dual sport motorcycles

For those who don’t know anything about these, the Suzuki Tc-125 motorcycles were typical street/trail “Enduro” type machines of that era- a single cylinder, oil-injected two stroke with a high mounted front fender and motocross handlebars. What made this particular model so cool was it’s dual range 4-speed transmission, which effectively gave the bike 8 gears.

Dual Sport and Adventure Motorcycles

by Road Dirt Crew | Jun 2, 2022 | Bikes & Gear, Ride Life | 5 |

A reader emailed us recently with the question, “What do you see as the major differences between dual sport bikes and adventure bikes?” We thought that to be a worthy inquiry, so we will share our observations here. The Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC.org) lumps both together in a category they call “dual-purpose” in regards to overall motorcycle sales, but are they really quite different motorbike types? Both are road-ready and dirt-worthy, so why not classify them together?

2022 Yamaha Ténéré 700 First Impressions

by Rob Brooks | May 25, 2022 | Bikes & Gear | 4 |

First introduced in 2019, Yamaha’s Ténéré 700 has been a runaway hit for the “Tuning Fork” moto brand, despite the pandemic difficulties it debuted under. It’s midsize displacement, narrow body and tank, flat seating and neutral riding position, as well as a reasonable price tag, have given it a wide appeal in the ADV motorcycle segment. Yamaha offered us an opportunity to sample one for a couple of months, and we were more than a bit enthusiastic.

Playing In The Dirt Again

by Rob Brooks | May 4, 2022 | Ride Life, Rides & Roads | 6 |

I am chasing Barry down another rarely-travelled unpaved road out in east central Georgia, barely able to make out his silhouette ahead of me from the cloud of red clay and gravel dust he and others ahead of him are kicking up. I’m alternating between sitting and standing, bouncing and sliding along about 45 mph, hard on the little 300’s throttle, trying to keep them at least vaguely in sight. I am telling myself, audibly at times, “Relax, breathe, keep a loose grip on the grips, let the bike float and move beneath you. You’re doing fine.”

2021 Royal Enfield Himalayan Review

by Rob Brooks | Nov 4, 2020 | Bikes & Gear | 6 |

After rolling into a gas station while out on a day ride, a young lady across the pump from me quipped, “That looks like fun. What kind of motorcycle is it?” I shared it was a Royal Enfield Himalayan, to which she jokingly replied, “Himalayan! It’s a long way from home!” When I told her a bit more about the bike, including what they sell for here in the States, she exclaimed, “Wow, now that’s a bike I would ride!” She thanked me then drove off in her SUV as I reflected on our brief conversation. It was living proof of what I think Royal Enfield is up to with this bike- a small, lightweight, simple, affordable, do-everything motorcycle for the masses. Could the Himalayan really be the best value ADV for the money? Maybe the best value motorcycle for the money?