher displacement .. they both seem like a near miss to greatness to me..
Why couldn’t we have one made for it?
Are you saying the crurrent gearbox is not road worthy???!!!
@@petrosspetrosgali well it most definitely is. However, it would still be nice to have.
I've been following your channel for quite a while now... almost from the beginning , before you quit your job and went full time.
Anyway, I just wanted to say this is the best video I've ever seen of yours.
I hope everything is going well for you. regards from Nottinghamshire
i like how they cite emissions as a reason for decline when there are literally new 2 stroke bikes being built....
i mean the klr650 cant be dirtier than a freakin 2 stroke right>
Road legal is different..
Well done my friend! Excellent video, great coverage/footage, well edited between shots, and concise. Some thought and a great deal of time was spent making this video. Thank you. Although some of your points could be considered assumptions, they did not stray too far off base and make a great topic to debate amongst riders. MY ASSUMPTION is that trends have caused a lot of manufacturers to move beyond dualsports and now they are focused on the demands from the public, i.e. side by sides and other platforms. Only the true enthusiasts are seeking out the duals as others see them as a fad that has come and almost gone. Not as sexy as they once were. Keep up the good work, brotha!
Great report......We need high torque bikes, however they try to achieve that end. I'm more the adventure bike type, but stilll love simplicity, and not having some computer making more adjustments to itself than I would be comfortable with. But, times do change. My biggest fear is being priced out of adventure biking because I can't afford the massive beast twins, or not being able to effectively wrench on a bike because of its complexity.
Frederick Couch I
and here we are with a new klx, klr, and 300l
Disappointing if true. Still hoping to snag a WR250R asap. I'll ride it off into the thump-pocalypse. It really does fill a niche for riders who want a newer tech, lower maintenance bike capable of reasonable adv riding.
Kawasaki and Honda have both recently put out new 300s.
Best to come from Japan for 2019 is the Honda crf450L dual sport. But because of emissions and stuff it costs as much as a ktm or husquavarna. It's a racible bike that's not orange but costs as much as the orange one :(
I just recently switched from a DL 650 Suzuki to a Kawasaki Versys X 300 . The almost 100 pound weight advantage with low seat and an actual useable fuel tank and low cost have impressed me . For a stock bike it handles twisty roads well and also handles fairly good in lose gravel . The amazing thing to me is how well the little twin preformed off the pavement . Mine has ABS and after other riders asking me how it worked after 80 miles of off pavement , I had to say I do not know . The engine braking works so well I hardly touched the brakes . So on the next ride I hit the rear brake on a washboard lose gravel steep downhill . I did not lose braking , just felt pulsing in the pedal . I have owned many bikes of all sizes and I have to say that this 300 is just plain fun . Note , I had to fab up a skid plate before going to our June ADV Jamboree in eastern Oregon . I was surprised how well it did riding up a dry creek bed . My skid plate earned it's keep on several of these rides . Just have to get used to reving the little power plant , it loves RPM . Try one !
I'm hoping to see a crf500l or something to rejuvenate the segment. Regardless, lots of valid points, but 🤞🏽the dual sport market has legs enough to make it through the "downfall"
Great video. I used to have the DRZ400S and a bunch of friends all had XR650s and DR650s. I sold the DRZ in favor of the '05 WR250F. Its bout 80lbs lighter and has roughly the same HP, from what I've researched. Yes it's oil change intervals are indeed a lot closer together, but the trade off of weight difference and handling was well worth it. I found mine on CL with a title, so I was able to get it switched over to a street legal title pretty easily.
we still got ktm690/husky701 and cmm 450 gp all 3 good bikes
All great points that have been brought up in the video, but I think what playing a larger role is market saturation coupled with changing trends towards greener recreational trends by younger buyers, driven in part by the closure of OHV trails on public land creating a lack of areas to ride. There are just so many good used bikes available that are still on the road it diminishes new bike sales. The investment into new mountain bike and ebike technology has also given rise to a reasonable alternative to exploring these same areas that where once only accessible by motorized transportation.
I ride both a KLR and a modern mountain bike and I've seen far more interest by beginners into the cycles that are pedaled.
There is some good news on the dual sport front with SWM coming to the US. They even have a 650 thumper.
I've heard rumors of a WR450 dual sport, that would be absolutely badass. Also looks like 250 class mini-ADV bikes are taking off with a CRF250 based one, the Versys 300X and a 250 V-strom coming out, not to mention a certain Chinese bike that beat them to the market and is actually non-terrible ... for a Chinese bike.
The dr650 or even the drz400 and pretty much all of the bikes mentioned except the fuel injected ones can't be sold in Germany essentially since ~2000 because of emissions.
So here you see dr650's from 1997 with 45000 km beeing sold for 3000€+ it's ridiculous
tolga1cool Yeah i was lucky finding a drz 400 with 17000km for 3900€. And looking at how much it originally costed and how old these are 3900 is still way too much but u just cant get them anymore because of those stupid emission regulations
Hi friend,
I'm Joshua from Costa Rica! Big fan of your channel and videos, amazing tips and reviews you make.
Talking about reviews, I was wondering your opinion on the Honda XR650L?
I'm thinking to buy a new bike, and I'm really undecided about the KLR, DR or the XR.
I like all kind of bikes, but dirt bikes are my favorites brap brap haha. CRF450!!!
Besides, here in my country there is a lot of places where you need a dirt/dual sport bike, if not you will miss all the nature and amazing places to visit.
So, since I like the dirt bikes, but I'm also want and adventure bike, the XR seems the be pretty good option, it keeps the dirt style combined the the dual sport features.
I don't like the fuel capacity, but I live in a small country anyways, and nothing a rotopax can fix :D
So, what do you think? I'll appreciate you opinion and help, thanks in advance.
Greetings from Costa Rica, pura vida!
Not so sure the emissions argument holds water. If a single 650 is too large to pass emissions, how do the 1300, 1500, 1800 etc v-twins pass? The US is not the world market, many countries do not have the same road quality, if the road is even paved at all. Dual sports are road bikes in these conditions...
I have always had 2 stroke dual purpose bikes. There is something about that top end rush that can't be beat.Rich Yamaha produced two versions of the DT200r. The last was the DT 200RR dual rads. Oil injected.with power valve to give lots of low end torque and that massive 2 stroke rush up top. I owned both. And since then there hasn't been a 4 stroke that can compare.
A couple of years ago i purchased a new Yamaha WR. After reading how great a bike it was. I hoped it was good enough to bring back the days of my DT200RR.But no the WR was not even close. It was a very disappointing bike. I dumped it after just one year.
With all the land closures of late and true off road riding places almost gone. I decided it was time find a lite bike that was more road worthy than dirt. But still able to get me off road to check out some trails.
I purchased a Kawasaki Versys 300.Yes it's no dirt bike, but it will get you out there. If they would put this motor in a true dirt bike or update the Versys suspension I believe they would open a new dual sport market.Kawasaki needs to squeeze a bit more power out of it, but, this motor is smooth as an electric motor. And it loves to rev..... it pulls from 4K to just under 14K with no fuss no complaints. The motor is small so that shouldn't be an issue.Even with ery short gearing the Versys will do 100 mph.I think this is the future small bike motor. Ultra smooth, wide rev range, big high rpm growl, all in a very small package.
Rob
So...dual sport is dead because it hasnt changed in a decade!? Maybe it hasnt changed because it is exactly what it was meant to be. Maybe I'm gonna keep my "dying-breed" KLR Tractor until it NEVER dies.
I just bought a klr250 and regret it horribly
Hey man loving the format of the video with the backpack cam! Your videos are what convinced me to get an FDRx3000 over another GoPro. Glad to see you riding again!
So the SWM 500s just passed Carb, which I think are going to be great dual sports, and the 650 should pass carb any time now. Then their is the ajp pr7 coming out to the states at the end of the year. I don't think thumpers are dead, maybe japanese ones are, but im ok with that. Let SWM and AJP take over. The SWMs should be especially cheap (I think on facebook the importer said 7k) and the AJP isnt too shabbily priced either (the importer said they are shooting for 10k). One sun sets and another one rises
I scrolled down to find this comment. SWM took an older design Husky, put EFI on it, and passed the new EURO4 emissions. Thats the 600cc, 54hp, 6sp, 320lbs enduro model. They sell for roughly $7300 usd in Australia and europe. It can be done and sales is the only thing stopping manufacturers. Why spend the money on R&D with a WR250R when the XT250 is cheaper, gets better margin, and is priced more competitively. I've seen someone put a cb500f twin in a crf230 frame and make the bike of our dreams. Even the Versys-X 300 would be acceptable with more than just single digits of suspension travel. The only way to get what we want is to hurt them in the pocketbooks and stop buying old design or "good enough"
Alex Colon swm is a small company so they slip unde the radar. Same as beta. KTM used to but now they have to go through all the emissions stuff as well. They still managed to get a 320lbs 74hp 701 past emissions
74 hp is probably "claimed" at the crank. in reality, its in the late 50s on a dyno. Not sure if you can even call it a husqvarna. its just a KTM with different plastics. and KTM stands for - Keeps taking money. lol
Alinel Woundhorn have you ever owned a Ktm? They are no worse than any other bike for replacing parts. Husqvarna Parts actually are usually cheeper than parts for my Honda. Ktm has a good solid bike now. The older ones weren't so much though
And the 701 only shares the frame with the Ktm. Entirely Different motor and body
Its not an "entirely" different motor. Its got a different map, and a second balancer shaft to arrest vibes. Its the same SOHC head as the 690 with a bigger bore (and a shorter stroke, which KTM claim add's 1000 rpm of usable power) ... Different plastics. thats about it. I know plenty of folks doing an RTW on690's and all of them have had catastrophic failures. Why should I own a KTM again?
Love my KLR. Ridden all over South America as high as 15,000 in the Andes. Never a hiccup! Of my three bikes it is my favorite!
actually the fact that they are not updating them as one of the reasons why I love my KLR! I like the old technology because it is more reliable and easier to work on. I don't want a whole bunch of newfangled electronic gadgetry hanging all over my back waiting to get wet and go bad and give me problems and cost me money. I want simple and straightforward and cost-effective. that's the market that these bikes sell to
I bought the first 2006 KLX 250S in Western Washington back in November of 05. I currently have 17,500 miles on it and have loved every single second on the bike. Recently (last Sunday) I got to ride a 2017 Husky 510, and I was blown away at the power, in fact so much so that when I got back on my KLX I seriously thought I either had a flat tire or something was wrong with the motor. I could seriously pull a wheelie in the first 4 gears on the Husky, something my KLX can only do in first for me but then again I have a lot more "Girth Units" than most. This video talked a bit about emissions, and while that is true, that things will only get more restricted in the future, a huge percentage of owners will remove what makes these bikes bottle-necked from the factory. While I love my little KLX and when I first bought it all those years ago the CC's were higher than my weight....and now...well, let's just say its not anymore. But if I had a time machine I would go back and buy either the DRZ 400 or the Honda 650. But do I have a time machine? No I don't have the sense to have a time machine. Where was I going with this? I have no idea. It's like I walked into a room and forgot why I came in here. And in the infamous words of Forest Gump..."That's all I got to say about that"
Coming this fall - BMW G310GS - 34 hp, 90+ mph, priced under current WR250R pricing.
roydhaynes are they selling it in the U.S.? It looks cool and I like the G 310 R as well.
Hey Tyler, I have a couple questions and one is fairly newbish. First have you tried Lectron carbs on your ADV bikes? and secondly if you had to chose between a 400 or a KLR and could only have 1 what would you pick?
Lmfao, Honda CR450L just killed your video.
No, that's not a viable replacement for even the DRZ. It's just a plated dirtbike like a KTM 500 or 350 exc (xcfw?)
@@GregHuston yeah, doesnt have the subframe like the oldies
Absolutely! And don't forget the end of CA emissions.
or just buy a ktm adv 690
Lololol
Well im glad you were wrong, im also glad your videos are top notch. Iv been trying my own spin off’s of your videos... but your just amazing and I have no idea how you make these videos so well. Such a good story and voice over!
Kawasaki: Hold my beer
I thought with a title like that it would be just clickbait but it was an interesting and insightful video. Liked and Subscribed!
The moto industry is a very competitive one, always trying to fill in the gap where another manufacturer is lacking.... Ill bet we see some really awesome fuel injected dualsports in our future.....
Dirt Rider Magazine has been talking about how there's pressure on off-road bikes to conform to emissions standards now, meaning that manufacturers may just end up taking their off-road models and put the things on them to make a street legal variant. I believe KTM is one of the manufacturers trying to do that. If so, I think there is definitely a future for dual sports, even if in a more dirt bike form. Would love to get your thoughts.
Btw, love your vids! I recommend your videos to anyone I meet who works on their own bike.
My opinion is that the big 4 japan bike manufacturers will have to learn quick if they're going to keep up with the euro bikes (KTM specifically). All they need to do is engineer fuel injection onto their bikes, and most of the hurdle will be overcome. The motor doesn't really even need to change, it's just a big pump. To add fuel injection, manufacturers need to engineer space for a tank mounted fuel pump with bypass, throttle body with injector, an 02 sensor, map or airbox sensor, emissions canisters, with the appropriate ECU and wiring, and you're good to go with tunable fuel mapping and clean emissions. A great example is the venerable KTM 950 adventure, which has a twin carbureted twin cylinder LC8 motor that was manufactured before the stringent emissions standards were enforced. Thus, in 2007, in order to pass more stringent emissions laws, they used the same basic engine (LC8) but added twin throttle bodies with 02 sensor controlled fuel injection, with it's charcoal canisters, as the new fuel injected 990, which passed the emissions standards even with poor fuel mapping from the factory. Same basic bike as the 950, just fuel injected. It is easy for the japanese bikes to just slap on an appropriately sized carburetor, and be done with profits rolling in. Unfortunately, KTM, beta, Husky's are blowing the doors off the Japanese manufacturers in innovation, and will be way ahead of them for a while as they try to figure out how to keep some of the dual sport market share. The big Euro's will have the lionshare of the market for a while, but I'll bet in our lifetime we will have very competitive sweet dual sports to choose from. Motocrossers are already a step in that direction, and at least in Utah, could be converted easily.
I feel like its likely that will be skipped and we will go straight to electric. Zero bikes have some really good stuff to show.
4:20 that is what happened to me over the years . i lost all my off road trails . The old railroad track lines were all turned into walking trails. The old abandoned strip mine properties were sold and closed off. I miss that mind clearing ride I use to take on those old trails. Now they are gone and so is the KLR . I sold it.
So... because big singles are dying all dual-sports are dying? Illogic much?
Never owned a dual sport or riden a single trail. Always wanted to. Now I’m 61 years old and amazed that it’s still even allowed. When you think of the noise, trail damage, litter, land scarring on others property, lack of funding for public lands all before this subject even begins.... you have to realize how fragile what you have taken for granted is. Where is the mobility of the off road community to give back, Fix public attitude, and build the future? Motorcycles as a whole are losing ground because of public perception right now. The fringes will be the first to crash and burn. I love your sport, but be real. It’s not always about your tune, tweek, and upgrade.
NO STEP ON SNEK
Pwease no steppy!
Bongo Dave Boi. the Democrats are no longer in power. we're allowed to defend ourselves outside Florida now, what with their castle doctrine.
again I say -NO STEP ON SNEK!
Yeah, because it' so important to walk around with guns. We've become scared little pussies, like Zimmerman.
Bongo Dave you don't have to but I want to have that choice. there are very few places on earth left with that choice, everywhere else snek is gettin stepped on.
lol people who believe in "fair fights" and "honor" on the street and in the wild.
PROTIP: Actual fights are about winning at any cost, not fighting fair. Anything else is a sport.
I'm from Indonesia and smaller displacement dual sports are selling really well over here. I myself ride a Kawa KLX 150 BF (KLX 150BF is the Indonesian street legal model of KLX 140L) for everyday commuting and trail riding. In fact, most of us trail riders in Indonesia are using the 150cc and a handful of 250 cc Kawa dual sports (thay don't sell KLR in here).
And as of today, the only real competitors to Kawas in Indonesian dual sport market is an Indonesian brand called Viar with its 150cc and 200cc bikes. Sherco, Beta, Gasgas, Husqvarna, and KTM enduro and duals are not selling that well in terms of quantity due to the price tags.
I heard some news that Honda will also enter the market with 150cc dual sport CRF model.
Yamaha WR 250R is also not selling very well here due to the lower price tags of the Kawa KLX 250 and Honda CRF 250 Rally. Those with enough money to buy a WR will often opt for KTM or Husqvarna. Funny, because Yamaha is a big player in the Indonesian street bike market.
Suzuki used to be successful in the dual sport market in the 80s and 90s with their TS 125 two stroke. So was Yamaha with their DT 100 two stroke.
What about the KTM 500 EXC?????
Beta ??????
You said that one reason dual sport bikes are dying is that trails are being closed. While single-track trails might be closing, closing all trails would affect ATVs and jeeps as well. I think there would be some pushback before that happened. Finally, most sports that rely on the environment, for example climbing and whitewater boating, have organization that defend use of those spaces. Maybe the dual sport community should consider something similar.
And as someone else pointed out, electric bikes, while still very new, might offer a way to address emission standards.
Great video by the way.
Emissions??? On a dual sport bike ? mostly off-road? Out in the desert riding towards a pile of burning tires marking the course? EPA gone crazy. I want a XR650L.
they stopped burning tires for the bomb run many many years ago
Why L when you can R? ;)
1:52 Thats cool you used a light bar on your bike too. I mounted a flood & spot combo bar on my XR and it works amazingly well. Its like turning on the sun!
A very sad thought...
Just got rid of my 09 klr,traded it in a kawasaki concours 14. Just nowhere to ride off road anymore. I'm from north of philadelphia,pa. Planing on checking out the US.Wish i lived out where you live or CDSport. Well anyway Cheers !Keep your feet on the pegs!
They aren't dying they're just orange and white
greetings, this was a great video and pretty enlightening. I think we're suffering from a lot of the same problems in the sport ATV industry. Only difference being, that lack of updates in the sport ATV segment is leading to the market completely dying because consumers can go by eight-year-old used machines for half the price of new ones and since they haven't changed their not giving up anything except having a new machine. we have heard that excuse directly from manufacturers when it comes to smaller dirt bikes like the KDX 200, klx300, and some other Japanese models in regards to Trails being shut down killing off the demand. Only problem with that story is they continue to make larger and larger UTV's for $20,000 and more. we have seen a lot of old cool dual Sports come and go including some of the older two strokes. we hope the current offerings don't go anywhere anytime soon. good luck to the Dual sporters
Amazing race DUAL SPORT Edition. I should run kawasaki marketing.
Stop voting democrat and our places to ride might not get closed.
Like the republicans aren't out to privatize public lands, thus putting an end to any petitions for types of public use. Try thinking past the end of your nose.
David Gough stop making stupid accusations to cover the politics of your party. Democrats are the ones trying to close civilian use of government land, PERIOD! and if you have ANY questions on that go to any chat room for people who are Sierra club members and ask them which president got the most government land closed off from the public to protect it and you will see people arguing about whether it was Bill or Barry.... NOBODY is going to say it was Donald, the Georges, or anyone else. And when the government does oil, range, timber, or mineral leases the land is still open for the public to go through.... so stop making up BS.
In Colombia the KLR, the DR 650, the XR650L and the XT660 are sold in the line-up of each dealer as 2018 Models, we have Dual Sports for a while.
Quoting the video, "It's heartbreaking..." Why such love for these aged out bikes? Spare us the drama.
Guys! It's time to move on! Let your KLX's and DRZ's die! Husky, KTM and Beta all make some great dual-sports. You will love them. I know that these bikes new are expensive, but so are new Japanese bikes.
Remember:
Dual-sport = plated dirt bike. This means you ride it 80% of the time in the dirt.
Adventure Bike = Street bike with skid-plates, protected pipes etc, so bike can go on dirt roads. Not necessarily graded dirt roads, but not rugged rutted-out double tracks either.
Love your Vids, I have a DL650, Not been off road much since my younger days, now I am age 76 yrs, bones tend to break easier the older one gets, You say they dont update the ADVs but Suzuki keep updating the DLs. Wonder why that is, they still seem very popular.
Hi, great vid. Quick question, where was this filmed, I'm heading to the states soon on my Africa Twin and would love to try out some of these desert trails.
Great video, man. I'm a lifelong fan of big single dualsports. It would be a sad day if they went away. Twins are rather nice as well however! An SV650 motor with modern tech housed in a modern chassis would be nice as well!
Anyway, what's that camera mount arm that's attached to your backpack? Is this something you made? Tell me me more! 👍
I was surprised by this video having watched it after you’re video on the Honda CRF450L. That bike seems to meet all the criteria you mention in this video. I believe the price is what turns most people away from the new 450L (possibly followed by maintenance). Why do people think there should be a newer, faster, lighter, better-suspended, dual sport for the same price as the old technology?
I wish they would make a street legal version of the WR450F available here in the US. I think the dual sport world would benefit by having a few options that were a little more like a dirtbike. Most 650s are heavy, and then it jumps down to 225s, or 250s, which leave something to be desired in the power department. I would love a good in-between, even if it means sacrificing a bit of comfort on the road, but adding to the offroad capability. I know there is the DRZ400, and I think that is as close as dual sports have come to being the perfect balance, but as you mentioned, they haven't changed much in the past 10 years.
I have a 1999 TT-R 250 and that things runs nice and clean. I've never had issues with it, I launch it at the house and run it pretty hard, but I've only had the fork seals need replaced and a new bolt for the foot peg.
An updated DR-.Z 400E would be THE bike! EFI, 6th gear, shave some weight off and add better suspension. I'm already in love :D Would sell like hot delicious bread.