The Eclectic Biker: February 2004

A New Appreciation For Dirt-y Bikes

I have to admit, lately I've been eyeing up dual-sport and adventure-touring bikes with more than a little curiosity. I'm still a confessed Sportbike Guy -- I marvel at Milles, drool over Ducatis and swoon over Suzukis -- but I've also come to terms with something else. I'm not a kid anymore.

I'm noticing my 30-year-old body isn't adapting to things the way it did a decade ago. Despite (fairly) regular exercise, the extra 10 or so pounds around my waist just won't go away. And then there are the little pains in my back, neck, wrists and legs that remind me every day that I'm not 20. Which makes me less inclined to drape myself over a sportbike like Valentino Rossi. Heck, if I were like Rossi and were 24 years old and weighed 5 pounds, I could do it all day. But I don't know if my bigger, badder (that's bad in a bad way) self can handle it.

But what to do? I've spent the last year dreaming of sportbike ownership, from little RS50s to 999s. I couldn't go cruiser -- having all my weight on my derriere is even more undesirable. Oddly enough, the answer came to me in the form of the KTM Adventure 950.

Now, I'm not advocating at all the notion the 950 is a good beginner bike, and I'm not even thinking of getting one (although I'd love one). No, what the KTM did was re-introduce me to a forgotten genre, the SUM (Sport Utility Motorcycle) -- my all-inclusive term for dual sports and adventure-tourers. The fact the Adventure is also a kick-ass road bike notwithstanding, what struck me was the near-perfect riding position -- nicely upright, with weight distributed between the butt, legs and arms. My back said, "Yup, that's it. That's what I want. Don't you dare sling me across a sportbike."

So I'm not getting an Adventure. So what would I want? First off, it'll have to have a manageable seat height. I'm not a short man, but I don't want to be teetering at every stoplight. It would have to be beginner friendly -- the 950 is nice, but that big v-Twin would eat me alive. It would also have to be reliable, and, to fit into my (limited) finances, it would have to be inexpensive, if not widely available used. I also would like it to be halfway decent on the highway, with the ability to do short tours.

Unfortunately, this mystery bike doesn't exist. So, on to Plan B -- which bikes fit most of the criteria? The new Suzuki V-Strom 650 is nearly perfect, except for the new-bike price. Plus, the 650 v-Twin is at the limit of beginner-ness, and I may be chastised for buying one. But the bottom line is I'd be afraid to drop it, and fear is the enemy of the beginner. The KLR650 -- one of my previous bike picks -- is a possibility, but the seat height is a put-off, as are the (ahem) strange looks. It's not bad, but something about it is just not right. The KTM Duke and MZ Baghira are just too rare and expensive.

With these bikes and criteria in mind, I attacked the 'Net and stumbled upon a potential winner. Checking out the used inventory of a local bike shop, I noticed a Suzuki DR650 for sale. I clicked. And that was it. It's not that I didn't know the DR existed, because I did, but looking at it from a different perspective, I noticed unbounded potential. First off, it just looks right, in the same way the KLR doesn't. The proportions are just perfect. It's long and low, with tasteful graphics and a fat exhaust pipe -- the perfect dual sport. It may lack the liquid cooling of the KLR, but that might make it easier to maintain. The seat height is lower than the KLR's, too, plus it's available with an even lower seat height, an option I'd definitely choose.

Source: Suzuki Motor Corporation

Of course, it's not perfect. I'll never take it off-road, so it needs some street-izing. A set of Supermoto-style 17-inch wheels and street rubber would be a good start. That puny dirt-oriented front brake will have to go, too (may as well slap on some steel-braided brake lines while I'm at it). The high-mounted fender would be next -- I'm sure I can fab something for it. It'll need some wind protection, but that square headlight and mini-faring won't hold a windscreen. Hmm...I could replace it with a standard round headlamp. Not only would it be able to fit a variety of screens, but it would look cool. Then there's the seat...

(By the way, Suzuki already makes a bike similar to this called the Freewind. It was never available in the U.S.)

I'm not saying I'm definitely buying one. But it has been added to my list. If my aging back doth protest too much at the prospect of me riding a sportbike or sport standard, I'll be checking out a DR. Guess it's time to do some test-sittin'.