5 Reasons Why New Riders Should Choose a Dual-Sport

Here is another great article from Ania!

 

There are plenty of different reasons to get into biking, and there are several options when it comes to style, performance and size. Everyone can afford to be fairly specific when they choose their perfect bike and there are some great entry-level options in any class, but dual-sports bikes just lend themselves well to beginners. You can get a spry little 250cc Ninja if you like sport bikes, or a competent Suzuki TU 250x if you prefer cruisers, but there are certain features that dual-sports offer that make them a great learning tool for your first year or so of riding that these other bikes simply lack. Here are a few good reasons to get a dual-sport as your first motorcycle:

1. It’s easier to learn the basics of bike riding on the dirt

The number one reason to recommend this type of bike to a new rider is the fact that you can take them off-road and practice away from all the traffic and pedestrians. You can spend hours riding around the dirt without worrying about bumping into things, making a considerable amount of damage or even hurting yourself badly. Falling on concrete is a much rougher experience than hitting the grass or mud, and practicing for hours on uneven terrain will make riding around town later feel like child’s play. You still have to be smart and careful, making sure to wear all the necessary riding gear, but it is a much more private and safer environment to learn the basics.

2. They have a wide variety of uses

You can’t take a sport bike out into the forest, and you can’t expect a smaller cruiser to be very agile. Not only can you ride around in the dirt having all sorts of fun, but you can then simply clean up your dual-sport and go round some errands around town. These bikes are often modified for adventure touring, where people ride for hundreds of mile across countries and even continents. Those are bigger and more powerful versions of course, but even entry-level dual-sport bikes can carry you over moderate distances, be it on concrete or off-road, on business or for pure pleasure.

3. Your experience carries over easily to other types of bikes

These bikes have some similarities with most other types of motorcycle. The seat is a tad bit higher than on other bikes, but you are seated upright like you would be on a cruiser, the handling and performance are somewhat similar to those of a sport bike and the general look and feel is a hybrid of off-road and urban bike features. You can a dual-sport as a learning tool and then graduate to any style of bike you want, and you’ll get used to it very quickly, or you can just buy a more powerful dual-sport if you want.

4. They can be tons of fun and handle very well

These motorcycles are built with performance in mind. Even the lighter and less powerful models feel very fast and responsive, and can give you quite the adrenaline rush, particularly if you ride them out in the open country. Hitting a calm side road is always fun and exciting – you get a chance to speed up a bit, hit a few corners and enjoy the moment – but when you have the ability to go off the beaten path and do some exploring any time you like, you will have a hard time wiping a huge, goofy grin of your face.

5. A dual-sport can take a beating and keep going

A big issue for new riders is the fact that they will take a tumble at least once during their first year, and there will be plenty of times where they just drop the bike or bump into things when parking. It is a necessary part of learning to ride, but with some bikes this can mean spending tons of money on bodywork and various repairs. Being an off-road as well as a city vehicle, a dual-sport bike is built to take a beating and keep on trucking. You don’t have to worry about bumps and scratches too much, and the bike might last years and years.

There are probably a few more things dual-sport lovers could add to this list, but these five are the core reasons why any new rider should take a serious look at these sturdy and incredibly fun motorcycles.