I've wanted a dual sport for a long time, not a 650 but rather I like the idea of a 250. I know about the KLR and DR small displacement bikes but whenever I find one the prices are always jacked up. I don't get why I can get a used and in good condition GS for 1500 bucks but a comparable dual sport goes for 2-2.5k. ANYWAY, I was thinking what if I could take a cheap 250 (ex, cb) standard and put some better front forks and semi knobby tires (70% on road).

I know the seating position would not be correct and the frame also would not be tough enough to be a true dual sport, also the hubs ect. But in Southern Louisiana we don't have any rocks to contend with I just basically want something I can go explore down trails and go through some mud puddles.  I have a lead on a cheap Ninja 250, I envision striping most of the plastic, new dual headlights, ex500 rear shocks, some tougher front forks, 70/30 tires, and bar risers, I dunno.

So I guess this idea would make it less dual-sport and more enduro or supermoto. I know Alpha will chime in soon. Any ideas?

Starting with something like this. I dont think the EX250 looks too bad w/o fairings.

I turned an old Maxim 400 into a dual sport type bike...put GS750 forks and wheels on it and 70/30 nobbies and she did great.  Not ideal, but it was a lot more comfy than most dual sports.

However, I would just get one of these:

lifan

People say the motors are shaZam! but they use a generic Honda motor that you can get on ebay for $100...a couple friends of mine have them and one has about 10,000 miles on it with good maintenance.  They have really good wheels...thata 4.5" rear is nice...and you get things like a 42mm inverted fork that can take somoe abuse...rear sucks but again...CR250 showa in there and she's gold.

that particular one is in Dallas and I could help arrange a local pick up and you can have it shipped or picked up or whatever.

I know I saw an EX with knobbies somewhere on advrider.com, but I am having trouble locating it.  I'll post it up if/when I find it, or you could probably ask about something like this there

Here it is: http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=171094

I read that post, he took a KLR front end and rims and made his own ex/KLR 500. Interesting.

-ash

that's an EX front end...that bike is all EX except the knobbies.

I know, later on in the post he converted it.

The key to being a dual sport is light weight and suspension travel. If you want to do something like a fireroad you could do OK, but something like a big steep scrabbly hill with a ditch in it will not be able to climbed by something heavy with low travel.

A '73 Maico 400 has about as much rear wheel travel as that EX500, but yep, it's a whole lot lighter.

You make up for the weight with good power and rubber...and increasing the rear travel isn't that hard.  Just about any ZX shock will pop her ass up a bit nd the forks have plenty for light duty...dual sports shouoldn't be doing real heavy duty work, though.

I still think one of those cheap ass ebay bikes would be much better.

Quote from: makenzie71 on July 10, 2007, 12:44:46 PM
I turned an old Maxim 400 into a dual sport type bike...put GS750 forks and wheels on it and 70/30 nobbies and she did great.  Not ideal, but it was a lot more comfy than most dual sports.

However, I would just get one of these:

lifan

People say the motors are shaZam! but they use a generic Honda motor that you can get on ebay for $100...a couple friends of mine have them and one has about 10,000 miles on it with good maintenance.  They have really good wheels...thata 4.5" rear is nice...and you get things like a 42mm inverted fork that can take somoe abuse...rear sucks but again...CR250 showa in there and she's gold.

that particular one is in Dallas and I could help arrange a local pick up and you can have it shipped or picked up or whatever.

It takes months for parts to arrive for these things and top speed is only like 50 or 60 mph.Put a fatty like me on it and it'll strain to 35,then blow up.

My bud in amarillo rides one about...weighs abouot 260lbs and it does 55 easily...he's been drargging it all over the panhandle for a couple years and hada a hair over 10k on the clock last time i saw it.  It's geared pretty low so even with my 150lbs on it the best she gets is about 60~65.  If you want to go 70+, get a street bike.

The second one he bought threw a rod...there's was carbon in the exhaust when we got it and we think some boob started it up with no oil in the case before it was delivered.  He spent another $100 on it and put in a 200cc Honda plant.  It's a little faster, but not much, and does about the same on the trails.