Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Small dual sport motorcycle

Jim, if riding there is like riding here deer happen, (I had one jump over my front fender) other hot shoe ATV and bikers happen coming the other way, logs at an angle to the trail or hidden in the grass throw you off the bike, bear hunters in pickups who think they own the road take up the whole road, slippery leaves or gravel gets exciting. You don't want to be going like that idiot in the video, but they are out there and don't stay on their side of the trail. A kick starter is a real comfort to have when the battery fails like when you drop the bike and it floods. You just want to explore maybe scouting for deer or fishing spots, not kill the environment or yourself in the process. I figure that if I did something stupid out on the trails it was all on me. I had too many close calls on street bikes when someone in a car did something stupid for me to ever want any part of riding a motorcycle in traffic again.

Those little bikes aren't just for kids either. My old Honda SL125 went 55mph or so, but I like to gear them down for better lower end. I haven't gone shopping lately, but what I didn't like was how tall the newer dirt bikes were getting. Sure good suspension matters, but you don't need 9" of travel if you go slower and can't reach the ground. Lots of guys here have those older Honda Trail 90's or CT110's with that big rack on the back, automatic clutch four speed and dual speed high and low range transmission. I was elk hunting out in Colorado once and a guy had a whole cow elk hanging on the meat pole. I asked him how he got that thing out whole and he told me to go look behind his camper. There sat a Honda Trail 90. Nuff said.

In 2015, 2016 it was no longer legal to do so in Washington. Had to have been DOT when titled. They followed California's lead on this. BTDT But indeed they have redirected. Cool. Thanks for the info.


OH CHIT, THAT WAS OREGON CIRCA 2012,2013. SORRY DUDES.

Yeah. Used to be easy, then they started to go by manufacturers certificate of origin, and the last several years they’ve wised up and made it simple.

FUGG Them! LOL

Suzuki DR200SE maybe? https://pueblo.craigslist.org/mcy/d/pueblo-suzuki-dr200se-motorcycle/7115369912.html

Hold the phone, I got ya: https://www.amazon.com/Enduro-Street-Motorcycle-Sunglasses-Handgrip/dp/B07Q8KD46P?th=1

I would expect those to be steaming piles, but some folks seem to like them.

Know anyone in Phoenix? https://phoenix.craigslist.org/wvl/mcy/d/wickenburg-yamaha-xt-250/7125203769.html

MtnBoomer private message me please, it's off topic from this thread. Just need some info on your services, Thank you.

Jim, seriously consider a Honda XR200 from the used market, if you are going to pack it to the trails. They made a model with twin rear shocks which was very inexpensive, low seat height, geared for inexperienced riders to ride tough trails. But it did not have the suspension to hit big bumps fast. We had a couple of them in the extended family.

That Yamy 250 might be a close second. But with a 30 inch inseam, I have always been sensitive to seat height. I can not tell you how many time I tipped my bike over on a steep hillside. Then had to lift it back up the hill to get it on its wheels.

Yes, I spent many years riding a Honda XL on paved roads and dirt. It was really not suited for either. It was helpless in the dirt with the enduro tires. So I set it up with some good Metzler MX tires. Then it went well in the dirt, but was very uncontrollable on pavement. I slid it out from under myself several times on pavement. There is nothing quite like sliding down the road on your back, and watching the sparks fly off of your bike as it slides alongside of you. Thank God for Bell motocross helmets and insulated coveralls.

With something in the 350 cc to 400 cc class you could comfortably ride from Boise to Id City, then cross the USFS and tour Placerville, to come out in Horseshoe Bend, and comfortably ride back to Boise on Hiway 55. We used to do that kind of stuff all the time on our XLs.

But I do not think I would want to compete with traffic on 16, 21, or 55 with anything less than a 350. Our hiways have some steep grades, and the cars or pickups, and even the semis think they should climb the hills at 65 MPH. They don't like an under powered vehicle in their way.

I tried to occasionally use the 350 XL to commute. That meant I 84 exit 9 to exit 3, then back up 95 to Nyssa Or. The buffeting from the wind as a semi passes is an incredible thing. One could ride about 100 feet behind the semi, roll the throttle off about 1/3 and still keep up. But the turbulence coming off the truck tossed me and the bike all over the place. I quickly realized that a little enduro has no place on the freeway, legal or not.

Bought a new Yamaha 175 Enduro in 1970, had it for about 20 years. In my mid 20s when I bought it and could abide the punishment of running it in some nasty terrain. Picked it over the 250 back then, because it was quite a bit lighter. Figured it'd be easier to crawl out from under a lighter bike, than a heavier one? Never had to.

Longest paved road ride I ever put on it, was about a hundred mile round trip. They weren't built for that. IIRC,top speed was around 65 MPH at best? But it could get there mighty dam quick. Little fugger would go just about anywhere, except deep mud. It was fun, then I got older.

Bought my wife one to when she wanted to learn how to ride. Actually a cool little bike. Suspension needs help, badly, but otherwise a fun little dual sport to fugg around on.

Still have it.

Yamaha XT250. Go get it!

I mean, how was your test ride on the XT?

Didn't ride it today although I did go look at it. Did about 4 hours of shovel work this morning and was a bit wore out plus it was windy and cloudy and chilly this afternoon. I did sit on it as well as a TT-R230 which is a full on trail bike. Small differences in seat heights are really noticeable, 31.9" for the XT250 and 34.3" for the TT-R230. Of course the true trail bikes are several pounds lighter without the highway stuff, and while you can put a usable rack on the back they are covered in plastic bodywork with a big plastic bumper.

The Honda dealership closed too early today but will be open Monday so I want to look at the CRF230F and the CRF250F & L. Those are all taller motorcycles with seat heights in the 34.4-34.8" range. Both F models are the trail bikes while the CRF250L is the dual purpose.

Also keeping my mind open and looking at the Honda Recon ATV and looking around at others. It's only a 229 cc 2WD but that's basically what my old Yamaha was and I had a blast with that. It would go anywhere I wasn't scared to go and being so light and small it was easy to ride. These smaller ATV's are a lot more capable than people give them credit for, one night that little Yamaha carried a large man, his teen age daugher and half an elk a few miles back down a rutted, washed out old forest road with some fairly step portions. You just hit the gas and keep up the momentum and it would climb most anything that wasn't total loose gravel - or snow, it wouldn't go over snow for anything. The Honda MSRP is exactly the same as the TW200 which is nive. Would have to get a trailer which is a whole 'nuther expense and a PITA so this is just a thought, but considering all options.

Mostly narrowing in on the TW200 or XT250, one of these definitely seems like the best way to go for me,

One thing I noticed yesterday and today, I don't know which is worse, car or motorcycle salesman. Talked to a fellow in his late 20's or early 30's yesterday and today and you could see he really didn't want to waste a minute of his time on an old geezer like me. He made some excuse and walked off today and another guy came over, a fellow in his 50's, and the bullsh*t just spewed from his mouth from the word go. The second guy directly contradicted the first one at least twice.

If the hills weren't real steep

If you are going ATV I wouldn't go less than a 350. My son had a 250 recon and although it would run it was just a little under powered and small and I'm not a big guy. That's just my opinion and worth what you paid for it though.

To be honest, As much fun as a trail bike looks, I would lean toward an ATV and trailer. Trailers are pretty cheap and handy for lots of other things, and (as you know) an ATV can do jobs that a bike can’t. Plus they are quite a bit safer.

When you are looking at these different bikes, lay them on their side then pick them up.
Gives a better idea of what's light and what's not.
You are going to have to pick it up sooner or later anyway.

The fat tires on the TW200 wash out easier on gravel than the skinny tires. At least that was my experience.

No way can a Idahoan just have 1 off road rig. Trail bike, ATV, 4x4 pickup, snowmachine, bare minimum.
Multiply examples of each is preferable..............

When the road is too muddy to get to the trail head I use this..........